PhD Thesis of Oliver Mork

In his dissertation “Causal Analyses on Entrepreneurial Intention, Success, and Failure”, Oliver Mork explores the entrepreneurial process across its entire life cycle — from the formation of entrepreneurial intentions to the aftermath of venture failure and potential re-entry. The dissertation follows two intertwined paths: a topical journey through the stages of entrepreneurship and a methodological journey leveraging modern causal inference techniques to uncover reliable cause-and-effect relationships.

Across three empirical studies, Oliver investigates key stages of entrepreneurship:

• Pre-Venture Stage: A randomized controlled experiment reveals how autonomous team formation enhances entrepreneurial intention, while self-efficacy depends on peer interaction under conditions of autonomy.
• Venture and Growth Stage: Using natural experiments based on exogenous travel shocks, the study identifies causal effects of venture capitalists’ on-site monitoring, demonstrating the importance of physical proximity for innovation, survival, and successful exits.
• Post-Venture Stage: Combining quasi-experimental methods with natural language processing of large-scale news data, the study shows that negative media narratives amplify stigma and deter re-entry, whereas balanced reporting supports renewed entrepreneurial activity.

By integrating rigorous causal identification strategies—including randomized trials, natural experiments, and quasi-experimental designs—the dissertation not only enhances our understanding of the entrepreneurial process but also sets a methodological benchmark for future research in entrepreneurship.

Examiners: Prof. Dr. Christoph Ihl and Prof. Dr. Linus Dahlander

Day of Oral Doctoral Examination: 13.10.2025