In the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship, individuals face the challenge of balancing work and family responsibilities, often experiencing conflicts that affect their overall well-being. This study investigates the intricate relationship between work-family conflict (WFC), family-work conflict (FWC), emotional exhaustion, psychological capital, and life satisfaction among induced entrepreneurs. Drawing on a sample of 200 Ecuadorian entrepreneurs, results indicate differences in the associations between WFC, FWC, and emotional exhaustion; thus, evidencing the negative impact of conflict in psychological capital and life satisfaction through the entrepreneur’s emotional exhaustion. Further, individualism characteristics showed up as buffers. When induced entrepreneurs are more individualistic in their thoughts and actions, emotional exhaustion has a lesser negative effect on their psychological capital and life satisfaction. The findings underscore the detrimental effects of work-family conflicts on entrepreneurial well-being and highlight the importance of addressing these challenges to foster a supportive environment for entrepreneurial success. Implications for practice and future research directions are discussed.
The digital transformation of the economy poses a critical challenge for firms worldwide, yet the role of State ownership in facilitating this transition remains ambiguous and underexplored. This study examines whether State participation catalyses digital adoption and, if so, under what conditions. Focusing on the heterogeneous institutional context of the former EU-28, we develop a contingent resource-based framework that integrates insights from Institutional Theory and Resource Dependence Theory. We theorise that the value of State participation is not absolute but is shaped by external regulatory quality and internal financial constraints. Testing this on a sample of 882 European firms (2015–2024), we find robust evidence that State participation positively influences digital adoption (H1). Crucially, the relationship is negatively moderated by regulatory quality (H2), positively moderated by financial constraints (H3), and follows an inverted-U shape. The findings offer significant theoretical contributions by delineating the boundary conditions of the value of State ownership in mature market economies and provide actionable insights for European policymakers and corporate leaders navigating the digital economy.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are significant contributors to environmental degradation yet remain underexplored as agents of green transition within ecosystem-level frameworks. Existing entrepreneurial ecosystem models, particularly Isenberg’s six-domain framework, were developed in developed-economy contexts and have not been systematically adapted to capture sustainability-specific dynamics that govern resource-constrained SMEs in emerging markets. This study addresses that precise gap by identifying and analyzing the key ecosystem dimensions that enable green entrepreneurship among SMEs in Punjab, India. A qualitative grounded theory methodology was employed, using semi-structured interviews with 12 purposively selected SME owners who had demonstrably adopted green practices in Punjab’s manufacturing sector. Data analysis followed open, axial, and selective coding procedures, with theoretical saturation guiding sample adequacy. Isenberg’s ecosystem framework, Triple Bottom Line, Circular Economy, and Ecological Modernization Theory served as sensitizing theoretical lenses rather than fixed analytical templates. Six interdependent ecosystem dimensions emerged: sustainability integration, green skills and culture development, risk-taking propensity supported by green funding, sustainability-driven mindset, and alignment with national and global sustainability goals. Critically, the sustainability-driven mindset functions as a foundational antecedent, while green skills and institutional alignment serve as enabling conditions. Financial barriers, regulatory complexity, and knowledge gaps were identified as significant ecosystem tensions. This study proposes a contextually grounded green entrepreneurial ecosystem model that extends Isenberg’s framework by incorporating sustainability-specific dimensions absent from existing theory. Findings offer prioritized recommendations for policymakers, financial institutions, educators, and SME owners advancing green transitions in emerging economies. Future research should pursue quantitative validation and cross-country comparative investigation.
This study investigates the influence of innovation strategies on the performance of Romanian start-ups, with a particular focus on the roles of dynamic capabilities, industry dynamism, and market competition within the proposed research framework. Using survey data collected from 202 start-ups, the analysis was conducted through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess the relationships among innovation strategies, dynamic capabilities, external contingencies, and performance outcomes. The results indicate a significant positive association between innovation strategies and start-up performance. Furthermore, dynamic capabilities are strongly associated with firms’ ability to respond to changing market conditions. The findings also reveal that industry dynamism is positively associated with both innovation activities and performance outcomes. By integrating multiple innovation strategies with dynamic capabilities theory and examining the roles of industry dynamism and market competition, this paper offers a novel contribution to entrepreneurship research. This study provides valuable insights for entrepreneurs, investors, and policy-makers seeking to increase innovation-driven growth in emerging economies such as Romania.
Despite uniform EU innovation policies, countries persistently differ in R D investment levels, firm-level digital adoption, and the ability to translate aggregate research spending into enterprise-level outcomes. This study explores the diversity in innovation performance and technology transfer capacity among EU member states, with particular attention to small and medium-sized enterprises. The study applies a three-level clustering framework to Eurostat panel data. Clustering 1 characterises macro-level innovation capacity using average data from 2015 to 2024 of GDP per capita, GERD per inhabitant, and R D intensity as a share of GDP. Clustering 2 compares country positions at two fixed endpoints, 2015 and 2023, to identify structural transitions over the decade. Clustering 3 uses 2023 Eurostat size-class aggregates for enterprises with 10–249 persons employed, characterising enterprise-level technology transfer capacity through two indicators: business R D expenditure as a share of SME value added and SME value added per employee. Hierarchical agglomerative clustering with Ward's linkage is applied at each level, and all solutions are validated using the Silhouette Score and the Adjusted Rand Index. The analysis identifies five macro-level innovation tiers and six SME-level profiles. Cross-level comparison reveals that macro-level R D leadership does not automatically produce firm-level technology transfer outcomes. Germany, for example, ranks fourth in the EU on business R D expenditure, yet clusters with Cyprus and Malta at the SME level. For Bulgaria and similar economies, the findings suggest that institutional configuration mediates the effectiveness of technology transfer more strongly than aggregate spending levels alone. The results support a differentiated rather than uniform approach to EU cohesion and innovation policy design.
