The provenance and effects of entrepreneurial inspiration

Abstract

PurposeBuilding on authoritative studies on inspiration in the field of psychology (e.g. Thrash and Elliot, 2013, 2014), this study aims to clarify how entrepreneurial inspiration – an emotional state of personal attraction toward entrepreneurship – is created and how it affects entrepreneurial intentions. First, receptiveness to inspiration is introduced as a potential entrepreneurial feeling trait that constitutes a universal enabler of entrepreneurial inspiration alongside typically idiosyncratic inspirational triggers. Second, this study proposes to reinforce the theoretical base of the relation between entrepreneurial inspiration and entrepreneurial intentions by applying the affect infusion model (AIM) and empirically testing its explanatory power.Design/methodology/approachHypotheses are tested through independent and dependent sample t-tests and hierarchical regression analyses with an interaction effect. Data originate from a pre-post course survey among 342 entrepreneurship students from various countries and institutions.FindingsThe results confirm a positive relation between receptiveness to inspiration and entrepreneurial inspiration. Receptiveness to inspiration precedes and increases with entrepreneurial experience, suggesting that it can be both inborn and cultivated. In line with the AIM, entrepreneurial inspiration stimulates only the entrepreneurial aspirations of participants without entrepreneurial experience. Experienced individuals, on the other hand, derived more entrepreneurial inspiration from their courses, but this was not translated to higher entrepreneurial intentions. Instead, they could benefit from this inspiration in other ways proposed in the literature, such as enhanced opportunity recognition.Originality/valueThis study provides much needed, theory-informed, insight into the formation of entrepreneurial inspiration. Furthermore, it is the first research to propose and test a specific theoretical underpinning of the relation between entrepreneurial inspiration and entrepreneurial intentions, which also accounts for the moderating role of entrepreneurial experience. Finally, the rare multi-country, multi-institution nature of the sample reinforces the external validity of the findings.

The influence of the propensity of small-firm managers to enroll in training programs on subsequent training outcome

“…This finding, however, is well in line with predictions from the affect-infusion model (Forgas, 1995). From this perspective, “weak” participants are more likely to discover something interesting and surprising during the training activity, such as the importance of strategy for small firms, which, in turn, may enhance their learning motivation during the training process – and eventually lead to cognitive change (Van Ewijk et al. , 2021).…”

“…And, if not offered participation in a training program, this group of managers may likely seek out alternative learning activities and derive comparable learning benefits (Hackett and Dilts, 2004). New findings further suggest that lower course motivation and less previous experience with course content associate with higher course-derived inspiration, which, in turn, promotes more elaborate cognitive changes (Van Ewijk et al, 2021). Notably, such inspirational emotions may boost entrepreneurs' self-image and self-efficacy while simultaneously decreasing the impact of subjective norms on entrepreneurial intentions (Wartiovaara et al, 2019).…”

“…The negative association between training motivation and training outcome, however, is not uncontested. Recent studies have embarked on the affect-infusion model (Forgas, 1995) to explain findings that lower pre-course motivation and less previous experience with course content associate positively with higher course-derived inspiration, which, in turn, increased learning outcomes (Van Ewijk et al. , 2021).…”

“…The negative association between training motivation and training outcome, however, is not uncontested. Recent studies have embarked on the affect-infusion model (Forgas, 1995) to explain findings that lower pre-course motivation and less previous experience with course content associate positively with higher course-derived inspiration, which, in turn, increased learning outcomes (Van Ewijk et al, 2021). Also, findings by Wartiovaara et al (2019) suggest IJEBR 29,6 that such inspirational emotions may importantly increase entrepreneurs' self-image and self-efficacy, and thereby promote training motivation and subsequent training performance.…”

« Quels entrepreneurs vous inspirent ? » Exploration du déjà-là des étudiants en matière de modèles de rôles

“…Elle est déclenchée par des stimuli internes ou externes tels que des idées, des rencontres, des activités, des réalisations. Enfin, la motivation caractérise l'inspiration, car celle-ci incite la personne qui la ressent à mettre en oeuvre les nouvelles possibilités entrevues (Bertholet et Gaudet, 2017 ;Van Ewijk et al, 2021). L'état d'inspiration recouvre ainsi le fait d'être « inspiré par » aussi bien que le fait d'être « inspiré pour » (Thrash et Elliot, 2004 ;Thrash et al, 2014 ;Wartiovaara et al, 2019).…”