Insights into entrepreneurship: impact of entrepreneur psychological capital and employee well-being on business sustainable performance during and post-Covid-19 era

Abstract

Since Covid-19 is an enduring disease that pushed the world to reshape business strategies to overcome the unprecedented situations in all sectors such as the sports industry. Although substantial research has been carried out to inspect this phenomenon globally. Nevertheless, how entrepreneurial initiatives can contribute to tackling the situation is still lacking. This study attempts to uncover the relationships between entrepreneur psychological capital (EPC) and business sustainable performance (BSF). Second, this study strives to reveal the relationships between employee wellbeing (EWb) and BSP. In addition, education is treated as a moderating factor to unfold the relationships among factors, i.e., EPC, EWb, and BSF. Data were collected from eight hundred (n = 800) participants who were associated with the Chinese sports industry from March to July 2022. The results demonstrated interesting and fruitful findings based on SEM statistical model. First, a positive connection was found between EPC and BSF. Second, it found a positive link between EWb and BSF. Finally, the study highlighted a significant moderating impact of education among implicit relationships, i.e., EPC, EWb, and BSF. This study provides insights into entrepreneurship, entrepreneur psychological capital, and employee wellbeing on how it can optimize the performance of a business during and post-Covid-19 era. Besides, certain shortcomings along with future potential lines are reported for future researchers.

Keywords:

• Entrepreneur psychological capital
• employee well-being
• business sustainable performance
• Covid-19
• sports industry

JEL CODES:

• M10; L20

Acknowledgements

The work was supported by 2022 project of Sichuan Tourism Development Research Center: Research on the Integration and Innovative Development of "Culture, Sports, Tourism and Business" Industry in Chengdu-Chongqing Twin City Economic Circle (LY22-62); 2022 Project of Sichuan Leisure and Sports Industry Development Research Center: Research on the Income Increase Effect of Farmers in the Integrated Development of Culture, Sports and Tourism Industry in Sichuan Ethnic Areas under the Rural Revitalization Strategy (XXTYCY2022C08).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.