Exploring the emancipatory role of entrepreneurship in a developing context

Purpose The aim of the study is to examine the reciprocal relation between context and emancipatory acts. Context is important in shaping the entrepreneurial action, particularly in a developing region, as it expounds its emancipatory role. At the same time emancipatory acts can affect context as well. Design/methodology/approach The study employs an inductive research design, applying an open-ended exploratory research and conversation analysis, to elicit the stories of 25 entrepreneurs who are challenging their status quo. Findings Acts of emancipation were observed through a dynamic process centred around entrepreneurs' abilities to respond to policy debates. These debates introduced an individual level action towards social and institutional change. The findings present a model of entrepreneurial acts as an enabler in a socially constrained and challenging context. Originality/value Through contextual embeddedness, this study captured the entrepreneur's abilities to re-perform and negotiation with their context towards actions of emancipation. The study aims to capture individuals' narratives to enhance our understanding of the contextual and embedded factors that shape the entrepreneurial process towards emancipation. The study presents a model that theorises these narratives and actions.