Entrepreneurial activities and occupational boundary work during venture creation and development in the cultural industries

Drawing upon a pragmatist-inspired definition of entrepreneurial activity, this article presents material from an ethnographic study of owner-founders of micro- and small businesses in the cultural industries. The concept of occupational boundary work is developed to examine how entrepreneurial activities are partially shaped by occupations during venture creation and development. The article addresses how occupational boundary work influences venturing opportunities, the process of gaining legitimacy and building commitment to creating and developing organizations. This has relevance for explaining how occupational knowledge is acquired and transformed through entrepreneurial activities during venture creation and development.