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How does entrepreneurial failure change an entrepreneur's digital identity? Evidence from Twitter data

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  • Fisch, Christian
  • Block, Jörn H.

Abstract

We assess whether and how entrepreneurs' digital identities change in response to entrepreneurial failure based on a sample of 760 entrepreneurs who experienced failure. We analyze a longitudinal dataset of Twitter messages before, during, and after a business failure with a language-based method of computerized text analysis. The results of our explorative research indicate that the financial, social, and psychological consequences of failure are reflected in entrepreneurs' Tweets and lead to changes in their digital identities. Among others, entrepreneurs' language decreases in emotional tone and indicates increased psychological distress. Simultaneously, we observe higher levels of self-assurance and reflection after failure. We conclude by outlining the potential of using Twitter-generated digital footprints in future entrepreneurship research.

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  • Fisch, Christian & Block, Jörn H., 2021. "How does entrepreneurial failure change an entrepreneur's digital identity? Evidence from Twitter data," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(1).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbvent:v:36:y:2021:i:1:s0883902619307311
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2020.106015
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    Cited by:

    1. Gutiérrez, Antonio, 2023. "La brecha de género en el emprendimiento y la cultura emprendedora: Evidencia con Google Trends [Entrepreneurship gender gap and entrepreneurial culture: Evidence from Google Trends]," MPRA Paper 115876, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Abbasianchavari, Arezou & Block, Joern, 2022. "Perceptual factors explaining the gender gap in entrepreneurial propensity: A replication and extension," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    3. Costa, Paula L. & Ferreira, João J. & Torres de Oliveira, Rui, 2023. "From entrepreneurial failure to re-entry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    4. Shaheer, Noman & Chen, Yu & Kim, Hoik & Li, Sali, 2024. "Disguise or disclose? How identities of individual entrepreneurs on digital platforms influence their international success," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(2).
    5. Jörn H. Block & Christian Fisch & Walter Diegel, 2024. "Schumpeterian entrepreneurial digital identity and funding from venture capital firms," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 119-157, February.
    6. Jörn H. Block & Walter Diegel & Christian Fisch, 2024. "How venture capital funding changes an entrepreneur’s digital identity: more self-confidence and professionalism but less authenticity!," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 18(8), pages 2287-2319, August.
    7. Seigner, Benedikt David Christian & Milanov, Hana & Lundmark, Erik & Shepherd, Dean A., 2023. "Tweeting like Elon? Provocative language, new-venture status, and audience engagement on social media," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 38(2).
    8. Carolin Bock & Sven Siebeneicher & Jens Rockel, 2022. "The “C” in crowdfunding is for co-financing: exploring participative co-financing, a complement of novel and traditional bank financing," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 92(9), pages 1559-1602, November.
    9. Fisch, Christian & Franken, Ingmar H.A. & Thurik, Roy, 2021. "Are behavioral and electrophysiological measures of impulsivity useful for predicting entrepreneurship?," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 16(C).
    10. da Fonseca, André Luís A. & Chimenti, Paula & Campos, Roberta D., 2023. "‘Take my advice’: Entrepreneurial consumers and the ecosystemic logics of digital platforms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    11. Marie Madeleine Meurer & Maksim Belitski & Christian Fisch & Roy Thurik, 2024. "What gets published and what doesn’t? Exploring optimal distinctiveness and diverse expectations in entrepreneurship articles," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(3), pages 1139-1170, October.
    12. Maarten Cerpentier & Tom Vanacker & Ine Paeleman & Katja Bringmann, 2022. "Equity crowdfunding, market timing, and firm capital structure," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(6), pages 1766-1793, December.
    13. Alice Rossi & Tom Vanacker & Silvio Vismara, 2023. "Unsuccessful Equity Crowdfunding Offerings and the Persistence in Equity Fundraising of Family Business Start-Ups," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(4), pages 1327-1355, July.
    14. Nizar Mtibaa & Sami Boudabbous, 2023. "The Realities of Learning through Failure in Entrepreneurship: Results of Qualitative Research," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 13(2), pages 19-27, March.
    15. Short, Cole E. & Short, Jeremy C., 2023. "The artificially intelligent entrepreneur: ChatGPT, prompt engineering, and entrepreneurial rhetoric creation," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 19(C).

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