The Impact of Entrepreneurial Passion on Decisions to Exploit Entrepreneurial Opportunities

Previous studies have explored the role of passion for work in manager's decision to exploit new opportunities. But there still exists some missing points in this process. Entrepreneurial Passion (EP) is defined as consciously accessible intense positive feelings experienced by engagement in entrepreneurial activities associated with roles that are meaningful and salient to the self-identity of the entrepreneur. Three different types of entrepreneurial passion have been proposed: 1. Passion for inventing; 2.Passion for founding and 3.Passion for developing. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of three types of entrepreneurial passion in entrepreneur’s decisions to exploit entrepreneurial opportunities. While excitement as a positive affective experience is likely to impact managerial decision, we examined the moderating role of excitement on the relationship between three types of entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurs decisions to exploit entrepreneurial opportunities. Entrepreneurs were confronted with 32 scenarios. To induce excitement in participants during their decision making, they were shown calm and emotional pictures from the International Affective Picture System. For data evaluation, Hierarchical Linear Modelling (HLM) was used. The results show that passion for founding and developing are positively correlated to entrepreneur’s decision to exploit entrepreneurial opportunities. But the results donot support the moderating role of excitement.