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Need for achievement, business goals, and entrepreneurial persistence

Sibin Wu (University of Texas‐Pan American, Edinburg, Texas, USA)
Matthews (University of Texas‐Pan American, Edinburg, Texas, USA)
Grace K. Dagher (University of Texas‐Pan American, Edinburg, Texas, USA)

Management Research News

ISSN: 0140-9174

Article publication date: 6 November 2007

9818

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to employ the need theory to investigate whether a need for achievement has an effect on persistence behavior among entrepreneurs, and whether a need for achievement and business goals interact to influence such persistence.

Design/methodology/approach

A longitudinal study of nascent entrepreneurs was conducted by a field survey in a metropolitan area of a mid‐western state in the USA. Logistic regression was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Need for achievement is found to be positively related to entrepreneurial persistence. Business goals are found to moderate the relationship between need for achievement and persistence.

Research limitations/implications

The time span between the two waves of data collection in the longitudinal study might have been too short.

Practical implications

This study highlights the importance of matching need for achievement and business goals. For complex tasks, a strong need for achievement should be accompanied with moderate business goals if persistence is to occur. Venture capitalists and government agencies can improve entrepreneurial success by keeping a close eye on the match.

Originality/value

Few studies have explored the issue of entrepreneurial persistence. The present study contributes to a better understanding of motivation and other variables that influence entrepreneurial persistence.

Keywords

Citation

Wu, S., Matthews and Dagher, G.K. (2007), "Need for achievement, business goals, and entrepreneurial persistence", Management Research News, Vol. 30 No. 12, pp. 928-941. https://doi.org/10.1108/01409170710833358

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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