Brownhilder Neneh, Obey Dzomonda
Abstract
Fear of failure is regarded as a negative emotion that forces aspiring entrepreneurs to abandon the start-up process or not follow through on their initial entrepreneurial intentions. As such, the objective of this study was to assess the relationship between fear of failure and entrepreneurial behaviour and if gender matters. Additionally, the study tested whether financial resources moderate the association between fear of failure and entrepreneurial behaviour. The study adopted a quantitative research method with a causal research design. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire from a sample of 303 university students from a South African University. The results showed that fear of failure negatively influences entrepreneurial behaviour among university students. It was also established that female students exhibit a higher fear of failure than males in fear dimensions such as the personal ability to manage a business and the potential of the idea to be accepted in the market. Interestingly, the findings showed that perceived access to financial resources moderates the relationship between fear of failure and entrepreneurial behaviour. The originality of this study is that it is one of its kind to understand the role of emotions such as fear of failure in the entrepreneurial process using a sample of university students from a developing country context. The findings culminate with practical and policy implications.