Cognitive Dissonance An Evidence of How Self‐protective Distortions Undermine IPO Decision

摘要

The purpose of this article is to identify the role of cognitive dissonance bias in managers’ IPO indeterminacy. In order to achieve our purpose, 67 CEOs and CFOs were indepthly interviewed, within the framework of a constructivist phenomenological analysis. Data were analyzed by means of content analysis method combined with a Probit/Logit Model. The results disclose that managers’ IPO indeterminacy is explained by cognitive dissonance. Demographic characteristics (such as gender, education level, field of study, firm size, age and experience) significantly moderate managers’ exposure to cognitive dissonance. In line with the results by ?zen and Ersoy [1] and Hoechle et al. [2], we also outline that financial literacy reduces cognitive dissonance, hence fosters IPO likelihood. This study consists of a prime assessment of IPO decision through behavioral economics and the earliest empirical investigation of IPO decision through cognitive dissonance. Our managerial implications highlight the requirement of behavior-wise measures within IPO incentives policies.