The effects of perceived shame on novice entrepreneurs’ re-entry intention
基于资源保存理论，通过两个实验和一个调查，发现感知羞耻会减少新手创业者用于支持创业身份的资源，从而降低其再创业意愿，且这一过程受自恋和社会资本调节。
Entrepreneurship is a key engine of economic growth. However, many entrepreneurs experience failure, which often evokes feelings of shame that can undermine their intentions to re-enter entrepreneurship. This challenge is especially acute for novice entrepreneurs, who typically lack prior entrepreneurial experience to buffer these negative effects. In this study, we investigate the relationship between novice entrepreneurs’ perceived shame and their re-entry intentions. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, we propose that perceived shame diminishes the resources allocated to support entrepreneurial identity, thereby lowering re-entry intentions. We further argue that this process is contingent on both internal (narcissism) and external factors (social capital), which influence whether entrepreneurs adopt avoidance- or restoration-focused responses. Using two experiments and a survey of novice entrepreneurs, we find consistent support for our hypotheses. Our findings shed new light on how psychological, cognitive, and social factors jointly shape novice entrepreneurs’ post-failure decision-making.