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Navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurial identity threats to persist: The countervailing force of a relational identity with God

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  • Smith, Brett R.
  • Lawson, Amanda
  • Dubard Barbosa, Saulo
  • Jones, Jessica

Abstract

While an economic paradigm has been productive for entrepreneurship, religion has been proposed as an alternative rationality to advance research in our field. To extend a theological turn in entrepreneurship and identity research, our study inductively develops a conceptual model that explains how individuals navigate entrepreneurial identity threats based on the interaction between a relational identity with God (RIG) and an entrepreneurial identity to persist in entrepreneurial action. Our study suggests this can happen when entrepreneurs engage in inter-identity work mechanisms - affirming and humbling - to mitigate these identity threats. Specifically, a relational identity with God acts as a countervailing force to an entrepreneurial identity during times of identity threats to generate inter-identity meaning change, resulting in interidentity stability and entrepreneurial persistence. Through our study, we advance knowledge on the theological turn in entrepreneurship and identity by inductively developing theory on a new religious identity construct (RIG), elaborating theory of inter-identity work by shifting the focus from structural to content changes, and extending theory on entrepreneurial action, persistence, and well-being based on theological rather than economic considerations.

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  • Smith, Brett R. & Lawson, Amanda & Dubard Barbosa, Saulo & Jones, Jessica, 2023. "Navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurial identity threats to persist: The countervailing force of a relational identity with God," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 38(4).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbvent:v:38:y:2023:i:4:s0883902623000319
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2023.106317
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shepherd, Dean A. & Saade, Fouad Philippe & Wincent, Joakim, 2020. "How to circumvent adversity? Refugee-entrepreneurs' resilience in the face of substantial and persistent adversity," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(4).
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    Cited by:

    1. Jessica Jones & Christina Hymer & Ashley Roccapriore & Brett Smith, 2024. "Does religion matter to angels? Exploring the influence of religion in entrepreneurial investor decision-making," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(4), pages 1337-1360, April.
    2. Alemayehu, Binyam Zewde & Steffens, Paul & Gordon, Scott R., 2023. "The formation and role of religious social capital in driving entrepreneurial action," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    3. Marcus Dejardin & Brigitte Hoogendoorn & Frank Janssen & Cornelius A. Rietveld & Elco Burg, 2024. "Coupling engagement with analytical rigor: advancing research on religion and entrepreneurship using a mechanism-based approach," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(4), pages 1273-1284, April.
    4. Saulo Dubard Barbosa & Brett R. Smith, 2024. "Specifying the role of religion in entrepreneurial action: a cognitive perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(4), pages 1315-1336, April.
    5. Smith, Brett & Gümüsay, Ali Aslan & Townsend, David M., 2023. "Bridging worlds: The intersection of religion and entrepreneurship as meaningful heterodoxy," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).

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