examining the relationship between prior knowledge and entrepreneurial opportunity recognition with mediating role of entrepreneurial alertness and entrepreneurial learning

two main factors influencing the entrepreneurial opportunity recognition, i.e. prior knowledge and cognitive characteristics have been identified. in order to examine the effect of prior knowledge on opportunity recognition with mediating role of cognitive characteristics including entrepreneurial alertness and entrepreneurial learning, the conceptual model of research and the related hypotheses are developed. this study was conducted on a random sampling and the sample size was determined based on the cochran formula, in which eventually 67 people were studied. the adequate data for the study were collected through questionnaires and analyzed through regression analysis and structural equation modeling (sem). the findings of this research show that prior knowledge has positive effects on opportunity recognition, entrepreneurial learning and entrepreneurial alertness. also the positive impact of entrepreneurial alertness and entrepreneurial learning on opportunity recognition was confirmed. in addition, the mediating role of entrepreneurial alertness and learning in the relationship between prior knowledge and opportunity recognition was confirmed. the overall assessment of the conceptual model, moreover, indicates strong fit.