Building and breaking identities: How adversity shapes entrepreneurial motivation

Entrepreneurship research has begun to recognise the role of people's lived experiences and significant life events prior to their venturing. Still, little is known about how adverse events shape founder identities and entrepreneurial motivation. My study uses an identity theoretical lens to consider the influence of founders' adverse life experiences on their venturing efforts. I asked the research question: How do adverse life events shape entrepreneurs' identity construction efforts and their venturing motives? Using a qualitative, grounded theory approach and life course methodology, I collected and analysed in-depth life story data of nine founders over the course of three years. These founders came into venturing under exceptionally adverse conditions in an informal economy context in Cape Town, South Africa. I found that adverse life experiences prior to venturing intentions or activities led to disconfirmed identities. The interplay between these disconfirmed identities and salient social identities played an integral role in founders' self-esteem and identity construction strategies in their efforts to restore a sense of coherence in their lives. These identity dynamics gave rise to distinct pathways resulting in different motives for establishing their ventures. My study enriches the literature on founder identity by detailing the significance of multiple forms of adversity on founders' identity construction and behavioural responses. By illuminating the relationship between the sources of adversity and salient social identities, I demonstrate the far-reaching consequences of adverse life events prior to venturing on founders' identities and entrepreneurial motives. It challenges the widely-held notion that founders in contexts of poverty are a homogenous group of entrepreneurs motivated by their basic needs. My study offers novel insights into the lived experiences of township entrepreneurs and contributes to scholarly knowledge on entrepreneurial adversity, identity and motivation in an under-researched context of poverty.

Grantor

Graduate School of Business (GSB)

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Maharaj, Ishara

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hamann, Ralph

• Commerce

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/38043

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/38043