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Navigating Motivation and Identity Under Pressure The Adaptive Compass Framework for Sustainable Entrepreneurship

Lorenc, Natalia LU and Gaphour Ali, Narin LU (2025) ENTN19 20251
Department of Business Administration
Abstract
This thesis explores how sustainable entrepreneurs adapt their motivation and identity amid the emotional, moral, and strategic tensions of building purpose driven ventures. While previous research has examined motivation and identity separately, little attention has been paid to their interdependence, particularly in high uncertainty environments where values and viability collide. Integrating Self Determination Theory and Entrepreneurial Identity Theory, this study presents a novel conceptual lens to examine how founders recalibrate their inner drive and sense of self in response to both internal pressures such as self doubt, identity conflict, and emotional strain, and external demands including investor expectations, institutional... (More)
This thesis explores how sustainable entrepreneurs adapt their motivation and identity amid the emotional, moral, and strategic tensions of building purpose driven ventures. While previous research has examined motivation and identity separately, little attention has been paid to their interdependence, particularly in high uncertainty environments where values and viability collide. Integrating Self Determination Theory and Entrepreneurial Identity Theory, this study presents a novel conceptual lens to examine how founders recalibrate their inner drive and sense of self in response to both internal pressures such as self doubt, identity conflict, and emotional strain, and external demands including investor expectations, institutional constraints, and resource scarcity. Through semi structured interviews with eight European founders and cofounders, most operating in the alternative protein sector, the study uncovers a dynamic, non linear process of motivational adaptation shaped by psychological need fulfillment, moral regulation, and narrative coherence. The thesis introduces the Adaptive Compass, a conceptual model that maps four evolving motivational identity orientations, capturing how entrepreneurs navigate trade offs while preserving alignment with their deeper purpose. By centering the affective and ethical dimensions of entrepreneurial persistence, this research advances a more human centred understanding of sustainable entrepreneurship and offers actionable insights for support systems seeking to empower founders beyond traditional performance metrics. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lorenc, Natalia LU and Gaphour Ali, Narin LU
supervisor
organization
course
ENTN19 20251
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
sustainability, sustainable entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial motivation, entrepreneurial identity, Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Entrepreneurial Identity Theory (EIT), identity work, entrepreneurial adaptation, autonomy, competence, relatedness, emotional labour, moral regulation, narrative coherence, hybrid organising
language
English
id
9203880
date added to LUP
2025-06-24 09:58:36
date last changed
2025-06-24 09:58:36
@misc{9203880,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores how sustainable entrepreneurs adapt their motivation and identity amid the emotional, moral, and strategic tensions of building purpose driven ventures. While previous research has examined motivation and identity separately, little attention has been paid to their interdependence, particularly in high uncertainty environments where values and viability collide. Integrating Self Determination Theory and Entrepreneurial Identity Theory, this study presents a novel conceptual lens to examine how founders recalibrate their inner drive and sense of self in response to both internal pressures such as self doubt, identity conflict, and emotional strain, and external demands including investor expectations, institutional constraints, and resource scarcity. Through semi structured interviews with eight European founders and cofounders, most operating in the alternative protein sector, the study uncovers a dynamic, non linear process of motivational adaptation shaped by psychological need fulfillment, moral regulation, and narrative coherence. The thesis introduces the Adaptive Compass, a conceptual model that maps four evolving motivational identity orientations, capturing how entrepreneurs navigate trade offs while preserving alignment with their deeper purpose. By centering the affective and ethical dimensions of entrepreneurial persistence, this research advances a more human centred understanding of sustainable entrepreneurship and offers actionable insights for support systems seeking to empower founders beyond traditional performance metrics.}},
  author       = {{Lorenc, Natalia and Gaphour Ali, Narin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Navigating Motivation and Identity Under Pressure The Adaptive Compass Framework for Sustainable Entrepreneurship}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}