This article extends previous literature on opportunity evaluation by analysing how positive affect influences opportunity evaluation and the subsequent willingness to act entrepreneurially. We draw on two mediational channels (i.e., the affect-to-affect-to-outcome and affect-to-cognition routes) regarding the influence of affect on positive outcomes upon arguments that opportunity evaluation comprises of the cognitive representations of the focal opportunity and of oneself. Specifically, we analyse the mediating effects of the image of the opportunity and self-efficacy in the relationship between positive affect and the willingness to act entrepreneurially. We test our hypotheses on a sample of nascent entrepreneurs participating in training programmes in six Spanish incubators whom were asked to evaluate their own opportunities. Our findings show that positive affect exerts a positive indirect effect through the image of the opportunity, but do not indicate any mediating effect of self-efficacy. These findings may help entrepreneurs understand the affective subjectivity of their opportunity assessments.

本文通过分析积极影响如何影响机会评估以及随后的创业意愿，扩展了先前关于机会评估的文献。我们利用两个中介渠道（即，情感到情感到结果和情感到认知路径）关于情感对积极结果的影响，理由是机会评估包括焦点机会的认知表征和自己的。具体来说，我们分析了机会形象和自我效能感在积极情绪与创业意愿之间的中介作用。我们以参加六个西班牙孵化器培训计划的新生企业家样本为样本检验我们的假设，这些孵化器被要求评估自己的机会。我们的研究结果表明，积极影响通过机会形象产生积极的间接影响，但并不表明自我效能有任何中介作用。这些发现可能有助于企业家了解他们的机会评估的情感主观性。