Development and application of the opportunity identification competence assessment test (OICAT) in higher education

Developing and assessing individuals’ competence to identify business
opportunities is of increasing importance in the current widespread
introduction of entrepreneurship programmes in higher education
worldwide. However, performance tests to assess opportunity
identification competence (OIC) are scarce in the entrepreneurship
education literature. This study elaborates on the development and
application of such a performance assessment tool: the opportunity
identification competence assessment test (OICAT). In the OICAT
participants are asked to generate business ideas in the area of
sustainable development. This study investigated how bachelor’s
students, and master’s students following entrepreneurial courses,
identify opportunities. The results suggest that the OICAT is successful
in tracking individual differences in OIC. The OICAT could be used as
a learning-oriented assessment, helping students find out both what
they already can do and what they need for further improvement.