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Should I? How moral ambiguity shapes entrepreneurial action

Vorholzer, Marina LU and Brattström, Anna LU (2025) In Academy of Management Review
Abstract
This paper advances a model of moral ambiguity in entrepreneurial action. Our model specifies the mechanisms surrounding moral responsibility, moral motivation, and the moral threshold through which perceived moral ambiguity shapes action. Specifically, we theorize (a) the interpretative elements that steer how the entrepreneur attributes moral responsibility and establishes moral motivation, (b) how multiple opposing interpretations can create attributional or motivational moral ambiguity, and (c) how the entrepreneur can process such ambiguity to make moral judgment. We then discuss how our model extends prior work on both ethics in entrepreneurship and moral approbation theory, and we outline research opportunities on moral ambiguity... (More)
This paper advances a model of moral ambiguity in entrepreneurial action. Our model specifies the mechanisms surrounding moral responsibility, moral motivation, and the moral threshold through which perceived moral ambiguity shapes action. Specifically, we theorize (a) the interpretative elements that steer how the entrepreneur attributes moral responsibility and establishes moral motivation, (b) how multiple opposing interpretations can create attributional or motivational moral ambiguity, and (c) how the entrepreneur can process such ambiguity to make moral judgment. We then discuss how our model extends prior work on both ethics in entrepreneurship and moral approbation theory, and we outline research opportunities on moral ambiguity and judgment. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Entrepreneurial ethics, Entrepreneurial cognition, Moral judgment
in
Academy of Management Review
pages
25 pages
publisher
Academy of Management
ISSN
0363-7425
DOI
10.5465/amr.2024.0080
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
cacf093b-b28f-48aa-81ca-08e579228dcc
date added to LUP
2025-11-11 20:03:14
date last changed
2025-11-12 08:39:25
@article{cacf093b-b28f-48aa-81ca-08e579228dcc,
  abstract     = {{This paper advances a model of moral ambiguity in entrepreneurial action. Our model specifies the mechanisms surrounding moral responsibility, moral motivation, and the moral threshold through which perceived moral ambiguity shapes action. Specifically, we theorize (a) the interpretative elements that steer how the entrepreneur attributes moral responsibility and establishes moral motivation, (b) how multiple opposing interpretations can create attributional or motivational moral ambiguity, and (c) how the entrepreneur can process such ambiguity to make moral judgment. We then discuss how our model extends prior work on both ethics in entrepreneurship and moral approbation theory, and we outline research opportunities on moral ambiguity and judgment.}},
  author       = {{Vorholzer, Marina and Brattström, Anna}},
  issn         = {{0363-7425}},
  keywords     = {{Entrepreneurial ethics; Entrepreneurial cognition; Moral judgment}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  publisher    = {{Academy of Management}},
  series       = {{Academy of Management Review}},
  title        = {{Should I? How moral ambiguity shapes entrepreneurial action}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amr.2024.0080}},
  doi          = {{10.5465/amr.2024.0080}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}