Sustainability in entrepreneurship: A tale of two logics

Given the uncertainty surrounding the role and meaning of sustainability in business practice, it is important to explore the legitimacy drivers that newcomers (entrepreneurs) to a field derive from balancing sustainability and profitability. Drawing on the institutional logics literature and Bourdieu's notion of habitus, this article theorizes how the characteristics of the field, as well as entrepreneur characteristics and actions, influence the legitimacy derived from adhering to the field-prescribed balance between sustainability and profitability. First, regarding the role of field-level factors, we discuss how the impact of field-imposed expectations on entrepreneur legitimacy may be amplified for dominant and mature fields. Second, regarding the role of micro-level factors, we highlight that whilst previous experience of the field-prescribed balance between sustainability and profitability may amplify the impact of field-imposed expectations on legitimacy, strategic actions can suppress this impact.