Psychological Well-Being and Innovative Behaviour among Entrepreneurs: A PRISMA-Based Systematic Review

Authors

  • Bouaddi M. Cadi Ayyad University, Morocco
  • Hidi L. Cadi Ayyad University, Morocco
  • Chraibi S. Cadi Ayyad University, Morocco

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54536/jebs.v2i2.7558

Keywords:

Entrepreneurship, Innovative Work Behavior, Mental Health, Psychological Well-Being, Systematic Review

Abstract

Despite growing scholarly interest in entrepreneurship, the relationship between psychological well-being and innovative work behaviour among entrepreneurs remains insufficiently understood. This systematic literature review addresses this gap by consolidating current knowledge on how psychological well-being influences innovative behaviour in entrepreneurial contexts, and, conversely, how innovation affects entrepreneurs’ well-being. Following the PRISMA methodology, we initially identified 317 studies from Web of Science and Scopus databases (2001–2023); at the final stage, 10 papers met our inclusion criteria. Our findings reveal three key thematic domains: (1) entrepreneurial characteristics associated with innovation and well-being; (2) mental health conditions affecting entrepreneurial behaviour; and (3) contextual factors moderating the well-being–innovation relationship. We propose an integrative bidirectional framework that captures how psychological well-being both influences and is influenced by innovative work behaviour among entrepreneurs. The review highlights important theoretical implications, including the paradoxical effects of innovation on well-being, the role of psychological resources in sustaining innovative capacity, and the critical influence of contextual factors. This research contributes to entrepreneurship literature by synthesising fragmented findings, identifying research gaps, and proposing directions for future studies. For practitioners, our findings emphasise the importance of incorporating well-being considerations into entrepreneurial support systems and suggest strategies for balancing innovation demands with psychological health.

References

Anderson, N., Potočnik, K., & Zhou, J. (2014). Innovation and creativity in organizations: A state-of-the-science review, prospective commentary, and guiding framework. Journal of Management, 40(5), 1297–1333. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206314527128

Audretsch, D. B. (2007). Entrepreneurship capital and economic growth. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 23(1), 63–78. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxrep/grm005

Autio, E., Kenney, M., Mustar, P., Siegel, D., & Wright, M. (2014). Entrepreneurial innovation: The importance of context. Research Policy, 43(7), 1097–1108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2014.01.015

Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2018). Multiple levels in job demands-resources theory: Implications for employee well-being and performance. In E. Diener, S. Oishi, & L. Tay (Eds.), Handbook of well-being. DEF Publishers.

Baron, R. A. (2008). The role of affect in the entrepreneurial process. Academy of Management Review, 33(2), 328–340. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2008.31193166

Baron, R. A., & Tang, J. (2011). The role of entrepreneurs in firm-level innovation: Joint effects of positive affect, creativity, and environmental dynamism. Journal of Business Venturing, 26(1), 49–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2009.06.002

Baron, R. A., Franklin, R. J., & Hmieleski, K. M. (2016). Why entrepreneurs often experience low, not high, levels of stress: The joint effects of selection and psychological capital. Journal of Management, 42(3), 742–768. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206313495411

Bhoir, M., & Sinha, V. (2024). Employee well-being human resource practices: A systematic literature review and directions for future research. Future Business Journal, 10, Article 95. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-024-00385-3

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Cardon, M. S., & Patel, P. C. (2015). Is stress worth it? Stress-related health and wealth trade-offs for entrepreneurs. Applied Psychology, 64(2), 379–420. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12021

Cardon, M. S., Post, C., & Forster, W. R. (2017). Team entrepreneurial passion: Its emergence and influence in new venture teams. Academy of Management Review, 42(2), 283–305. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2014.0356

Danna, K., & Griffin, R. W. (1999). Health and well-being in the workplace: A review and synthesis of the literature. Journal of Management, 25(3), 357–384. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639902500305

Dolan, P., Peasgood, T., & White, M. (2008). Do we really know what makes us happy? A review of the economic literature on the factors associated with subjective well-being. Journal of Economic Psychology, 29(1), 94–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2007.09.001

Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218

Freeman, M. A., Staudenmaier, P. J., Zisser, M. R., & Andresen, L. A. (2019). The prevalence and co-occurrence of psychiatric conditions among entrepreneurs and their families. Small Business Economics, 53(2), 323–342. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-018-0059-8

Gibson, C. B., & Birkinshaw, J. (2004). The antecedents, consequences, and mediating role of organizational ambidexterity. Academy of Management Journal, 47(2), 209–226. https://doi.org/10.2307/20159573

Guelich, U. (2022). Gendered entrepreneurship education and the fear of failure. Journal of Small Business Management. https://doi.org/10.1080/00472778.2022.2077489

Gunia, B. C. (2018). The sleep trap: Do sleep problems prompt entrepreneurial motives but undermine entrepreneurial means? Academy of Management Perspectives, 32(2), 228–242. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2016.0185

Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Keyes, C. L. M. (2003). Well-being in the workplace and its relationship to business outcomes: A review of the Gallup studies. In C. L. M. Keyes & J. Haidt (Eds.), Flourishing: Positive psychology and the life well-lived (pp. 205–224). American Psychological Association.

