As evidence has accumulated that entrepreneurs may pay a financial penalty for their career choice, researchers have struggled to explain the motivation that might lead individuals to pursue the creation of new firms, technologies, and opportunities. We introduce the desire to leave a legacy as both a common source of motivation for many entrepreneurs, and a source of variation, as entrepreneurs who wish to leave a legacy must decide what they would like to leave behind, and whom they wish to benefit from that act. We discuss the implications of the different kinds of legacies for entrepreneurs and their organizations, particularly at founding and exit, when the legacy motive is likely to be particularly salient.

随着越来越多的证据表明企业家可能为自己的职业选择支付经济罚款，研究人员一直在努力解释可能导致个人追求创建新公司，技术和机会的动机。我们引入了遗留遗产的愿望，这既是许多企业家的共同动机，也是变异的源泉，因为希望遗留遗产的企业家必须决定自己想留下的东西，以及希望从中受益的人那个行为。我们讨论了各种遗产对企业家及其组织的影响，特别是在传统动机很明显的情况下，尤其是在创立和退出时。