Purpose This study aims to analyse the institutional dimensions that influence social entrepreneurship, focusing on the interactions between the country and individual levels. Specifically, the paper investigates the moderating effect of the regulative dimension on the relationships among the cultural-cognitive and normative dimensions and social entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a multilevel logistic regression approach, utilising data from the Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students' Survey (GUESSS) 2018 and the World Bank. The dataset includes information from 53 countries and 165,679 individuals, enabling a comprehensive multilevel analysis. Findings The results highlight the moderating role of the regulative dimension in shaping the relationships between the cultural-cognitive and normative dimensions and social entrepreneurship. Notably, a supportive regulatory environment encourages general entrepreneurial activity yet can deprioritise social entrepreneurship. Similarly, normative support for entrepreneurship negatively impacts social entrepreneurship. Practical implications Policymakers should focus on providing more comprehensive support to social entrepreneurs, streamlining processes and facilitating a favourable regulatory environment. Additionally, local opinion leaders and influential stakeholders can play a crucial role in legitimising social entrepreneurs' activities by aligning them with community values and norms. Originality/value This paper is among the few that adopt a multilevel perspective on institutional factors in social entrepreneurship, addressing both the country and individual levels. Exploring the interaction effects across these dimensions emphasises the need for a specific approach to supporting social entrepreneurs – one that combines regulatory reforms with cultural and community-based support, reflecting the complex interplay between individuals and their contexts in shaping social entrepreneurship.

Purpose This study aims to map the evolution of entrepreneurial survival (ES) research over a 40-year period (1984–2023) using scientometric techniques. It identifies key themes, influential authors, leading journals and global collaborations to provide a comprehensive overview of the field's intellectual structure and trends. Design/methodology/approach The study employs bibliometric analysis, including co-citation, co-occurrence and bibliographic coupling, using data from 964 Scopus-indexed articles. Tools like VOSviewer, R-package (bibliometrix) and biblioshiny are utilized for science mapping, conceptual structure visualization and trend analysis. Findings Research output surged post-2011, with 2023 marking the highest number of publications (126). The USA, UK and China are the most productive countries, while Europe dominates in citations. Key journals include Small Business Economics, Journal of Business Venturing and International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research are the top journals. Motor themes include “innovation,” “entrepreneurial orientation” and “human capital,” while niche themes like “youth education” and “venture survival institutions” emerge. The USA and UK lead in international collaborations, but cross-country linkages remain limited. Studies by Gimeno et al. (1997) and Stuart (1999) are among the most cited, focusing on venture survival determinants. Originality/value This is the first large-scale scientometric analysis of ES research, offering a holistic view of its evolution, gaps (e.g. limited interdisciplinary work) and future directions (e.g. system-level analyses). It bridges bibliometric rigor with actionable insights for academia and practice.

Purpose This study explores how social enterprise leaders experience burnout under the dual pressures of mission and market, and how recovery processes contribute to building organizational resilience. Design/methodology/approach Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with leaders in Germany, Hong Kong, and the Czech Republic. Using grounded theory coding supported by memoing, thematic patterns were developed and synthesized across four clusters of social enterprises: social and health services; environmental and circular economy; creative and experience-led; and consulting, education, and ecosystem support. Findings The analysis identifies four recurring stressors: work-life imbalance and over-commitment, mission-driven emotional burden, financial precarity, and founder dependency. These demands often trigger burnout, but they can also set in motion recovery processes. Integrating the Job Demands-Resources model with Conservation of Resources theory shows how burnout unfolds through spirals of loss and gain. Some entrepreneurs described burnout as a turning point that prompted organizational redesign, including distributed leadership, boundary-setting, and revenue diversification. Differences across clusters revealed sector-specific vulnerabilities, while varied recovery tempos demonstrated that resilience is not uniform but develops through both rapid and prolonged coping trajectories. Practical implications Targeted supports such as mentoring networks, blended finance mechanisms, and mental health provision are recommended. Strengthening founder resilience safeguards community services and enhances the long-term sustainability of the social enterprise sector. Originality/value The study reframes burnout in social entrepreneurship as a systemic, multi-level process. It contributes to theory by showing how personal recovery can translate into organizational “resilience capacity”, enabling enterprises to sustain their missions.

