From Trait Affect and Conscientiousness to Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility

Abstract

This study investigates the mediating role of cognitive flexibility on the relationship between trait positive/negative affect, and conscientiousness with individual entrepreneurial orientation. A total of 508 (175 male and 333 female) undergraduate students participated in the study. Three separate mediation analyses were carried out. The results revealed that cognitive flexibility partially mediated the relationship between trait positive affect and individual entrepreneurial orientation as well as the relationship between conscientiousness and individual entrepreneurial orientation. The results also showed that cognitive flexibility fully mediated the association between trait negative affect and individual entrepreneurial orientation. Findings of this study show that interventions and individual development programs may be conducted to increase cognitive flexibility of individuals with high levels of trait negative affect, low levels of conscientiousness and low levels of trait positive affect. This might potentially strengthen their levels of individual entrepreneurial orientation.

Keywords:

• Individual entrepreneurial orientation
• trait positive affect
• trait negative affect
• conscientiousness
• cognitive flexibility
• undergraduate students

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hande Özgen

Hande Özgen, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Turkey. She received her PhD in Management and Organization from Çukurova University, Turkey. Her research areas include personality, psychological contract, job crafting, work-family conflict, destructive behaviors, workplace ostracism, and abusive leaders.

Başak Beydoğan Tangör

Başak Beydoğan Tangör, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Psychological Counseling and Guidance at the Department of Educational Sciences of Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. She received her PhD in Social Psychology from Middle East Technical University, Turkey. Her research areas include personality, individual differences and well-being at work.