Does the accumulation of self-employment experience impact life satisfaction?

Publication type

Journal Article

Authors

Publication date

November 15, 2021

Summary:

This paper investigates the association of life satisfaction and self-employment experience. Using a large longitudinal dataset from the Understanding Society survey over the period 2009–2019, the paper examines how the allocation of time to wage- or self-employment affects individual life satisfaction. We argue that the typical dichotomous wage-employee/self-employed variable does not fully explain the association over time. Instead, when we measure self-employment experience over time, we identify significant variations. We examine the effects of self-employment experience on overall satisfaction and on a composite life satisfaction metric which combines the satisfaction with job, income, leisure, and health. We find that overall self-employment experience exhibits a positive effect on life satisfaction. However, we identify contrasting effects between the two life-satisfaction metrics in men and women. The results suggest the existence of effects above and beyond work related factors, which affect men and women differently.

Published in

Journal of Business Venturing Insights

Volume

Volume: 16:e00259

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbvi.2021.e00259

ISSN

23526734

Subjects

#536855

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