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To Leave Or To Stay? The Decision Context, Self-Images, And Owner-Managers' Persistence Decisions, Fei Zhu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Underperforming ventures are those whose performance falls short of the owner-manager’s expectations for a long period of time but whose future is not a clear failure. Persistence decisions about underperforming ventures are influenced by the environment and individual characteristics. Previous research leaves two research gaps. First, our knowledge about which and how individual characteristics may affect owner-managers’ persistence decisions is still limited. Furthermore, owner-managers assume multiple roles in society and have opportunities to imagine a different future. Their decisions thus are affected by role demands and perceptions of the future. The growing interest in contextualizing entrepreneurship suggests the importance of …