Entrepreneurial success: the ‘push’, ‘pull’ or personality factor?

Previous research found a relationship between opportunity and necessity entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial success. Additionally, a relationship between personality and entrepreneurial success is found. In this research the mediating effect of personality on the relationship between nascent opportunity versus nascent necessity entrepreneurship and nascent entrepreneurial success is researched. The traits that are researched are the traits need for achievement, need for autonomy, self-efficacy, endurance and need for approval. Data from the PSED II cohort are used that tracks the startup efforts in ‘real time’ for a period of six years. The competing risks model and KHB method are used to find a mediating effect of personality on the relationship between nascent opportunity versus necessity entrepreneurship and nascent entrepreneurial success. Evidence presented in this research suggests that nascent opportunity entrepreneurs are more successful in setting up a business than nascent necessity entrepreneurs. Additionally, nascent entrepreneurs with higher levels of self-efficacy and endurance are more likely to achieve nascent entrepreneurial success, while nascent entrepreneurs with higher levels of need for achievement, need for autonomy and need for approval are more likely to fail. Lastly, selfefficacy significantly mediates the relationship between nascent opportunity entrepreneurship and nascent entrepreneurial success. This could implicate that training focused on strengthening the self-efficacy of nascent necessity entrepreneurs could increase their chances of nascent entrepreneurial success.