University of Twente Student Theses

Login

Exploring the Stress and Coping Experiences of Early-Stage Entrepreneurs during the Venture Creation Process

Wolf, Ines (2016) Exploring the Stress and Coping Experiences of Early-Stage Entrepreneurs during the Venture Creation Process.

[img] PDF
1MB
Abstract:Despite broad acceptance that stress is a fundamental part of entrepreneurship, there are mixed results of how stress influences and manifests itself in the entrepreneur and what consequences it has on the individual and their ventures. Recently, the role of coping has gained high interest in understanding the stress experience of entrepreneurs. This thesis set out to understand how early-stage entrepreneurs cope with the stressful experiences during the early start-up phase of a new a business and how they maintain their well-being. The Effort-Reward-Imbalance (ERI) model served as a guiding framework. A qualitative approach using semi-structured is used to collect the data. Results indicate that early-stage entrepreneurs can maintain well-being and only report low levels of burnout, despite the existence of stressors. Entrepreneurs were found to work long hours with many of them sacrificing their personal time. Female entrepreneurs displayed more symptoms of mild burnout than male entrepreneurs. Motivation has been found to be an important antecedent to effort and reward perception and expectation, which subsequently influences the appraisal of stress. A wide range of coping techniques are used, including problem-focused coping, time management and recovery experiences. Findings were able to enrich the ERI model for the entrepreneurial context
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:85 business administration, organizational science
Programme:Business Administration MSc (60644)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/71160
Export this item as:BibTeX
EndNote
HTML Citation
Reference Manager

 

Repository Staff Only: item control page