Individual-level antecedents of the entrepreneurial approach: the role of different types of passion in the Italian craft brewing industry

Using an inductive, qualitative approach involving fifty-five entrepreneurs in the Italian craft brew industry we explore the relationship between alternative entrepreneurial logics of action based on effectuation and causation principles and two types of passion – respectively, passion for the product and passion for growth. Our findings suggest entrepreneurs led by a passion for product prioritize decisions made according to the principles of effectuation, while those led by a passion for growth rely predominantly on causal logic. Moreover, such relations do impact the direction pursued by their ventures favouring, in turn, homogenous and heterogeneous strategies. Important practical and theoretical implications to both effectuation theory and passion are drawn from our findings, and possible avenues for future research are depicted.