Entrepreneurship in extremes: the mediating role of risk-taking on entrepreneurial intentions during war

This study examines how wartime military service influences entrepreneurial identity development and intentions. Drawing on a sample of 320 Israelis, including 77 reservists activated during a conflict, the research highlights how high-risk combat environments may foster an entrepreneurial identity. This identity is linked to a stronger appetite for risk-taking and entrepreneurial intentions. The study extends entrepreneurial identity theory by applying it to the extreme context of wartime military service. It demonstrates that intense, high-stress environments could meaningfully contribute to shaping entrepreneurial traits. These findings provide new insights into the dynamic formation of entrepreneurial identity under extreme conditions.