Academics and entrepreneurs : Enablers of hybrid identity centrality among university researchers - UTU Research Portal

A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Academics and entrepreneurs : Enablers of hybrid identity centrality among university researchers

Authors: Majoor-Kozlinska, Inna; Hytti, Ulla; Stenholm, Pekka

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Publication year: 2024

Journal: Journal of Small Business Management

Journal name in source: Journal of Small Business Management

Volume: 62

Issue: 6

First page : 3191

Last page: 3225

ISSN: 0047-2778

eISSN: 1540-627X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00472778.2024.2366959(external)

Web address : https://doi.org/10.1080/00472778.2024.2366959

Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/457169485(external)

Abstract

As universities evolve through mission expansion and grapple with the increasing need to bridge academic work with practical relevance, researchers are finding themselves in the complex terrain of simultaneously embracing their entrepreneurial and academic identities. This study investigates the factors enabling hybrid identity centrality—a conscious recognition of being both an academic and entrepreneurial individual—among university researchers. Drawing on a sample of 312 researchers from two multifaculty universities, the findings show that researchers’ perception of a university’s entrepreneurship strategy implementation and their society—industry orientation significantly influence the likelihood of hybrid identity centrality. Notably, the society-industry orientation moderates the relationship between entrepreneurship strategy implementation and the adoption of a hybrid identity. The study contributes to the research on the complementarity of academic and entrepreneurial identities and adds novel insights to the organizational research on academic entrepreneurship by suggesting that entrepreneurship strategy alone may not suffice in promoting hybrid identity.

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Academics and entrepreneurs.pdf

Funding information in the publication:
The work was supported by the Research Council of Finland [295960].