Ascetic Entrepreneurs: A Comparative Prosopography of Conrad Hilton and Bill Marriott

David Kee DBA, Harding University

Abstract

Of the five dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO), innovativeness, risk-taking, pro-activeness, competitive aggressiveness, and autonomy, none explicitly reflect an ethical or religious characteristic. With a theoretical construct based on Max Weber’s Protestant Work Ethic, we offer asceticism as a valid and needed dimension for the entrepreneur. To accomplish this, we performed a proposographical study of two entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry, Conrad Hilton and Bill Marriott, who both built and sustained successful family businesses. Our findings verify the proposition that asceticism is an appropriate ethical standard for entrepreneurs and a valid dimension of EO.