Employee work-life balance and work satisfaction: an empirical study of entrepreneurial career transition and intention across 70 different economies

Purpose The purpose of this research is to determine whether dissatisfaction with salaried work and low potential for work-life balance can explain a person's intention to go into business using the entrepreneurial event model from Shapero and Sokol (1982) and whether these factors are more prevalent for women than men. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 36,129 salaried workers from 70 countries from the 2013 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Adult Population Survey is assembled to test the entrepreneurial event model's prediction. Findings In innovation-driven economies, job satisfaction and work-life balance in the current occupation decrease the likelihood of having the intention to start a business for a salaried person. The impact of work-life balance on the intention to start a business in the same for men and women. Research limitations/implications In innovation-driven economies, organizations relying on employees with strong entrepreneurial potential to innovate and develop markets should also take into consideration job satisfaction and work-life balance factors to keep them engaged in entrepreneurial activities. A longitudinal analysis of the impact of institutional, economic and cultural factors associated with job satisfaction and work-life balance would be needed to identify the causal impacts. Originality/value Findings suggest that displacement factors related to the entrepreneurial event model (Shapero and Sokol, 1982) are relevant to study career transition from salaried work to entrepreneurship, and vice-versa.