Harzing, A. W., & Alakangas, S. (2016). Google Scholar, Scopus and the Web of Science: A longitudinal and cross-disciplinary comparison. Scientometrics, 106(2), 787–804. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-015-1798-9

Hasan, S., & Raza, M. Y. (2023). Fear of failure and entrepreneurial innovative behavior: Comparing incubated and non-incubated entrepreneurs. Journal of Business Research, 149, Article 113879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.10.038

Hatak, I., Rauch, A., Fink, M., & Bakon, S. (2021). Resilience, well-being, and vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems: Connecting individual-level factors with societal outcomes. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 33(7–8), 547–569. https://doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2021.1934245

Hendriks, T., Schotanus-Dijkstra, M., Hassankhan, A., De Jong, J., & Bohlmeijer, E. (2020). The efficacy of multi-component positive psychology interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Happiness Studies, 21(1), 357–390. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-019-00082-1

Hendriks, T., Warren, M. A., Schotanus-Dijkstra, M., Hassankhan, A., Graafsma, T., Bohlmeijer, E., & De Jong, J. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions to improve mental wellbeing. Nature Human Behaviour, 5(5), 631–652. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01063-8

Hobfoll, S. E. (2001). The influence of culture, community, and the nested-self in the stress process: Advancing conservation of resources theory. Applied Psychology, 50(3), 337–421. https://doi.org/10.1111/1464-0597.00062

Ibrahim, N. F., Mohd Rashid, S., & Johari, H. (2023). PERMA well-being and innovative work behaviour: A systematic literature review. F1000Research, 12, Article 1459. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.139618.1

Janssen, O. (2000). Job demands, perceptions of effort-reward fairness and innovative work behaviour. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 73(3), 287–302. https://doi.org/10.1348/096317900167038

Jaswal, N., Sharma, D., Bhardwaj, B., & Kraus, S. (2024). Promoting well-being through happiness at work: A systematic literature review and future research agenda. Management Decision, 62(13), 332–369. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-06-2023-0906

Jenkins, A. S., Wiklund, J., & Brundin, E. (2022). Individual responses to firm failure: Appraisals, grief, and the influence of prior failure experience. Journal of Business Venturing, 29(1), 17–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2012.10.006

Kalfaoğlu, S. (2024). Meta-analysis and scientific mapping of well-being and job performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, Article 1285070. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1285070

Känsälä, M., Saari, E., & Isaksson, K. (2017). Workplace resources to improve both employee well-being and performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Work & Stress, 31(2), 101–120. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2017.1303319

Kaufman, J. C., & Sternberg, R. J. (Eds.). (2010). The Cambridge handbook of creativity. Cambridge University Press.

Kraiss, J., Redelinghuys, K., & Weiss, L. A. (2022). The effects of psychological interventions on well-being measured with the Mental Health Continuum: A meta-analysis. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23(8), 3655–3689. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00568-7

Kraus, S., Breier, M., & Dasí-Rodríguez, S. (2020). The art of crafting a systematic literature review in entrepreneurship research. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 16, 1023–1042. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-020-00635-4

Kumar, S., & Sharma, P. (2022). Environmental stressors and entrepreneurial well-being: A comparative study in emerging and developed economies. Journal of Small Business Management, 60(1), 177–197.

Labatmediene, L., Endriulaitiene, A., & Gustainiene, L. (2007). Individual correlates of organizational commitment and intention to leave the organization. Baltic Journal of Management, 2(2), 196–212.

Lee, S. H., & Kim, J. (2019). The effect of entrepreneurial orientation on business performance in different entrepreneurship career orientations. Journal of Small Business Management, 57(S2), 226–247. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsbm.12473

Liang, J., Farh, C. I., & Farh, J. L. (2021). Entrepreneur dispositional positive affect and well-being: The mediating role of work engagement. Journal of Business Venturing, 36(4), Article 106106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2021.106106

Mitchell, J. R., Shepherd, D. A., & Sharfman, M. P. (2021). Regulatory focus and opportunity recognition: Performance implications of promotion focus. Journal of Management Studies, 58(5), 1253–1283.

Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., & Altman, D. G. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. BMJ, 339, Article b2535. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b2535

Nikolaev, B., Boudreaux, C. J., & Wood, M. (2020). Entrepreneurship and subjective well-being: The mediating role of psychological functioning. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 44(3), 557–586. https://doi.org/10.1177/1042258719830314

Patel, P. C., & Wolfe, M. T. (2019). Money might not make you happy, but can happiness make you money? The value of leveraging subjective well-being to enhance financial well-being in self-employment. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 12, Article e00134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbvi.2019.e00134

Richardson, H. A., Yang, J., Vandenberg, R. J., Dejoy, D. M., & Wilson, M. G. (2018). The effects of perceived organizational support and perceived supervisor support on employee turnover. Group & Organization Management, 33(7), 793–825.

Ryff, C. D., & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(4), 719–727. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.69.4.719

Scott, S. G., & Bruce, R. A. (1994). Determinants of innovative behavior: A path model of individual innovation in the workplace. Academy of Management Journal, 37(3), 580–607. https://doi.org/10.2307/256701

Shane, S., & Venkataraman, S. (2000). The promise of entrepreneurship as a field of research. Academy of Management Review, 25(1), 217–226. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2000.2791611

Smith, W. K., & Lewis, M. W. (2011). Toward a theory of paradox: A dynamic equilibrium model of organizing. Academy of Management Review, 36(2), 381–403. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2009.0223

Stephan, U. (2018). Entrepreneurs’ mental health and well-being: A review and research agenda. Academy of Management Perspectives, 32(3), 290–322. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2017.0001

Stephan, U., Rauch, A., & Hatak, I. (2020). Happy entrepreneurs? Everywhere? A meta-analysis of entrepreneurship and wellbeing across national contexts. Journal of Business Venturing, 35(6), Article 105966. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2020.105966

Urbano, D., Aparicio, S., & Audretsch, D. (2019). Twenty-five years of research on institutions, entrepreneurship, and economic growth: What has been learned? Small Business Economics, 53(1), 21–49. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-018-0038-0

Villanova, A. L. I., & Cunha, M. P. (2021). Everyday creativity: A systematic literature review. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 55(3), 673–695. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.481

Vuori, V. (2007). Business intelligence activities in construction companies in Finland: A series of case studies. In Proceedings of the 8th European Conference on Knowledge Management (pp. 917–924). Barcelona, Spain.

Wang, H., Chen, X., Wang, H., & Xie, M. (2022). Employee innovative behavior and workplace wellbeing: Leader support for innovation and coworker ostracism as mediators. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 1014195. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1014195

Wang, H., Sui, Y., Luthans, F., Wang, D., & Wu, Y. (2018). Impact of authentic leadership on performance: Role of followers’ positive psychological capital and relational processes. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(1), 5–21.

Welter, F. (2011). Contextualizing entrepreneurship — conceptual challenges and ways forward. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 35(1), 165–184. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2010.00427.x

Wiklund, J., Hatak, I., Patzelt, H., & Shepherd, D. A. (2021). Mental disorders in the entrepreneurship context: When being different can be an advantage. Academy of Management Perspectives, 35(2), 156–177. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2018.0063

Wiklund, J., Nikolaev, B., Shir, N., Foo, M. D., & Bradley, S. (2019). Entrepreneurship and well-being: Past, present, and future. Journal of Business Venturing, 34(4), 579–588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2019.01.002

Wilson Fadiji, A., Khumalo, I. P., Wissing, M. P., & Appiah, R. (2024). A bibliometric review of positive psychology and well-being research in Africa. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, Article 1384362. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1384362

Zahra, S. A., Wright, M., & Abdelgawad, S. G. (2014). Contextualization and the advancement of entrepreneurship research. International Small Business Journal, 32(5), 479–500. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242613519807

Zhang, F., Solomon, G., Braun, S., & Muller, A. (2020). What explains the success of reward-based crowdfunding campaigns: Evidence from China. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 63, Article 101398.

Zhao, H., & Seibert, S. E. (2006). The big five personality dimensions and entrepreneurial status: A meta-analytical review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(2), 259–271. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.91.2.259

Zupic, I., & Čater, T. (2015). Bibliometric methods in management and organization. Organizational Research Methods, 18(3), 429–472. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428114562629

Downloads

Published

2026-07-14

How to Cite

Bouaddi , M., Hidi , H. L., & Chraibi , S. (2026). Psychological Well-Being and Innovative Behaviour among Entrepreneurs: A PRISMA-Based Systematic Review. Journal of Entrepreneurship & Business Strategies, 2(2), 10-20. https://doi.org/10.54536/jebs.v2i2.7558