Do entrepreneurs do good deeds to maximize wins or avoid losses? A regulatory focus perspective

Authors

  • Whitney Oliver Peake Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Boulevard #11058 Bowling Green, KY 42101 USA
  • Mariah Yates Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Boulevard #11058 Bowling Green, KY 42101 USA
  • Dennis Barber, III East Carolina University, 1000 E. 5th Street Bate 1100 Greenville, NC, 27858 USA
  • Amy McMillan East Carolina University, 1000 E. 5th Street Bate 1100 Greenville, NC, 27858 USA

Abstract

Researchers and practitioners generally agree that small businesses are important contributors to social responsibility within their communities and beyond. Despite the well-documented importance of small businesses in carrying out social responsibility, particularly locally, little is known about the motivation orientation underlying such behavior. Further, there is little agreement about what constitutes social responsibility in the small business context. Using regulatory focus theory as a theoretical lens, we examine how promotion focus versus prevention focus of the small business owner motivates social responsibility engagement targeted at society, employees, and customers. We find that regulatory focus of the small business owner does not play a role in motivating society-focused social responsibility engagement; however, prevention focus plays an important role in motivating engagement in employee- and customer-oriented social responsibility.

Author Biography

  • Whitney Oliver Peake, Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Boulevard #11058 Bowling Green, KY 42101 USA

    Vitale Professor of Entrepreneurship and Assistant Professor

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Published

2020-11-19

Issue

Vol. 30 No. 3 (2020)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2020 Whitney Oliver Peake, Mariah Yates, Dennis Barber, III, Amy McMillan

Creative Commons License

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How to Cite

Do entrepreneurs do good deeds to maximize wins or avoid losses? A regulatory focus perspective. (2020). Journal of Small Business Strategy (archive Only), 30(3), 33-46. https://libjournals.mtsu.edu/index.php/jsbs/article/view/1580