Social Entrepreneurs: Driven by Mission, but Doomed to Burn Out?

Abstract

This paper explores the effect of mission-orientation on well-being – measured as burnout prevalence – among entrepreneurs. Investigating the effect of mission-orientation on stress, ascriptions of meaning to work, and burnout, it tests two conflicting sets of hypotheses in an international sample of entrepreneurs (n = 821). Our results reveal that mission-oriented entrepreneurs experience significantly higher levels of role overload and role conflict than commercial entrepreneurs, but perceive their work as more meaningful. Findings show that these perceptions of meaning balance out the detrimental effects of stress on social entrepreneurs’ burnout and provide novel insights and implications for entrepreneurship research and practice.