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  4. Meaning And Money? A Qualitative Study Of How Entrepreneurs Perceive Meaningful Work

Meaning And Money? A Qualitative Study Of How Entrepreneurs Perceive Meaningful Work

File(s)
rj263.pdf (443 KB)
Permanent Link(s)
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/40707
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Cornell Theses and Dissertations
Author
Jalan, Rohini
Abstract

i In this inductive, qualitative study, I use interview data to show how entrepreneurs value meaningful work at least as much as monetary gain, if not more. Founders described their work as deeply fulfilling due to the perceived impact of their ventures on society, the sense of autonomy and control derived from work, and engagement with the entrepreneurial community. They also described behaviors such as "hacking" and "hustling" which made work "fun" and meaningful for them. These findings imply that meaning and money need not be traded off, thus echoing classical notions. Furthermore, consistent with contemporary notions, meaning arose from the doing of the work itself, rather than being external to the work as depicted in classical conceptualizations. In this way, my study bridges the classical and contemporary literature on meaningful work and develops a more robust understanding of its varied forms.

Date Issued
2015-05-24
Keywords
Entrepreneurs
•
Meaningful Work
•
Inductive, qualitative
Committee Chair
Besharov,Marya L.
Committee Member
Sonnenstuhl,William James
Kuruvilla,Sarosh C
Degree Discipline
Industrial and Labor Relations
Degree Name
M.S., Industrial and Labor Relations
Degree Level
Master of Science
Type
dissertation or thesis

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