The Joys of Giving Up … Embracing the Motivations and Gratifications of Intentional Value Uncapture in Sustainable Development

Agnieszka Kabalska and Ralf Wagner

Business Strategy and the Environment, 2025, vol. 34, issue 2, 1972-1992

Abstract: This study examines the concept of sustainable value (SV), focusing on SV derived from social interactions within entrepreneurial processes. We introduce the novel concept of value intentionally uncaptured (VIU), exploring its dimensions at both the individual and collective levels. This research employs uses and gratification theory and self‐determination theory to conceptualize motivations for leaving VIU (M‐VIU) and gratifications from leaving VIU (G‐VIU). We challenge traditional notions of value creation and capture, positing that entrepreneurs can generate and capture social and environmental value by intentionally not capturing economic value. This intentional relinquishment evokes the ambiguity inherent in SV, suggesting that motivations and gratifications in VIU are interconnected, dynamic, and fluctuating, not linear. Methodologically, we integrate theory development with empirical evidence, including expert reviews and interviews, to ask whether it is reasonable to leave value uncaptured. Our findings reveal that motivations for and gratifications from VIU are reciprocal and co‐active, challenging the traditional view that positive outcomes are derived solely from proactive actions. This conceptual study both broadens the perspective on value creation and capture and significantly contributes to understanding individual and collective gratifications from intentionally uncapturing value, emphasizing the benefits of not engaging in certain activities.

Date: 2025
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