IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/jouent/v34y2025i1p33-73.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unfolding the Relationship Between Entrepreneurs’ Cognitive Style and Performance: Experiential Learning as a Mediator and Responsibility and Risk-taking as Moderators

Author

Listed:
  • Christina Maria Jayacyril
  • Magesh Kuttalam
  • Annie Riya Michael
  • Regina Velnadar
  • Satyanarayana Parayitam

Abstract

The aim of the study is to examine the effects of entrepreneurs’ cognitive style on firm performance mediated through experiential learning. A conceptual model was developed showing the responsibility as a moderator between cognitive style and experiential learning, and risk taking as a moderator between experiential learning and firm performance. Using a survey instrument, data were collected from 378 entrepreneurs in the Southern part of India. Hayes’s PROCESS macros were used to test the hypothesised relationships. The results reveal that all dimensions of cognitive style: Knowing style, planning style and creating style, are significantly and positively related to firm performance. The results also suggest that experiential learning mediates the relationship between three dimensions of cognitive style and firm performance. Further, the findings indicate that entrepreneurs’ responsibility moderates the relationship between all three dimensions of cognitive style (knowing style, planning style and creating style) and experiential learning. The results also showed risk-taking as a moderator between experiential learning and firm performance. This study offers practical insights to both entrepreneurs and educators by highlighting the role of cognitive styles in achieving success. Further, educational institutions can conduct workshops and training programs to bring awareness about the antecedents to entrepreneurial success. The conceptual model developed, to the best of our knowledge, is first of its kind especially in the context of a developing country—India. This study emphasises the significance of three dimensions of cognitive style as precursors to firm performance, mediated through experiential learning. This study extends the current knowledge on the effect of cognitive styles on entrepreneurship intentions by exploring the responsibility and risk-taking as moderators.

Suggested Citation

  • Christina Maria Jayacyril & Magesh Kuttalam & Annie Riya Michael & Regina Velnadar & Satyanarayana Parayitam, 2025. "Unfolding the Relationship Between Entrepreneurs’ Cognitive Style and Performance: Experiential Learning as a Mediator and Responsibility and Risk-taking as Moderators," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 34(1), pages 33-73, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jouent:v:34:y:2025:i:1:p:33-73
    DOI: 10.1177/09713557251326530
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09713557251326530
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/09713557251326530?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:jouent:v:34:y:2025:i:1:p:33-73. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.ediindia.org/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.