PhD Thesis of Oliver Mork
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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