Presentation Title
Understanding the Impact of Identity on Small Business Social Responsibility
Abstract
This paper examines how social identities intersect & shape how entrepreneurs think about & engage with social responsibility. Through hearing about their stories as entrepreneurs and people, their rationale for creating positive impact in their community can be better understood. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with small business owners & entrepreneurs of various social identities (race, gender, geographic location) and business traits (size, industry). They were later analyzed through utilizing a Charmaz constructivist grounded theory approach to define major trends among narratives. This paper provides nuance around the intersecting identities and experiences of entrepreneurs in their professional and personal life. These specific identities intersect and interact with each other, changing in salience as context evolves. By better understanding how identities influence the experiences of individuals, awareness of challenges and biases around social entrepreneurship can be raised to effectively addressed the needs of customers.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Srinivas Venugopal
Secondary Mentor Name
Ante Algavas
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Second Student College
Grossman School of Business
Program/Major
Environmental Studies
Second Program/Major
Sustainable Business
Primary Research Category
Social Sciences
Secondary Research Category
Social Sciences
Understanding the Impact of Identity on Small Business Social Responsibility
This paper examines how social identities intersect & shape how entrepreneurs think about & engage with social responsibility. Through hearing about their stories as entrepreneurs and people, their rationale for creating positive impact in their community can be better understood. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with small business owners & entrepreneurs of various social identities (race, gender, geographic location) and business traits (size, industry). They were later analyzed through utilizing a Charmaz constructivist grounded theory approach to define major trends among narratives. This paper provides nuance around the intersecting identities and experiences of entrepreneurs in their professional and personal life. These specific identities intersect and interact with each other, changing in salience as context evolves. By better understanding how identities influence the experiences of individuals, awareness of challenges and biases around social entrepreneurship can be raised to effectively addressed the needs of customers.