The Reciprocal Relationship Between Entrepreneurial Progress And Entrepreneurial Efforts:Results From Two Panel Studies

Entrepreneurial efforts play a key role in the realization of entrepreneurial goals,but the relationship between entrepreneurial progress and entrepreneurial efforts is still controversial.Social cognition theory points out that entrepreneurial progress can motivate entrepreneurs to make more efforts,while control theory believes that human inertia will offset the temporary maintenance of entrepreneurial motivations.In the long term,progress is not conducive to the improvement of efforts.This paper speculates that the length of time may affect the relationship between entrepreneurial progress and entrepreneurial efforts.Social psychology scholars have pointed out that people have psychological inertia,and the sense of accomplishment or frustration experienced by entrepreneurs in the process of entrepreneurship will eventually be weakened over time.Therefore,as for the entrepreneurial process,whether progress is promoting or inhibiting the efforts of entrepreneurs,there is no literature that can provide us with a clear explanation.Based on the different perspectives of the two theories,this paper proposes a competing hypothesis that entrepreneurial progress is positively or negatively correlated with entrepreneurial efforts.In addition,considering the impact of entrepreneurial progress on entrepreneurial efforts will change over time and situation,in the research method,this paper applies long-term analysis for dynamic tracking through two studies,and hopes to clarify the causal relationship between entrepreneurial progress and entrepreneurial efforts.Study 1 selects the PSED,a second-hand database,as the research sample to explore the impact of entrepreneurial progress on entrepreneurial efforts at the withinperson level and the role of entrepreneurial “big five personality” at the between-person level.By using a Hierarchical Liner Modeling to test hypotheses,this study finds that: the previous period of entrepreneurial progress was significantly negatively correlated with the entrepreneurial effort of the latter period,and both openness and neuroticism negatively moderate the relationship between entrepreneurial progress and entrepreneurial effort.That is,the more progress the entrepreneur has made in the early stage,the lower the level of effort invested in the later period.When the entrepreneur's personality is more open,the negative relationship between entrepreneurial progress and entrepreneurial effort is not significant;when the entrepreneur's neurotic characteristics are more obvious,the negative relationship between entrepreneurial progress and entrepreneurial effort is not significant.Study 2 selects face-to-face interviews panel study as the research sample to explore the entrepreneurial self-efficacy as a mediator between entrepreneurial progress and entrepreneurial efforts at the within-person level,and the indirect effect of entrepreneurial progress on entrepreneurial efforts moderated by regulatory focus.By using a Bayesian estimator,this study finds that: entrepreneurial progress is significantly positively correlated with entrepreneurial self-efficacy,and the previous period of entrepreneurial self-efficacy was significantly negatively correlated with the entrepreneurial effort of the latter period.At the within-person level,entrepreneurial self-efficacy mediates between entrepreneurial progress and entrepreneurial efforts.Promotion focus moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial efforts,such that the relationship is negative and stronger for individuals with higher promotion focus.Prevention focus moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial efforts,such that the relationship is negative and stronger for individuals with lower prevention focus.The results also show that regulatory focus moderated the mediated relationship.Specifically,entrepreneurial progress is positively related to entrepreneurial efforts for individuals with higher promotion focus,or with lower prevention focus.Research has expanded the theoretical framework of entrepreneurial issues and has implications for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial training institutions.