Abstract
Purpose - This paper investigates how a new entrepreneurial identity forms in conjunction with prior work-related identities during sponsored self-employment after an emotional job loss.
Design/methodology/approach - We empirically examine why some dismissed employees failed and others succeeded in transitioning from a wage-earner career via corporate sponsorship to a career as an entrepreneur, investigating how they meaningfully constructed (or did not) an entrepreneurial identity.
Findings - Our findings show that it is the simultaneous preservation of central attributes of prior work-related identities and the engenderment of new entrepreneurial attributes that support the formation of an entrepreneurial identity and that a liminal state, in which people practice entrepreneurship at work, may facilitate identity transition.
Originality - This paper demonstrates that the initial entrepreneurial endeavour is based on prior work-related identity and identity congruence between prior work-related identities and a projected entrepreneurial identity is of great importance for the identity transition. However, we also show that incongruence may in some cases turn into congruence if entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to experiment with provisional entrepreneurial selves in a risk-free environment (so-called liminal states).
Design/methodology/approach - We empirically examine why some dismissed employees failed and others succeeded in transitioning from a wage-earner career via corporate sponsorship to a career as an entrepreneur, investigating how they meaningfully constructed (or did not) an entrepreneurial identity.
Findings - Our findings show that it is the simultaneous preservation of central attributes of prior work-related identities and the engenderment of new entrepreneurial attributes that support the formation of an entrepreneurial identity and that a liminal state, in which people practice entrepreneurship at work, may facilitate identity transition.
Originality - This paper demonstrates that the initial entrepreneurial endeavour is based on prior work-related identity and identity congruence between prior work-related identities and a projected entrepreneurial identity is of great importance for the identity transition. However, we also show that incongruence may in some cases turn into congruence if entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to experiment with provisional entrepreneurial selves in a risk-free environment (so-called liminal states).
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Tidsskrift | International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research |
| Vol/bind | 28 |
| Nummer | 7 |
| Sider (fra-til) | 1653-1678 |
| Antal sider | 26 |
| ISSN | 1355-2554 |
| DOI | |
| Status | Udgivet - okt. 2022 |