A Qualitative Phenomenological Study on the Multiplier Effects of Women Entrepreneurship within an Integrated Conceptual Framework

A Qualitative Phenomenological Study on the Multiplier Effects of Women Entrepreneurship within an Integrated Conceptual Framework | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A Qualitative Phenomenological Study on the Multiplier Effects of Women Entrepreneurship within an Integrated Conceptual Framework Hyder Kamran, Aryaty Binti Alwie, Sharon Ong Yong Yee This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6988557/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Purpose – Women entrepreneurship is an emerging field with several unanswered questions. This study investigates the integrated framework encompassing both work and non-work factors, and its multiplier effects, specifically on work-life balance (WLB) and entrepreneurial well-being (EWB), which remain largely underexplored Research methodology – A phenomenological qualitative approach was employed. Data were collected through 18 semi-structured interviews, reaching saturation. Thematic analysis was conducted to extract main and sub-themes that illustrate the lived experiences of women entrepreneurs. Findings – The study reveals that women entrepreneurs primarily conceptualize EWB through the lens of hedonic well-being, neglecting its eudaimonic dimension. The findings highlight that integrated work and non-work factors collectively influence EWB, with non-work elements such as family, spouse, children, and social support playing a dominant role. WLB is shown to stem from familial support and balance between domestic and business responsibilities. Research limitations – The research is limited to a specific cultural and geographic context, which may restrict generalizability. Future research could apply mixed methods or cross-cultural comparisons. Practical implications – The results underscore the need for family-inclusive policies and support systems that enhance women’s entrepreneurial outcomes and well-being. Originality/Value – This study adds value by introducing a context-specific, integrated framework of women entrepreneurship and EWB, advancing theoretical and empirical understanding of multiplier effects Integrated framework multiplier effects family factors work factors work-life balance person-entrepreneurship fit entrepreneurial well-being Figures Figure 1 1. Background of the study 1.1 Integrated framework of WE Women entrepreneurship has emerged as an economic reality and women entrepreneurs (WE) contribute significantly towards both economic growth (Kaviarasu et al., 2022) and societal development (Dewi et al., 2022 ). It is also observed that WE improve the societal image of women (Sajjad et al., 2020 ). WE play a pivotal role in economic development, because they spur economic activities. It is believed that WE tend to focus on social goals, while the men focus on the economic goals (Chatterjee et al., 2022 ). Extent of literature highlights that WE tend to fulfil their psychological needs, and contribute towards family well-being (Shir et al., 2019 ; Wiklund et al., 2018; Williams and Shepherd, 2016). But entrepreneurs have to work in stressful situations because of fear of failure, long working hours, dealing with uncertainty, and multiple roles (Hoegl and Hartmann, 2021; Hartmann et al., 2022 ). The situation is even adverse for WE working in developing countries, where they are expected to meet the societal expectations, roles of caregiving, and family roles along with their professional duties (Kaciak & Welsh, 2020 ; De Clercq et al., 2022 ; Neneh & Welsh, 2022 ; Kasema, 2023 ). These roles are different from the responsibilities of their male counterparts, which makes entrepreneurial activities more challenging for WE (Adiza et al., 2020 ; Dzomonda et al., 2025 ). Accordingly, these conflicting roles exert enormous pressure on WE, because the entrepreneurial venture along with the gender-expected roles create conflicting demands, resulting in the adverse effects on women (De Clercq et al., 2023 ; Stephan et al., 2020). The effects may include, but not limited to, the family & life satisfaction (Benlian, 2020 ) and overall well being (Neneh, 2022 ). Recently, Abdalla and Ahmad (2023) through literature survey approach reviewed 22 years (2001-23) of literature (115 articles) related to 57 countries and identified that WE face 06 major challenges including financial, lack of knowledge, gender discrimination, socio-cultural factors, government support and work-life balance. Moreover, the socio-economic contribution of women is extensively unappreciated in society (Shashidhara et al., 2022 ), which may influence the WE at psychological levels (e.g. their WB). Literature highlights that there are numerous factors that influence the WE at psychological levels. There are two major divisions of these factors, i.e. (i) work-related factors and (ii) family and society relate factors. But recently, Tahir ( 2024 ) has proposed to integrate these factors and highlighted that “ we need to move away from an outdated framework that treats family and work as isolated silos ” (p.21), and termed it as an “ integrated framework ”. It is also evident that the Byrne et al., (2019) also stated that for a WE, the personal and professional goals do not run in parallel rather integrate. It is also identified that often there are blurred boundaries between work and family roles for a WE, because often the WE aim at improving the quality of life of their family and uplift the social status of their belongings. Therefore, here the researchers consider the role of both the social and professional factors (integrated approach) and their influence on WE. 1.2 Need for studying entrepreneurial well-being (EWB) & its environment As all the factors may influence WE both at the family and professional levels, studying the integrated outcomes is equally important. One of such an integrated factor, covering both the professional and family outcomes, is the Entrepreneurial Well-Being (EWB) of WE. According to Wiklund et al., ( 2019 ), EWB covers the aspects of satisfaction, increased positive effects, reduced negative effects, and sense of fulfilment due to entrepreneurial acts. It is evident that WE often try to work for dual roles (i.e. family and business success), therefore, they are considered successful when they have accomplishments at both the levels (Najjinda et al., 2024 ). Therefore, EWB would prevail when there is balanced growth at both the levels. There is a growing interest of researchers in studying EWB due to the stressful nature of work, but most of the studies have focused on the subjective well-being only (e.g. Wiklund et al., 2019 ; Lukeš & Zouhar, 2024 ; Nikolaev et al., 2024). Subjective well-being is defined as the cognitive and affective evaluation of one’s life, and feelings about self, environment and the achievements (Diener et al., 2002 ). It is considered an important aspect of one’s success because it denotes the overall satisfaction with entrepreneurial activity, its performance and productivity (Gashi et al., 2024 ). Studying WB is also important from the perspective of SDGs, where good health and well-being (SDG-3) are considered markers of growth at a country level (Stephan et al., 2022 ). According to Neneh ( 2022 ) subjective well-being is more relevant for WE, because of their unique and challenging roles in the society. Nonetheless, the studies on EWB are criticized because the conventional literature focuses on the material success as a parameter of WB, for instance, the parameters of satisfaction with entrepreneurial acts, its performance and productivity (Gashi et al., 2024 ). Recent literature highlights the need of studying the unorthodox parameters of entrepreneurial success for WE. For instance, Eunice et al., ( 2019 ) highlighted the need of studying WB in the following words: “ Assessment of entrepreneurship activities need to go beyond economic success and to also look at the relational and subjective well being of the entrepreneur ” (p. 388). Lepeley ( 2019 ) further commented that women-led businesses should not be evaluated with the scales that are used for men-entrepreneurial ventures. She named it as a multiplier effect which is the contribution towards both the society (job creation and economic activities etc.) and family (children education, family care, and care for parents etc.). As there is limited literature available on the concept of multiplier effect, therefore, it has been valued as a novel concept needing further investigation, and the same has been investigated qualitatively in this study. The two forms of EWB are discussed by Stephan ( 2018 ) as well who highlighted that two forms of WB perspective need to be studied, i.e. Hedonic WB (satisfaction and contentment with the achievements) and Eudaimonic WB (thriving and energizing effects). She further highlighted that due to trade-off of personal resources (energy, family time and leisure) the entrepreneurs should not only be focusing on the contentment for achievements rather should focus on the future gains (backed by thriving – Eudaimonic WB), as the trade-off affects overall career goals and aspirations. Stephan ( 2018 ) further highlighted that available literature on the WB has focused on the hedonic aspects of WB (life satisfaction and happiness), while ignoring the Eudaimonic WB. Therefore, the future studies should focus on studying both the aspects of WB. 1.3 Research Problem and Significance Some recent studies have also highlighted some gaps in literature, and the need for studying them. For instance, Eunice et al., ( 2019 ) highlighted the gap in the following words “ The discourse on the gains of entrepreneurship is however silent about the implications of combining entrepreneurship with household and community tasks and responsibilities ” (p. 374). Lepeley ( 2019 ) also signified that the WE have to perform a multiplier effect, a novel and under-investigated phenomenon, in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Stephan ( 2018 ) has highlighted the need of studying all these aspects in tandem, as she commented “ there was no agreement among the reviewed studies on what the most relevant aspects are, how they should be captured, and through what micro-foundational processes they influence MWB ” (Mental-health and Well-being) (p.39). They further highlighted that there are two limitations with reference to WE literature, including, (i) contradictory conclusions about WE behaviors, and (ii) considering WE as a homogenous group to male entrepreneurs. Therefore, they identified that “ there is a need for more in-depth investigations into women’s self-views of their gender as entrepreneurs to help shed light on this phenomenon ” (p. 5). Studying WB of WE is important because it is considered as a sustainability pathway which fosters inclusive growth (Najjinda et al., 2024 ). According to Shir et al., ( 2019 ) EWB entails autonomy, competence and motivation to operate the business venture while keeping-up with the family roles. But literature highlights that the results on EWB are mixed and in most of the developing countries WE lack feelings of WB. For instance, Culbreth et al., ( 2024 ) highlighted that 32% WE do not feel EWB and remain stressed. Due to dual roles, women have to compromise on either role (Ahmed and Riaz, 2024), as Ebhote ( 2015 ) highlighted that 95% of WE feel difficulty in balancing their work and family lives. Therefore, there lies a need to study the determinants of EWB and how it could be improved (Najjinda et al., 2024 ). According to Stephan ( 2018 ) review studies have identified that WB of entrepreneurs is influenced by the trade-off across life domains (work and life domains). Binder and Coad (2016) also identified that both these aspects of life are closely related and reported that high satisfaction with the work is related to low satisfaction with the income and leisure-time. Stephan ( 2018 ) called for studying this association by commenting “ trade-offs related to entrepreneur’s work remain unexplored (p.39). The current study attempts to answer this call as well. 1.4 Research Questions This study answers these calls, attempts to fill the highlighted gaps and contribute to the literature by finding answer of the following main research question: RQ1 How do WE perceive and define their EWB (i.e. Hedonic, Eudaimonic, or both)? RQ2 Is EWB determined by the integrated factors (i.e. both work and non-work factors)? RQ3 What is the role of WLB (either a challenge or not) for WE between their integrated factors and EWB? 2. Research Methodology Considering the research questions of the study, we employed a qualitative approach. Qualitative study offers a way of finding answers of exploratory questions and provides a rich understanding of the prevailing issue (Cresswell, 2008 ). Qualitative research is also valued for its ability to offer links between literature and evidence. Furthermore, constructionist phenomenology is used to understand the phenomenon (Gephart and Richardson, 2008). Cresswell ( 2008 ) also highlights that this approach enables researchers to understand the perspective broadly and arrive at detailed personal accounts of them. Numerous studies have used this approach in order to find answers of questions related to WE (e.g. Gioia et al., 2013 ; Morse, 2015 ; Tahir, 2024 ). The sample of the study consisted of women entrepreneurs operating in Peshawar Mardan and Swat cities of Pakistan. These cities belong to a highly collectivist and traditional society of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province. This province is attributed as the conventional, masculine, patriarchal society where entrepreneurship is the economic activity denoted to men only. As the purpose of the study was to explore the phenomenon of EWB (Hedonic and Eudaimonic), WLB and integrated factors, the married WE, having kids and family to look after, were selected for interviews. Purposive sampling technique (a form of non-probability sampling) was used to select the sample. According to Boddy ( 2016 ), sample selection in qualitative studies is dependent upon the scientific paradigm and context of the study. Sample size was selected using the saturation point, information power and rule of thumb approaches. Use of saturation point (i.e. “a point where data stops offering new insights”) is a common practice in qualitative studies (Ahmed et al., 2022 , p. 724), but Malterud et al., ( 2016 ) recommended using “information power” instead of saturation as determinant of sample size. Contrarily, for a phenomenological inquiry different researchers have recommended a different rule-of-thumb as well (Sharma et al., 2024 ). For instance, a