#VSSER25 #session2
đď¸ Welcome to Revise and Resubmit â the podcast where bold ideas get a second look, and great research finally gets the mic it deserves.
Today, weâre pulling back the curtain on something powerful. Not a strategy. Not a startup. But a feeling.
Empathy.
In the business world, itâs often dismissed. Too soft. Too emotional. Too idealistic. But what if empathy isnât a weakness⌠what if itâs the engine driving a new kind of entrepreneur?
Weâre exploring the compelling work of Sophie Bacq and Elisa Alt, titled "Feeling capable and valued: A prosocial perspective on the link between empathy and social entrepreneurial intentions", published in the prestigious Journal of Business Venturing â yes, an FT50 journal, part of the Financial Times' Top 50 business journals in the world. Thatâs serious academic cred.
Published by Elsevier on February 9, 2018, this paper goes beyond the surface. It doesn't just say empathy matters â it asks why it matters. Through a study of 281 university students, the authors show that empathy doesnât lead directly to social entrepreneurship. Instead, it moves through two channels: self-efficacy â the belief that I can make a difference, and social worth â the belief that others see value in what I do.
In other words, to change the world, people need to feel both capable and valued.
So hereâs the curious question:
If empathy fuels action only when we believe in ourselves and feel seen by others⌠how many changemakers are we losing simply because no one ever told them they mattered?
Stick with us.
Donât forget to subscribe to Revise and Resubmit on Spotify, and check out our YouTube channel, Weekend Researcher. We're also streaming on Amazon Prime and Apple Podcasts. And hey â if you're loving what we do, support us on Patreon at patreon.com/weekendresearcher.
Special thanks to the authors, Sophie Bacq and Elisa Alt, and to Elsevier, for this important contribution to one of the worldâs most respected academic journals.
Reference
Bacq, S., & Alt, E. (2018). Feeling capable and valued: A prosocial perspective on the link between empathy and social entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Business Venturing, 33(3), 333â350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.01.004
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