Suspense: exploring a new lens for outcome uncertainty in entrepreneurship

Chihmao Hsieh

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2021, vol. 13, issue 1, 27-62

Abstract: In entrepreneurship, we hear about the value of 'embracing uncertainty and failure', given what can be learned ex post. Instead of relying on ex post learning, this paper examines the ex ante emotional condition of suspense generated in situations involving outcome uncertainty. I investigate cognitive conditions under which entrepreneurs experience suspense, and under which they enjoy it. Empirical analysis reveals that some determinants of suspense felt by an audience (e.g., while watching a movie) are the same ones that determine suspense felt by entrepreneurs in their own lives. For example, the suspending of belief (e.g., ignoring one's own schemas) plays a role in both contexts. However, neither hope nor fear or their interaction appear to drive the typical entrepreneur's felt suspense. Besides developing a concept of entrepreneurial suspense, I relate the notion of suspense to six different areas of the entrepreneurship literature: goal-setting, risk-seeking, timing, imagination, overconfidence/optimism, and failure.

Keywords: suspense; emotion; beliefs; arousal; uncertainty; risk; future; time; entropy; opportunity exploitation; action; schemas. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=114282 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijeven:v:13:y:2021:i:1:p:27-62

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing from Inderscience Enterprises Ltd
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sarah Parker ().