sample size of 3–10 (Dukes, 1984 ; Larkin et al., 2019), 8–12 (Ray, 1994 ), minimum 6 participants (Morse, 2000 ), and 5–15 participants (Creswell et al., 2007 ) are considered sufficient. Building on the given guidelines, the current study was based on a sample size of 18, which was well above the threshold values recommended by various researchers. Moreover, the researchers obtained a saturation at the 15 interviews and carried out three more interviews in follow-up to validate the responses (following the guidelines of Latham, 2013 ). As the researchers obtained desired information that could answer the questions (as suggested by Malterud et al., 2016 ) the interviews were stopped and data analysis was carried out. The point where data collection should be stopped is called the “sweet spot”, as it avoids the overflow of information and helps in collecting only the relevant data (Crouch and McKenzie, 2006 ). Details of the interviewees are provided in table-1. The respondents were invited for an interview and a written consent form was shared to them before the interview. All in all, the form was provided to 34 WE after obtaining their consent verbally. But due to non-availability or unwillingness lately, only 18 showed up for the interview. The interviews were conducted at the place where interviewees showed their willingness to appear for an interview. The purpose was to create an easy environment where there is no pressure and responses are bias-free. The average time of an interview was 58 minutes. The semi-structured interviews were designed where the basic questions were listed while the probing and following up questions, to dig-down deep into phenomenon, were based on the situation, answers of main questions and the interviewees’ interests. The main questions were prepared by reviewing the published literature. The interviews were carried out in local language (Pashtu), which is easily understood and spoken by masses. The answers were recorded and later transcribed into English by the authors. The transcription was also shown to University professors who were native speakers of Pashtu and were teaching in English for more than 10 years. Their feedback was included and the finalized draft of the transcription was used for thematic analysis. The transcriptions, themes and the findings were continuously evaluated for the quality and objectivity (absence of subjectivity) by cross-checking approach. The final analysis portion was also cross-verified by the two experts as well using a blinded approach. The thematic outcomes are presented in table-2 and figure-1. Table-1 Demographics of interviewees Serial # Business Year of start Age (years) Married since (years) Qualification # of kids Family type Interview duration 1 Retail 2013 41 16 Masters 2 Extended 75 mins 2 Online retailing 2020 35 14 Bachelors 3 Nuclear 65 mins 3 Fashion designer 2018 37 18 Bachelors 2 Nuclear 58 mins 4 Beautician 2017 38 12 Masters 3 Extended 73 mins 5 Solar business 2015 33 9 Masters 3 Extended 63 mins 6 IT firm 2018 39 12 Bachelors 4 Blended 68 mins 7 Corporate Consultancy 2019 32 7 Masters 2 Extended 72 mins 8 Education sector 2021 31 9 Masters 2 Blended 55 mins 9 Engineering firm 2019 38 19 Bachelors 3 Extended 53 mins 10 Corporate Consultancy 2022 34 15 Masters 2 Extended 58 mins 11 IT firm 2021 36 16 Masters 3 Blended 63 mins 12 Health sector 2022 37 15 Masters 3 Nuclear 59 mins 13 Trading 2016 31 8 Masters 1 Nuclear 68 mins 14 Online business 2018 37 15 Masters 2 Extended 55 mins 15 Education sector 2016 32 11 Masters 2 Extended 52 mins 16 Fashion designer 2021 34 12 Bachelors 1 Extended 63 mins 17 Hospitality business 2020 33 13 Masters 2 Nuclear 57 mins 18 Educational consultancy 2021 37 17 Masters 2 Nuclear 52 mins Table − 1 covers the demographical details of the interviews, where it is evident that majority of the interviewees have business experience of more than 05 years (n = 10), with age up to 35 (n = 9), having master degree (n = 13), with 2 kids (n = 9), and living in extended family (n = 9, family where a couple with kids living with their parents, aunts, uncles and other relatives), and most of the interviews lasted between 50–55 minutes. 3. Findings The findings of the study are reported against each research question (RQ). The following sections cover the findings against each research questions. Table-2 Major codes and themes Example Quotation Primary code Secondary code Theme For a woman, success is the success of family and kids. I work for my business which is my dream but I only feel contended when my kids are successful and my family is not compromised (Respondent # 7). Family success Concept of Entrepreneurial well-being Hedonic well-being Business is an important family element for me and my husband. We have a clear agreement that my business earnings are devoted for my kids (their education and health). Furthermore, I invest my profits for future of my kids and myself as well. But in all these decisions I have full support of my husband. Therefore, I feel a sense of fulfilment in business and its success is the well-being for my family (Respondent # 9) Family satisfaction “For me, I am at well-being when I can have a win-win situation both at the family and work lives. My success is success at both the ends and I can only be happy when I have a happy family and I don’t have to forego one end to satisfy other” (Respondent # 18). Business performance and success “For me both the work and non-work factors are important. For instance, without the family support and willingness it was not possible for me to start my business. I had financial, moral, and emotional support of my husband when I started my business. Now, we both sit together and look after the matters of business………In a challenging situation, I feel that my family, spouse and siblings stand with me and I can thrive well (Respondent # 1). Family support Non-work-related factors Integrated factors Spouse support “For a WE the only option is to be successful otherwise the society and family may not give another chance. Therefore, it becomes a situation of do-or-die for us……Due to specific societal roles, it is difficult for us to bounce back (Respondent # 10). Social factors “I failed initially as I was betrayed by my employees………my spouse helped me a lot in identifying the ways of bouncing back. Through the moral, emotional and financial support, he encouraged me to get back to my work……….and I would have been unable to be successful without his support (Respondent # 13). Employee behavior Work-related factors Even the customers consider female business owners someone who can be easily mistreated and display negative behaviors (Respondent # 17). Customer (mis)treatment Gender-based stereotypes 3.1 Conceptualization of EWB: The RQ1 aimed at exploring the perceptions of WE about their EWB (Hedonic, Eudaimonic or both). The first part of the question aimed at eliciting the responses of the WE about their concept of EWB. The interview-based data highlighted that WE were able to given meanings to EWB. Overall, WE attributed EWB as the well-being of both the life roles (i.e. family and business), but most of them focused on the familial roles at the first instance. It was also observed that the interviewees focused on the gains, success, performance and balance as the outcomes of the business activities, which highlighted that the WE attributed EWB as the hedonic perspective only and did not focus on the Eudaimonic perspective (the future of business, career growth etc.). These findings, therefore, helped us infer the meanings of EWB as perceived by the WE. The findings highlighted that there were some differences in the meanings associated to EWB, which could be attributed to the personal variables (e.g. age, type of business, experience of business, and type of family). For instance, it was apparent that WE with more years of married life, were more stable at their family part (i.e. due to grown up kids, established family and professional lives and a developed family cycle). On the other hand, the newly married women connotated different meanings of EWB. It was apparent that most of the WE associated both family and work success as the well-being. For instance, one of the interviewees highlighted that For a woman, success is the success of family and kids. I work for my business which is my dream but I only feel contended when my kids are successful and my family is not compromised (Respondent # 7). It was also observed that only material success (in business) is also important, because WE work not only for their self-fulfillment but also to support their family. WE try to earn which is used for the development and education of their kids. Their business earning has also been used to make some investments for future. Therefore, few of the WE highlighted that the business is also important for their family. As one of them quoted in the following words: Business is an important family element for me and my husband. We have a clear agreement that my business earnings are devoted for my kids (their education and health). Furthermore, I invest my profits for future of my kids and myself as well. But in all these decisions I have full support of my husband. Therefore, I feel a sense of fulfilment in business and its success is the well-being for my family (Respondent # 9). One of the interviewees highlighted that EWB is the well-being of both the ends, where a win-win situation exists and there are no compromises on either of the ends. As it was narrated: “For me, I am at well-being when I can have a win-win situation both at the family and work lives. My success is success at both the ends and I can only be happy when I have a happy family and I don’t have to forego one end to satisfy other” (Respondent # 18). Upon inquiring for the compromises and priorities, most of the women highlighted that for them family is more important than their business. This may be attributed to the societal factors and the role assumed for the female members of the society. One of the interviewees highlighted the value of family in the following words: “In our society, the roles are clearly distinguished like a male is to earn for the family while the female is responsible for kids and family. Certainly, the family is the first priority for a female and I can’t accept business at the cost of my family…………………. simply stating, I can leave my business for my kids and family” (Respondent # 12). A similar response was recorded for another interviewee who highlighted that family roles are important which direct the females towards their economic activities. It was also highlighted that even the parents of female entrepreneurs (along with the in-laws), influence their decisions and their choices are largely influenced by the familial system. The interviewees highlighted that the family system has both pros and cons, but they displayed overall contentment with the familial and cultural system. One of the WE stated her view of the EWB, while aligning the family satisfaction in the following ways: “…………We live in a society which is collectivist in nature, and a marriage binds two families together. Our decisions are largely influenced by both the families and their will & wish is important while taking an initiative. Therefore, the happiness and contentment of both the families is important for us………In addition to that, without familial support the survival of WE is not possible, therefore, family and business go side by side while prioritizing family is crucial” (Respondent # 4). 3.2 Integrated Factors of EWB: The next research question was aimed at identifying the factors that influence the EWB. Literature highlights that EWB is influenced by both the work and non-work factors, while Tahir ( 2024 ) highlighted that the WE are influenced by the integrated factors (termed it as integrated framework) and proposed that the outdated frameworks should be replaced with the new ones. Based on this call, RQ2 focused on looking at the role of integrated factors in developing feelings of EWB. The interview-based data highlighted that WE considered both work and non-work factors important for their EWB. Work factors included the business performance, achievement of objectives, customer feedback, and employee response towards the WE. The non-work factors were found working differently for different stages of entrepreneurship; for instance, at the infancy stage the family support is considered most important. In the later stages, the social support, family thriving, work-life balance, financial support, and social status are considered the most important. The findings are highlighted by the interviewees in their responses. For instance, one of the interviewees highlighted the role of work-related factors in the following words: “For me both the work and non-work factors are important. For instance, without the family support and willingness it was not possible for me to start my business. I had financial, moral, and emotional support of my husband when I started my business. Now, we both sit together and look after the matters of business………..In a challenging situation, I feel that my family, spouse and siblings stand with me and I can thrive well (Respondent # 1). Another respondent highlighted that the family role is the most important as few businesses are largely dependent upon the family support, because those businesses may not be liked or preferred by the people due to ideological differences (e.g. fashion designing and beautician). One of the interviewees who were doing a fashion designer business highlighted her challenges and how she felt EWB with the help and support of the family. “I feel that my business is better when it performs well in terms of financial and market performance. But the performance is often undermined by the family and social roles, as I believe that my achievements are actually my family achievements………. (Respondent # 3). Interviewee # 3 further narrated her story and highlighted that initially due to family norms, and absence of social and family support she faced challenges. She was not even backed by her husband which reduced the pace of her business. But financial crunch in her family created a situation where she was able to support her family. She narrated it as: “……the financial crunch proved to be a blessing for my business, as I supported my husband in bad times and in return he dedicated his support, encouraged me and support me a lot. Even my family stance on starting a fashion designer business changed.