A review of and future agenda for research on identity in entrepreneurship

• Published in: Journal of business venturing 2020-11, Vol.35 (6), p.106049, Article 106049
• Main Authors: Mmbaga, Nick A., Mathias, Blake D., Williams, David W., Cardon, Melissa S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bibliometric analysis; Entrepreneurial identity; Entrepreneurship; Founders; Identity work; Multiple identities; Role identity; Social identity; Venture identity
• ISSN: 0883-9026; 1873-2003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2020.106049

Research on identity in entrepreneurship represents a central, dynamic, and quickly growing field of research. Yet, rapid growth has led to a diversity of theoretical conversations and methodological advancements that has yielded a largely disjointed body of existing work. To advance research in this area, we systematically review 180 articles on identity(ies) in entrepreneurship from the last 20 years. We conducted a bibliometric analysis using terms in the keywords, titles, and abstracts of identified articles to examine the co-occurrence of these terms. We then develop an organizing framework that reflects four unique conversations within the body of research—distinctions, variations, constructions, and intersections—and highlight the key research questions and themes studied with each conversation. We chart a path for future research that reflects the broad spectrum of views in the literature and propose new opportunities for research that takes a network-based approach, explores post-emergent venture states of identity, and moves the study of identity to the digital world of online communities. •We systematically review the literature on identity(ies) in entrepreneurship.•We conduct bibliometric analysis using terms in the keywords, titles, and abstracts of identified articles to examine the co-occurrence of these terms.•We develop a framework that reflects four unique conversations within the body of research—distinctions, variations, constructions, and intersections.•We highlight new areas for methodological development for identity(ies) in entrepreneurship.•We chart a new path for future research that takes on a network-based approach, explores post-emergent venture states of identity, and moves the study of identity to the digital world of online communities.