The Identity of Entrepreneurs: Providing Conceptual Clarity and Future Directions

Theidentity of entrepreneurs(IoE) has become a popular concept in entrepreneurship research, for example, to explain entrepreneurial behavior. Yet, despite growing interest in this topic, theoretical and terminological inconsistencies have hampered the development of a coherent understanding of the identity of entrepreneurs. I conduct a systematic literature review to provide an overview of different theoretical perspectives in IoE research and suggest consistent use of terminology and operationalizations. Further, I propose a framework to investigate the dynamic nature and multi-level influences of the identity of entrepreneurs, and outline meaningful avenues for future research to unravel when, how, and with what consequences identity may become relevant in new venture creation.