New grant awarded to Prof. Marc Gruber
Marc Gruber has been awarded a grant by the SNF to explore the role of multi-level identity dynamics in the unfolding processes of entrepreneurial action and organizational emergence.
The grant allows him to extend his research on founder identity by exploring the cross-level unfolding of identity dynamics in the context of collective ventures. A collective enterprise describes a type of new venture that is embedded in a community’s existing social structure and which aims at addressing unsatisfied local needs. Collective ventures are therefore often established in rural contexts to address the variegated but interconnected problems many rural communities in Europe are facing. In Switzerland, for example, an increasing number of villages are faced with the closure of local businesses, which leads to the loss of employment opportunities and local culture, diminishing access to services, and a reduced attractiveness for tourists. From a research standpoint, studying CEVs is particularly relevant because such pursuits necessarily involve multiple levels of identity dynamics and cross-level interactions.
The grant will allow Prof. Gruber to employ a mixed methods research design consisting of three studies. The first study consists of a longitudinal ethnographic study that will explore group and organizational identity formation and the imprinting effects occurring across different levels of identity. Building on a qualitative case study comparison, the second study will examine the onset and interactions of multi-level identity dynamics. Lastly, the third study will mobilize experimental techniques to investigate the effects of group level identity dynamics on CEV processes. By adopting a multi-level identity lens, the proposed research project has the potential to provide new and pertinent insights into the influence of identity dynamics on the unfolding processes of entrepreneurial action and organizational emergence