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Hybrid Identity Work Strategies of Academic Entrepreneurs: Connection Building and Difference Building

Tero Montonen

South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases2025https://doi.org/10.1177/22779779241312307article
AJG 1ABDC C
Weight
0.41

What the paper says

The case study examines the identity work of academics who have moved to or are considering a work position in a university spin-off company. The main findings outline two strategies of hybrid identity work and related boundary work tactics through which academics build connections and mark differences between science and business. Connection-building strategy highlights commonalities and shared elements between science and business, while the difference-building strategy emphasizes distinctions and separations between them. The analysis is supported by evidence from longitudinal interviews with academics in Finland actively involved in science-based businesses or contemplating such involvement. The main findings show that these strategies were used by both groups in different sensemaking situations. However, those working full-time in a university spin-off company often adopted the connection-building strategy to legitimize their career shift from academia to industry. Conversely, those considering a future position in a university spin-off often relied on the difference-building strategy to problematize and justify their hesitation in accepting such a position.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/22779779241312307

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@article{tero2025,
  title        = {{Hybrid Identity Work Strategies of Academic Entrepreneurs: Connection Building and Difference Building}},
  author       = {Tero Montonen},
  journal      = {South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases},
  year         = {2025},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/22779779241312307},
}

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Hybrid Identity Work Strategies of Academic Entrepreneurs: Connection Building and Difference Building

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Evidence weight

0.41

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.25 × 0.4 = 0.10
M · momentum0.55 × 0.15 = 0.08
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.