Stephanie Richardson completes dissertation in the School of Educational Leadership and Change

Driven by Meaning: A Classic Grounded Theory of Personal Entrepreneuring -- Stephanie Richardson

Stephanie is a registered nurse by background. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Transformative Leadership. In 1995, Stephanie was hired as the Director and Lead Instructor of the Medical Assistant program at a Wisconsin Technical College.
Abstract:
Driven by Meaning: A Classic Grounded Theory of Personal Entrepreneuring was conducted using the classic grounded theory methodology (Glaser, 1978, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2001; Glaser & Strauss, 1967). The methodology is primarily inductive and generates conceptualized theory regarding latent patterns of behavior, as indicated by data analysis. When people take charge of their lives in ways that are new for them, they demonstrate the concepts of driven by meaning and personal entrepreneuring. Personal entrepreneuring conceptualizes the three-stage process that people engage in when taking charge of their lives in ways that are new for them. Meaning-driven motivation, meaning-driven solutioning, and meaning-driven movement conceptualize the stages of personal entrepreneuring. Business entrepreneurs served as the initial unit of study for this research. As theoretical sampling progressed, the unit of study expanded to include adults who were not business entrepreneurs. Individuals, including business entrepreneurs, engage in the same processes when attempting execution of new ideas. These individuals are entrepreneuring, regardless of the activity.

Keywords: Entrepreneur, entrepreneuring, entrepreneurship, business, trajectory, meaning, meaningful, uncertainty, taking charge, pioneering, grounded theory

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