I think It’s Good, but I’m Also Afraid: The Interplay of Opportunity Evaluation and Emotions as Antecedent of Entrepreneurial Exploitation

58 Pages Posted: 25 Apr 2011 Last revised: 5 Aug 2011

See all articles by Isabell M. Welpe

Isabell M. Welpe

Technische Universität München (TUM) - School of Management

Matthias Spörrle

University of Applied Management (UAM); Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU)

Dietmar Grichnik

University of St. Gallen

Theresa Treffers

Eindhoven University of Technology (TUE) - Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences

David B. Audretsch

Indiana University Bloomington - School of Public & Environmental Affairs (SPEA)

Date Written: April 12, 2011

Abstract

This research examines the interplay of opportunity evaluation and emotions as determinants of entrepreneurial exploitation, using affect-as-information theory and the affective processing principle as conceptual bases. Three central assumptions are confirmed across two studies. The first is that the effects of opportunity characteristics on exploitation are mediated by evaluation. The second is that emotions influence exploitation decisions in addition to evaluation. Fear reduces exploitation whereas joy and anger increase it. The third is that fear, joy, and anger influence evaluation’s effect on exploitation with higher levels of fear reducing and higher levels of joy and anger increasing the positive impact of evaluation on exploitation.

Keywords: Entrepreneurial opportunity, affect, emotion, joy, anger, fear, opportunity exploitation, opportunity evaluation

Suggested Citation

Welpe, Isabell M. and Spörrle, Matthias and Grichnik, Dietmar and Treffers, Theresa and Audretsch, David B., I think It’s Good, but I’m Also Afraid: The Interplay of Opportunity Evaluation and Emotions as Antecedent of Entrepreneurial Exploitation (April 12, 2011). Indiana University-Bloomington: School of Public & Environmental Affairs Research Paper No. 2011-04-03, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1821104 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1821104

Isabell M. Welpe (Contact Author)

Technische Universität München (TUM) - School of Management ( email )

Leopoldstrasse 139
Munich, 80804
Germany
++49/89/289-24800 (Phone)
++49/89/289-24805 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.strategie.wi.tum.de

Matthias Spörrle

University of Applied Management (UAM) ( email )

Am Bahnhof 2
Erding, 85435
Germany
+4981229559480 (Phone)
+49812295594849 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.fham.de

Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU) ( email )

Leopoldstr. 13
Munich, 80802
Germany

Dietmar Grichnik

University of St. Gallen ( email )

Dufourstrasse 50
St.Gallen, CH-9000
Switzerland

Theresa Treffers

Eindhoven University of Technology (TUE) - Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences ( email )

Den Dolech 2
Eindhoven
Netherlands

David B. Audretsch

Indiana University Bloomington - School of Public & Environmental Affairs (SPEA) ( email )

1315 East Tenth Street
Bloomington, IN 47405
United States

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