Victim Entrepreneurs Doing Well by Doing Good: Venture Creation and Well-Being in the Aftermath of Resource Shock

Keywords

venture creation, resilience, resourceful response to adversity, compassion, conservation of resources theory

Abstract

Venture creation generates value in a variety of forms both for the entrepreneur him or her-self and the venture's stakeholders. Recent research explores entrepreneurial action as a vehicle for personal transformation and development for the individual, especially as it pertains to overcoming adversity. We build on this emerging literature by exploring victims creating new ventures in the aftermath of a disaster event, where widespread adversity threatens entire communities. Following the disaster, some victim resources are destroyed (e.g., property) while others remain (e.g., human capital) at varying levels. We build on organizational emergence and conservation of resources theories and use structural equation modeling to test a victim entrepreneur model of functioning through the creation of ventures to alleviate others' suffering. We find that venture creation mediates the positive relationship between human capital and functioning and that for those who do not create ventures, human capital is negatively related to functioning—highlighting the important role of venture creation for the victim-actor following a disaster event. Implications of these findings for literature on venture creation and responses to adversity are discussed.

Original Publication Citation

"Williams, T.A. & Shepherd, D.A. (2016) “Victim actors doing good and doing well: Venture creation and well-being in the aftermath of a resource shock.” Journal of Business Venturing, 31(4): 365-387)."

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2016

Publisher

Journal of Venturing

Language

English

College

Marriott School of Business

Department

Marketing

University Standing at Time of Publication

Associate Professor

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