Abstract:

Entrepreneurial knowledge determines how individuals recognize and exploit opportunities under conditions of uncertainty. Yet, existing typologies – spanning cognitive, experiential and competence-based approaches – tend to describe distinct categories of knowledge rather than an integrated system. This paper proposes a conceptual Integrative Model of Entrepreneurial Knowledge, developed through a structured review and synthesis of entrepreneurship literature.

The model positions knowledge about opportunity recognition and exploitation as the central organizing construct of entrepreneurial cognition. Surrounding this core are seven interdependent domains: technological, industry, organizational, marketing, financial, operational, and self-knowledge, that collectively enable entrepreneurs to perceive, evaluate, and act upon opportunities. Opportunity-related knowledge functions as a cognitive integrator linking perception with execution, while feedback between domains drives continuous learning loops. The paper contributes to entrepreneurship theory by reframing knowledge as a systemic and dynamic configuration rather than an additive set of competences. It integrates classical frameworks (Mitchell et al., 2002; Mitchelmore and Rowley, 2010; Politis, 2005; Rae, 2017) with recent empirical advances (Alves and Yang, 2022; Liao et al., 2022; Suanpong et al., 2025). Practically, it offers a foundation for opportunity-centered entrepreneurship education. The study concludes that entrepreneurial success depends on the integration of diverse knowledge domains into a coherent learning system that transforms awareness of opportunities into sustainable entrepreneurial action.