Psychological and Behavioral Determinants of Entrepreneurial Success: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

This systematic literature review examines the psychological and behavioral determinants of entrepreneurial success, integrating findings from 33 empirical studies published between 2010 and 2025. The review identifies key psychological traits—including self-efficacy, resilience, emotional stability, openness to experience, and risk tolerance—as foundational to entrepreneurial performance. These internal dispositions are linked to core behavioral practices such as opportunity recognition, networking, strategic decision-making, proactivity, and innovation orientation. The review highlights how these traits and behaviors interact dynamically and are shaped by contextual factors such as culture, gender, age, and industry sector. A conceptual model is proposed to illustrate the pathways from internal traits to external actions and entrepreneurial outcomes, emphasizing the importance of synergy and environmental alignment. The findings offer actionable insights for entrepreneurship education, policy development, and organizational strategy, particularly in culturally diverse and innovation-driven ecosystems.