When exit brings reentry: the mediating roles of career adaptability and person–entrepreneurship fit

Purpose By integrating career construction theory and person–environment fit theory together, this study develops and tests a serial mediation model connecting perceived exit performance with serial entrepreneurship intention sequentially through career adaptability and person–entrepreneurship fit. Design/methodology/approach A three-wave time-lagged design with data from entrepreneurs. Findings Career adaptability and person–entrepreneurship fit serially mediate the relationship between perceived exit performance and serial entrepreneurship intention. Originality/value By highlighting the vital functions of the serial mediators, this study explicates the processes through which entrepreneurial exit performance shapes serial entrepreneurship intention. It explains the inconsistent conclusion of how exit experience relates to serial entrepreneurship in previous studies and highlights the importance of considering the tenets of career construction theory and person–environment fit theory. Besides, it is the first empirical study to explore how entrepreneurs’ career adaptability is shaped, which advances our understanding of the growing literature on entrepreneurial career construction. Findings also imply what entrepreneurial educators and consultants should do to help entrepreneurs construct entrepreneurial careers.