Numerous studies deal with the link between daily recovery experiences (DRE) and mental health for employees. Hardly any studies exist for small business owners. This is surprising, given that their health is important not only to them but also to their environment (including employees, clients, suppliers, and networks). In the present cross-sectional study, we analyse whether this link also works for some 2,400 Japanese small business owners. Next to overall DRE, four dimensions of DRE are distinguished (detachment, relaxation, mastery, and control). Mental health is captured using well-being (psychological well-being and job satisfaction) and ill-being (burnout and stress). First, we compare our DRE levels with those reported in many other (employee) studies. Second, controlling for many phenomena, including participating in nomikai (a typical Japanese custom of getting together after office hours), both linear regressions and structural equation modelling show that for Japanese small business owners, the quality of overall DRE is positively linked to psychological well-being and job satisfaction, and negatively to burnout and stress. Third, like the quality of overall DRE, nomikai activities of the owner are positively linked to their psychological well-being and job satisfaction, and negatively linked to burnout and stress. Its role seems to be independent of that of the quality of DRE. Fourth, surprisingly, we find that the detachment dimension is negatively correlated with psychological well-being and job satisfaction, while the other three dimensions show the expected positive links. Fifth, and surprisingly, unlike the relaxation and mastery dimensions, the detachment and control dimensions do not show the expected negative links with burnout and stress. Many implications are discussed.

PurposeIn the current paper, we focus on the play behaviour of entrepreneurs, which we refer to as "entrepreneurial play". We distinguish between two forms of entrepreneurial play - diversionary and serious play - and investigate their relationships with outcomes of well-being (psychological well-being and work satisfaction) and ill-being (work stress and burnout).Design/methodology/approachDrawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory, we conceptualise entrepreneurial play - both serious and diversionary - as work-embedded personal resources that foster well-being. We use data from entrepreneurs who run small businesses.FindingsOur results reveal that serious play is associated with higher levels of well-being and lower levels of ill-being, whereas diversionary play is only associated with higher levels of work satisfaction.Practical implicationsThese results challenge assumptions about the universal benefits of detachment from work and underscore the need for occupation-specific models of well-being. This study also advances the understanding of play as a strategic behavioural resource in entrepreneurship, with implications for sustaining mental health in entrepreneurial ecosystems.Originality/valueOur study contributes to the burgeoning literature on entrepreneurs' health and well-being by identifying entrepreneurial play as a potential antecedent to entrepreneurs' sense of well-being. Also, our work contributes to COR theory by identifying a new work-embedded personal resource - entrepreneurial play (diversionary and serious play) - which can lead to gain spirals that foster well-being.

This article introduces the special issue “Antecedents and Impact of Sustainable Entrepreneurship: An International Perspective.” It reviews previous special issues in the field and situates the present volume within this evolving body of scholarship. Common thematic and methodological patterns are identified alongside persistent shortcomings. The article concludes with a research agenda that highlights several critical gaps, including the limited number of rigorous studies assessing the actual impact of sustainable entrepreneurship, insufficient research on scaling and diffusion processes, and the need for replication studies to mitigate potential biases stemming from single-context empirical designs. This article introduces a special issue examining the antecedents and impact of sustainable entrepreneurship. As guest editors, we review the extant literature and observe that although considerable progress has been made in understanding the motivations and processes underlying sustainable entrepreneurial activity, the field lacks systematic evidence of its actual environmental and societal outcomes. Existing research predominantly relies on small-scale, context-specific studies, which constrain the generalizability of findings across national and institutional settings. The present special issue addresses these limitations by featuring studies employing cross-country comparative designs and longitudinal data. We advocate for future research to prioritize several complementary avenues: the scaling of sustainable ventures, replication studies across different institutional settings to enhance empirical rigor, and improved measurement of impacts, particularly those extending beyond firm-level financial performance. Without such evidence, the central proposition of sustainable entrepreneurship that profit and purpose can be jointly advanced to generate meaningful well-being change remains insufficiently substantiated.

Despite the growing interest in success measurement beyond purely financial indicators, the literature on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is dominated by financial performance measures. To understand the link between EO and success in terms of both financial and non-financial performance, we use survey data on a unique sample of 157 popular-music artists. We measure firm performance using a subjective entrepreneurial success (SES) achievement scale consisting of three components: self-assessed financial success (for the music group and individual members), recognition (awards, positive reviews, fanbase), and symbiosis (the mutually beneficial and prolonged association between the individual musicians). We use innovativeness, risk-taking and proactiveness to measure EO. Because we find that this EO-conceptualisation primarily captures the role of EO in the creative process of artists, we also add competitive aggressiveness (CA) as an EO-related dimension that is more market-oriented. Using a combination of regression analysis and partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), we identify links between EO and SES and between CA and SES. SES and its components recognition and symbiosis are significantly and positively related to EO. We also find a link between CA and SES as a multidimensional construct as well as between CA and recognition. Responding to a call for contextualisation of EO research, the present study is among the first to explore EO in a creative industries context. Practical implications and future research directions are also discussed.

