Table 2.

The career security paradox inhibiting purpose-driven research

Career stageMotivational driverManifestation of paradox
Early-career facultyRisk aversionConstrained conformity among early-career faculty, shaped by coercive and normative evaluative pressures tied to tenure and promotion, which channel research effort toward prestige-oriented outputs while discouraging engagement in purpose-driven scholarship perceived as professionally risky
Mid-career facultyCapital consolidationProfessional bifurcation among mid-career faculty, driven by entrenched evaluative regimes and normative expectations, whereby conventionally valued research is prioritized to consolidate accumulated career capital, while impact-oriented work is marginalized as administrative demands and sunk-cost investments intensify
Late-career facultyLegacy protectionPath-dependent conservatism among late-career faculty, reinforced by accumulated status, reputational capital, and legacy protection considerations, which sustains adherence to dominant evaluative logics and limits willingness to legitimize or actively sponsor purpose-driven research
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