IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/intemj/v21y2025i1d10.1007_s11365-025-01075-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Success in entrepreneurship: the impact of self-esteem and entrepreneurial orientation

Author

Listed:
  • Fabiola Gómez-Jorge

    (Rey Juan Carlos University)

  • Sara Bermejo-Olivas

    (Rey Juan Carlos University)

  • Eloísa Díaz-Garrido

    (Rey Juan Carlos University)

  • Isabel Soriano-Pinar

    (Rey Juan Carlos University)

Abstract

Self-esteem and entrepreneurial orientation are crucial factors that influence entrepreneurial behavior and performance at both the individual and organizational levels. This study investigates the relationship between self-esteem and entrepreneurial orientation, focusing on how self-esteem may affect attitudes toward entrepreneurship, willingness to take risks, and, ultimately, entrepreneurial success. While previous research has acknowledged the importance of psychological factors in entrepreneurial intention and new venture creation, this study adopts a novel approach by centering self-esteem in the context of entrepreneurship within newly established companies. Given the complexity of the constructs involved, a qualitative approach is well-suited to address the exploratory nature of this research. We conducted a multiple-case study using semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs from various sectors, which provided valuable insights into their personal experiences during their entrepreneurial journeys. The data were carefully analyzed using the Gioia method, a robust framework suitable for examining complex social phenomena and generating context-sensitive theories. This exploratory approach offers a nuanced understanding of the “how” and “why” behind the phenomena investigated, employing abductive reasoning to connect theory and observation. The results indicate a significant relationship between the variables, suggesting that self-esteem positively influences entrepreneurial orientation and, consequently, entrepreneurial success. These preliminary findings generate hypotheses for future research to further explore these relationships and ultimately validate the conclusions across different contexts. This research offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs, educators, and policymakers to develop strategies and support systems that foster self-esteem, enhance overall well-being, and promote entrepreneurial success.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabiola Gómez-Jorge & Sara Bermejo-Olivas & Eloísa Díaz-Garrido & Isabel Soriano-Pinar, 2025. "Success in entrepreneurship: the impact of self-esteem and entrepreneurial orientation," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-43, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:intemj:v:21:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s11365-025-01075-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11365-025-01075-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11365-025-01075-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11365-025-01075-8?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Urbano & Maribel Guerrero & João J. Ferreira & Cristina I. Fernandes, 2019. "New technology entrepreneurship initiatives: Which strategic orientations and environmental conditions matter in the new socio-economic landscape?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(5), pages 1577-1602, October.
    2. Veland Ramadani, 2015. "The Woman Entrepreneur in Albania: An Exploratory Study on Motivation, Problems and Success Factors," Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(2), pages 204-221, April.
    3. Peter B. Robinson & David V. Stimpson & Jonathan C. Huefner & H. Keith Hunt, 1991. "An Attitude Approach to the Prediction of Entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 15(4), pages 13-32, July.
    4. Andreas Rauch & Johan Wiklund & G.T. Lumpkin & Michael Frese, 2009. "Entrepreneurial Orientation and Business Performance: An Assessment of past Research and Suggestions for the Future," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(3), pages 761-787, May.
    5. Hahn, Huh-Jung & Mathews, Melissa A., 2022. "Learning behaviors as a linkage between organization-based self-esteem and in-role performance," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 28(5), pages 1100-1115, September.
    6. Sara Bermejo-Olivas & Isabel Soriano-Pinar & María-José Pinillos, 2024. "A journey through the conceptual evolution of corporate entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial orientation: a comparative approach," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 2075-2113, September.
    7. Jeffrey G. Covin & G.T. Lumpkin, 2011. "Entrepreneurial Orientation Theory and Research: Reflections on a Needed Construct," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 35(5), pages 855-872, September.
    8. Avlonitis, George J. & Salavou, Helen E., 2007. "Entrepreneurial orientation of SMEs, product innovativeness, and performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(5), pages 566-575, May.
    9. Catherine Welch & Rebecca Piekkari & Emmanuella Plakoyiannaki & Eriikka Paavilainen-Mantymaki, 2011. "Theorising from case studies: Towards a pluralist future for international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(5), pages 740-762, June.