………. the change in social norms (shift to more brands, and fashion acceptance in society) also paved the way for my business growth, thus influencing overall business performance and EWB (Respondent # 3). One of the interviewees also highlighted that the family support is important but the business performance is linked with the business performance. It was reported that when a WE start and operates a business she needs to run a profitable business, otherwise it becomes difficult to bounce back due to family and social pressures and prevailing stereotypes. One of them stated her view point with her experience: “For a WE the only option is to be successful otherwise the society and family may not give another chance. Therefore, it becomes a situation of do-or-die for us…….. Due to specific societal roles, it is difficult for us to bounce back (Respondent # 10). Another interviewee highlighted that initially her business failed due to fraud of employees, and her inability to deal tough customers. But it was the spouse and in-law’s family that supported her in bouncing back in this situation. She narrated it in the following words: “I failed initially as I was betrayed by my employees………my spouse helped me a lot in identifying the ways of bouncing back. Through the moral, emotional and financial support, he encouraged me to get back to my work……….and I would have been unable to be successful without his support (Respondent # 13). Along with the family, the culture was considered to be a challenge by the WE. It was highlighted that due to expected roles from a woman, starting a business is considered something odd. It was also highlighted that culture is masculine in nature where entrepreneurship is considered a male-act. Two interviewees expressed almost similar feelings in the following words: “Culture of KPK is masculine where earning and being socialized is the role of a male while for females it is something odd. The culture does not accept women very easily and therefore it is challenging to be accepted as WE in the society (Respondent # 10). “………Even the customers consider female business owners someone who can be easily mistreated and display negative behaviors (Respondent # 17). 3.3 Status of Work-life balance: WE also highlighted that it was difficult to manage both the spheres simultaneously, as the family domain was considered as the prime responsibility of a woman. They highlighted that the culture, society and family required some specific roles from a married woman. The woman is expected to meet those objectives at the first instance. Therefore, the successful and happy woman is one who is better in family roles and then in the professional roles. Two interviewees expressed their view in the following words: We live in a male-dominated society, where a woman is supposed to take care for the family members, kids and parents in-laws. This is what we have been taught and groomed for by our parents. I believe my success lies in the happiness of my family. I also believe that when they have permitted me and encouraged me (supported and motivated) to start business, I should reciprocate them and should never comprise on my primary roles (Respondent # 15). My family is my biggest support and I am successful in business due to their encouragement, motivation and support they have provided in since the inception of my business. I feel that I am happy when my family is happy and I can also run my business smoothly, but family is always first for me. Therefore, for me balancing both the spheres is important and my well-being is when I can maintain this balance (Respondent # 14). It was also observed that it is difficult to maintain the WLB, as often one end has to be compromised while focusing on the other. One of the interviewees highlighted it in the following words: “ We (WE) role-around in two spheres i.e. family and work. It is a challenge for us to maintain a balance. But the happiest moment is when we can balance the both and I believe that it is the situation of fulfillment when the balance is there” (Respondent # 11). It was also observed that balancing both the spheres may vary across the types of businesses. For instance, WE working in the domain of online business and education sector highlighted that it is not difficult to maintain a balance between both the work-ends. For instance, one of the interviewees highlighted that: “ My business makes it easy for me to maintain a balance, though I often have divided thoughts but still being at home and doing a virtual business makes things easy for me” (Respondent # 14). “I believe starting an educational venture (school or coaching center) is a promising business for WE, because it takes less of your efforts and later you can give a good time to your family. Therefore, it is easy to maintain a balance while being in education business (Respondent # 15). While inquiring for the factors that may influence the WLB, it was identified that the market factors, business growth, family support and alternative arrangements for family are the most important factors that influence the WLB. For instance, one of the interviewees had highlighted that: “………..market either creates opportunities or threats for WE, in both the cases the entrepreneur needs to active and focused which requires time and energy. Failure in doing so may influence business negatively. But in such a case often family is compromised which creates an imbalance (Respondent # 16) . Upon inquiring for the ways through which WLB can be improved, it was identified that majority of the WE highlighted a blend of factors while majorly related to family and social support. Almost all of the respondents highlighted that the biggest strength for a WE are the family and it may help in overcoming all the adversities of business. One of the respondents, highlighted that: “the imbalance between work-and-life can be converted to balance if we have a support from the family members. Entrepreneurs, often need to work for long hours, while is done at the cost of the family, but when family understands and supports such acts the balance is maintained” (Respondent # 8). Another interviewee highlighted that the along with the family the personal preferences does matter. She highlighted that it’s the priority and preference of the WE and so the balance or imbalance would be influenced by that. It was highlighted that when a WE focus on family domain she can earn the support of the family members which helps her in maintaining the balance. It was stated: “………. the balance is to be maintained which can be done by prioritizing the family over others. If we do so and earn a trust of the family it becomes easy to get help from family in maintain the balance. Therefore, I believe that we can maintain WLB when we have a good family relation” (Respondent # 11). Further probing highlighted that WLB is also influenced by the other personality of the WE. It was observed that a WE with calm and emotionally stable personality considered WLB a challenge which could be handled with some efforts, as one of the respondents stated: “being an elder family member, I was nurtured to be more composed and conflict handler, therefore, I feel that it is less challenging for me to maintain a balance between work and my personal life………. Though my spouse is supportive and takes care for my goals, but still my personality also helps me manage the things in a befitting manner” (Respondent # 8). 4. Discussion This study attempts to find answers to three research questions where the focus was to identify how WE translate their EWB (identification of the multiplier effects), identify the integrated framework (work and non-work factors) and role of WLB in the relationship. The results indicate (see figure-1) that WE translate their EWB as the success in their business as well as family life. The results also signify that WE consider hedonic well-being as the concept of EWB (Stephen, 2018). These results are aligned with the findings of the past studies, where it has been reported that WE have effects on their family as well overall life satisfaction (Benlian, 2020 ; Neneh, 2022 ). The results also highlight that EWB covers the aspects of both the family and work life and therefore the performance of WE are successful in both the work and family aspects (Wiklund et al., 2019 ). These results are also in-line with the Najjinda et al., ( 2024 ) findings which highlighted that women consider their success in the form of achievements in both the work and family domains. Therefore, the subject of subjective well-being is supported by the study results (e.g. Lukeš & Zouhar, 2024 ; Nikolaev et al., 2024; Wiklund et al., 2019 ). The results also infer that subjective well-being is more linked with WE, as highlighted by Neneh ( 2022 ). It is also apparent that the concept of successful entrepreneurial venture for WE can be redefined by considering success in both business and family domains (Gashi et al., 2024 ). The results also provide an explanation for the multiplier effects of the WE in terms of hedonic and eudaimonic WB. The results reveal that the concept of EWB is hedonic in nature and the focus on Eudaimonic WB (thriving and career focus) was not observed. Therefore, the results reveal some important insight and provide a qualitative-evidence of the concept of EWB prevalent in the area of study. The study results also highlighted the role of factors that influence the EWB. The results revealed that integrated factors (both work and non-work factors) influence the overall EWB. These results support the assertion that WE need to meet the professional duties along with their societal expectations (Kaciak & Welsh, 2020 ; De Clercq et al., 2022 ; Neneh & Welsh, 2022 ; Kasema, 2023 ). It is apparent that due to conflicting demands (De Clercq et al., 2023 ; Stephen et al., 2020), WE tend to manage both the ends of life and therefore both the aspects ultimately affect their EWB (Neneh, 2022 ). These results also align with the literature survey of Abdalla and Ahmad (2023) who identified that social, work and family factors influence the overall well-being of entrepreneurs. The WE highlighted the value of both the family and work-related factors. These results are in-line with the concept of “ integrated factors ” of WE focusing on both the work and non-work factors. The results also highlighted that both personal and professional goals integrate with each other (Byrne et al., 2019). Moreover, the WE work for both the social and work factors in integration. The results highlight that WE consider the business performance, achievement of objectives, customer feedback and employee response towards the WE as the important factors of EWB. It was observed that the society considered entrepreneurship as a male act while female WE may be exploited by the society members (e.g. employees and customers). The interviewees highlighted few cases where the customers and employees exploited the WE, while the family proved to be a last-resort or protection against social suppressions. All in all, WE highlighted that family support (spouse, siblings, kids and relatives) proves to be the most important strength for WE against all adversities and challenges. Similar results are found in other developing countries; for instance, Dutt et al., ( 2016 ) found that WE with higher family support have felt stronger EWB in Tanzanian samples. Kameyama et al., ( 2011 ) considered family as a security and support and highlighted that it covers financial, emotional and social support. Based on these findings it is observed that family and business are closely knitted and the current study is an empirical evidence of the words of Stephan ( 2018 ), “… a more socialized view of entrepreneurs in their work-life contexts ” (p. 38). The last research question was focused on eliciting the role of work-life balance (WLB) between integrated factors and multiplier effects. The qualitative investigation again highlighted that almost all of the WE highlighted the value of WLB and considered it an important predictor of the EWB. The respondents highlighted that due to family and cultural norms WE are expected to prefer their family roles over others. The results signified that WE considered WLB an important aspect of their life domains where balancing the work with their family life is important. Data also revealed that the women prefer to carry their family roles at first instance, which enables them to maintain the balance. The respondents also highlighted that the balance can be maintained when they have support from their family and society. These results are consistent with the findings of existing literature on WE, where it was observed that WE need to balance their family (caregiving, societal, meeting family expectation) and work roles (Kaciak & Welsh, 2020 ; De Clercq et al., 2022 ; Neneh & Welsh, 2022 ; Kasema, 2023 ). The findings signified the role of family, spouse, environment (non-work factors) and financial challenges, societal impact, customer and employee (work factors) as determinants of WLB. These results were consistent and aligned with the work of Tahir et al., (2024) who highlighted that WLB is influenced by the integrated factors. The findings also supported the integration belief of Byrne et al., (2019) who highlighted the value of considering both work and non-work factors in predicting the EWB. The findings also revealed that WLB was considered important for maintaining the EWB, as WE translated that their WB as an interplay of their family and work (Shashidhara et al., 2022 ). WE highlighted that they consider EWB when they are able to balance their work and family roles, i.e. they have successful business as well as have successful family life. Therefore, EWB is believed to exist when there is WLB and the family, work and social factors are favorable. 