IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v11y2024i1d10.1057_s41599-024-02943-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Entrepreneurship and mental well-being in China: the moderating roles of work autonomy and subjective socioeconomic status

Author

Listed:
  • Jiankun Liu

    (Harbin Engineering University)

  • Yueyun Zhang

    (Harbin Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Entrepreneurs’ mental well-being has been a nascent research topic in the entrepreneurship domain, but it remains unclear whether and how entrepreneurship affects mental well-being in the context of emerging economies. Drawing on the self-determination theory (SDT), we developed a model in which entrepreneurship, compared to wage–employment, was identified as a career choice more conducive to work-related and socioeconomic status (SES)-related psychological functioning (i.e., work autonomy and subjective SES), which, in turn, produces mental well-being benefits. We tested this model in the Chinese context by providing evidence based on data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) between 2010 and 2021 (N = 28,419). We found that entrepreneurs had higher levels of positive mental well-being and lower levels of negative mental well-being than paid employees. Mediation analysis showed that subjective SES mediated the relationship between entrepreneurship and mental well-being and explained this relationship better than work autonomy. These findings indicated that the mental well-being benefits of entrepreneurship existed in emerging economies like China and highlighted the crucial role of SES-related psychological functioning in facilitating entrepreneurs’ mental well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiankun Liu & Yueyun Zhang, 2024. "Entrepreneurship and mental well-being in China: the moderating roles of work autonomy and subjective socioeconomic status," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-02943-4
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-02943-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-024-02943-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-024-02943-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shir, Nadav & Nikolaev, Boris N. & Wincent, Joakim, 2019. "Entrepreneurship and well-being: The role of psychological autonomy, competence, and relatedness," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 1-1.
    2. C. Praag & Peter Versloot, 2007. "What is the value of entrepreneurship? A review of recent research," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 351-382, December.
    3. Rakesh Sambharya & Martina Musteen, 2014. "Institutional environment and entrepreneurship: An empirical study across countries," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 314-330, December.
    4. Shi Yu & Chantal Levesque-Bristol & Yukiko Maeda, 2018. "General Need for Autonomy and Subjective Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis of Studies in the US and East Asia," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(6), pages 1863-1882, August.
    5. Wiklund, Johan & Nikolaev, Boris & Shir, Nadav & Foo, Maw-Der & Bradley, Steve, 2019. "Entrepreneurship and well-being: Past, present, and future," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 579-588.
    6. Ed Diener & Derrick Wirtz & William Tov & Chu Kim-Prieto & Dong-won Choi & Shigehiro Oishi & Robert Biswas-Diener, 2010. "New Well-being Measures: Short Scales to Assess Flourishing and Positive and Negative Feelings," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 97(2), pages 143-156, June.
    7. 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.
    8. Francesca Castellani & Eduardo Lora, 2014. "Is Entrepreneurship a Channel of Social Mobility in Latin America?," Latin American Journal of Economics-formerly Cuadernos de Economía, Instituto de Economía. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile., vol. 51(2), pages 179-194, November.
    9. Wang, Li & Liu, Lihua & Dai, Yunhao, 2021. "Owning your future: Entrepreneurship and the prospects of upward mobility in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    10. Emma Zang & Anthony R. Bardo, 2019. "Objective and Subjective Socioeconomic Status, Their Discrepancy, and Health: Evidence from East Asia," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(2), pages 765-794, June.
