Authors : Aparajita Banerjee; Richa Pathak

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 6 - June

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/48mbdkxk

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/4rxj28ph

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26Jun404

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as a psychologically demanding activity characterized by uncertainty, risk, and frequent exposure to setbacks. While traditional entrepreneurship research has primarily focused on financial, strategic, and technological determinants of venture performance, growing attention is being directed towards the psychological capabilities that enable entrepreneurs to sustain performance over time. Among these capabilities, emotional regulation has emerged as a critical yet underexplored factor influencing founder resilience and long-term business success. This paper reviews contemporary literature on entrepreneurial emotional regulation and examines its role in shaping resilience, decision-making quality, leadership effectiveness, and venture sustainability. Drawing upon research from psychology, entrepreneurship, organizational behavior, and emotional intelligence, the study synthesizes evidence from eighteen scholarly sources to develop a conceptual understanding of emotional regulation as a strategic entrepreneurial capability. The review suggests that entrepreneurs who effectively regulate emotional responses are better positioned to cope with uncertainty, recover from setbacks, maintain psychological well-being, and make balanced strategic decisions. Emotional regulation further contributes to leadership effectiveness by enhancing communication, conflict management, stakeholder trust, and organizational cohesion. These mechanisms collectively support venture survival, growth, adaptability, and sustained business performance. The paper also highlights the relevance of emotional regulation within the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem, where founders frequently encounter resource constraints, family expectations, competitive pressures, and institutional challenges. The findings indicate that emotional regulation should be viewed not merely as a personal coping mechanism but as an essential entrepreneurial resource that contributes to long-term venture sustainability. Practical implications are offered for entrepreneurs, investors, incubators, and policymakers seeking to strengthen entrepreneurial resilience and business success in India.

Keywords : Entrepreneurial Emotional Regulation; Founder Resilience; Entrepreneurial Well-Being; Venture Sustainability; Emotional Intelligence; Indian Entrepreneurship.

References :

1. Gross JJ. The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Rev Gen Psychol. 1998; 2 (3):271-299. doi:10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.271.
2. Gross JJ. Emotion regulation: Affective, cognitive, and social consequences. Psychophysiology. 2002; 39 (3):281-291. doi:10.1017/S0048577201393198.
3. Gross JJ, John OP. Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: Implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003; 85 (2): 348-362. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.85.2.348.
4. Gross JJ. Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychol Inq. 2015; 26 (1):1-26. doi:10.1080/1047840X.2014.940781.
5. Shepherd DA. An emotional perspective for advancing the fields of family business and entrepreneurship. Fam Bus Rev. 2016;29 (2):151-158. doi:10.1177/0894486516634943.
6. De Cock R, Denoo L, Clarysse B. Surviving the emotional rollercoaster called entrepreneurship: The role of emotion regulation. J Bus Ventur. 2020; 35 (2):105936. doi:10.1016/j.jbusvent.2019.04.004.
7. Pathak S, Goltz S. An emotional intelligence model of entrepreneurial coping strategies. Int J Entrep Behav Res. 2021; 27 (4):911-943. doi:10.1108/IJEBR-01-2020-0017.
8. Schmodde L, Wehner M. Integrating emotion regulation, emotional intelligence, and emotion-focused coping in the entrepreneurial context: A review and research agenda. Int Small Bus J. 2024. doi:10.1177/02662426241241239.
9. Hartmann S, Backmann J, Newman A, Brykman KM, Pidduck RJ. Psychological resilience of entrepreneurs: A review and agenda for future research. J Small Bus Manag. 2022; 60 (5):1041-1079. doi:10.1080/00472778.2021.2024216.
10. Ahmed AE, Ucbasaran D, Cacciotti G, Williams TA. Integrating psychological resilience, stress, and coping in entrepreneurship: A critical review and research agenda. Entrepreneur Theory Pract. 2022; 46 (3):497-538. doi:10.1177/10422587211046542.
11. Stephan U. Entrepreneurs’ mental health and well-being: A review and research agenda. Acad Manag Perspect. 2018; 32 (3):290-322. doi:10.5465/amp.2017.0001.
12. Newman A, Obschonka M, Schwarz S, Cohen M, Nielsen I. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy: A systematic review of the literature. J Vocat Behav. 2019;110:403-419. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2018.05.012.
13. Uy MA, Sun S, Foo MD. Affect spin, entrepreneurs’ well-being, and venture goal progress: The moderating role of goal orientation. J Bus Ventur. 2017; 32 (4):443-460. doi:10.1016/j.jbusvent.2016.12.001.
14. Tisu L, Lupșa D, Vîrgă D, Rusu A. Entrepreneurial well-being and performance: Antecedents and mediating mechanisms. Front Psychol. 2023; 14:1112397. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1112397.
15. Pradhan RK, Nath P. Perception of entrepreneurial orientation and emotional intelligence: A study on India’s future techno-managers. Glob Bus Rev. 2012; 13 (1):89-108. doi:10.1177/097215091101300106.
16. Mehdi SA, Singh R. Effect of entrepreneurial fear of failure: A moderated mediation model of resilience and emotion regulation. J Entrep Emerg Econ. 2025. doi:10.1108/JEEE-08-2024-0325.
17. Freeman MA, Staudenmaier PJ, Zisser MR, Andresen LA. The prevalence and co-occurrence of psychiatric conditions among entrepreneurs and their families. Small Bus Econ. 2019; 53 (2):323-342. doi:10.1007/s11187-018-0059-8.
18. Shepherd DA, Patzelt H. The “heart” of entrepreneurship: The impact of entrepreneurial action on health and health on entrepreneurial action. J Bus Ventur Insights. 2015;4: 22-29. doi:10.1016/j.jbvi.2015.08.001.