Entrepreneurial decision$-$making exists on a continuum, ranging from a purely intuitive approach on one end

to a purely analytical approach on the other $($Klein$,2020$; Simon, $2021).$ The normative framework of

entrepreneurial decision$-$making is characterised by a logical$,$ reasoned or analytical approach, while the

descriptive framework explores the affective, intuitive and instinctive domains that often influence decisions

in practice $($Dane & Pratt, $2019$; Gigerenzer, $2022).$ This spectrum underscores the importance of

understanding how intuition and analysis can coexist in effective decision$-$making.

The following remarks were made by Jeff Bezos, one of the most successful entrepreneurs the world over,

on $13$ September $2018$ at the Economic Club of Washington:

$$All of my best decisions in business and in life have been made with heart, intuition, gut $$

not analysis. When you can make a decision with analysis, you should do so$,$ but it turns out

in life that your most important decisions are always made with instinct, intuition, taste,

heart.$$

Similarly, in Walter Isaacson$$s $(2011)$ worldwide bestselling biography of Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, Steve

Jobs is quoted as having said the following during his $2005$ Commencement address to Standford University:

$$Intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than intellect.$$

These and other similar anecdotal insights emphasising the importance of intuition and emotional intelligence

in decision$-$making over purely analytical approaches are not only intriguing but also compelling.

Consequently, Dr Portia Simelane, an organisational psychologist with a research interest in

entrepreneurship is embarking on a study aimed at examining the role of intuitive and analytical decision

making in entrepreneurial success among South African entrepreneurs.

The following research questions have been formulated by Dr Simelane for the study:

$1.$ How do South African entrepreneurs perceive the role of intuition in their decision$-$making

processes?

$2.$ How do South African entrepreneurs perceive the role of analytical thinking in their decisionmaking processes?

$3.$ Does intuitive decision$-$making significantly differ from analytical decision$-$making in terms of its

impact on entrepreneurial success among South African entrepreneurs?

$4.$ What actionable recommendations can be provided to leverage both intuition and analysis to

enhance the success of entrepreneurial activities among South African entrepreneurs?

The questionnaire developed by Dr Simelane, among others, includes the following questions:

$1.$ On a scale of $1$ to $10($with $1$ being the lowest and $10$ the highest$),$ how would you rate your overall

success in your entrepreneurial activities? Please consider factors such as financial performance,

business growth, and personal satisfaction in your rating.

$8$

$2.$ On a scale of $1$ to $10($with $1$ being the lowest and $10$ the highest$),$ how would you rate the growth of your

business over the past year in terms of revenue, customer base, or market share?

$3.$ How would you describe your typical decision$-$making style? $($Select all that apply$)$

a$.$ Primarily intuitive

b$.$ Primarily analytical

c$.$ A balance of both

d$.$ Other $($please specify$)$: $\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

$4.$ On a scale of $1$ to $10($with $1$ being the lowest and $10$ the highest$),$ how significantly has your intuition

contributed to your success in making key business decisions?

$5.$ On a scale of $1$ to $10($with $1$ being the lowest and $10$ the highest$),$ how would you rate the importance of

emotional intelligence in your decision$-$making?

$6.$ On a scale of $1$ to $10($with $1$ being the lowest and $10$ the highest$),$ how significantly has a logical$,$

analytical approach to decision$-$making contributed to your entrepreneurial success?

$7.$ On a scale of $1$ to $10($with $1$ being the lowest and $10$ the highest$),$ how would you rate the importance of

analytical decision$-$making in your overall entrepreneurial strategy?

$8.$ On a scale of $1$ to $10($with $1$ being the lowest and $10$ the highest$),$ how significantly do external factors

$($e$.$g$.,$ market conditions, industry trends$)$ influence your entrepreneurial success?

$9.$ What external factors $($e$.$g$.,$ market conditions, industry trends, socio$-$economic influences$)$ do you

believe have played a role in your entrepreneurial success? Please describe.

$10.$ What challenges have you encountered in your decision$-$making processes? Please briefly describe.

$11.$ Please share a specific decision you made in your entrepreneurial journey where you relied on intuition.

What was the outcome?

$12.$ What specific strategies do you use to incorporate intuition into your decision$-$making process? Please

provide examples.

$13.$ Can you describe a situation where analytical thinking significantly influenced your decision$-$making?

What insights did you gain from that experience?

$14.$ What recommendations would you offer to other entrepreneurs for effectively balancing intuition and

analytical thinking in their decision$-$making process