TY - JOUR
T1 - Perceived psychological distance, construal processes, and abstractness of entrepreneurial action
AU - Chen, H. Shawna
AU - Mitchell, Ronald K.
AU - Brigham, Keith H.
AU - Howell, Roy
AU - Steinbauer, Robert
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2018/5
Y1 - 2018/5
N2 - In this paper we develop the concept of abstractness as an underlying theoretical structure of entrepreneurial action, specifically to connect individual perception of psychological distance to entrepreneurial action. We draw on construal level theory to model distance and abstractness, using construal as the mechanism where, in new venture creation, entrepreneurs are expected over time to engage in more abstract action when they perceive greater psychological distance. Based on longitudinal data from 350 entrepreneurs, results from cross-lagged panel analysis indicate that psychological distance shapes the actions of entrepreneurs over time through social distance and hypotheticality. These findings advance entrepreneurial action research, practice, and pedagogy by showing that the apparently implicit relationship between entrepreneurial perception and entrepreneurial action may actually be quite explicit, when abstractness of action is seen as a construal-mechanism-based function of psychological distance.
AB - In this paper we develop the concept of abstractness as an underlying theoretical structure of entrepreneurial action, specifically to connect individual perception of psychological distance to entrepreneurial action. We draw on construal level theory to model distance and abstractness, using construal as the mechanism where, in new venture creation, entrepreneurs are expected over time to engage in more abstract action when they perceive greater psychological distance. Based on longitudinal data from 350 entrepreneurs, results from cross-lagged panel analysis indicate that psychological distance shapes the actions of entrepreneurs over time through social distance and hypotheticality. These findings advance entrepreneurial action research, practice, and pedagogy by showing that the apparently implicit relationship between entrepreneurial perception and entrepreneurial action may actually be quite explicit, when abstractness of action is seen as a construal-mechanism-based function of psychological distance.
KW - Construal level theory
KW - Cross-lagged panel analysis
KW - Entrepreneurial action
KW - Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85040569808&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.01.001
DO - 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.01.001
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85040569808
SN - 0883-9026
VL - 33
SP - 296
EP - 314
JO - Journal of Business Venturing
JF - Journal of Business Venturing
IS - 3
ER -