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Stressors and satisfactors in entrepreneurial activity: an event-based, mixed methods study predicting small business owners' health

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  • Thomas Lechat
  • Olivier Torrès

Abstract

Entrepreneurial activity leads to certain events that can impact both the equilibrium of a small business and that of its owner-manager. Although the health of the owner-manager is a key asset for a small organisation, the characteristics of the events he experiences and his psychological reaction to these episodes remain underexplored. This paper aims to address these research gaps, which are common to both occupational health and entrepreneurship, two fields that are rarely combined. We conducted a mixed methods study using a panel of 357 small business owners-managers. First, a qualitative longitudinal survey was administered to semantically categorise the most salient events experienced by the owners. Next, a quantitative, cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to weight the coded events through two mediating constructs: stress and satisfaction. Finally, we assessed the events' effects on the owners' health variances through linear regressions. Conceptually, our results extend the affective events theory to small business owners. Methodologically, we offer two checklists of events that capture emotional stress and satisfaction in entrepreneurial activity. Practically, certain preventive actions by medical professionals can build upon these checklists' predictive qualities regarding health. These checklists, referred to as a 'stressometer' and a 'satisfactometer', are also benchmarking tools for any self-employed.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Lechat & Olivier Torrès, 2017. "Stressors and satisfactors in entrepreneurial activity: an event-based, mixed methods study predicting small business owners' health," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 32(4), pages 537-569.
    • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijesbu:v:32:y:2017:i:4:p:537-569
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ute Stephan & Andreas Rauch & Isabella Hatak, 2023. "Happy Entrepreneurs? Everywhere? A Meta-Analysis of Entrepreneurship and Wellbeing," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(2), pages 553-593, March.
    2. Yosr Ben Tahar & Nada Rejeb & Adnane Maalaoui & Sascha Kraus & Paul Westhead & Paul Jones, 2023. "Emotional demands and entrepreneurial burnout: the role of autonomy and job satisfaction," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 701-716, August.
    3. Feng Xu & Xiaogang He & Xueru Yang, 2021. "A Multilevel Approach Linking Entrepreneurial Contexts to Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from Rural Chinese Entrepreneurs," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1537-1561, April.
    4. Carnevale, Joel B. & Hatak, Isabella, 2020. "Employee adjustment and well-being in the era of COVID-19: Implications for human resource management," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 183-187.
    5. Simplice A. Asongu & Mushfiqur Rahman, 2022. "A Review of Covid-19 and Employment Implications: Evidence from Human Resource Management," Working Papers 22/058, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    6. Susanna Toivanen & Rosane Härter Griep & Christin Mellner & Mikael Nordenmark & Stig Vinberg & Sandra Eloranta, 2019. "Hospitalization due to stroke and myocardial infarction in self-employed individuals and small business owners compared with paid employees in Sweden—a 5-year study," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(2), pages 343-354, August.
    7. Olivier Torrès & Roy Thurik, 2019. "Small business owners and health," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(2), pages 311-321, August.
    8. Wach, Dominika & Stephan, Ute & Weinberger, Eva & Wegge, Jürgen, 2021. "Entrepreneurs' stressors and well-being: A recovery perspective and diary study," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(5).
    9. Davide Hahn, 2020. "The psychological well-being of student entrepreneurs: a social identity perspective," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 467-499, June.
    10. Simon Coulombe & Marcus Dejardin & Sylvain Luc, 2022. "Covid or not Covid? Psychological Distress and Entrepreneurial Intentions among Canadian Workers during the Pandemic," Post-Print halshs-03659225, HAL.
    11. Andreas Rauch & Willem Hulsink, 2023. "Just one Damned Thing After Another: Towards an Event-based Perspective of Entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(3), pages 662-681, May.

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