Entrepreneurialism: conceptual exploration of an ideology

Abstract

This article offers a comprehensive review of the literature on entrepreneurialism, framing it as a pervasive ideology, not merely an extension of neoliberalism. While often seen as a hyper-individualistic ethos, we show that entrepreneurialism also functions as a model for social action, organizing collective behaviour, legitimizing institutional norms, and framing political choices. Although entrepreneurialism has become central to an expanded entrepreneurship research agenda, its conceptual boundaries remain fluid. Synthesizing prior work, we define entrepreneurialism as an ideology that extends entrepreneurial logic into social life, directing aspirations and actions toward the relentless pursuit of entrepreneurial ideals. Building on this foundation, we suggest a future research agenda by drawing parallels with nationalism research, an ideology with similarly extensive societal implications. Specifically, we propose four lines of inquiry that study entrepreneurialism (i) as imagined community, (ii) in historical context, (iii) as invented tradition, and (iv) as political imagination. Together, these perspectives explore entrepreneurialism as an ideology, problematize its impact on society, and engage its broader social and temporal effects.