Should I? How Moral Ambiguity Shapes Entrepreneurial Action

Marina Vorholzer; Anna Brattström

doi:10.5465/amr.2024.0080

Nov 3, 2025
Academy of Management Review
Marina Vorholzer +1 more

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Abstract

This paper advances a model of moral ambiguity in entrepreneurial action. Our model specifies the mechanisms surrounding moral responsibility, moral motivation, and the moral threshold through which perceived moral ambiguity shapes action. Specifically, we theorize (a) the interpretative elements that steer how the entrepreneur attributes moral responsibility and establishes moral motivation, (b) how multiple opposing interpretations can create attributional or motivational moral ambiguity, and (c) how the entrepreneur can process such ambiguity to make moral judgment. We then discuss how our model extends prior work on both ethics in entrepreneurship and moral approbation theory, and we outline research opportunities on moral ambiguity and judgment.

Research Article
1
10.54254/2753-7102/2024.18634

Healing Through Purpose: Using Founder Mode Entrepreneurial Experience (FMEE) as Exposure Therapy for Moral Scrupulosity OCD with a Transpersonal Psychology Perspective

Dec 12, 2024
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The paper introduces the "Founder Mode Entrepreneurial Experience" (FMEE), a novel therapeutic framework rooted in transpersonal psychology that reimagines entrepreneurial engagement as exposure therapy for individuals with Moral Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). FMEE emphasizes confronting ethical dilemmas, embracing imperfection, and navigating moral ambiguities through mission-driven entrepreneurial activities. This approach not only facilitates desensitization to scrupulosity-related triggers but also fosters resilience, self-efficacy, and a purpose-driven mindset. Integrating transpersonal practices such as mindfulness, altruism, and intuitive decision-making, FMEE bridges personal healing with meaningful social impact. The manuscript underscores FMEE's transformative potential as a practical and spiritually grounded intervention for reducing moral rigidity and fostering holistic well-being. Implications for OCD therapy, transpersonal psychology, and social entrepreneurship are discussed, along with future research directions at the intersection of psychology and mission-driven innovation.