Journal article
Tell me “how” and “why”: Mentor feedback framing, construal level, and entrepreneurial pivoting
Journal of business venturing, Vol.41(1), 106549
01/2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2025.106549
Abstract
Entrepreneurial pivots can mean the difference between venture failure and survival. Mentor feedback often illuminates the essential need to pivot, but the manner in which feedback is delivered may determine whether entrepreneurs act on it and pivot. Drawing on the feedback literature and construal level theory, we hypothesize that mentor feedback provided in a concrete manner will increase the likelihood that entrepreneurs will pivot. Further, we examine how temporal distance, mentor expertise distance, and entrepreneurial experience, affect entrepreneurs' responses to feedback. We test our hypotheses using a conjoint analysis with a validation study; gain additional insights from a qualitative study of mentors; and test a way to improve entrepreneurial receptiveness to abstract feedback from mentors through a second conjoint analysis design. In doing so, we contribute to the entrepreneurship literature on pivoting and mentoring.
•How does the way mentors provide feedback affect entrepreneurs’ likelihood to pivot?•Construal theory and the feedback literature suggest entrepreneurs may respond differently to concrete vs. abstract feedback.•We consider moderators of temporal distance, mentor expertise distance, and entrepreneurial experience.•We test our hypotheses using a validated conjoint analysis with an additional conjoint analysis and mentor interviews.•We contribute to the entrepreneurship literature on pivoting and mentoring.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Tell me “how” and “why”: Mentor feedback framing, construal level, and entrepreneurial pivoting
- Creators
- Miranda J. Welbourne Eleazar - University of Iowa, 108 John Pappajohn Business Building, Iowa City, IA, 52242-1994, United States of AmericaToyah L. Miller - George Mason University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of business venturing, Vol.41(1), 106549
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2025.106549
- ISSN
- 0883-9026
- eISSN
- 1873-2003
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 09/18/2025
- Date published
- 01/2026
- Academic Unit
- Management and Entrepreneurship ; Center for Social Science Innovation; Law Faculty
- Record Identifier
- 9984966330902771
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