Strategic agencement: how sustainable entrepreneurs address the dual liabilities of newness and otherness

Sustainable entrepreneurs are not only confronted with a ‘liability of newness’ that characterizes any entrepreneur but also with a ‘liability of otherness’ as they pursue both collective goals and personal interests. The resulting obstacles include the need for legitimation and a lack of financial, administrative, and informational support. This study explores how sustainable entrepreneurs strive to address these contextual barriers. Drawing on interviews with entrepreneurs of 20 sustainability-driven ventures, we demonstrate that sustainable entrepreneurs leverage their embeddedness as agents of change. By employing strategic agencement–Capacitating, Conforming, and Cutting–they actively shape their contexts and create scope for agency.