4.1 Theoretical Implications of the study This study offers some insightful theoretical implications. For instance, it highlights the meanings of EWB as conceptualized by the WE in a closely knitted, collectivist and patriarchal society. The results highlight that WE consider EWB as a hedonic value and do not consider the Eudaimonic WB (Stephan, 2018 ). The results help us contribute to literature on WE by providing a conceptualization of EWB in a specific cultural perspective. These results also signify and reaffirm the belief of Lepeley ( 2019 ) who highlighted that women-led businesses should not be evaluated with the measures that are used for the male-led businesses. Therefore, the study offers a performance measure on which WE can be evaluated for their achievements and performance. This study also values the calls of previous studies (e.g. Eunice et al., 2019 ; Lepeley, 2019 ; Najjidnda et al., 2024; Stephan, 2018 ) where studying WE for their performance, outcomes and well-being have been called upon. The study also affirmed the findings of the Tahir ( 2024 ) where it was proposed that an integrated framework should be studied to see the determinants of outcomes of WE. The study, through an exploratory framework, discovers the factors that can influence the EWB. The results identified are novel which cover both work and non-work factors (integrated factors). The significance of the non-work factors (family, spouse, society etc.) is highlighted where the work-related factors have also been valued. The results reveal that WE perceive the family and spousal support crucial for overcoming all types of challenges (even the workplace challenges). Therefore, the WE from collectivist, and strong family set-up-based countries would prefer the family support as the main support mechanism. The findings regarding WLB perspective signify that integrated factors (work and non-work) collectively influence the WLB, where the balance maintenance could be better when support is provided at the family level. It was noticed that family actors help in improving the work performance as well, where the challenges related to work could be overcome using the support of family actors. Therefore, WLB was cherished as an outcome of family thriving and the strong roots of the family system influenced the WLB in a befitting manner. The further probing of WLB highlights that it further leads to EWB, which was defined as the success in both work and family life. The findings therefore highlight that the WLB falls in the center of the integrated factors and EWB. The same has been an unattended area of research which has been one of the major focuses of the current study. 4.2 Policy implications The study highlights some important policy implications as well, where the foremost is the focusing on not only the WE but also the social mechanism. The policy makers should give an enriching experience and make policies where the familial life is supported, which will ultimately influence the overall entrepreneurial-ecosystem. The findings also highlighted that though the sample belonged to a male-dominated society, the same proved to be a strength because women felt it the biggest support for them. Therefore, the policy making regarding women-empowerment should not only consider the women but also the social-fabric. The results reveal that the family level factors are the most important factors influencing the WLB and EWB of WE. These findings again highlight the value of family, collectivism, spouses, siblings and society. The WE are deep-rooted into the social settings and consider themselves secure when they have support and protection from the family. The interview-based observations highlight that the WE bounced back, thrived, sustained and grew with the support of their families. Even the challenges faced by the women entrepreneurs showed that the last-resort was family as the support from family members worked strongly from business inception to growth and success. The success and performance of WE also paid back to the families as it was believed that the focus of business is to support the family and change the life of WE and their belongings. The findings therefore highlight the centrality of the family set-up and highlight the need of focus it requires. 4.3 Future directions Though the study is carried out using a quality phenomenological approach, which suits and its selection is justified, yet it is prone to some limitations. The foremost is the choice of qualitative methodology, which given depth but fails to give generalizable results. The future researcher could use this study as a base-line and extend the study further by carrying out quantitative study. The study is based on interview-based findings from a collectivist and male-dominated society, the future studies could be carried out from individualistic, feminist, and shared cultures. The findings also highlighted that the family is the foci-point for WE selected in the sample, which may be an incidental finding. The future studies should validate these findings by collecting more samples, from different cities and provinces of Pakistan. The comparative qualitative/quantitative studies with the other countries (e.g. India and Bangladesh) could offer interesting insights, as these countries have common routes but unique cultures. The findings highlight that integrated factors (dominated by non-work factors) influence the WLB which is linked with the EWB. The results also highlighted that the EWB is considered as the success in family and business both, where family is dominating factors. Therefore, the future researchers should study the role of family in nurturing WE. As the family support works at various stages of entrepreneurship their role should be studied for the contribution at all those levels. Future studies could also study the EWB as a part of gender equality, human rights, and sustainable development. There is an agreement that WE lead to job creation, regional development as well as the EWB, therefore, the future studies should be focusing on the multi-perspective approach of EWB. The current study finds that the WE focus on hedonic EWB only leaving the Eudaimonic aspects of WB. The future studies should explore why this aspect is missing or less valued by the WE. Declarations Funding: No funding was received for the publication Conflict of interest: No conflict of interest is reported by the author. Availability of data: The data is available and can be acquired from corresponding author. Code availability: Excel software has been used for data management and analysis. Authors’ contribution: HK played a pivotal role in the conceptualization and idea generation of the research. Additionally, HK was responsible for conducting the study, data collection, analysis, and writing the initial report. AA contributed significantly to the review and refinement of the manuscript. 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Integration of work and life roles: an interpretive study of women entrepreneurs in the United Arab Emirates. Cross Cultural & Strategic Management , 31 (2), 309-334. Wiklund, J., Nikolaev, B., Shir, N., Foo, M. D., & Bradley, S. (2019). Entrepreneurship and well-being: Past, present, and future. Journal of business venturing , 34 (4), 579-588. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6988557","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":498707779,"identity":"5d9fb989-6e98-460f-a6f9-2a2e336de024","order_by":0,"name":"Hyder Kamran","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAxklEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACAzBiSJBjYOAB0mwkaDEmXUtiA9FazCWSNz6uYEhL33C89wDDh7LDDPxiB/BrsZyRVmx4hiEnd8OZcwmMM84dZpCcnUDAYTdyzCQbGCpyN9zIMWDmbTvMYHCbsBbzn0At6QYgLX+J1GLG2MCQkwDWwkiUljPPiiUbDNIMZwL9crDnXDoPYb8cT974saEiWZ7veO/BBz/KrOX4pQloYRAAKTCAsA8wQCKUAOA/QFjNKBgFo2AUjHAAAAULRRt7XTIWAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Universiti Putra Malaysia, Sarawak Campus","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hyder","middleName":"","lastName":"Kamran","suffix":""},{"id":498707793,"identity":"48e9e020-3859-4de3-a252-a1f350b205b1","order_by":1,"name":"Aryaty Binti Alwie","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universiti Putra Malaysia, Sarawak Campus","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Aryaty","middleName":"Binti","lastName":"Alwie","suffix":""},{"id":498707795,"identity":"93e06b72-764d-433e-8fa9-304267500634","order_by":2,"name":"Sharon Ong Yong Yee","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universiti Putra Malaysia, Sarawak Campus","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sharon","middleName":"Ong Yong","lastName":"Yee","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-06-27 06:38:21","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6988557/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6988557/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":89233301,"identity":"71759691-4afe-49c8-a274-74850a764e53","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-17 14:33:14","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":66287,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMind map of EWB and its associates\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6988557/v1/d3fa11747e524f530c88da0e.png"},{"id":94438814,"identity":"c329438b-603e-41d9-a599-0ad77a96db9f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-27 14:22:05","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":911762,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6988557/v1/538f4913-ea99-41ad-be61-fa83a99faedb.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"A Qualitative Phenomenological Study on the Multiplier Effects of Women Entrepreneurship within an Integrated Conceptual Framework","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Background of the study","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec2\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e1.1 Integrated framework of WE\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWomen entrepreneurship has emerged as an economic reality and women entrepreneurs (WE) contribute significantly towards both economic growth (Kaviarasu et al., 2022) and societal development (Dewi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). It is also observed that WE improve the societal image of women (Sajjad et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). WE play a pivotal role in economic development, because they spur economic activities. It is believed that WE tend to focus on social goals, while the men focus on the economic goals (Chatterjee et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Extent of literature highlights that WE tend to fulfil their psychological needs, and contribute towards family well-being (Shir et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Wiklund et al., 2018; Williams and Shepherd, 2016). But entrepreneurs have to work in stressful situations because of fear of failure, long working hours, dealing with uncertainty, and multiple roles (Hoegl and Hartmann, 2021; Hartmann et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). The situation is even adverse for WE working in developing countries, where they are expected to meet the societal expectations, roles of caregiving, and family roles along with their professional duties (Kaciak \u0026amp; Welsh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; De Clercq et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Neneh \u0026amp; Welsh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Kasema, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). These roles are different from the responsibilities of their male counterparts, which makes entrepreneurial activities more challenging for WE (Adiza et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Dzomonda et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Accordingly, these conflicting roles exert enormous pressure on WE, because the entrepreneurial venture along with the gender-expected roles create conflicting demands, resulting in the adverse effects on women (De Clercq et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Stephan et al., 2020). The effects may include, but not limited to, the family \u0026amp; life satisfaction (Benlian, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) and overall well being (Neneh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecently, Abdalla and Ahmad (2023) through literature survey approach reviewed 22 years (2001-23) of literature (115 articles) related to 57 countries and identified that WE face 06 major challenges including financial, lack of knowledge, gender discrimination, socio-cultural factors, government support and work-life balance. Moreover, the socio-economic contribution of women is extensively unappreciated in society (Shashidhara et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), which may influence the WE at psychological levels (e.g. their WB).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLiterature highlights that there are numerous factors that influence the WE at psychological levels. There are two major divisions of these factors, i.e. (i) work-related factors and (ii) family and society relate factors. But recently, Tahir (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e) has proposed to integrate these factors and highlighted that \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003ewe need to move away from an outdated framework that treats family and work as isolated silos\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo; (p.21), and termed it as an \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eintegrated framework\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo;. It is also evident that the Byrne et al., (2019) also stated that for a WE, the personal and professional goals do not run in parallel rather integrate. It is also identified that often there are blurred boundaries between work and family roles for a WE, because often the WE aim at improving the quality of life of their family and uplift the social status of their belongings. Therefore, here the researchers consider the role of both the social and professional factors (integrated approach) and their influence on WE.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e1.2 Need for studying entrepreneurial well-being (EWB) \u0026amp; its environment\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs all the factors may influence WE both at the family and professional levels, studying the integrated outcomes is equally important. One of such an integrated factor, covering both the professional and family outcomes, is the Entrepreneurial Well-Being (EWB) of WE. According to Wiklund et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e), EWB \u003cem\u003ecovers the aspects of satisfaction, increased positive effects, reduced negative effects, and sense of fulfilment due to entrepreneurial acts.\u003c/em\u003e It is evident that WE often try to work for dual roles (i.e. family and business success), therefore, they are considered successful when they have accomplishments at both the levels (Najjinda et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, EWB would prevail when there is balanced growth at both the levels.