We analyze the relationships between daily recovery experiences after work (detachment, relaxation, mastery and control) and mental health (well-being and burnout) based on four surveys among French entrepreneurs (small business owners). First, comparing our results with those of previous studies on employees' recovery experiences, we find that French entrepreneurs have fewer recovery experiences for all four dimensions. Second, we find that experiences of detachment after work have the lowest scores among daily recovery experiences for French entrepreneurs. Third, using many controls, both linear regressions and SEM analysis show that the quality of overall daily recovery experiences increases well-being and reduces burnout. Fourth, we show that the detachment component is not correlated with well-being, and the mastery component is not correlated with burnout. Relaxation and control are most strongly associated with well-being, whereas control has the strongest association with burnout. Many implications (including clinical) are discussed.

The temporal dimensions of managerial behavior and their impact on organizational outcomes have garnered increasing attention in the literature. Given the significant role of managers' time perception in shaping a firm's strategic direction, this study contributes by examining the relationship between temporal focus and the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of solo self-employed workers. Drawing on a Dutch sample of 783 self-employed individuals, we find that both present and future temporal focus positively relate to their EO, and that this relationship is stronger for future focus. Our findings also suggest that these two temporal orientations act as substitutes rather than complements, in determining the EO of self-employed workers. We contend that this outcome may be attributed to the resource limitations typically encountered in solo self-employment. Collectively, our results underscore the critical role of temporal focus in the context of entrepreneurial pursuits.

Entrepreneurial personality research has mostly used cross-sectional data, giving rise to the question of whether the results can be used to predict entrepreneurial outcomes. Using a unique longitudinal dataset, we investigate whether and from what age personality in childhood and adolescence predicts entrepreneurial intention in young adulthood. We cover a time span of 17 years by assessing personality at four different developmental phases (6-9, 9-12, 12-15, and 14-17 years of age) and one measurement of entrepreneurial intention in young adulthood (23-26 years of age). We employ a variable-oriented approach by studying the Big Five traits-imagination, conscientiousness, extraversion, benevolence, and emotional stability-individually and a person-oriented approach by studying the "entrepreneurial personality profile," a configuration of these traits. Extraversion as measured at 9-12 years already predicts entrepreneurial intention in young adulthood. This relationship becomes stronger as the age at which extraversion is measured increases. Unlike earlier literature, we do not find clear prospective relationships regarding the other traits. Our study presents insights into the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention and highlights the importance of extraversion in childhood and adolescence. The difference between our results and those of previous cross-sectional research highlights the importance of using longitudinal data.

The field of entrepreneurship has seen remarkable growth, increasing the expectations of academic audiences. Articles need to balance novelty with rigorous methodology, theoretical contributions, social implications, and coherent argumentation to succeed in the publication process. However, navigating these varied and sometimes conflicting expectations to achieve optimal distinctiveness in academic narratives is challenging for authors. To explore how authors can achieve optimal distinctiveness amidst these complex expectations, we studied academic narratives and related editorial decisions of two leading entrepreneurship journals, Entrepreneurship: Theory Practice (ETP, 4,151 papers) and Small Business Economics Journal (SBEJ, 4,043 papers), using computer-aided text analysis. Our study debunks common assumptions about what makes a successful entrepreneurship paper, providing an empirical basis for understanding actual versus perceived publication requisites. Furthermore, we extend optimal distinctiveness theory by demonstrating that high distinctiveness is not uniformly advantageous, meeting numerous expectations is not necessarily beneficial, and clear language is crucial for complex narratives. Our study underscores that crafting narratives is more nuanced than traditionally believed. Getting published in Entrepreneurship Journals: Less is more! How can entrepreneurship scholars increase their chances of getting published? Our study delves into scholarly articles in entrepreneurship journals, investigating which papers are published and which papers are not. We challenge the assumption that authors must fulfil as many expectations as possible and emphasize the importance of addressing specific audience expectations. By analyzing narratives and editorial decisions from Entrepreneurship Theory Practice (ETP) and Small Business Economics Journal (SBEJ), we uncover the key to publication success: tailoring articles to meet the targeted audience’s most pronounced requirements. Focusing on theoretical contributions when submitting one’s work to ETP and focusing on empirical contributions when submitting one’s work to SBEJ can increase the chances of getting your work published.

