Transforming Entrepreneurial Identity through Community-Based Training in Marginalized Settings
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Abstract
Entrepreneurship has been widely recognized as a catalyst for economic development, particularly in underserved and rural communities. Within this field, the personal transformation experienced by individuals participating in community-based entrepreneurship programs remains underexplored. While prior research has primarily focused on measurable outcomes such as business performance, little is known about how participants internalize these experiences and redefine their entrepreneurial identities. This study addresses that gap by asking: How do alumni of community-based entrepreneurship training interpret their post-training experiences in shaping sustainable entrepreneurial identities? Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, the study examines the lived experiences of nine individuals who completed community-based entrepreneurship training within the previous 6 to 12 months in rural Central Java, Indonesia. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically to uncover the essence of their personal and professional transformation. The findings reveal that participants underwent a shift in self-perception marked by economic self-awareness, identity reconstruction, intrinsic motivation, and community-rooted resilience. These themes illustrate how entrepreneurship was not only a means of livelihood but also a process of becoming embedded in cultural and social meaning. This study contributes to a deeper, experience-centered understanding of entrepreneurial development and highlights the limitations of purely outcome-based program evaluations. The findings underscore the value of applying phenomenological inquiry in entrepreneurship research and open pathways for future studies focused on identity, context, and subjective transformation.
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