The Impact of Fear of Failure, Entrepreneurial Resilience, and Ambiguity Tolerance on Entrepreneurial Intention among Generation Z

Abstract

Entrepreneurship, as one of the primary drivers of economic growth and employment generation, has become increasingly dependent on the psychological and behavioral characteristics of emerging generations in recent years. Due to its digitalized lifestyle, exposure to economic fluctuations, and continuous encounters with uncertainty, Generation Z is more influenced than previous generations by constructs such as fear of failure, entrepreneurial resilience, and ambiguity tolerance in career and entrepreneurial decision-making. The present study aimed to examine the effects of fear of failure, entrepreneurial resilience, and ambiguity tolerance on entrepreneurial intention among Generation Z, as well as to investigate the moderating roles of resilience and ambiguity tolerance in this relationship. This research was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of methodology. The statistical population consisted of university students and young graduates (Generation Z) affiliated with universities, science and technology parks, and business accelerators in Tehran in 2026, from whom 280 participants were selected as the study sample. Research data were collected using standardized questionnaires whose content validity and reliability were confirmed, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.89. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and hierarchical regression through SPSS version 26. The findings indicated that entrepreneurial resilience and ambiguity tolerance were positively and significantly associated with entrepreneurial intention, whereas fear of failure had a significant negative effect on entrepreneurial intention among this generation. Furthermore, the results confirmed the moderating roles of resilience and ambiguity tolerance, demonstrating that these constructs function as psychological buffers that reduce the negative impact of fear of failure on entrepreneurial intention. Overall, the proposed research model was able to explain 62% of the variance in entrepreneurial intention within the studied population. The findings emphasize that promoting entrepreneurship among Generation Z requires a strategic shift from purely technical training toward psychological empowerment and the institutionalization of skills for coping with ambiguity and failure.