    10. Galindo-Martín, Miguel-Ángel & Castaño-Martínez, María-Soledad & Méndez-Picazo, María-Teresa, 2021. "The role of entrepreneurship in different economic phases," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 171-179.
    11. Lin, Xiao Song & Chen, Zhen Xiong & Ashford, Susan J. & Lee, Cynthia & Qian, Jing, 2018. "A self-consistency motivation analysis of employee reactions to job insecurity: The roles of organization-based self-esteem and proactive personality," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 168-178.
    12. Juan Camilo Serna-Zuluaga & David Juárez-Varón & Ana Mengual-Recuerda & Ana Medina-López, 2024. "Analysis of the influence of emotions on the decision-making of entrepreneurs using neurotechnologies," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 2169-2186, September.
    13. Maha Aly & David B. Audretsch & Heike Grimm, 2021. "Emotional skills for entrepreneurial success: the promise of entrepreneurship education and policy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(5), pages 1611-1629, October.
    14. Magnani, Giovanna & Gioia, Denny, 2023. "Using the Gioia Methodology in international business and entrepreneurship research," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(2).
    15. Orla Byrne & Dean A. Shepherd, 2015. "Different Strokes for Different Folks: Entrepreneurial Narratives of Emotion, Cognition, and Making Sense of Business Failure," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(2), pages 375-405, March.
    16. Jeffrey G. Covin & Dennis P. Slevin, 1989. "Strategic management of small firms in hostile and benign environments," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(1), pages 75-87, January.
    17. Keshab Acharya & Gregory R. Berry, 2023. "Characteristics, traits, and attitudes in entrepreneurial decision-making: current research and future directions," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1965-2012, December.
    18. Danny Miller, 1983. "The Correlates of Entrepreneurship in Three Types of Firms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(7), pages 770-791, July.
    19. Marco Gelderen & Teemu Kautonen & Joakim Wincent & Marina Biniari, 2018. "Implementation intentions in the entrepreneurial process: concept, empirical findings, and research agenda," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 923-941, December.
    20. Subhash C. Kundu & Sunita Rani, 2016. "Female aspirant human resources’ entrepreneurial orientation," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 39(2), pages 235-263, February.
    21. Staniewski, Marcin W. & Awruk, Katarzyna, 2019. "Entrepreneurial success and achievement motivation – A preliminary report on a validation study of the questionnaire of entrepreneurial success," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 433-440.
    22. Wiklund, Johan & Shepherd, Dean, 2005. "Entrepreneurial orientation and small business performance: a configurational approach," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 71-91, January.
    23. Baron, Robert A., 1998. "Cognitive mechanisms in entrepreneurship: why and when enterpreneurs think differently than other people," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 275-294, July.
    24. Nancy G. Boyd & George S. Vozikis, 1994. "The Influence of Self-Efficacy on the Development of Entrepreneurial Intentions and Actions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 18(4), pages 63-77, July.
    25. Jeffrey G. Covin & Dennis P. Slevin, 1991. "A Conceptual Model of Entrepreneurship as Firm Behavior," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 16(1), pages 7-26, October.
    26. Domurath, Anne & Coviello, Nicole & Patzelt, Holger & Ganal, Benjamin, 2020. "New venture adaptation in international markets: A goal orientation theory perspective," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(1).
    27. Montserrat Jiménez-Partearroyo & Ana Medina-López & Sudhir Rana, 2024. "Business intelligence and business analytics in tourism: insights through Gioia methodology," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 2287-2321, September.
    28. Zeki Simsek & Ciaran Heavey & John (Jack) F. Veiga, 2010. "The impact of CEO core self‐evaluation on the firm's entrepreneurial orientation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 110-119, January.
    29. Norris Krueger & Fiona Sussan, 2017. "Person-level entrepreneurial orientation: clues to the 'entrepreneurial mindset'?," International Journal of Business and Globalisation, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 18(3), pages 382-395.
    30. Harold Fried & Loren Tauer, 2015. "An entrepreneur performance index," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 69-77, August.
    31. Ana M. Moreno & José C. Casillas, 2008. "Entrepreneurial Orientation and Growth of SMEs: A Causal Model," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(3), pages 507-528, May.
    32. Goldsmith, Arthur H. & Veum, Jonathan R. & William Darity, Jr., 1996. "The impact of labor force history on self-esteem and its component parts, anxiety, alienation and depression," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 183-220, April.
    33. Jeffrey G. Covin & William J. Wales, 2019. "Crafting High-Impact Entrepreneurial Orientation Research: Some Suggested Guidelines," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(1), pages 3-18, January.
    34. Brian S. Anderson & Patrick M. Kreiser & Donald F. Kuratko & Jeffrey S. Hornsby & Yoshihiro Eshima, 2015. "Reconceptualizing entrepreneurial orientation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(10), pages 1579-1596, October.
