Entrepreneurial fear of failure and exit intention: The moderating role of a conducive social environment

Abstract

This article investigates the relationship between entrepreneurial fear of failure, exit intentions and the moderating impact of a conducive social environment, particularly business incubators, in the context of a developing economy. It provides empirical evidence on how different sources of fear of failure influence an entrepreneur’s intention to exit a venture. Building on social-cognitive theory and leveraging survey data collected from 255 practising entrepreneurs, we show that sources of failure related to the self lead to higher exit intentions whereas external sources of failure do not trigger such intentions. Notably, the positive relationship between self-related fear of failure and exit intention is reduced when entrepreneurs operate within the supportive framework of business incubators. This study highlights the specific dynamics of developing economies that can have profound impacts on the psychology of entrepreneurs. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into how fear of failure shapes entrepreneurial outcomes and how a supportive social environment can mitigate its negative impact, particularly in a developing country context such as Pakistan.