TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose This study aims to investigate how Germans' misperceptions of the nature of entrepreneurship influence their attitudes towards entrepreneurial failure.Design/methodology/approach Adopting a multivariate regression analysis, the study used data collected from a commercial online market research panel (N = 2,027) reflecting the overall German working population. Attitudinal items on business failure were used to measure the study variables. The study controlled for age, education, employment status, gender, income, whether the respondent knows a failed entrepreneur and the German federal state in which the respondent resides.Findings The findings suggest that reservations about failed entrepreneurs become stronger as misperceptions of the nature of entrepreneurship worsen. The results also show that failure reservations vary regionally over the 16 German federal states.Practical implications Nationwide efforts regarding the stimulation of entrepreneurship and the acceptance of entrepreneurial failure are insufficient for removing failure reservations, as they neglect regional cultural differences. The results suggest that it is not enough just to invest in efforts to create a failure-friendly culture, and that a better general education about the realities of entrepreneurship is a prerequisite.Originality/value The study generates insights into how the overall population in an innovation-driven economy perceives entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial failure. Moreover, the work delves into the reasons why parts of German society reject failed entrepreneurs. Hence, this study can aid the drafting of effective policy initiatives at the regional and national levels.
VL  - 26
IS  - 8
SN  - 1355-2554
DO  - 10.1108/IJEBR-02-2020-0060
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-02-2020-0060
AU  - Kuckertz Andreas
AU  - Berger Elisabeth S.C.
AU  - Prochotta Alicia
PY  - 2020
Y1  - 2020/01/01
TI  - Misperception of entrepreneurship and its consequences for the perception of entrepreneurial failure – the German case
T2  - International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
SP  - 1865
EP  - 1885
Y2  - 2024/04/23
ER  -