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is a growing interest of researchers in studying EWB due to the stressful nature of work, but most of the studies have focused on the subjective well-being only (e.g. Wiklund et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Lukeš \u0026amp; Zouhar, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Nikolaev et al., 2024). Subjective well-being is defined as the \u003cem\u003ecognitive and affective evaluation of one\u0026rsquo;s life, and feelings about self, environment and the achievements\u003c/em\u003e (Diener et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e). It is considered an important aspect of one\u0026rsquo;s success because it denotes the overall satisfaction with entrepreneurial activity, its performance and productivity (Gashi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Studying WB is also important from the perspective of SDGs, where good health and well-being (SDG-3) are considered markers of growth at a country level (Stephan et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). According to Neneh (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) subjective well-being is more relevant for WE, because of their unique and challenging roles in the society.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNonetheless, the studies on EWB are criticized because the conventional literature focuses on the material success as a parameter of WB, for instance, the parameters of satisfaction with entrepreneurial acts, its performance and productivity (Gashi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Recent literature highlights the need of studying the unorthodox parameters of entrepreneurial success for WE. For instance, Eunice et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) highlighted the need of studying WB in the following words: \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eAssessment of entrepreneurship activities need to go beyond economic success and to also look at the relational and subjective well being of the entrepreneur\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo; (p. 388). Lepeley (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) further commented that women-led businesses should not be evaluated with the scales that are used for men-entrepreneurial ventures. She named it as a \u003cem\u003emultiplier effect\u003c/em\u003e which is the contribution towards both the society (job creation and economic activities etc.) and family (children education, family care, and care for parents etc.). As there is limited literature available on the concept of multiplier effect, therefore, it has been valued as a novel concept needing further investigation, and the same has been investigated qualitatively in this study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe two forms of EWB are discussed by Stephan (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) as well who highlighted that two forms of WB perspective need to be studied, i.e. Hedonic WB (satisfaction and contentment with the achievements) and Eudaimonic WB (thriving and energizing effects). She further highlighted that due to trade-off of personal resources (energy, family time and leisure) the entrepreneurs should not only be focusing on the contentment for achievements rather should focus on the future gains (backed by thriving \u0026ndash; Eudaimonic WB), as the trade-off affects overall career goals and aspirations. Stephan (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) further highlighted that available literature on the WB has focused on the hedonic aspects of WB (life satisfaction and happiness), while ignoring the Eudaimonic WB. Therefore, the future studies should focus on studying both the aspects of WB.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e1.3 Research Problem and Significance\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSome recent studies have also highlighted some gaps in literature, and the need for studying them. For instance, Eunice et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) highlighted the gap in the following words \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eThe discourse on the gains of entrepreneurship is however silent about the implications of combining entrepreneurship with household and community tasks and responsibilities\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo; (p. 374). Lepeley (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) also signified that the WE have to perform a multiplier effect, a novel and under-investigated phenomenon, in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Stephan (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) has highlighted the need of studying all these aspects in tandem, as she commented \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003ethere was no agreement among the reviewed studies on what the most relevant aspects are, how they should be captured, and through what micro-foundational processes they influence MWB\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo; (Mental-health and Well-being) (p.39). They further highlighted that there are two limitations with reference to WE literature, including, (i) contradictory conclusions about WE behaviors, and (ii) considering WE as a homogenous group to male entrepreneurs. Therefore, they identified that \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003ethere is a need for more in-depth investigations into women\u0026rsquo;s self-views of their gender as entrepreneurs to help shed light on this phenomenon\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo; (p. 5).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStudying WB of WE is important because it is considered as a sustainability pathway which fosters inclusive growth (Najjinda et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). According to Shir et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) EWB entails autonomy, competence and motivation to operate the business venture while keeping-up with the family roles. But literature highlights that the results on EWB are mixed and in most of the developing countries WE lack feelings of WB. For instance, Culbreth et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e) highlighted that 32% WE do not feel EWB and remain stressed. Due to dual roles, women have to compromise on either role (Ahmed and Riaz, 2024), as Ebhote (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) highlighted that 95% of WE feel difficulty in balancing their work and family lives. Therefore, there lies a need to study the determinants of EWB and how it could be improved (Najjinda et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). According to Stephan (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) review studies have identified that WB of entrepreneurs is influenced by the trade-off across life domains (work and life domains). Binder and Coad (2016) also identified that both these aspects of life are closely related and reported that high satisfaction with the work is related to low satisfaction with the income and leisure-time. Stephan (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) called for studying this association by commenting \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003etrade-offs related to entrepreneur\u0026rsquo;s work remain unexplored\u003c/em\u003e (p.39). The current study attempts to answer this call as well.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e1.4 Research Questions\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study answers these calls, attempts to fill the highlighted gaps and contribute to the literature by finding answer of the following main research question:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRQ1\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow do WE perceive and define their EWB (i.e. Hedonic, Eudaimonic, or both)?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRQ2\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eIs EWB determined by the integrated factors (i.e. both work and non-work factors)?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRQ3\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat is the role of WLB (either a challenge or not) for WE between their integrated factors and EWB?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"2. Research Methodology","content":"\u003cp\u003eConsidering the research questions of the study, we employed a qualitative approach. Qualitative study offers a way of finding answers of exploratory questions and provides a rich understanding of the prevailing issue (Cresswell, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). Qualitative research is also valued for its ability to offer links between literature and evidence. Furthermore, constructionist phenomenology is used to understand the phenomenon (Gephart and Richardson, 2008). Cresswell (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e) also highlights that this approach enables researchers to understand the perspective broadly and arrive at detailed personal accounts of them. Numerous studies have used this approach in order to find answers of questions related to WE (e.g. Gioia et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e; Morse, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e; Tahir, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sample of the study consisted of women entrepreneurs operating in Peshawar Mardan and Swat cities of Pakistan. These cities belong to a highly collectivist and traditional society of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province. This province is attributed as the conventional, masculine, patriarchal society where entrepreneurship is the economic activity denoted to men only. As the purpose of the study was to explore the phenomenon of EWB (Hedonic and Eudaimonic), WLB and integrated factors, the married WE, having kids and family to look after, were selected for interviews.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePurposive sampling technique (a form of non-probability sampling) was used to select the sample. According to Boddy (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e), sample selection in qualitative studies is dependent upon the scientific paradigm and context of the study. Sample size was selected using the saturation point, information power and rule of thumb approaches. Use of saturation point (i.e. \u0026ldquo;a point where data stops offering new insights\u0026rdquo;) is a common practice in qualitative studies (Ahmed et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e, p. 724), but Malterud et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) recommended using \u0026ldquo;information power\u0026rdquo; instead of saturation as determinant of sample size. Contrarily, for a phenomenological inquiry different researchers have recommended a different rule-of-thumb as well (Sharma et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). For instance, a sample size of 3\u0026ndash;10 (Dukes, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1984\u003c/span\u003e; Larkin et al., 2019), 8\u0026ndash;12 (Ray, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e), minimum 6 participants (Morse, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e), and 5\u0026ndash;15 participants (Creswell et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e) are considered sufficient. Building on the given guidelines, the current study was based on a sample size of 18, which was well above the threshold values recommended by various researchers. Moreover, the researchers obtained a saturation at the 15 interviews and carried out three more interviews in follow-up to validate the responses (following the guidelines of Latham, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). As the researchers obtained desired information that could answer the questions (as suggested by Malterud et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) the interviews were stopped and data analysis was carried out. The point where data collection should be stopped is called the \u0026ldquo;sweet spot\u0026rdquo;, as it avoids the overflow of information and helps in collecting only the relevant data (Crouch and McKenzie, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e). Details of the interviewees are provided in table-1.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The respondents were invited for an interview and a written consent form was shared to them before the interview. All in all, the form was provided to 34 WE after obtaining their consent verbally. But due to non-availability or unwillingness lately, only 18 showed up for the interview. The interviews were conducted at the place where interviewees showed their willingness to appear for an interview. The purpose was to create an easy environment where there is no pressure and responses are bias-free. The average time of an interview was 58 minutes. The semi-structured interviews were designed where the basic questions were listed while the probing and following up questions, to dig-down deep into phenomenon, were based on the situation, answers of main questions and the interviewees\u0026rsquo; interests. The main questions were prepared by reviewing the published literature. The interviews were carried out in local language (Pashtu), which is easily understood and spoken by masses. The answers were recorded and later transcribed into English by the authors. The transcription was also shown to University professors who were native speakers of Pashtu and were teaching in English for more than 10 years. Their feedback was included and the finalized draft of the transcription was used for thematic analysis.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe transcriptions, themes and the findings were continuously evaluated for the quality and objectivity (absence of subjectivity) by cross-checking approach. The final analysis portion was also cross-verified by the two experts as well using a blinded approach. The thematic outcomes are presented in table-2 and figure-1.