From visionary to employee — Understanding motivation post-acquisition
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School of Business |
Master's thesis
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Authors
Date
2024
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
mib
Language
en
Pages
54 + 4
Series
Abstract
In my study, I explore how technology startup founders' motivations evolve when transitioning from leading their own companies to becoming employees within acquiring firms. I conducted semi-structured, narrative driven interviews with founders who had experienced this transition. To structure my analysis, I developed the Founder Transition Motivation Framework, which combines the basic psychological needs of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) with the temporal phases of acquisition, and utilizes thematic analysis of the interviews. My analysis revealed three key findings: (1) a shift from intrinsic to extrinsic motivation throughout the acquisition process, (2) the persistence of entrepreneurial identity even after acquisition, and (3) a paradox between maintaining high operational autonomy and achieving effective integration with the acquiring company. My research contributes to our understanding of founder transitions and offers practical insights for both founders and acquiring companies in managing these complex processes. While limited by a small sample size, this study opens up several avenues for future research, including longitudinal studies and larger-scale quantitative validations of the observed patterns.Description
Thesis advisor
Niittymies, AleksiKeywords
entrepreneurial exit, self-determination theory, post-acquisition integration, founder transition, motivation