Happy Entrepreneurs? Everywhere? A Meta-Analysis of Entrepreneurship and Wellbeing

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Ute Stephan - , Chair of Work and Organizational Psychology, King's College London (KCL) (Author)
  • Andreas Rauch - , Audencia Business School, Johannes Kepler University Linz (Author)
  • Isabella Hatak - , University of St. Gallen (Author)

Abstract

Entrepreneurship can be fulfilling and enhance wellbeing, but also highly stressful and diminish wellbeing. This meta-analytical review synthesizes 319 effect sizes from 94 studies and 82 countries to establish whether individuals derive greater wellbeing from working for themselves or for someone else. The answer is partly positive in favor of entrepreneurship but depends on the components of wellbeing under investigation (positive wellbeing or negative wellbeing/mental illbeing) and the institutional context (especially the rule of law). We contribute by developing the component view of wellbeing as an organizing framework and by advancing an institutional perspective to guide research on entrepreneurs’ wellbeing.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)553-593
Number of pages41
JournalEntrepreneurship: Theory and Practice
Volume47
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • entrepreneurship, eudaimonic wellbeing, life satisfaction, mental health, meta-analysis, negative affect, positive affect, review, wellbeing, work satisfaction