Where does the heart lie? A multistage process model of entrepreneurial passion and role identity management

Abstract

With research on entrepreneurial passion booming, there is an increasing need to understand how and why that passion influences entrepreneurs' performance over time. To address this need, we develop a multistage process model, proposing that entrepreneurial passion type—harmonious or obsessive—explains how entrepreneurs modify their identity and reprioritize their roles as inventors, founders, and developers in response to feedback as the venture develops, thus giving rise to different patterns of role identity transition or persistence. The proposed feedback system advances our understanding of entrepreneurial passion by providing a dynamic view of the impact of passion and role identity management on overall entrepreneurial performance. We conclude by outlining the theoretical and practical implications of our multistage process model and by presenting an agenda for future research on entrepreneurial passion and role identity management.