Founder Identity Threat: Causes and Consequences of Threatened Identity During New Venture Distress

We theorize about how founder identity threat, which we define as an experience that presents potential harm to the meaning or enactment of the founder identity in creating successful new ventures, arises during new venture distress and how individual appraisal and social support influence this experience. We also discuss the psychological and behavioral consequences of founders¡¯ threatened identity during new venture distress, and elaborate on its performance implications to better understand the challenges of entrepreneurship.