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable-1\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eDemographics of interviewees\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Taba\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"9\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSerial #\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusiness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYear of start\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAge (years)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarried since (years)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualification\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e# of kids\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFamily type\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInterview duration\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRetail\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2013\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e75 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOnline retailing\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2020\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e35\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelors\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNuclear\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFashion designer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2018\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelors\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNuclear\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e58 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeautician\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2017\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e73 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSolar business\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2015\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e63 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIT firm\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2018\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e39\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelors\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e68 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCorporate Consultancy\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2019\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e72 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEducation sector\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2021\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e55 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEngineering firm\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2019\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelors\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e53 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCorporate Consultancy\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2022\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e58 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIT firm\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2021\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e63 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHealth sector\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2022\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNuclear\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e59 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTrading\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2016\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNuclear\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e68 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOnline business\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2018\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e55 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEducation sector\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2016\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e52 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFashion designer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2021\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelors\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtended\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e63 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHospitality business\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2020\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNuclear\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e57 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEducational consultancy\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2021\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasters\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNuclear\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e52 mins\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1 covers the demographical details of the interviews, where it is evident that majority of the interviewees have business experience of more than 05 years (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;10), with age up to 35 (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;9), having master degree (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;13), with 2 kids (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;9), and living in extended family (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;9, family where a couple with kids living with their parents, aunts, uncles and other relatives), and most of the interviews lasted between 50\u0026ndash;55 minutes.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. Findings","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe findings of the study are reported against each research question (RQ). The following sections cover the findings against each research questions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable-2\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eMajor codes and themes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Tabb\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExample Quotation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary code\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSecondary code\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheme\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor a woman, success is the success of family and kids. I work for my business which is my dream but I only feel contended when my kids are successful and my family is not compromised (Respondent # 7).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFamily success\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eConcept of Entrepreneurial well-being\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHedonic well-being\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBusiness is an important family element for me and my husband. We have a clear agreement that my business earnings are devoted for my kids (their education and health). Furthermore, I invest my profits for future of my kids and myself as well. But in all these decisions I have full support of my husband. Therefore, I feel a sense of fulfilment in business and its success is the well-being for my family (Respondent # 9)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFamily satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;For me, I am at well-being when I can have a win-win situation both at the family and work lives. My success is success at both the ends and I can only be happy when I have a happy family and I don\u0026rsquo;t have to forego one end to satisfy other\u0026rdquo; (Respondent # 18).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusiness performance and success\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;For me both the work and non-work factors are important. For instance, without the family support and willingness it was not possible for me to start my business. I had financial, moral, and emotional support of my husband when I started my business. Now, we both sit together and look after the matters of business\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;In a challenging situation, I feel that my family, spouse and siblings stand with me and I can thrive well (Respondent # 1).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFamily support\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNon-work-related factors\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\" morerows=\"5\" rowspan=\"6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntegrated factors\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpouse support\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;For a WE the only option is to be successful otherwise the society and family may not give another chance. Therefore, it becomes a situation of do-or-die for us\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;Due to specific societal roles, it is difficult for us to bounce back (Respondent # 10).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocial factors\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I failed initially as I was betrayed by my employees\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;my spouse helped me a lot in identifying the ways of bouncing back. Through the moral, emotional and financial support, he encouraged me to get back to my work\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;.and I would have been unable to be successful without his support (Respondent # 13).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmployee behavior\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWork-related factors\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEven the customers consider female business owners someone who can be easily mistreated and display negative behaviors (Respondent # 17).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCustomer (mis)treatment\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGender-based stereotypes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.1 Conceptualization of EWB:\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe RQ1 aimed at exploring the perceptions of WE about their EWB (Hedonic, Eudaimonic or both). The first part of the question aimed at eliciting the responses of the WE about their concept of EWB. The interview-based data highlighted that WE were able to given meanings to EWB. Overall, WE attributed EWB as the well-being of both the life roles (i.e. family and business), but most of them focused on the familial roles at the first instance. It was also observed that the interviewees focused on the gains, success, performance and balance as the outcomes of the business activities, which highlighted that the WE attributed EWB as the hedonic perspective only and did not focus on the Eudaimonic perspective (the future of business, career growth etc.). These findings, therefore, helped us infer the meanings of EWB as perceived by the WE.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings highlighted that there were some differences in the meanings associated to EWB, which could be attributed to the personal variables (e.g. age, type of business, experience of business, and type of family). For instance, it was apparent that WE with more years of married life, were more stable at their family part (i.e. due to grown up kids, established family and professional lives and a developed family cycle). On the other hand, the newly married women connotated different meanings of EWB.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was apparent that most of the WE associated both family and work success as the well-being. For instance, one of the interviewees highlighted that\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor a woman, success is the success of family and kids. I work for my business which is my dream but I only feel contended when my kids are successful and my family is not compromised (Respondent # 7).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was also observed that only material success (in business) is also important, because WE work not only for their self-fulfillment but also to support their family. WE try to earn which is used for the development and education of their kids. Their business earning has also been used to make some investments for future. Therefore, few of the WE highlighted that the business is also important for their family. As one of them quoted in the following words:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBusiness is an important family element for me and my husband. We have a clear agreement that my business earnings are devoted for my kids (their education and health). Furthermore, I invest my profits for future of my kids and myself as well. But in all these decisions I have full support of my husband. Therefore, I feel a sense of fulfilment in business and its success is the well-being for my family (Respondent # 9).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne of the interviewees highlighted that EWB is the well-being of both the ends, where a win-win situation exists and there are no compromises on either of the ends. As it was narrated:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;For me, I am at well-being when I can have a win-win situation both at the family and work lives. My success is success at both the ends and I can only be happy when I have a happy family and I don\u0026rsquo;t have to forego one end to satisfy other\u0026rdquo; (Respondent # 18).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUpon inquiring for the compromises and priorities, most of the women highlighted that for them family is more important than their business. This may be attributed to the societal factors and the role assumed for the female members of the society. One of the interviewees highlighted the value of family in the following words:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;In our society, the roles are clearly distinguished like a male is to earn for the family while the female is responsible for kids and family. Certainly, the family is the first priority for a female and I can\u0026rsquo;t accept business at the cost of my family\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;. simply stating, I can leave my business for my kids and family\u0026rdquo; (Respondent # 12).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA similar response was recorded for another interviewee who highlighted that family roles are important which direct the females towards their economic activities. It was also highlighted that even the parents of female entrepreneurs (along with the in-laws), influence their decisions and their choices are largely influenced by the familial system. The interviewees highlighted that the family system has both pros and cons, but they displayed overall contentment with the familial and cultural system. One of the WE stated her view of the EWB, while aligning the family satisfaction in the following ways:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;We live in a society which is collectivist in nature, and a marriage binds two families together. Our decisions are largely influenced by both the families and their will \u0026amp; wish is important while taking an initiative. Therefore, the happiness and contentment of both the families is important for us\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;In addition to that, without familial support the survival of WE is not possible, therefore, family and business go side by side while prioritizing family is crucial\u0026rdquo; (Respondent # 4).