Linking Career Adaptability to Entrepreneurial Burnout: A Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

Based on career construction theory and person-environment fit theory, this study developed a theoretical model linking career adaptability to entrepreneurial burnout. A three-wave data collected from 319 owner-manager entrepreneurs showed that career adaptability was positively associated with person-entrepreneurship fit, which negatively related to subsequent entrepreneurial burnout. Moreover, we found that the indirect effect of career adaptability on entrepreneurial burnout was stronger for entrepreneurs with higher (versus low) entrepreneurial role model exposure. By integrating entrepreneurship and career construction literature, this study shows whether, how, and when career adaptability leads to low subsequent entrepreneurial burnout.