Purpose Today's business environment is marked by relentless uncertainty. This German case study aims to investigate how non-financial and individual drivers shape family business entrepreneurs' assessment of the business environment. We adopt the two theoretical perspectives of socioemotional wealth and upper echelons theory, highlighting the interplay of organizational priorities and personal goals in entrepreneurial behavior. Design/methodology/approach Our exploratory in-depth case study in the German shipping industry combines interviews and archival data. This approach allows a nuanced synthesis of industry context and entrepreneurial behavior, revealing the complexities underlying business environment assessment. Findings Our findings lead to a model identifying Socio-strategic Goals, Personal Profile, Entrepreneurial Principles and the act of Environmental Assessment per se as key drivers shaping family business entrepreneurs' perception of the business environment. Each overarching theme reveals decision-making patterns, highlighting how family business entrepreneurs interpret and respond to their business environment. Originality/value Research on how family business entrepreneurs assess their business environment remains highly limited. This study investigates how non-financial and personal goals influence the assessment of the business environment. We develop a structured framework, integrating four overarching themes – Socio-strategic Goals, Personal Profile, Entrepreneurial Principles and Environmental Assessment. By empirically identifying key drivers, this study advances theoretical understanding through an integration of socioemotional wealth and upper echelons theory and offers managerial guidance by illustrating how these drivers can inform more deliberate and structured decision-making under uncertainty.

Purpose This study provides valuable insights aimed at improving the understanding of the entrepreneurial motivation within rural artisanal clusters in emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach Primary data were collected from 126 rural carpentry entrepreneurs in the Baktawng cluster using a closed-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire gathered information on business characteristics and the motivations for starting a business. A systematic review of the literature helped identify contextually relevant motivating factors. Respondents rated their level of agreement with various motivational statements using a five-point Likert scale. The collected data were analysed using simple percentages, factor analysis and summated rankings, with results connected to existing research on entrepreneurial motivation. Findings The respondents largely agreed that economic factors are the primary drivers behind their decision to pursue entrepreneurship. The two most significant motivations identified were the need to earn a livelihood and the desire to increase income. Research limitations/implications The identified motivational factors (intrinsic, ambition, economic and compulsion) and their complex interactions provide a generalizable framework for understanding microenterprise creation in rural, resource-constrained settings across emerging economies. Originality/value By examining both the business characteristics and the underlying motivations, this research offers valuable insights for developing comprehensive support strategies for artisanal units in remote areas.

Purpose This study explores how the founding team heterogeneity affects the time it takes for start-ups to achieve Unicorn status. While media and venture capital often emphasize the importance of diverse founding teams, empirical evidence on the impact of founders' heterogeneity on Unicorn success is limited. Design/methodology/approach We analyzed 75 European Unicorns' founding teams. Data were collected from multiple sources, including CB Insights and Crunchbase. Independent variables included measures of heterogeneity such as prior start-up experience, managerial experience, career background, education level, education type, gender, age, and team size. The analysis examined how these founder heterogeneity dimensions influence the time-to-Unicorn status. Findings The findings indicate that educational heterogeneity significantly affects the time to achieve Unicorn status. Specifically, higher heterogeneity in educational level is associated with longer time-to-Unicorn, while greater heterogeneity in educational type is associated with shorter time-to-Unicorn. Additionally, larger founding teams are associated with extended time-to-Unicorn, contradicting prior findings that emphasized the benefits of team size. Originality/value This study contributes to the Unicorn literature by challenging assumptions regarding the universally positive effects of founding teams' heterogeneity. It extends human capital theory by highlighting that not all forms of heterogeneity are beneficial. The research suggests that educational diversity and team size must be strategically managed to balance potential growth benefits and operational complexities, offering practical implications for entrepreneurs and investors.

