The promise of entrepreneurial passion to advance social entrepreneurship research

Abstract

This article aims to advance the theoretical debate on the role of entrepreneurial passion and paradoxical entrepreneurial interests––two influential concepts of entrepreneurship that have received little empirical validation so far––in predicting social entrepreneurial intention. Drawing on the literature on entrepreneurial passion and pecuniary vs. non-pecuniary interests in entrepreneurship, in particular the tension between money ethics, meaning in life, and public service motivation, we collected survey data from young people who were at the career choice contemplation stage (N = 1021) to test a model of social entrepreneurial intention. Structural equation modeling and mediation analyses supported the tested model. This article contributes to the literature by demonstrating the centrality of entrepreneurial passion in predicting social entrepreneurial intention and the complex role of pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in the relationships.