Becoming a social entrepreneur: understanding motivations using life story analysis

Using the life story method, 18 social bricoleurs (small scale social entrepreneurs) from eight countries were interviewed to identify motivations in becoming social entrepreneurs. Motivations included pull factors, such as an awareness of social injustice, and push factors, such as job dissatisfaction. Analysis indicates that social bricoleur motivations are similar in different cultures. When referring to the present or future, many social entrepreneurs seek scalability, i.e., an expansion of their vision and actions evolving from small scale organisations to larger organisations that serve multiple populations and needs.Ronit Yitshaki, Fredric Krop

Motivations and opportunity recognition of social entrepreneurs

This study explores the motivations and opportunity recognition patterns of 30 Israeli social entrepreneurs (SEs) through life story analysis. The majority of participants were motivated by pull factors that included prosocial behaviors based on past or current life events. Others were motivated by push factors, including job dissatisfaction and a search for meaning. Based on grounded theory-building and sensemaking perspectives, we develop a theoretical process model that links motivations, opportunity recognition, and prosocial activities of SEs. Their experiences created an awareness of unmet societal needs, which led to opportunity recognition and formation of social ventures to help fill the gaps.Ronit Yitshaki and Fredric Krop

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

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.Ronit, Yitshaki and Fredric, Krop

Understanding social entrepreneurs' motivations

Fredric Kropp and Ronit Yitshak