Navigating interpersonal feedback seeking in social venturing: The roles of psychological distance and sensemaking

Andreana Drencheva*, Ute Stephan, Malcolm G. Patterson, Anna Topakas

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study advances understanding of interpersonal feedback seeking as a relational micro-foundational process whereby social entrepreneurs proactively involve others in venturing and engage in sensemaking when this fails. Our inductive analysis of 82 interviews with 36 social entrepreneurs reveals the agency in and the plurality and precariousness of feedback seeking by identifying three distinct feedback-seeking trajectories. Feedback seeking is an identity-driven process whereby how and why social entrepreneurs seek feedback depends on their psychological closeness to the targeted social issue. Our study elucidates the relationship between identity and feedback processes and uncovers psychological distance from the social issue as a new construct in social venturing.

Original languageEnglish
Article number106123
JournalJournal of Business Venturing
Volume36
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2021

Keywords

  • Identity
  • Image
  • Interpersonal feedback seeking
  • Psychological distance
  • Social entrepreneurship

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