From Academic Impact to Societal Value: Rethinking Entrepreneurship for Human Well-being

Building on close examination of the cases in Chapters 1 – 5 , this chapter argues that entrepreneurship research should shift from a narrow economic lens to a broader, life-based perspective that encompasses entrepreneurial behaviors contributing to human well-being. It examines how ordinary people—students, teachers, individuals with disabilities, evacuees, and community members—reorganize resources under constraint, translate emotions into action, and generate social and spiritual value in everyday settings. The chapter identifies a gap in current models that under-explain non-economic value and the psychological mechanisms behind it. It then proposes an interdisciplinary integration of positive psychology (subjective well-being, intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, cognitive reframing) with management studies. The aim is to link academic impact with societal impact through transferable lessons, practical guidance, and co-creation with communities, demonstrating how insights from constrained contexts can inform workplaces and daily life. In this view, entrepreneurship is not merely a tool for firm creation, but a human-centered approach that helps people cope with adversity, contribute to others, and live optimistic, meaningful, and sustainable lives.