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«Sense of failure» and «sense of success» among entrepreneurs: the identification and promotion of neglected twin entrepreneurial competencies

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Abstract

Most of the current courses and textbooks in entrepreneurship focus on promoting start-up desirability and feasibility. We call for a more balanced approach to entrepreneurship education and training by developing a sense of success and a sense of failure among would-be entrepreneurs. The sense of success acts of a promotion of entrepreneurial behaviour and encompasses elements such as the start-up intentions, expectations and ability. Conversely, the sense of failure acts as prevention and draws on negative experience, responsibility and awareness of pitfalls. We posit that the combination of both senses can reduce the large number of business failures which leads to huge economic, political and psychological losses. In addition, this approach might help failed entrepreneurs to come to terms with their grief and re-start a venture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departement Erziehungswissenschaften, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland

    Fritz Oser

  2. KMU-HSG, Swiss Research Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (KMU), University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Thierry Volery

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  1. Fritz Oser
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  2. Thierry Volery
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Correspondence to Fritz Oser.

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«And yet I felt as if I sensed all around me the smell of something ominous which elude me» (Umberto Eco)

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Oser, F., Volery, T. «Sense of failure» and «sense of success» among entrepreneurs: the identification and promotion of neglected twin entrepreneurial competencies. Empirical Res Voc Ed Train 4, 27–44 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03546505

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