Abstract:

Digital platforms remain a major medium that entrepreneurs access information, interact with stakeholders, and mobilise resources, yet evidence on whether platforms consistently enhance entrepreneurial opportunity recognition remains fragmented and sometimes contradictory. This systematic review synthesises peer-reviewed journal evidence on digital platforms and entrepreneurial opportunity recognition. Systematic literature review was carried out and 27 studies were included for thematic synthesis. The synthesis identified five themes: platform visibility, networked sensemaking, mediated alertness, capability conversion, and context and governance. Findings show that platforms expand opportunity-relevant signals and accelerate feedback, but effects are contingent on digital capability, self-efficacy, and complementary resources. It was found that digital platforms can also reallocate opportunities and dampen entrepreneurial entry under certain policy, market, and governance conditions. This study contributes an ecosystem-sensitive, capability-contingent account of platform-enabled opportunity recognition, clarifying mechanisms and boundary conditions relevant to entrepreneurship theory, platform design, education, and policy.

Please choose your submission type: Full Paper

Primary Track: Entrepreneurship

Keywords: Entrepreneurship Theories;International entrepreneurship;Entrepreneurship in emerging markets;Entrepreneurship in the Circular Economy

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Mr. Solomon Jeresa