Social-psychological factors associated with the dissolution of dyadic business partnerships

There is a lack of empirical investigations into social-psychological factors associated with the dissolution of small business partnerships. The present study compared individuals from continuing (n = 35) and dissolved (n = 32) dyadic partnerships in terms of several variables assumed to be associated with the process of dissolution. It was found that those from dissolved businesses indicated stronger feelings of inequity and anxiety, and more disagreement with and aggression toward the partner. In agreement with Attribution Theories, there was a tendency to blame the ex-partner for the failure and to evaluate his or her personality in relatively negative terms. The most prominent reasons given for the dissolution were inequity and personality incompatibility.