Entrepreneurial Personality and Behavior Dynamics
Summary
Entrepreneurial Personality and Behaviour Dynamics examines how stable individual characteristics interact with environmental cues to drive the formation, development and performance of new ventures. Foundational trait models, notably the Big Five and the Dark Triad, have been employed to account for variations in risk appetite, resilience and decision-making under uncertainty. Complementary constructs such as entrepreneurial alertness, passion and internal locus of control serve as psychological mechanisms that translate broad personality dispositions into concrete intentions and actions. Research also highlights the importance of ambidexterity – the ability to balance exploitation of existing resources with exploration of novel opportunities – and the role of socio-emotional skills in facilitating strategic adaptability. Together, these perspectives illuminate the global significance of personality in shaping opportunity recognition, resource mobilisation and venture growth, with direct implications for entrepreneur training, founder selection and innovation policy.
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Entrepreneurial Personality and Behavior Dynamics publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in entrepreneurial personality and behavior dynamics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Big Five personality traits: Core dimensions of human personality – openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability – linked to work-related behaviours and innovation propensity.
Dark Triad personality: A cluster of socially aversive traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy) associated with manipulative and risk-taking behaviour.
Entrepreneurial alertness: The cognitive readiness to notice and act upon business opportunities overlooked by others.
Ambidexterity: An organisation’s or individual’s capacity to balance exploratory innovation with the efficient exploitation of established competencies.
Internal locus of control: Belief in one’s own influence over outcomes rather than external forces.
References
- The impact of narcissism on entrepreneurial intentions: The roles of entrepreneurial alertness, entrepreneurial passion, and internal locus of control. The International Journal of Management Education (2024).
- Personality traits and their impact on the social entrepreneurial intentions of management students: a test of big five personality approach. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023).
- Chief executive officer’s dark triad personality and firm's degree of internationalization: The mediating role of ambidexterity. International Business Review (2024).
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