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
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
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