Intrinsic Rewards and Sustainability-Oriented Entrepreneurial Intentions

Abstract

In the 21st century, the Sustainable Developmental Goals have become the pivot of economic development worldwide. Hence, the need to promote sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial behaviour has increased manifold. Intentions are assumed to capture the motivational factors that influence an individual's behaviour. Thus, behavioural intentions play a significant role in bridging the gap between sustainable development and sustainable entrepreneurial behaviour. This study aims at understanding the role of intrinsic rewards in shaping the sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial intentions of individuals. The case study method is adopted to understand and validate the theories referred. The sub-constructs of intrinsic rewards like altruism, socio-emotional feelings, pro-environmental values, autonomy, and community feeling aspirations were found to drive the sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial intentions of an individual. Lack of awareness of the structural environment support was highlighted as a hindrance in fostering the sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Indian economy.

Sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial intentions: work values and the theory of planned behaviour

“…Hypothesis, H3, was proposed to test the significance of the impact of Intrinsic Rewards on SEI. Previous studies by Thelken and Jong (2020), Srivastava et al . (2022) and Vuorio et al .…”

“…Entrepreneurs prioritising values such as social impact and community service are more likely to start a business that addresses societal and environmental problems (Bosompem et al, 2022;Boulongne, 2022). In addition, Intrinsic Rewards can also enhance an individual's pro-social and pro-environmental cognitive styles, contributing to SEI (Srivastava et al, 2022). Hence, the following hypothesis is proposed to test the impact of Intrinsic Rewards on an individual's SEI.…”

“…(2022), explains the impact of personal beliefs, values, and experiences, as well as cultural and societal norms, in shaping PED of an individual. As mentioned above, an individual who prefers SE as a career choice exhibits pro-social and pro-environmental cognitive styles (Srivastava et al ., 2022; Thelken and Jong, 2020). Thus, indicating that personal values associated with environmental and societal well-being are critical among those taking up such unconventional forms of Entrepreneurship.…”

“…Further, an individual's contentment from taking up an entrepreneurial venture positively impacts his attitude towards entrepreneurship, leading to stronger EI (Al-Jubari, 2019). Scholars have also found that individuals considering SE as their career choice are found to have strong pro-social and pro-environmental cognitive styles (Thelken and Jong, 2020; Srivastava et al ., 2022). The available literature also highlights that a specific attitude significantly impacts the intention to complete the associated task (Fanea-Ivanovici and Baber, 2022).…”

“…This exploration can provide insight into the "intentionbehaviour" mechanism within the context of SE. According to Srivastava et al (2022), SEI refers to entrepreneurial intentions driven by a desire to positively impact the environment and society and contribute to Sustainable Development rather than focussing solely on financial gain. Gaile et al (2020) proposed that an individual's values play a significant role in shaping his career choices.…”