Who Am I? Looking Inside the 'Entrepreneurial Identity'

Abstract

This paper extends existing research surrounding entrepreneurial motivation by investigating entrepreneurial roles and entrepreneurial identities. We argue that these entities are critical elements within entrepreneurs' self-concepts that drive behavior. In two separate studies involving 225 non-entrepreneurs and 63 entrepreneurs, we examine both the entrepreneurial role and the entrepreneurial identity. We offer theoretical extensions for how the consideration of entrepreneurial roles and identities can expand our general understanding of the entrepreneurial process.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship

JEL Classification: M13