Abstract
The Impact of Demands and Resources on Engagement, Strain, and Entrepreneurial Success
13th EAOHP Conference: Book of Proceedings, p.49
European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology: Adapting to rapid changes in today's workplace, 13th (Lisbon, Portugal, 05-Sep-2018–07-Sep-2018)
2018
Abstract
Introduction: Entrepreneurs play an essential role in the Australian economy, to drive innovation and create new businesses. However, they face many challenges and are as likely to fail as succeed, which highlights the need to understand what factors may be important for entrepreneurial success to occur and for entrepreneurs to remain in business. Using the Job Demands-Resource (JD-R) framework, it was hypothesised that greater personal and work resources and fewer entrepreneurial demands would increase work engagement and reduce work-related strain, which would consequently increase social and financial success for entrepreneurs. Methods: Entrepreneurs (N=109, 57.8% female) were recruited by snowball methods from Chambers of Commerce and entrepreneurial Facebook groups to complete an online survey. Participants reported demographics, personal (e.g., proactive personality, optimism) and entrepreneurial work (e.g., 'freedom to carry out work activities') resources, entrepreneurial demands (e.g., 'contact with difficult clients or patients in your work'), work engagement, jobrelated strain, and entrepreneurial success (i.e., the business has achieved success in financial (e.g., 'healthy turnover/sales', 'profit growth') and social (e.g., 'employee satisfaction', 'strong customer relationships') areas). Hierarchical multiple regressions tested the predictors of work engagement, strain (e.g., 'I find it difficult to relax at the end of a working day'), and entrepreneurial success as personal resources (Block 1; age, gender, optimism, self-efficacy, proactive personality), entrepreneurial demands (Block 2) and entrepreneurial resources (Block 3). Results: Participants ranged from 17 to 65 years (M=43.6, SD=10.9) and were mostly married or had a partner (79.8%). They worked alone (38.5%), with 1-3 employees (36.7%), or with 4-20 employees (22.0%) and mostly in regional (42.2%) or urban (51.4%) areas. Most had a trade (33%), undergraduate (29%), or postgraduate (19.3%) qualifications and many (70%) had some management experience before starting self-employment. Size of business only affected entrepreneurial success, rather than work engagement or strain, with owners of businesses with 4-20 employees feeling significantly more successful than sole traders or those with 1 to 3 employees. The HMRs explained highly significant variance in work engagement (49.7%), jobrelated strain (39.0%), and entrepreneurial success (23.2%). Greater work engagement was predicted by increased personal resources, specifically as a more proactive personality and more optimism, and greater resources at work, and for women (rather than men). In contrast, entrepreneurial demands alone increased job-related strain (by mediating effect of greater optimism) and reduced feelings that success had been achieved by the business (by mediating effect of greater self-efficacy). Discussion: The JDR was used to frame the work experiences of entrepreneurs, with resources adding to work engagement, whilst demands specific to entrepreneurial businesses strongly predicting increased job-related strain and reduced whether the entrepreneurs felt they achieved success in their business. The findings highlight areas in which entrepreneurs may be assisted to remain feeling engaged, rested, and successful. Providing training to manage demands around workloads, interruptions, and time pressure, as well as to building personal skills and their businesses, which allow creativity, and better business planning, may ensure that entrepreneurs continue in business in the longer term, benefiting themselves, their families and the economy more generally.
Details
- Title
- The Impact of Demands and Resources on Engagement, Strain, and Entrepreneurial Success
- Authors
- Simon Doonican (Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastPrudence M Millear (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Contributors
- Kevin Teoh (Editor)Nathalie Sadde (Editor)Vlad Dediu (Editor)Juliet Hassard (Editor)Luis Torres (Editor)
- Publication details
- 13th EAOHP Conference: Book of Proceedings, p.49
- Conference details
- European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology: Adapting to rapid changes in today's workplace, 13th (Lisbon, Portugal, 05-Sep-2018–07-Sep-2018)
- Publisher
- European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology
- Date published
- 2018
- ISBN
- 9780992878641
- Organisation Unit
- School of Business and Creative Industries; School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; USC Business School - Legacy; Engage Research Lab; School of Health - Psychology; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99451447202621
- Output Type
- Abstract
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