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.2 Integrated Factors of EWB:\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe next research question was aimed at identifying the factors that influence the EWB. Literature highlights that EWB is influenced by both the work and non-work factors, while Tahir (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e) highlighted that the WE are influenced by the integrated factors (termed it as integrated framework) and proposed that the outdated frameworks should be replaced with the new ones. Based on this call, RQ2 focused on looking at the role of integrated factors in developing feelings of EWB.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe interview-based data highlighted that WE considered both work and non-work factors important for their EWB. Work factors included the business performance, achievement of objectives, customer feedback, and employee response towards the WE. The non-work factors were found working differently for different stages of entrepreneurship; for instance, at the infancy stage the family support is considered most important. In the later stages, the social support, family thriving, work-life balance, financial support, and social status are considered the most important. The findings are highlighted by the interviewees in their responses. For instance, one of the interviewees highlighted the role of work-related factors in the following words:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;For me both the work and non-work factors are important. For instance, without the family support and willingness it was not possible for me to start my business. I had financial, moral, and emotional support of my husband when I started my business. Now, we both sit together and look after the matters of business\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;..In a challenging situation, I feel that my family, spouse and siblings stand with me and I can thrive well (Respondent # 1).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother respondent highlighted that the family role is the most important as few businesses are largely dependent upon the family support, because those businesses may not be liked or preferred by the people due to ideological differences (e.g. fashion designing and beautician). One of the interviewees who were doing a fashion designer business highlighted her challenges and how she felt EWB with the help and support of the family.\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I feel that my business is better when it performs well in terms of financial and market performance. But the performance is often undermined by the family and social roles, as I believe that my achievements are actually my family achievements\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;. (Respondent # 3).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInterviewee # 3 further narrated her story and highlighted that initially due to family norms, and absence of social and family support she faced challenges. She was not even backed by her husband which reduced the pace of her business. But financial crunch in her family created a situation where she was able to support her family. She narrated it as:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;the financial crunch proved to be a blessing for my business, as I supported my husband in bad times and in return he dedicated his support, encouraged me and support me a lot. Even my family stance on starting a fashion designer business changed.\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;. the change in social norms (shift to more brands, and fashion acceptance in society) also paved the way for my business growth, thus influencing overall business performance and EWB (Respondent # 3).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne of the interviewees also highlighted that the family support is important but the business performance is linked with the business performance. It was reported that when a WE start and operates a business she needs to run a profitable business, otherwise it becomes difficult to bounce back due to family and social pressures and prevailing stereotypes. One of them stated her view point with her experience:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;For a WE the only option is to be successful otherwise the society and family may not give another chance. Therefore, it becomes a situation of do-or-die for us\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;.. Due to specific societal roles, it is difficult for us to bounce back (Respondent # 10).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother interviewee highlighted that initially her business failed due to fraud of employees, and her inability to deal tough customers. But it was the spouse and in-law\u0026rsquo;s family that supported her in bouncing back in this situation. She narrated it in the following words:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I failed initially as I was betrayed by my employees\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;my spouse helped me a lot in identifying the ways of bouncing back. Through the moral, emotional and financial support, he encouraged me to get back to my work\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;.and I would have been unable to be successful without his support (Respondent # 13).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlong with the family, the culture was considered to be a challenge by the WE. It was highlighted that due to expected roles from a woman, starting a business is considered something odd. It was also highlighted that culture is masculine in nature where entrepreneurship is considered a male-act. Two interviewees expressed almost similar feelings in the following words:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Culture of KPK is masculine where earning and being socialized is the role of a male while for females it is something odd. The culture does not accept women very easily and therefore it is challenging to be accepted as WE in the society (Respondent # 10).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;Even the customers consider female business owners someone who can be easily mistreated and display negative behaviors (Respondent # 17).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.3 Status of Work-life balance:\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWE also highlighted that it was difficult to manage both the spheres simultaneously, as the family domain was considered as the prime responsibility of a woman. They highlighted that the culture, society and family required some specific roles from a married woman. The woman is expected to meet those objectives at the first instance. Therefore, the successful and happy woman is one who is better in family roles and then in the professional roles. Two interviewees expressed their view in the following words:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe live in a male-dominated society, where a woman is supposed to take care for the family members, kids and parents in-laws. This is what we have been taught and groomed for by our parents. I believe my success lies in the happiness of my family. I also believe that when they have permitted me and encouraged me (supported and motivated) to start business, I should reciprocate them and should never comprise on my primary roles (Respondent # 15).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMy family is my biggest support and I am successful in business due to their encouragement, motivation and support they have provided in since the inception of my business. I feel that I am happy when my family is happy and I can also run my business smoothly, but family is always first for me. Therefore, for me balancing both the spheres is important and my well-being is when I can maintain this balance (Respondent # 14).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was also observed that it is difficult to maintain the WLB, as often one end has to be compromised while focusing on the other. One of the interviewees highlighted it in the following words:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eWe (WE) role-around in two spheres i.e. family and work. It is a challenge for us to maintain a balance. But the happiest moment is when we can balance the both and I believe that it is the situation of fulfillment when the balance is there\u0026rdquo; (Respondent # 11).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was also observed that balancing both the spheres may vary across the types of businesses. For instance, WE working in the domain of online business and education sector highlighted that it is not difficult to maintain a balance between both the work-ends. For instance, one of the interviewees highlighted that:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eMy business makes it easy for me to maintain a balance, though I often have divided thoughts but still being at home and doing a virtual business makes things easy for me\u0026rdquo; (Respondent # 14).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I believe starting an educational venture (school or coaching center) is a promising business for WE, because it takes less of your efforts and later you can give a good time to your family. Therefore, it is easy to maintain a balance while being in education business (Respondent # 15).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile inquiring for the factors that may influence the WLB, it was identified that the market factors, business growth, family support and alternative arrangements for family are the most important factors that influence the WLB. For instance, one of the interviewees had highlighted that:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;..market either creates opportunities or threats for WE, in both the cases the entrepreneur needs to active and focused which requires time and energy. Failure in doing so may influence business negatively. But in such a case often family is compromised which creates an imbalance (Respondent # 16)\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUpon inquiring for the ways through which WLB can be improved, it was identified that majority of the WE highlighted a blend of factors while majorly related to family and social support. Almost all of the respondents highlighted that the biggest strength for a WE are the family and it may help in overcoming all the adversities of business. One of the respondents, highlighted that:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;the imbalance between work-and-life can be converted to balance if we have a support from the family members. Entrepreneurs, often need to work for long hours, while is done at the cost of the family, but when family understands and supports such acts the balance is maintained\u0026rdquo; (Respondent # 8).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother interviewee highlighted that the along with the family the personal preferences does matter. She highlighted that it\u0026rsquo;s the priority and preference of the WE and so the balance or imbalance would be influenced by that. It was highlighted that when a WE focus on family domain she can earn the support of the family members which helps her in maintaining the balance. It was stated:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;. the balance is to be maintained which can be done by prioritizing the family over others. If we do so and earn a trust of the family it becomes easy to get help from family in maintain the balance. Therefore, I believe that we can maintain WLB when we have a good family relation\u0026rdquo; (Respondent # 11).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurther probing highlighted that WLB is also influenced by the other personality of the WE. It was observed that a WE with calm and emotionally stable personality considered WLB a challenge which could be handled with some efforts, as one of the respondents stated:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;being an elder family member, I was nurtured to be more composed and conflict handler, therefore, I feel that it is less challenging for me to maintain a balance between work and my personal life\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;. Though my spouse is supportive and takes care for my goals, but still my personality also helps me manage the things in a befitting manner\u0026rdquo; (Respondent # 8).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study attempts to find answers to three research questions where the focus was to identify how WE translate their EWB (identification of the multiplier effects), identify the integrated framework (work and non-work factors) and role of WLB in the relationship. The results indicate (see figure-1) that WE translate their EWB as the success in their business as well as family life. The results also signify that WE consider hedonic well-being as the concept of EWB (Stephen, 2018). These results are aligned with the findings of the past studies, where it has been reported that WE have effects on their family as well overall life satisfaction (Benlian, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Neneh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). The results also highlight that EWB covers the aspects of both the family and work life and therefore the performance of WE are successful in both the work and family aspects (Wiklund et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). These results are also in-line with the Najjinda et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e) findings which highlighted that women consider their success in the form of achievements in both the work and family domains. Therefore, the subject of subjective well-being is supported by the study results (e.g. Lukeš \u0026amp; Zouhar, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Nikolaev et al., 2024; Wiklund et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). The results also infer that subjective well-being is more linked with WE, as highlighted by Neneh (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). It is also apparent that the concept of successful entrepreneurial venture for WE can be redefined by considering success in both business and family domains (Gashi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). The results also provide an explanation for the multiplier effects of the WE in terms of hedonic and eudaimonic WB. The results reveal that the concept of EWB is hedonic in nature and the focus on Eudaimonic WB (thriving and career focus) was not observed. Therefore, the results reveal some important insight and provide a qualitative-evidence of the concept of EWB prevalent in the area of study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study results also highlighted the role of factors that influence the EWB. The results revealed that integrated factors (both work and non-work factors) influence the overall EWB. These results support the assertion that WE need to meet the professional duties along with their societal expectations (Kaciak \u0026amp; Welsh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; De Clercq et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Neneh \u0026amp; Welsh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Kasema, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). It is apparent that due to conflicting demands (De Clercq et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Stephen et al., 2020), WE tend to manage both the ends of life and therefore both the aspects ultimately affect their EWB (Neneh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). These results also align with the literature survey of Abdalla and Ahmad (2023) who identified that social, work and family factors influence the overall well-being of entrepreneurs. The WE highlighted the value of both the family and work-related factors. These results are in-line with the concept of \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eintegrated factors\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo; of WE focusing on both the work and non-work factors. The results also highlighted that both personal and professional goals integrate with each other (Byrne et al., 2019). Moreover, the WE work for both the social and work factors in integration.