Abstract
Purpose: This study examines the antecedents of cofounder entrepreneurs' exit intention. Using the affective event theory, we examined the mediating role of negative emotions and the moderating effect of entrepreneurs’ emotional intelligence on the relationship between different types of conflicts (i.e., task, process, and relationship conflicts) among cofounder entrepreneurs and their exit intentions.
Design/methodology: Hypotheses were tested using Hayes’ PROCESS macro with data collected from 178 co-founder entrepreneurs in Pakistan.
Findings: Only relationship conflict directly leads to entrepreneurs’ exit intention. Moreover, negative emotions mediate the relationships between task, relationship, and process conflicts, and entrepreneurs’ exit intention. Furthermore, emotional intelligence moderates the relationship between different conflict types and entrepreneurs’ negative emotions such that when entrepreneurs have high emotional intelligence, then the relationship between conflict among cofounder entrepreneurs and negative emotions becomes weaker, which, in turn, minimizes entrepreneurs’ intention to quit.
Originality/value of paper: By examining the mediating role of negative emotions and the moderating role of entrepreneurs’ emotional intelligence, our study adds to the previous body of research on conflict by detailing how and when conflicts among cofounder entrepreneurs lead to their exit intention.