Developing Entrepreneurial Behaviours: A Social Learning Theory Perspective

Abstract

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The Role of Prior Entrepreneurial Exposure in the Entrepreneurial Process: A Review and Future Research Implications

“…Likewise, Drennan, Kennedy, and Renfrow () suggest that positive perceptions of family business experience positively influence entrepreneurial intention through perceived desirability as well as perceived feasibility of starting a business. In contrast, several studies (Drennan, Kennedy, and Renfrow ; Krueger ; Scherer, Adams, and Wiebe ) find no direct effect of quality of prior entrepreneurial exposure on entrepreneurial intention implicating that this type of prior entrepreneurial exposure has a rather indirect influence (mediated through attitudinal variables). However, a study by Zhang, Duysters, and Cloodt () suggests that entrepreneurial intention is directly diminished by prior entrepreneurial exposure perceived as negative.…”

“…According to Social Learning Theory (Bandura ) individuals vicariously learn by observing the behavior of attachment figures, referred to as role models. Applied to the entrepreneurial context, Social Learning Theory suggests the observation of entrepreneurial role models to be influential on self‐employment decisions as individuals tend to express similar choices to valued role models (Scherer, Adams, and Wiebe ). Drawing on Social Learning Theory, several studies have suggested a positive influence of entrepreneurial role models such as parents (e.g., Chlosta et al ; Constant and Zimmermann ; Mungai and Velamuri ) or relatives/friends (Caputo and Dolinsky ; Herring ; Wagner ) who previously started a business on individuals’ entrepreneurial behavior.…”

“…Another way to account for the quality of prior entrepreneurial exposure is to control for individual's perceived quality of prior exposure (Krueger ). Even negative experiences (e.g., bankruptcy of role model's firm) from which the individual learned how to avoid errors in the start‐up process may be considered as positive (Krueger ; Scherer, Adams, and Wiebe ).…”

Women Entrepreneurs in Family Business: The Hungarian Case

“…Social learning theory has been used in several studies to explain entrepreneurial career preferences. The effects of observational learning through perceived parental entrepreneurial role model performance is explored by Scherer et al, (1989), who find that the presence of a parent in an entrepreneurial role is associated with increased education and training aspirations, task self-efficacy, and expectancy for an entrepreneurial career. The study also finds that individuals with a parent performing an entrepreneurial role are often high performers and significantly different from individuals without role models, who are low performers.…”

Can role models boost entrepreneurial attitudes?

“…It seems likely, then, that entrepreneurial role models will affect the perceived desirability and feasibility of an individual becoming an entrepreneur. According to Scherer et al (1989), the observation of role models enables individuals to learn specific skills, knowledge, and behaviours that are relevant and essential for embarking on a new venture. In particular, earlier findings on human capital (e.g., Holtz-Eakin, 2000;Scherer et al, 1991) indicated that entrepreneurial parents can transfer informal business knowledge to youth.…”