Title: Entrepreneurial burnout: a systematic review and research map

Authors: Carolin Palmer; Sascha Kraus; Norbert Kailer; Linda Huber; Zeynep Hale Öner

Addresses: School of Business, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Skinnarilankatu 34, 53850 Lappeenranta, Finland; Department of Psychological Assessment, University of Gießen, Otto-Behaghel-Str. 10F, 35390 Gießen, Germany ' École Supérieure du Commerce Extérieur, ESCE International Business School, 10 rue Sextius Michel, 75015 Paris, France ' Institute for Entrepreneurship and Organizational Development, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenberger Strasse 69, 4040 Linz, Austria ' Institute for Entrepreneurship and Organizational Development, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenberger Strasse 69, 4040 Linz, Austria ' Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of International Trade and Finance, Gedik University, Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract: Entrepreneurial activity is gaining importance regarding its implications for societal, national, and regional development as well as economic growth. As a professional activity, entrepreneurship is defined by unique job characteristics particularly with regard to the experience of high passion, drive and spirit. Moreover, entrepreneurship is highly demanding in several domains and requires individual coping skills. In such context, the sustainability of entrepreneurial activities requires physical and mental health and well-being of entrepreneurs. Yet, burnout is a rarely discussed topic in entrepreneurial research. Hence, burnout of entrepreneurs has to be examined within the realities of their multidimensional professional context, which is shaped by the nature of entrepreneurial activity, work characteristics as well as entrepreneurs' personality. This literature review systematically examines and critically analyses 23 quantitative and qualitative articles about burnout in the context of entrepreneurship. Integrating the findings, we provide a research map for and thereby hope to stimulate further research to extend our knowledge about the challenging phenomenon of entrepreneurial burnout and its extensive consequences and implications.

Keywords: entrepreneurship; entrepreneurial; burnout; stress; psychology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2021.115883

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2021 Vol.43 No.3, pp.438 - 461

Received: 28 Jun 2018
Accepted: 22 Jan 2019
Published online: 05 Jul 2021 *

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