BackgroundEntrepreneurs often experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout due to the demanding nature of their professional activities. Therefore, recovery from work-related stress is a relevant activity for entrepreneurs. The Recovery Experience Questionnaire (REQ) is a widely used 16-item self-reported measure covering four recovery factors: psychological detachment from work, relaxation, mastery, and control. The present study addresses the validation of a French version of the REQ.MethodsA total of 1,043 French entrepreneurs from various sectors participated in this study. Internal consistency and correlations were examined to assess the psychometric properties of the French version of the REQ. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to validate the four-factor structure of the REQ, with seven error covariances added to improve model fit.ResultsThe French version of the REQ demonstrated good internal consistency (psychological detachment: α = 0.88, relaxation: α = 0.91, mastery: α = 0.90, control: α = 0.91). CFA supported that the four-factor structure was confirmed based on the following data: RMSEA = 0.071 (95% CI [0.066, 0.077]), CFI/TLI = 0.955/0.950, SRMR = 0.050, and χ2 (108) = 593.861, p < 0.001. Significant correlations were found between REQ scores and health indicators such as stress, loneliness, physical health, mental health, and sleep quality. The results confirm that the REQ is a valid and reliable measure for assessing recovery experiences among French entrepreneurs.ConclusionWe conclude that the REQ is a valid measure and a useful tool for research on entrepreneurs’ general health. Additionally, the validated French version of the REQ can be applied to other working populations, making it a versatile instrument for evaluating health and recovery in diverse occupational settings. To support this claim, we conducted the same validation analysis on a sample of 1,231 French agricultural employees, again showing that REQ is a valid and reliable measure for assessing recovery experiences.

Technostress is an important by-product of information and communication technologies (ICT). The technostress literature suggests focusing on specific dimensions of technostress, such as techno-overload, which describes when ICT usage demands to work faster and longer. However, only a few studies have dealt with the technostress of small business owners, let alone techno-overload. This is surprising since work overload in general has been identified as an important dimension of job stress for small business owners, and technostress has been identified as an important impediment for workers in general. The aim of the current study is to investigate the effect of techno-overload on well-being outcomes (as a composite measure consisting of physical well-being, mental well-being, sleep quality, burnout, and loneliness) using three data sets of French small business owners. Our results indicate a strong negative correlation between techno-overload and our composite measure of well-being for all three data sets. We interpret our findings for several different disciplines: information systems, small business owners and entrepreneurship, health and well-being, psychology and organization studies. Our data also allow for the identification of contextual effects - the COVID-19 pandemic - since one survey was conducted before, one at the start of, and one during the pandemic.

AbstractIn The Entrepreneurial State and Mission Economy, Mazzucato argues that the state should adopt a proactive and entrepreneurial approach, setting ambitious missions that inspire collective action nurtured by emotions of urgency. By defining clear goals, the state can mobilize resources and talent from both the public and private sectors. We do not challenge Mazzucato’s facts or discredit her analysis. We agree that states successfully have and perhaps should continue to play a role in mobilizing talent and other resources around urgent societal challenges. Healthcare, climate change, and inequality are not problems that “markets” will solve on their own, and relevant and competent government organizations are an essential tool in our toolbox to address them. We would even agree that the state would do well to formulate clear missions and approach them in an entrepreneurial fashion. That is, experiment with an open mind and be willing to fail and learn, rather than develop interventions on the drawing board and then stick to them because of bureaucratic or political lock-in. But all that effort will only pay off, often in many unexpected ways, if we do not succumb to the fallacy of hindsight. That is, a well-defined and entrepreneurially executed state-led mission can only succeed in also generating a stream of valuable but largely unanticipated spin-off innovations, if the conditions for acting on such opportunities are right.

Although traditionally seen as antinomic to work, play has always existed in work organizations. Recently, as organizations increasingly and openly embrace play, research indicates the positive effects of play, such as on employees’ well-being, attitude to work, and creativity. However, the difficulty in conceptualizing the different types of play in organizations and the absence of measurement tools have hindered large-scale study of play. In the present paper, we develop two measurement scales for two types of organizational play—diversionary and serious play. We use two datasets of French small businesses to develop and test the scales. We pre-test our initial set of items in a first dataset (N = 78). We perform correlation, reliability, and exploratory factor analyses on a second dataset (N = 278) using the items adjusted after the pre-test. Our final scales consist of ten items for diversionary play and seven for serious play. We assess construct validity by selecting a range of constructs pertaining to organizational members’ attitude and perception, as well as to the characteristics of the organization. Our measurement scales demonstrate good reliability and validity. The scales developed in the present study aim to contribute to the literature on play at workplace, the changing nature of modern work and research in entrepreneurial health.

