Entrepreneurial passions and identities in different contexts: a comparison between high-tech and social entrepreneurs

Abstract

This study examines entrepreneurial passion and components of entrepreneurial identity – sameness, otherness, and identity centrality and salience – in two different contexts, high-tech and social entrepreneurship. Based on life story interviews of 45 high-tech entrepreneurs (HTE) and social entrepreneurs (SEs), passion and identities are linked for each group but evolve differently. For HTEs, passion is composed of a strong challenge to lead a meaningful activity and to leave a ‘fingerprint’. SE passion is characterized more in terms of enthusiasm and excitement and a desire to make a mark. HTEs’ identities are central to their self-concept while SEs’ identities can be more salient than central. SE identities are more synchronized than those of HTEs. For HTEs, otherness is dominant in their self-concept; however, they also maintain a concept of sameness. The findings of this study expand the literature by showing that passion is a dynamic motivational construct that is associated with entrepreneurs’ self-concept of their role identities. The interrelations between entrepreneurial passion and self-concepts of role identities are perceived differently among entrepreneurs who operate in different contexts. In addition, this study also expands the literature on entrepreneurial identities and affect.

Keywords:

• Entrepreneurial identities
• entrepreneurial passion
• self-concept
• affect
• high-tech entrepreneurs
• social entrepreneurs

Acknowledgements

We want to thank the editor, Claire Leitch and anonymous reviewers whose insightful comments helped elevate the paper. We want to thank Ariel University, the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, and the Entrepreneurship Commercialisation and Innovation Centre for their financial support. Finally, we want to thank all of the entrepreneurs for sharing their stories with us and for the work that they do.

Notes

1. All interviews were conducted in Hebrew then translated into English. Comments in quotes may have been reworded for grammatical purposes or for reasons of coherence. Although reworded, attempts were made to maintain the original meaning.