IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/hur/ijarbs/v4y2014i4p456-469.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Identifying the Main Factors Influencing the Formation of Overconfidence Bias in Entrepreneurs: A Qualitative Content Analysis Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Jahangir Yadollahi Farsi
  • Pouria Nouri
  • Abdolah Ahmadi Kafeshani
  • Mohamad Taghi Toghraee

Abstract

Entrepreneurship plays an exceptionally important role in today’s societies by being the main driver of economic development as well as the source of prosperity and wealth creation. Entrepreneurs need to possess some important characteristics and fulfill some important activities to reach their goals. One of the main entrepreneurial activities necessary for their survival in today’s tumultuous business environment is decision making. Entrepreneurs need to make decision regarding a lot of factors. The body of research on entrepreneurial decision making is rich and according to it entrepreneurs are prone to decision making biases in their decision making processes. Lots of factors have been identified as the main causes of these biases which, by affecting entrepreneurial decisions, play major roles in the process of managing enterprises and its subsequent success or failure. One of the most common entrepreneurial decision making biases is overconfidence, which has been introduced as a major decision making bias among individuals, as well. Overconfidence is so common among entrepreneurs that some scholars have even hypothesized that entrepreneurs are more overconfident than others. Regarding its roots, it seems that individual factors like cognition, self efficacy and motivation combined with organizational and environmental factors are the main causes of overconfidence among entrepreneurs. Overconfidence impacts entrepreneurial decisions profusely and has dual effects on entrepreneurial enterprises. On one hand, overconfidence leads to entrepreneurial unprepared entry decisions into market and subsequent failure, on the other hand, in uncertain environments and under time pressure overconfidence could be entrepreneurs’ last resort to make decisions. Entrepreneurial overconfidence has been the topic of some papers but there seems to be a lack of a comprehensive study regarding the main causes of this important bias among entrepreneurs. This paper tries to fill this gap by conducting a vast study and using qualitative content analysis. After interviewing 25 Iranian techno-entrepreneurs and coding their narratives, we have come to the conclusion that self- Efficacy; Personal Optimism, Previous Experience, Environmental Pressure, data Limitations and Availability Heuristic are the main causes of overconfidence among entrepreneurs.