PurposeLockdowns and the forced closure of certain industries during the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted workers, particularly entrepreneurs, who were financially and emotionally involved in their businesses. Two studies have shown that entrepreneurs have a lower willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19 than employees. In this study, the authors try to replicate the vaccination gap between the two groups. Second, the authors study whether the difference persists when controlling for demographics, vaccination attitudes and the COVID-19 context, including the financial impact of the pandemic, its effect on the wellbeing of workers, and government attitudes. Third, the authors study whether there are differences in how the context of the pandemic relates to vaccination willingness for entrepreneurs and employees.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conduct regression analyses using three large datasets. The authors study vaccination status (February 2022) in a 27-country Eurobarometer sample, vaccination intention (December 2020) in a Dutch sample from the LISS panel and vaccination status (July 2021) in a sample from the Understanding America Study (UAS).FindingsAll datasets confirm that entrepreneurs have lower vaccination intention and coverage than employees. Even when controlling for the variables described in the LISS and UAS datasets, this negative difference remains. The study results also indicate that demographics, especially vaccination attitudes, are much more important than contextual influences in the decision to get vaccinated against COVID-19.Originality/valueThe authors are the first to dive further into the vaccination differences between entrepreneurs and employees. They advise further research into the drivers of this gap, specifically relating to the role of personality and social normative influences.

Optimal distinctiveness theory highlights that authors need to balance the distinctiveness of a paper and the expectations of audiences, such as of editors and reviewers, to get published (i.e., to achieve publication legitimacy). However, while the literature points to several mechanisms of balancing distinctiveness and audience expectations, current research does not account for situations in which authors face diverse audience expectations, such as theoretical contributions, societal relevance, and conventions of academic writing. Thus, to understand how different forms of expectations, in combination with distinctiveness, may influence publication legitimacy, we use computer-aided text analysis to investigate the last version of paper submissions’ abstracts and their related editorial decisions for two leading entrepreneurship journals, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice (ETP, 4,151 papers) and Small Business Economics Journal (SBEJ, 4,043 papers). We find that the positive impact of distinctiveness disappears in competitive journal environments that receive papers from a large variety of topics, methods, and theories. Furthermore, we find that authors cannot meet varying expectations regarding contributions simultaneously - theoretical contribution claims play a role for ETP and empirical ones for SBEJ. Lastly, we show that language use is critical for the comprehensibility and signaling of paper narratives – analytical thinking increases publication legitimacy in both journals, and authenticity increases publication legitimacy in SBEJ.

The remarkable ascent of entrepreneurship witnessed as a scientific field over the last 4 decades has been made possible by entrepreneurship’s ability to absorb theories, paradigms, and methods from other fields such as economics, psychology, sociology, geography, and even biology. The respectability of entrepreneurship as an academic discipline is now evidenced by many other fields starting to borrow from the entrepreneurship view. In the present paper, seven examples are given from this “pay back” development. These examples were first presented during a seminar at the Erasmus Entrepreneurship Event called what has the entrepreneurship view to offer to other academic fields? This article elaborates on the core ideas of these presentations and focuses on the overarching question of how entrepreneurship research impacts the development of other academic fields. We found that entrepreneurship research questions the core assumptions of other academic fields and provides new insights into the antecedents, mechanisms, and consequences of their respective core phenomena. Moreover, entrepreneurship research helps to legitimize other academic fields both practically and academically.

research, and the emerging field of entrepreneurship (see Roy Thurik's contribution in the present article for more on this point).Those who knew David personally had been aware for some time that he was fighting a terminal illness.

Identifying genetic determinants of reproductive success may highlight mechanisms underlying fertility and identify alleles under present-day selection. Using data in 785,604 individuals of European ancestry, we identified 43 genomic loci associated with either number of children ever born (NEB) or childlessness. These loci span diverse aspects of reproductive biology, including puberty timing, age at first birth, sex hormone regulation, endometriosis and age at menopause. Missense variants in ARHGAP27 were associated with higher NEB but shorter reproductive lifespan, suggesting a trade-off at this locus between reproductive ageing and intensity. Other genes implicated by coding variants include PIK3IP1, ZFP82 and LRP4, and our results suggest a new role for the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) in reproductive biology. As NEB is one component of evolutionary fitness, our identified associations indicate loci under present-day natural selection. Integration with data from historical selection scans highlighted an allele in the FADS1/2 gene locus that has been under selection for thousands of years and remains so today. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that a broad range of biological mechanisms contribute to reproductive success.