Abstract
Despite the presence of the term ‘entrepreneurial role model’ (ERM) in the discourse on entrepreneurship, existing empirical evidence on the effects of role models is rather limited. By investigating 86 published journal articles, we provide a structured overview of the academic research on role models’ effects on entrepreneurial intentions and behavior. We reveal that prior research focuses particularly on different types of role models (by whom), at which stage of life (when) and in which context the exposure to role models occurs. We use these research areas to structure our review. By expanding the understanding of the current state of ERM research, we reveal research gaps and provide future research recommendations. Our work could help policy makers and educators consider the different types of role models, the sociocultural context and the life cycle stage of the participants in structuring their entrepreneurship education programs.
Highlights
There is an extensive discussion among researchers and practitioners about why some individuals start their own business while others do not (e.g., Zapkau et al 2017; Baron 2004; Shane and Venkataraman 2000)
This graph highlights that the number of publications investi‐ gating ERM effects in the context of entrepreneurial intentions and behavior has significantly increased over the years
We conducted a systematic review of the literature investigating the effects of ERMs on entrepreneurial intentions and behavior
Summary
There is an extensive discussion among researchers and practitioners about why some individuals start their own business while others do not (e.g., Zapkau et al 2017; Baron 2004; Shane and Venkataraman 2000). To date, no clear answer to this question exists When asked why they started their own business, entrepreneurs often answer that ‘others’ significantly influenced their decision. These ‘others’ are usually entrepreneurs of different types and with different char‐ acteristics, such as renowned individuals, previous colleagues, or relatives. The purpose of our literature review is to provide a structured overview of previous research on role models in the entrepre‐ neurship context. We focus on the research areas investigating different types of role models, in which context and at which stage of an individual’s life are entrepreneurial intentions and behavior most affected. We took into account the fragmented characteristic of this field of investigation, which is based on various types of role models, outcome variables, methodologies and contexts
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