Disentangling the effect of prior entrepreneurial exposure on entrepreneurial intention

The present paper disentangles the effect of prior entrepreneurial exposure on entrepreneurial intention in terms of different types of exposure and their perceived quality. Drawing on the theory of planned behavior, the paper analyzes whether attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control mediate the influence of entrepreneurial role models and work experience in small or newly founded firms on entrepreneurial intention. Testing our hypotheses on data from 374 individuals, the study provides differentiated support for our theoretical predictions. The results contribute to resolving previously inconclusive findings by offering a differentiated understanding of how different types and the perceived quality of prior entrepreneurial exposure influence individuals' entrepreneurial intention. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.