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Prosperity Beliefs and Value Orientations: Fueling or Suppressing Entrepreneurial Activity
Author(s) -
Dougherty Kevin D.,
Neubert Mitchell J.,
Park Jerry Z.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal for the scientific study of religion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.941
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1468-5906
pISSN - 0021-8294
DOI - 10.1111/jssr.12598
Subject(s) - prosperity , openness to experience , conformity , social psychology , value (mathematics) , test (biology) , psychology , path analysis (statistics) , entrepreneurship , action (physics) , sociology , positive economics , political science , economics , economic growth , law , paleontology , statistics , mathematics , biology , physics , quantum mechanics , machine learning , computer science
Entrepreneurs tend to think differently than nonentrepreneurs. Among the differences are values prizing achievement and self‐direction, while downplaying tradition and conformity. Religion is an important correlate to human values. Nevertheless, previous research has failed to explore adequately the connections among religious beliefs, human values, and entrepreneurial outcomes. The purpose of this study is to test these relationships with a focus on beliefs that God rewards the faithful with material prosperity. We test eight hypotheses using a national survey of working adults. Results of a multigroup path model reveal that value orientations of self‐enhancement, openness to change, and conservation are associated with entrepreneurial attitudes of opportunity recognition and risk willingness. These attitudes likewise correlate with new business creation. Prosperity beliefs moderate the impact of values and entrepreneurial attitudes on the likelihood of starting a new business, but prosperity beliefs by themselves show little direct impact on entrepreneurial attitudes or action.