Title: Emotional embeddedness: a process of becoming a small business owner

Authors: Venkatesh Murthy; Bino Paul

Addresses: Department of Business Environment, IIM Rohtak, MDU Campus, Haryana, 124001, India ' School of Management and Labour Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400088, India

Abstract: This study examines the circumstances that prompt individuals to become small business owners. Using qualitative research, grounded theory approach, and with the help of narratives, this study builds on Elster's (1998) characteristics of emotions, namely, cognitive antecedents, intentional objects, physiological arousals, valence, and action tendencies. The findings of this study suggest that an individual becomes a small business owner because of the various emotional experiences in his/her childhood caused by interaction with family members.

Keywords: emotional embeddedness; small business owners; family interaction; qualitative research; small firms; grounded theory; entrepreneurship; emotions; cognitive antecedents; intentional object; physiological arousal; valence; action tendencies; childhood experiences.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMCP.2016.077769

International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy, 2016 Vol.9 No.2, pp.120 - 143

Received: 12 Apr 2016
Accepted: 09 May 2016
Published online: 14 Jul 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article