Entrepreneurs’ Response to the Dark Side of Knowledge During Covid19

Abstract

Small business entrepreneurs faced tremendous knowledge-based challenges during COVID19. Some entrepreneurs, even in the same industry sector and city, with similar offerings, responded to these know-ledge challenges in diverse ways. For instance, some chose to adopt online store technologies while others did not. In this study, we investigate differences in retail small business entrepreneurs’ COVID19 resilience enactment using a qualitative retroductive-analytic approach. Identity motives were uncovered as a likely explanatory construct, as those with externally-focused identity motives generally adopted these technologies while those with internally-focused identity motives generally did not. In addition, identity motives appear to influence entrepreneurs’ perceptions of technology affordances, potentially moderating the impact of these perceptions on technology adoption decisions. Contrary to conceptualizations of individual resilience being a trait, we find support that resilience is a mindset. Implications for entrepreneurship theory, practice, and education are discussed.