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From Athletic Capital to Entrepreneurial Action: How former professional athletes' human capital impacts their entrepreneurial decision-making

Ommen, Eike Christjan LU and Olk, Markus LU (2026) ENTN19 20261
Department of Business Administration
Abstract
This study examines how the human capital of former professional athletes impacts their
entrepreneurial decision-making during the venture creation process. Using Human Capital
Theory and the literature on entrepreneurial decision-making, this study explores how the
dispositions, knowledge, and networks accumulated through an athletic career shape the reasoning
logics through which former athletes create new ventures. The data was collected through a
qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with eleven former professional athletes in
Germany who have transitioned into entrepreneurship as a second career, sampled through a
combination of purposeful and snowball sampling. During the analysis five aggregated dimensions
... (More)
This study examines how the human capital of former professional athletes impacts their
entrepreneurial decision-making during the venture creation process. Using Human Capital
Theory and the literature on entrepreneurial decision-making, this study explores how the
dispositions, knowledge, and networks accumulated through an athletic career shape the reasoning
logics through which former athletes create new ventures. The data was collected through a
qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with eleven former professional athletes in
Germany who have transitioned into entrepreneurship as a second career, sampled through a
combination of purposeful and snowball sampling. During the analysis five aggregated dimensions
were developed, athletic human capital formation, sport-derived human capital and its
transferability, network and identity as means, decision-making logic in venture creation, and
human capital deployment across the venture creation pathway, resulting in a model. These
findings demonstrate how athletic human capital functions as the foundational inventory from
which athletepreneurs reason under either causal or effectual logic, while the dominant logic shifts
across phases of the venture creation process, causal-leaning under forced transition, effectual-
dominant at venture identification, and integrated at the functioning venture. The study expands
on current theories of entrepreneurial decision-making and athlete career transition, specifically
by conceptualising coexistence between causal and effectual logics as phase-structured and
proposes practical recommendations for athletes and supporting institutions. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Ommen, Eike Christjan LU and Olk, Markus LU
supervisor
organization
course
ENTN19 20261
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
Athletepreneur, Entrepreneurial decision-making, Effectuation, Causation, Human Capital Theory, Venture creation process, Athlete career transition, Qualitative research
language
English
id
9247430
date added to LUP
2026-08-07 11:20:38
date last changed
2026-08-07 11:20:38
@misc{9247430,
  abstract     = {{This study examines how the human capital of former professional athletes impacts their
entrepreneurial decision-making during the venture creation process. Using Human Capital
Theory and the literature on entrepreneurial decision-making, this study explores how the
dispositions, knowledge, and networks accumulated through an athletic career shape the reasoning
logics through which former athletes create new ventures. The data was collected through a
qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with eleven former professional athletes in
Germany who have transitioned into entrepreneurship as a second career, sampled through a
combination of purposeful and snowball sampling. During the analysis five aggregated dimensions
were developed, athletic human capital formation, sport-derived human capital and its
transferability, network and identity as means, decision-making logic in venture creation, and
human capital deployment across the venture creation pathway, resulting in a model. These
findings demonstrate how athletic human capital functions as the foundational inventory from
which athletepreneurs reason under either causal or effectual logic, while the dominant logic shifts
across phases of the venture creation process, causal-leaning under forced transition, effectual-
dominant at venture identification, and integrated at the functioning venture. The study expands
on current theories of entrepreneurial decision-making and athlete career transition, specifically
by conceptualising coexistence between causal and effectual logics as phase-structured and
proposes practical recommendations for athletes and supporting institutions.}},
  author       = {{Ommen, Eike Christjan and Olk, Markus}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{From Athletic Capital to Entrepreneurial Action: How former professional athletes' human capital impacts their entrepreneurial decision-making}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}