In a nutshell
Balancing academic rigour with entrepreneurial impact isn’t easy, but the right mix of university support and real-world connections can make it possible for researchers to thrive in both roles.
Working as a researcher in entrepreneurship is only becoming more and more complex. It’s not just about teaching or producing knowledge anymore – it’s also about showing that your work has practical value. Universities are increasingly expecting academics to bridge the gap between ideas and impact, whether that means solving real-world problems, partnering with industries, or even launching start-ups. While this shift is exciting for some, for many it’s a tough balancing act. How do you stay true to your academic role while embracing the entrepreneurial side?
This challenge is the focus of a recent paper by Inna Majoor-Kozlinska, Ulla Hytti, and Pekka Stenholm. As they explain, on one side there’s the academic world, with its focus on intellectual rigour, teaching, and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. On the other, there’s entrepreneurship, which values practical outcomes, innovation, and sometimes bending the rules to make things happen. The real issue here isn’t that researchers must turn their work into something useful, but that they’re increasingly expected to. And without the right support, they might feel overwhelmed, unsure of their place, or even pressured to retreat into a single identity – either sticking with traditional academic norms or going full entrepreneur.
The authors therefore explore the idea of a hybrid identity, where researchers see themselves as both academics and entrepreneurs, and it turns out this dual identity doesn’t just happen by chance; the paper finds that a researcher’s environment – specifically their university’s culture – plays a key role.
First, universities need to actively support entrepreneurship. This can mean providing funding, offering training programmes, or creating policies that encourage innovation. These are like a safety net, making it easier for researchers to explore entrepreneurial paths without worrying that they’re stepping too far outside their academic role.
Publication Date: 8 July 2024
Authors: Inna Majoor-Kozlinska, Ulla Hytti, and Pekka Stenholm
Institution: Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Netherlands; University of Turku, Finland
Study Type: Empirical study using survey-based data
Sample Size: 312 university researchers across two multifaculty universities
Research Focus: Exploring how universities influence researchers’ ability to develop a hybrid identity as both academics and entrepreneurs.
Research Methodology: Survey-based analysis examining the role of university entrepreneurship support systems and external connections to industries and society in shaping hybrid identities.
Main Findings: Researchers in entrepreneurship often face the challenge of balancing academic and entrepreneurial roles. A hybrid identity – where researchers see themselves as both academics and entrepreneurs – is more likely to develop in environments where universities provide strong internal entrepreneurship support (e.g., funding, training, policies) and maintain robust external connections (e.g., partnerships with industries, societal engagement). These two factors must work together to create an environment that helps researchers navigate the dual demands of publishing academic work and achieving practical impact.
Citation: Majoor-Kozlinska, I., Hytti, U., & Stenholm, P. (2024). “Navigating dual identities: Academic entrepreneurship and university support.” Journal of Business Venturing. [https://doi.org/10.1080/00472778.2024.2366959]
Second, strong connections to the outside world are essential. This includes partnerships with industries, collaboration with communities, and engagement with societal challenges. These connections act like a compass, helping researchers see where their work could have a tangible impact.
The tricky part is that these two factors – support and connections – need to work together. A great entrepreneurship strategy won’t go far if the university feels disconnected from real-world problems. And being well-connected to industries isn’t much use without internal systems to help researchers act on their ideas. When both pieces are in place, universities create an environment where researchers can confidently embrace a hybrid identity and thrive in their dual role.
This paper offers a clear message: empowering academic entrepreneurship isn’t about forcing researchers to pick sides. Instead, it’s about creating an environment where being both a thinker and a doer feels natural and achievable. For researchers, educators, and administrators, this is a call to action: when universities get the balance right, academics can turn ideas into real-world impact without losing sight of their scholarly roots.
For more on how educators navigate similar identity shifts, see Who Is Qualified to Teach Entrepreneurship?.
