Recognizing the Dunning–Kruger Effect in the Early Stages of the Entrepreneurial Process

Authors

Lea Ulčar
University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences
Miha Marič
University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6689-7944
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18690/um.fov.10.205.2

Synopsis

The chapter discusses the phenomenon of the Dunning-Kruger effect among the participants of the PONI LUR entrepreneurial training, which is conducted by RDA LUR in the Ljubljana Urban Region. The findings show that mentors often perceive an overestimation of their own entrepreneurial skills in participants, which can have a significant impact on the development of business ideas and business decision-making. Part of the research also included an in-depth interview with the program's internal mentor, who confirmed the presence of the Dunning-Kruger effect in the participants and described the existing approaches to address this challenge. Based on the analysed findings, proposals for improvements were formulated, including structured training of mentors, the introduction of reflective tools and the development of additional support after the training.  

Author Biographies

Lea Ulčar, University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences

Lea Ulčar is completing her master's degree in Organization and Management of Human Resources and Educational Systems at the Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Maribor. Her research interests include the areas of entrepreneurship, project management, leadership, and organization. She gains practical experience by working on various projects, and has upgraded her knowledge by participating in Erasmus+ training for project management and the AmCham Young Professionals program.

Kranj, Slovenia. E-mail: ulcarlea98@gmail.com

Miha Marič, University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences

Miha Marič, Ph.D., is a researcher in the field of leadership, management, and organizational sciences. He holds a Ph.D. from the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana. He is currently employed as an associate professor at the University of Maribor’s Faculty of Organizational Sciences. His research interests are power, leadership, organizational behavior, human resource management, organization, and management. He is the author of numerous original scientific articles, professional articles, papers at scientific conferences, scientific monographs, and was an editor and reviewer. He also participates in research projects and consulting work.

Kranj, Slovenia. E-mail: miha.maric@um.si

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Volume

Improving Entrepreneurial Journey

Pages

63-144

Published

December 9, 2025

Categories

Copyright (c) 2025 University of Maribor, University of Maribor Press

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Ulčar, L., & Marič, M. (2025). Recognizing the Dunning–Kruger Effect in the Early Stages of the Entrepreneurial Process. In M. Marič & S. Kremsar (Eds.), Improving Entrepreneurial Journey (pp. 63-144). University of Maribor Press. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.fov.10.205.2