Entrepreneurship as Boundary Object: Toward Reintegration of Colombia’s Ex-Militants into Civil Society

War and other violent conflicts greatly degrade a country’s economic, social, and marketing systems. In the aftermath of conflict, national and international organizations develop different strategies, such as business development, aimed at the reconstruction of these systems. This article draws on boundary theory to frame the way in which entrepreneurship can help ex-militants to discard war-activities and to reintegrate peacefully and productively into a peace-time economy. An interpretive study examining the life-narratives of former militants of illegal groups involved in Colombia’s armed conflict – the world’s longest, lasting 52 years – regarding their business start-ups was designed and administered. Findings extend current Macromarketing and Entrepreneurship literature by showing how policies and entrepreneurial business practices in recovering marketing systems can help ex-militants to overcome discrimination, to transform their identities and to reintegrate peacefully into civil society, which in turn may portend a more inclusive and equitable marketing system and robust national economy.

Keywords:

entrepreneurship  macromarketing  boundary theory  conflict  reintegration  peace initiatives  DDR  ex-militants 

Citation:

Andrés Barrios Fajardo, Clifford Shultz, and Juan Carlos Montes Joya (2019). Entrepreneurship as Boundary Object: Toward Reintegration of Colombia’s Ex-Militants into Civil Society. Journal of Macromarketing, 39(4), Pages 368-384. https://doi.org/10.1177/0276146719884606