Suggested Citation

  • Jahangir Yadollahi Farsi & Pouria Nouri & Abdolah Ahmadi Kafeshani & Mohamad Taghi Toghraee, 2014. "Identifying the Main Factors Influencing the Formation of Overconfidence Bias in Entrepreneurs: A Qualitative Content Analysis Approach," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 4(4), pages 456-469, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:hur:ijarbs:v:4:y:2014:i:4:p:456-469
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hrmars.com/hrmars_papers/Identifying_the_Main_Factors_Influencing_the_Formation_of_Overconfidence_Bias_in_Entrepreneurs_A_Qualitative_Content_Analysis_Approach.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: http://hrmars.com/hrmars_papers/Identifying_the_Main_Factors_Influencing_the_Formation_of_Overconfidence_Bias_in_Entrepreneurs_A_Qualitative_Content_Analysis_Approach.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kaish, Stanley & Gilad, Benjamin, 1991. "Characteristics of opportunities search of entrepreneurs versus executives: Sources, interests, general alertness," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 45-61, January.
    2. Koellinger, Philipp & Minniti, Maria & Schade, Christian, 2007. ""I think I can, I think I can": Overconfidence and entrepreneurial behavior," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 502-527, August.
    3. Cooper, Arnold C. & Woo, Carolyn Y. & Dunkelberg, William C., 1988. "Entrepreneurs' perceived chances for success," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 97-108.
    4. Rietveld, C.A. & Groenen, P.J.F. & Koellinger, Ph.D. & van der Loos, M.J.H.M. & Thurik, A.R., 2013. "Living Forever: Entrepreneurial Overconfidence at Older Ages," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2013-012-STR, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    5. Weerawardena, Jay & Mort, Gillian Sullivan, 2006. "Investigating social entrepreneurship: A multidimensional model," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 21-35, February.
    6. Forbes, Daniel P., 2005. "Are some entrepreneurs more overconfident than others?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 623-640, September.
    7. Busenitz, Lowell W. & Barney, Jay B., 1997. "Differences between entrepreneurs and managers in large organizations: Biases and heuristics in strategic decision-making," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 9-30, January.
    8. Baron, Robert A., 1998. "Cognitive mechanisms in entrepreneurship: why and when enterpreneurs think differently than other people," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 275-294, July.
    9. Dan Lovallo & Colin Camerer, 1999. "Overconfidence and Excess Entry: An Experimental Approach," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(1), pages 306-318, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jahangir Yadollahi Farsi & Pouria Nouri & Abdollah Ahmadi Kafeshani, 2015. "Exploring the Interconnections between Sense making, Heuristics and Biases in the Field of Entrepreneurship," International Journal of Management Sciences, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 6(2), pages 121-128.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kambiz Talebi & Pouria Nouri & Abdolah Ahmadi Kafeshani, 2014. "Identifying the main Individual Factors Influencing Entrepreneurial Decision making Biases: A Qualitative Content Analysis Approach," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 4(8), pages 1-11, August.
    2. Oliver Thomas, 2018. "Two decades of cognitive bias research in entrepreneurship: What do we know and where do we go from here?," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 68(2), pages 107-143, April.
    3. Jahangir Yadollahi Farsi & Pouria Nouri & Abdollah Ahmadi Kafeshani, 2015. "Exploring the Interconnections between Sense making, Heuristics and Biases in the Field of Entrepreneurship," International Journal of Management Sciences, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 6(2), pages 121-128.
    4. Kambiz Talebi & Pouria Nouri & Abdolah Ahmadi Kafeshani, 2014. "What Factors Contribute to Entrepreneurs’ Decision Making Biases? A Comprehensive Study," International Journal of Management Sciences, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 4(2), pages 59-68.
    5. Najoua Dali & Sana Harbi, 2016. "The Effect of Risk Perception and Cognitive Biases on the Evaluation of Opportunity in Family and Non-Family Entrepreneurs: The Case of Tunisian Entrepreneurs," Journal of Enterprising Culture (JEC), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(03), pages 281-312, September.
    6. Rietveld, C.A. & Groenen, P.J.F. & Koellinger, Ph.D. & van der Loos, M.J.H.M. & Thurik, A.R., 2013. "Living Forever: Entrepreneurial Overconfidence at Older Ages," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2013-012-STR, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    7. Jahangir Yadollahi Farsi & Pouria Nouri & Abdolah Ahmadi Kafeshani, 2016. "Identifying Decision Making Biases in Entrepreneurial Opportunity Exploitation Decisions," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(5), pages 158-163, May.
    8. Indy Bernoster & Cornelius A. Rietveld & A. Roy Thurik & Olivier Torrès, 2018. "Overconfidence, Optimism and Entrepreneurship," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-14, June.
    9. Cucchiarini, Veronica & Scicchitano, Sergio & Viale, Riccardo, 2024. "The Entrepreneur's Cognitive and Behavioral Journey: Understanding Heuristics and Bias under Risk and Uncertainty," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1390, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    10. Sophie Bacq & Chantal Hartog & Brigitte Hoogendoorn, 2016. "Beyond the Moral Portrayal of Social Entrepreneurs: An Empirical Approach to Who They Are and What Drives Them," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(4), pages 703-718, February.
    11. Dubard Barbosa, Saulo & Fayolle, Alain & Smith, Brett R., 2019. "Biased and overconfident, unbiased but going for it: How framing and anchoring affect the decision to start a new venture," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 528-557.
    12. Mingfeng Tang & Hao Huang & Grace Walsh & Maribel Guerrero, 2023. "The impact of entrepreneurial overconfidence on incubator effectiveness," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 416-440, February.
    13. Kraft, Priscilla S. & Günther, Christina & Kammerlander, Nadine H. & Lampe, Jan, 2022. "Overconfidence and entrepreneurship: A meta-analysis of different types of overconfidence in the entrepreneurial process," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(4).
    14. Joon Mahn Lee & Byoung‐Hyoun Hwang & Hailiang Chen, 2017. "Are founder CEOs more overconfident than professional CEOs? Evidence from S&P 1500 companies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 751-769, March.
    15. Chantal Hartog & Brigitte Hoogendoorn & Sophie Bacq & Jan Lepoutre, 2011. "Social and commercial entrepreneurship: Exploring individual and organizational characteristics," Scales Research Reports H201110, EIM Business and Policy Research.
    16. Verheul, I. & Carree, M.A., 2008. "Overoptimism among Founders: The Role of Information and Motivation," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2008-008-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    17. Ucbasaran, Deniz & Westhead, Paul & Wright, Mike & Flores, Manuel, 2010. "The nature of entrepreneurial experience, business failure and comparative optimism," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 541-555, November.
    18. Martin Koudstaal & Randolph Sloof & Mirjam van Praag, 2015. "Are Entrepreneurs more Optimistic and Overconfident than Managers and Employees?," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 15-124/VII, Tinbergen Institute.
    19. László Szerb & Zsófia Vörös, 2021. "The changing form of overconfidence and its effect on growth expectations at the early stages of startups," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 151-165, June.
    20. Townsend, David M. & Busenitz, Lowell W. & Arthurs, Jonathan D., 2010. "To start or not to start: Outcome and ability expectations in the decision to start a new venture," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 192-202, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hur:ijarbs:v:4:y:2014:i:4:p:456-469. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Hassan Danial Aslam (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://hrmars.com/index.php/pages/detail/IJARBSS .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.