Purpose Women entrepreneurship is a key driver of economic development and social empowerment, specifically in rural areas; yet sociocultural, economic and psychological factors greatly influence the entrepreneurial journey. This paper seeks to provide a comprehensive scale to measure entrepreneurial skills among rural women entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach Expert consultations, panel discussions and a literature review were employed to refine a scale measuring entrepreneurial skills among rural women entrepreneurs, encompassing six key dimensions: Awareness, Entrepreneurial Ability, Motivational, Psychological, Cultural and Social, and Legal and Government factors. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to validate the model, based on which 32 reliable and valid items were selected. Findings The findings offer insights into the factors influencing rural women entrepreneurs and guides government agencies, non-profits and microfinance institutions in identifying training needs, tracking progress and measuring the impact of entrepreneurship programs. Research limitations/implications The scale can assist government agencies in identifying training programs. By including variables, such as psychological resilience and legal awareness, it highlights key factors in analyzing women’s entrepreneurial behavior amid limited institutional support and cultural barriers. Originality/value The study makes a novel contribution by developing a scale to measure entrepreneurial skills among rural women entrepreneurs based on the push–pull theory of motivation and the personality trait framework.

Purpose Psychological Capital (PsyCap)—a construct comprising self-efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism—plays a key role in the entrepreneurial process. Although scholarly interest is growing, prior entrepreneurship research has largely examined its components separately. This study provides a systematic literature review to consolidate existing knowledge and explore the synergistic potential of PsyCap as a multidimensional construct, systematically clarifying its role in the entrepreneurial journey. Design/methodology/approach Following PRISMA guidelines and best-practice recommendations, we conducted a systematic literature review of conceptual and empirical studies addressing PsyCap in entrepreneurial contexts. This approach ensured transparency, rigor, and replicability, allowing us to synthesize findings across diverse studies and build a coherent analytical framework. Findings The review shows that PsyCap supports entrepreneurial success through both personal and environmental mechanisms. Individually, it enhances well-being, decision-making, and opportunity recognition. Environmentally, it fosters positive organizational climates, strengthens social networks, and improves access to resources. Additionally, PsyCap’s positive impact is amplified in dynamic contexts and targeted training. These findings reinforce the importance of considering PsyCap as an integrated dynamic resource influencing both individual behavior and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. Originality/value To our knowledge, this is the first literature review to examine PsyCap holistically and systematically within the field of entrepreneurship, moving beyond existing reviews that primarily focus on its connection with opportunity evaluation and studies that have addressed its four components separately. This study contributes to the socio-cognitive literature by demonstrating the complex, multi-level role of PsyCap and by identifying future research directions to address both theoretical and methodological gaps.

Purpose In recent years, trial-and-error and entrepreneur-as-scientist approaches have gained significant traction in business model development. However, selecting the most suitable one can be challenging. This paper analyses the impact of these approaches on the performance of newly established companies to help entrepreneurs select and tailor the most suitable approach to achieve business success. Design/methodology/approach The sample consisted of 20,631 student-owned businesses from the Global University Entrepreneurship Spirits Students' Survey (GUESSS). Hierarchical regression was performed using SPSS, and AMOS was used to evaluate the goodness-of-fit of the measurement models. To ensure the model's robustness and reliability, a series of pre-tests were conducted before hypothesis testing. Findings The entrepreneur-as-scientist approach significantly enhances the relationship between solution and value proposition with business outcomes, whereas the trial-and-error approach shows limited moderation. Additionally, while solution proposal and value proposition design directly positively impact business performance, problem identification does not. Originality/value By examining the impact of trial-and-error and entrepreneur-as-scientist approaches on the success of companies founded by young university entrepreneurs, this paper adopts the organizational ambidexterity and the Popperian epistemology as a foundational framework. It introduces the ambidextrous tailoring model for experimental-structured approaches, which reconciles two seemingly incompatible entrepreneurial methodologies to serve as a guiding framework for validating nascent business models.