Finding the sweet spot: Evaluating the role of structured idea-generation framework in generating high-quality new venture ideas

Previous research has predominantly focused on cognitive antecedents related to the quality of new venture ideas (NVIs), resulting in a notable gap in understanding the influence of structural elements on NVIs. Drawing upon activation theory, we examine how the structure of the idea-generation framework, a dimension of routinization, influences NVI outcomes. To investigate this relationship, we conduct two separate studies: the first involving a student sample and the second involving practicing entrepreneurs. Our findings demonstrate an inverse U-shaped relationship between the structure in the idea-generation framework and the quality/quantity of NVIs. These findings contribute to the understanding of the antecedents that shape NVIs.