    35. Ayala, Juan-Carlos & Manzano, Guadalupe, 2014. "The resilience of the entrepreneur. Influence on the success of the business. A longitudinal analysis," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 126-135.
    36. Danny Miller, 2011. "Miller (1983) Revisited: A Reflection on EO Research and Some Suggestions for the Future," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 35(5), pages 873-894, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Linton, Gabriel & Kask, Johan, 2017. "Configurations of entrepreneurial orientation and competitive strategy for high performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 168-176.
    2. Lin Wang & Murad Ali & Hyun Jeong Kim & Sareum Lee & Felipe Hernández Perlines, 2021. "Individual entrepreneurial orientation, value congruence, and individual outcomes: Does the institutional entrepreneurial environment matter?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2293-2312, July.
    3. Palmer, Carolin & Niemand, Thomas & Stöckmann, Christoph & Kraus, Sascha & Kailer, Norbert, 2019. "The interplay of entrepreneurial orientation and psychological traits in explaining firm performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 183-194.
    4. Wales, William J. & Kraus, Sascha & Filser, Matthias & Stöckmann, Christoph & Covin, Jeffrey G., 2021. "The status quo of research on entrepreneurial orientation: Conversational landmarks and theoretical scaffolding," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 564-577.
    5. Hernández-Perlines, Felipe & Covin, Jeffrey G. & Ribeiro-Soriano, Domingo E., 2021. "Entrepreneurial orientation, concern for socioemotional wealth preservation, and family firm performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 197-208.
    6. Vishal Gupta & Sandra C. Mortal & Tina Yang, 2018. "Entrepreneurial orientation and firm value: Does managerial discretion play a role?," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-26, January.
    7. Santos, Gina & Marques, Carla Susana & Ferreira, João J.M., 2020. "Passion and perseverance as two new dimensions of an Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation scale," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 190-199.
    8. Engelen, Andreas & Kube, Harald & Schmidt, Susanne & Flatten, Tessa Christina, 2014. "Entrepreneurial orientation in turbulent environments: The moderating role of absorptive capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(8), pages 1353-1369.
    9. Hunt, Richard A., 2021. "Entrepreneurial orientation and the fate of corporate acquisitions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 241-255.
    10. Hwan Jin Kim, 2018. "Reconciling Entrepreneurial Orientation and Dynamic Capabilities: A Strategic Entrepreneurship Perspective," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 27(2), pages 180-208, September.
    11. Dessì, Cinzia & Dettori, Angela & Floris, Michela, 2023. "Exploring different configurations of entrepreneurial orientation in small artisan family firms: A multi-case study," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 14(3).
    12. Jelle Schepers & Wim Voordeckers & Tensie Steijvers & Eddy Laveren, 2014. "The entrepreneurial orientation–performance relationship in private family firms: the moderating role of socioemotional wealth," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 39-55, June.
    13. Jan Lampe & Priscilla Sarai Kraft & Andreas Bausch, 2020. "Mapping the Field of Research on Entrepreneurial Organizations (1937–2016): A Bibliometric Analysis and Research Agenda," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 44(4), pages 784-816, July.
    14. William J. Wales & Jeffrey G. Covin & Jens Schüler & Matthias Baum, 2023. "Entrepreneurial orientation as a theory of new value creation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(5), pages 1752-1772, October.
    15. Simpson, Joseph J. & Sariol, Marcie, 2022. "Uncertainty, entrepreneurial orientation, and the pursuit of M&A: Managing the unpredictable," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 423-434.
    16. Schweiger, & Baldauf,, 2016. "„Entrepreneurial Orientation“: Eine Bestandsaufnahme der Konstruktschärfe," Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 70(4), pages 423-447.
    17. Thomas Keil & Markku Maula & Evangelos Syrigos, 2017. "CEO Entrepreneurial Orientation, Entrenchment, and Firm Value Creation," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(4), pages 475-504, July.
    18. Sebastian Markus Szambelan & Yi Dragon Jiang, 2020. "Effectual control orientation and innovation performance: clarifying implications in the corporate context," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(3), pages 865-882, March.
    19. Vaznyte, Egle & Andries, Petra, 2019. "Entrepreneurial orientation and start-ups' external financing," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 439-458.
    20. Ipsmiller, Edith & Dikova, Desislava & Brouthers, Keith D., 2022. "Digital Internationalization of Traditional Firms: Virtual Presence and Entrepreneurial Orientation," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).

    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:spr:intemj:v:21:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s11365-025-01075-8. 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.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.