“One tiny drop changes everything”: Constructing opportunity with words

Irina Liuberte; Dimo Dimov

doi:10.1016/j.jbvi.2021.e00242

“One tiny drop changes everything”: Constructing opportunity with words

Irina Liuberte, Dimo Dimov

ISM University of Management and Economics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

22 Citations (SciVal)

206 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This paper uses the theory of speech acts to explore how entrepreneurs use language to construct the opportunities they set out to pursue. We use the case of Theranos (a journey from inspiring vision to criminal infamy) as a natural setting that draws a sharp contrast between words as the content of speech (“opportunity”) and world as its object (opportunity). Our analysis of communication from the early days of the company highlights locutionary content (framing, filling, connecting, and committing), illocutionary force (statements, claims, feelings, attitudes, vows, pledges), and perlocutionary effects (agitate, inspire, envisage, mobilize, and reassure) as distinct aspects of opportunity construction.

Original language	English
Article number	e00242
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Business Venturing Insights
Volume	15
Early online date	9 Apr 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbvi.2021.e00242
Publication status	Published - 30 Jun 2021

Acknowledgements

We thank the editor Pablo Munoz and anonymous reviewer for their constructive suggestions for developing the paper. We also thank the participants of a research seminar at University of Bath and Bogazici University for their helpful comments to an earlier version of the paper.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

Entrepreneurial communication
Entrepreneurial journey
Language
Opportunity
Opportunity construction
Speech acts

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Business and International Management
Management of Technology and Innovation

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jbvi.2021.e00242

jbvi accepted version 26 mar 2021Accepted author manuscript, 466 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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AB - This paper uses the theory of speech acts to explore how entrepreneurs use language to construct the opportunities they set out to pursue. We use the case of Theranos (a journey from inspiring vision to criminal infamy) as a natural setting that draws a sharp contrast between words as the content of speech (“opportunity”) and world as its object (opportunity). Our analysis of communication from the early days of the company highlights locutionary content (framing, filling, connecting, and committing), illocutionary force (statements, claims, feelings, attitudes, vows, pledges), and perlocutionary effects (agitate, inspire, envisage, mobilize, and reassure) as distinct aspects of opportunity construction.

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“One tiny drop changes everything”: Constructing opportunity with words

Abstract

Acknowledgements

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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