Explaining Nascent Entrepreneurs’ Goal Commitment: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Expectancy theory and goal setting theory serve as conceptual frameworks to examine factors associated with nascent entrepreneurs’ goal commitment, or the extent to which nascent entrepreneurs exhibit positive attitudes toward devoting substantial energy to their start-up activities. Nascent entrepreneurs’ goal commitment may be influenced by personal and environmental factors that reflect the feasibility and desirability of attaining the goal of establishing a business. Tests of the study's hypotheses use a random sample of 81 Canadian nascent entrepreneurs. In terms of the feasibility of goal attainment, nascent entrepreneurs’ selfefficacy and their perception of the availability of external private financial support relate positively to goal commitment; the perception of the availability of public financial support relates negatively to goal commitment. In terms of the desirability of goal attainment, the value that nascent entrepreneurs attribute to entrepreneurship as a career choice and the perception of normative support for entrepreneurship both relate positively to goal commitment. Implications and limitations of the findings and directions for further research are discussed.