Opportunity Identification among Tunisian Micro-Entrepreneurs: Differential Effects of Human and Social Capital

Najla Wannès, Anis Jarboui

Entrepreneurship is a key driver of economic growth and innovation, with opportunity identification being a fundamental step in the entrepreneurial process. This paper examines how human and social capital affect opportunity identification in Tunisian micro-enterprises—a sector that plays a crucial socio-economic role but faces significant informational and structural constraints. Human capital includes education, entrepreneurial training, sector-specific experience, managerial experience, and creativity, while social capital is captured through the size and quality of networks and interpersonal relationships. Data from 105 micro-entrepreneurs were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).
The results show that social capital significantly facilitates opportunity identification. In contrast, education and creativity have unexpectedly negative effects, while sector-specific experience, managerial experience, and entrepreneurial training show no significant impact. These findings highlight the importance of social networks in emerging economies and provide actionable insights for policymakers and programs aiming to strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems.