Behavioral Biases and the Decision-Making in Entrepreneurs and Managers

Abstract

Objective: the present research aims to understand the role of behavioral biases present in the investment decision in entrepreneurs and managers, in the light of the behavioral finance. Theoretical approach: Considering that non-financial aspects influence the decision making of investments in real assets, the present research focuses on how individual characteristics, notably behavioral biases, can affect these investment decisions, from the perspective of Behavioral Finance. Method: a qualitative research was developed. Interviews were held with eight managers or entrepreneurs who usually make investment decisions in real assets within their organizations. Interviews were transcribed and content analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: findings suggest the presence of behavioral biases in the decision-making presented by the interviewees, specifically the optimism and overconfidence, loss aversion, self-attribution, sunk cost, endowment effect, regret, conservatism, and external agent effect. Optimism, overconfidence, and loss aversion were present in all the interviewees’ speeches. Regret and external agent effect emerged in entrepreneurs’ speech while conservatism bias emerged in the speech of managers. Conclusions: entrepreneurs and managers indistinctly presented behavioral biases; however, the triggers for those biases are diverse. When it refers to insecurity in deciding, entrepreneurs allow themselves to question their own decision-making ability, by either regret or consulting an external agent, while managers hold themselves in conservative decisions.