Happiness shares an odd relationship with entrepreneurs. While happiness fuels productivity and creativity at an individual level, happy countries are found to be negatively correlated with entrepreneurial activities, say researchers Fiona Sussan, Leo Maganares, Norris Kruegen. They observed that internally-based motivation and externally-based uncontrollable factors should co-exist to influence entrepreneurial endeavours, since entrepreneurs are deeply embedded in the context of a society. The researchers came up with a good country index in which a good country is defined as one that contributes to the common good. Turns out, the relationship between happiness and entrepreneurial activities behaves in an inverted U-shaped curve.
Title: Are Entrepreneurial Countries Good, Happy, and Healthy for Entrepreneurs?
Source: Social Science Research Network
1 May 2026
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