Identity, storytelling and the philanthropic journey

Abstract

This article develops theoretical understanding of the involvement of wealthy entrepreneurs in socially transformative projects by offering a foundational theory of philanthropic identity narratives. We show that these narratives are structured according to the metaphorical framework of the journey, through which actors envision and make sense of personal transformation. The journey provides a valuable metaphor for conceptualizing narrative identities in entrepreneurial careers as individuals navigate different social landscapes, illuminating identities as unfolding through a process of wayfinding in response to events, transitions and turning-points. We delineate the journey from entrepreneurship to philanthropy, and propose a typology of rewards that entrepreneurs claim to derive from giving. We add to the expanding literature on narrative identities by suggesting that philanthropic identity narratives empower wealthy entrepreneurs to generate a legacy of the self that is both self- and socially oriented, these ‘generativity scripts’ propelling their capacity for action while ensuring the continuation of their journeys.

Imagery of ad-venture: Understanding entrepreneurial identity through metaphor and drawing

“…The valence of the images (whether the images had primarily positive or negative connotations) was largely positive, which we argue is evokes an on-going attempt by the entrepreneurs to secure positive meanings in the face of potential negative consequences of their entrepreneurial activities and protect themselves from identity threat (Ashforth and Kreiner, 1999). Some of the metaphors did relate to existing linguistic metaphors of entrepreneurship including the entrepreneur as a traveler on a journey (Dodd, 2002;Maclean et al, 2015), metaphors relating to family and parenting (Cardon et al, 2005) and the biological growth metaphor (Aldrich and Martinez, 2001;Clarke et al, 2014). However these 'typical' metaphors as conveyed through drawing were much more complex, nuanced and messy than their linguistic equivalents; the images isolate salient and basic meaning but refrain from simplifying what remains an elusive complex and at times contradictory and paradoxical experience.…”

“…Perhaps more than other business figures, entrepreneurs act and think in ways that bridge target and source domains; they use metaphor to compress the often elusive prospect of venture-forming into familiar categories or scenes allowing them to make sense of their entrepreneurial experience and create an entrepreneurial identity (Maclean et al, 2015).…”

Conceptualizing Historical Organization Studies

“…In instilling a new conception of charitable giving among a section of the wealthy, he modified the prevailing script to their potential advantage by linking wealth directly with moral legitimacy (Aldrich & Fiol, 1994). More discourse analysis of narratives told by institutional entrepreneurs, past and present, might promote representational truth by elucidating how they embed their own interests in the reconfigured field while ostensibly transcending self-interest (Maclean, Harvey, Gordon, & Shaw, 2015;Munir & Phillips, 2005;Suchman, 1995).…”

Unemployment as a liminoid phenomenon: Identity trajectories in times of crisis

“…Following Maclean et al (2015), these changes in professional identities accompany changes in organizational life that are often unpredictable, indirect and discontinuous. Identities thus evolve over time through a process of 'way finding' in response to role changes, setbacks and turning points, as actors make sense of (or enact) their environments (Maclean et al, 2015(Maclean et al, :1623. In that sense, identity "always remains incomplete, is always 'in process', always 'being formed' [...].…”