Abstract

Purpose: This research explores how domain passion in addition to entrepreneurial passion influences innovation strategy of venture, thus expanding the role of passion in choosing the path for innovation strategy. Passion is considered one of the most debated concepts in entrepreneurship, psychology, and marketing literatures, and yet a framework describing the integrated effect of entrepreneurial and domain passion on innovation strategy of venture is still lacking. Research data and methodology: Based on an inductive qualitative approach, the research addresses these issues via analyzing four unique cases of independently owned restaurants in Pakistan. The research focusses on the entrepreneurs who startup a venture out of a passion for a specific domain and have a passion for entrepreneurship either from start or it fuels up later during entrepreneurial process. Results: In the presence of both types of passions (Domain and entrepreneurial), the individuals will be inclined towards ambidexterity which differ in types from case to case according to different combinations and intensities (harmonious and obsessive) of passion. Conclusion: Research shows how innovation strategy of domain passion driven ventures is influenced by both entrepreneurial and domain passion, so to understand the role of passion in such cases integrated effect of both passions needs to be explored.