Article asserts that social entrepreneurship continues to grow as an impactful phenomenon in the world and as a rich stream of research. This special issue thus offers insights for researchers, policymakers, educators, and entrepreneurs about how to sustain impactful social/environmental activities over time.

Article discusses how recognizing the commercial potential of university-based inventions and discoveries, legislators and administrators have called upon academic scientists to become academic entrepreneurs. Few academic scientists are enthusiastic about taking on entrepreneurial activities, yet the intrinsic reasons for lack of enthusiasm are poorly understood. The authors extend the research by applying self-discrepancy theory to explore the role of future-oriented self and other guides on enthusiasm for academic entrepreneurship.