    11. Vincenzo Quadrini, 1999. "The Importance Of Entrepreneurship For Wealth Concentration And Mobility," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 45(1), pages 1-19, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Stephan, Ute & Strauss, Karoline & Gorgievski, Marjan J. & Wach, Dominika, 2024. "How entrepreneurs influence their employees’ job satisfaction: The double-edged sword of proactive personality," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    2. Stephan, Ute & Tavares, Susana M. & Carvalho, Helena & Ramalho, Joaquim J.S. & Santos, Susana C. & van Veldhoven, Marc, 2020. "Self-employment and eudaimonic well-being: Energized by meaning, enabled by societal legitimacy," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(6).
    3. Obschonka, Martin & Pavez, Ignacio & Kautonen, Teemu & Kibler, Ewald & Salmela-Aro, Katariina & Wincent, Joakim, 2023. "Job burnout and work engagement in entrepreneurs: How the psychological utility of entrepreneurship drives healthy engagement," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 38(2).
    4. Mojca Svetek & Mateja Drnovsek, 2022. "Exploring the Effects of Types of Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity on Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 149-170, January.
    5. HONJO Yuji & IKEUCHI Kenta & NAKAMURA Hiroki, 2019. "Do Entrepreneurs Have High Life Satisfaction? Evidence from Japan," Discussion papers 19083, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    6. 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.
    7. Gholipour, Hassan F. & Kalantari, Hassan D. & Kousary, Mohammad, 2022. "Self-employment and Life Satisfaction: The Moderating Role of Perceived Importance of Family, Friends, Leisure Time, and Work," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    8. Inessa Love & Boris Nikolaev & Chandra Dhakal, 2024. "The well-being of women entrepreneurs: the role of gender inequality and gender roles," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(1), pages 325-352, January.
    9. Manchiraju, Srikant, 2020. "Psychometric evaluation of the Ryff’s Scale of psychological wellbeing in self-identified American entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 14(C).
    10. Xiaoyu Yu & Xiaotong Meng & Laura Stanley & Franz W. Kellermanns, 2024. "Self-employment and life satisfaction: The contingent role of formal institutions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(1), pages 135-163, June.
    11. Kerianne Lawson, 2022. "Currency iconography and entrepreneurship," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 12(1), pages 257-264, December.
    12. Halvarsson, Daniel & Korpi, Martin & Wennberg, Karl, 2018. "Entrepreneurship and income inequality," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 275-293.
    13. Ute Stephan & Przemysław Zbierowski & Ana Pérez-Luño & Dominika Wach & Johan Wiklund & Marisleidy Alba Cabañas & Edgard Barki & Alexandre Benzari & Claudia Bernhard-Oettel & Janet A. Boekhorst & A, 2023. "Act or Wait-and-See? Adversity, Agility, and Entrepreneur Wellbeing across Countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(3), pages 682-723, May.
    14. Ardianti, Retno & Obschonka, Martin & Davidsson, Per, 2022. "Psychological well-being of hybrid entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    15. Christian S. Otchia, 2019. "On Promoting Entrepreneurship and Job Creation in Africa: Evidence from Ghana and Kenya," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(2), pages 908-918.
    16. Muñoz, Pablo & Barton, Marieshka & Braun, Susanne & Chowdhury, Farzana & Jayne-Little, Nicola & Rowland, Joanne & Sykes, Katherine & Smith, Jason & Talbot-Jones, Clare & Taggart, Adele & Komes, Jessic, 2023. "The deterioration of self-worth in entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    17. Stephan, Meike & Demir, Cemre & Lasch, Frank & Vossen, Alexander & Werner, Arndt, 2023. "Psychological well-being of hybrid entrepreneurs: A replication and extension study using German panel data," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    18. Kibler, Ewald & Sirén, Charlotta & Maresch, Daniela & Salmivaara, Virva & Fink, Matthias, 2024. "Aging and entrepreneurs' emotional exhaustion: The role of entrepreneurial strategy, psychological capital, and felt age gap," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 39(5).
    19. Boris N. Nikolaev & Michael P. Lerman & Christopher J. Boudreaux & Brandon A. Mueller, 2023. "Self-Employment and Eudaimonic Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Problem- and Emotion-Focused Coping," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(6), pages 2121-2154, November.
    20. Barkema, Harry G. & Bindl, Uta & Tanveer, Lamees, 2024. "How entrepreneurs achieve purpose beyond profit: the case of women entrepreneurs in Nigeria," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 119716, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-02943-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.