Challenge stressors and learning from failure: the moderating roles of emotional intelligence and error management culture

Abstract

With the normalisation of innovation failure, there have been certain circumstances in which the companies have to recover quickly from failure. Drawing from the conservation of resources theory, we examine the relationship between challenge stressors and learning from failure, and the moderating effects of emotional intelligence and error management culture. With 229 sample dates from high-tech enterprises in China, we test the hypothesis by regression analysis. The results indicate that challenge stressors have an inverted U-shaped effect on learning from failure, and emotional intelligence and error management culture, respectively, moderate the relationship. Compared with the emotional intelligence, the moderating effect of error management culture is more significant. This study not only provides a fresh understanding on the relationship between challenge stressors and learning from failure but also contributes to the literature on conservation of resources theory.