Social Entrepreneurs’ Motives, Role Stress, Work Competence, and Passion

Abstract

This study examines how social entrepreneurs’ motives and role stress affect their passion and how these relationships are mediated by their perception of own work competence. The analysis of the data from a survey of 264 self-identified social entrepreneurs working in different types of organizations show that other-oriented motives are strongly associated with passion while self-oriented motives are generally not. The results also reveal that perceived work competence mediates these relationships, reinforcing the relationships between other-oriented motives and passion and between role stress and passion. In particular, when social entrepreneurs perceive a high level of competence, role stress positively affects social entrepreneurs’ passion, suggesting that the multitude and ambiguity of roles can boost passion, rather than decreasing it. This paper concludes with suggestions for social entrepreneurship education programs and curricula.