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results highlight that WE consider the business performance, achievement of objectives, customer feedback and employee response towards the WE as the important factors of EWB. It was observed that the society considered entrepreneurship as a male act while female WE may be exploited by the society members (e.g. employees and customers). The interviewees highlighted few cases where the customers and employees exploited the WE, while the family proved to be a last-resort or protection against social suppressions. All in all, WE highlighted that family support (spouse, siblings, kids and relatives) proves to be the most important strength for WE against all adversities and challenges. Similar results are found in other developing countries; for instance, Dutt et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) found that WE with higher family support have felt stronger EWB in Tanzanian samples. Kameyama et al., (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e) considered family as a security and support and highlighted that it covers financial, emotional and social support. Based on these findings it is observed that family and business are closely knitted and the current study is an empirical evidence of the words of Stephan (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e), \u0026ldquo;\u0026hellip;\u003cem\u003ea more socialized view of entrepreneurs in their work-life contexts\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo; (p. 38).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe last research question was focused on eliciting the role of work-life balance (WLB) between integrated factors and multiplier effects. The qualitative investigation again highlighted that almost all of the WE highlighted the value of WLB and considered it an important predictor of the EWB. The respondents highlighted that due to family and cultural norms WE are expected to prefer their family roles over others. The results signified that WE considered WLB an important aspect of their life domains where balancing the work with their family life is important. Data also revealed that the women prefer to carry their family roles at first instance, which enables them to maintain the balance. The respondents also highlighted that the balance can be maintained when they have support from their family and society. These results are consistent with the findings of existing literature on WE, where it was observed that WE need to balance their family (caregiving, societal, meeting family expectation) and work roles (Kaciak \u0026amp; Welsh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; De Clercq et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Neneh \u0026amp; Welsh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Kasema, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). The findings signified the role of family, spouse, environment (non-work factors) and financial challenges, societal impact, customer and employee (work factors) as determinants of WLB. These results were consistent and aligned with the work of Tahir et al., (2024) who highlighted that WLB is influenced by the integrated factors. The findings also supported the integration belief of Byrne et al., (2019) who highlighted the value of considering both work and non-work factors in predicting the EWB.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings also revealed that WLB was considered important for maintaining the EWB, as WE translated that their WB as an interplay of their family and work (Shashidhara et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). WE highlighted that they consider EWB when they are able to balance their work and family roles, i.e. they have successful business as well as have successful family life. Therefore, EWB is believed to exist when there is WLB and the family, work and social factors are favorable.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.1 Theoretical Implications of the study\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study offers some insightful theoretical implications. For instance, it highlights the meanings of EWB as conceptualized by the WE in a closely knitted, collectivist and patriarchal society. The results highlight that WE consider EWB as a hedonic value and do not consider the Eudaimonic WB (Stephan, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). The results help us contribute to literature on WE by providing a conceptualization of EWB in a specific cultural perspective. These results also signify and reaffirm the belief of Lepeley (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) who highlighted that women-led businesses should not be evaluated with the measures that are used for the male-led businesses. Therefore, the study offers a performance measure on which WE can be evaluated for their achievements and performance. This study also values the calls of previous studies (e.g. Eunice et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Lepeley, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Najjidnda et al., 2024; Stephan, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) where studying WE for their performance, outcomes and well-being have been called upon.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study also affirmed the findings of the Tahir (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e) where it was proposed that an integrated framework should be studied to see the determinants of outcomes of WE. The study, through an exploratory framework, discovers the factors that can influence the EWB. The results identified are novel which cover both work and non-work factors (integrated factors). The significance of the non-work factors (family, spouse, society etc.) is highlighted where the work-related factors have also been valued. The results reveal that WE perceive the family and spousal support crucial for overcoming all types of challenges (even the workplace challenges). Therefore, the WE from collectivist, and strong family set-up-based countries would prefer the family support as the main support mechanism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings regarding WLB perspective signify that integrated factors (work and non-work) collectively influence the WLB, where the balance maintenance could be better when support is provided at the family level. It was noticed that family actors help in improving the work performance as well, where the challenges related to work could be overcome using the support of family actors. Therefore, WLB was cherished as an outcome of family thriving and the strong roots of the family system influenced the WLB in a befitting manner. The further probing of WLB highlights that it further leads to EWB, which was defined as the success in both work and family life. The findings therefore highlight that the WLB falls in the center of the integrated factors and EWB. The same has been an unattended area of research which has been one of the major focuses of the current study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.2 Policy implications\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study highlights some important policy implications as well, where the foremost is the focusing on not only the WE but also the social mechanism. The policy makers should give an enriching experience and make policies where the familial life is supported, which will ultimately influence the overall entrepreneurial-ecosystem. The findings also highlighted that though the sample belonged to a male-dominated society, the same proved to be a strength because women felt it the biggest support for them. Therefore, the policy making regarding women-empowerment should not only consider the women but also the social-fabric.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results reveal that the family level factors are the most important factors influencing the WLB and EWB of WE. These findings again highlight the value of family, collectivism, spouses, siblings and society. The WE are deep-rooted into the social settings and consider themselves secure when they have support and protection from the family. The interview-based observations highlight that the WE bounced back, thrived, sustained and grew with the support of their families. Even the challenges faced by the women entrepreneurs showed that the last-resort was family as the support from family members worked strongly from business inception to growth and success. The success and performance of WE also paid back to the families as it was believed that the focus of business is to support the family and change the life of WE and their belongings. The findings therefore highlight the centrality of the family set-up and highlight the need of focus it requires.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.3 Future directions\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThough the study is carried out using a quality phenomenological approach, which suits and its selection is justified, yet it is prone to some limitations. The foremost is the choice of qualitative methodology, which given depth but fails to give generalizable results. The future researcher could use this study as a base-line and extend the study further by carrying out quantitative study. The study is based on interview-based findings from a collectivist and male-dominated society, the future studies could be carried out from individualistic, feminist, and shared cultures. The findings also highlighted that the family is the foci-point for WE selected in the sample, which may be an incidental finding. The future studies should validate these findings by collecting more samples, from different cities and provinces of Pakistan. The comparative qualitative/quantitative studies with the other countries (e.g. India and Bangladesh) could offer interesting insights, as these countries have common routes but unique cultures.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings highlight that integrated factors (dominated by non-work factors) influence the WLB which is linked with the EWB. The results also highlighted that the EWB is considered as the success in family and business both, where family is dominating factors. Therefore, the future researchers should study the role of family in nurturing WE. As the family support works at various stages of entrepreneurship their role should be studied for the contribution at all those levels. Future studies could also study the EWB as a part of gender equality, human rights, and sustainable development. There is an agreement that WE lead to job creation, regional development as well as the EWB, therefore, the future studies should be focusing on the multi-perspective approach of EWB. The current study finds that the WE focus on hedonic EWB only leaving the Eudaimonic aspects of WB. The future studies should explore why this aspect is missing or less valued by the WE.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eNo funding was received for the publication\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflict of interest:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eNo conflict of interest is reported by the author.\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe data is available and can be acquired from corresponding author.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCode availability:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eExcel software has been used for data management and analysis.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors\u0026rsquo; contribution:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eHK played a pivotal role in the conceptualization and idea generation of the research. Additionally, HK was responsible for conducting the study, data collection, analysis, and writing the initial report. AA contributed significantly to the review and refinement of the manuscript. This included critical analysis, content structuring, and incorporating relevant literature to strengthen the study.SO provided valuable insights through thorough manuscript review, draft preparation, and information audit. Her contributions ensured the accuracy, coherence, and overall quality of the research findings.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbdulla, F. S., \u0026amp; Ahmad, A. (2023). Challenges faced by women entrepreneurs of 21st Century: Literature review. \u003cem\u003eJournal of Management \u0026amp; Science\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e21\u003c/em\u003e(1), 16-16.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdiza, G. R., Alamina, U. P., \u0026amp; Aliyu, I. S. (2020). 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Entrepreneurship and well-being: Past, present, and future. \u003cem\u003eJournal of business venturing\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e34\u003c/em\u003e(4), 579-588.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Integrated framework, multiplier effects, family factors, work factors, work-life balance, person-entrepreneurship fit, entrepreneurial well-being","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6988557/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6988557/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePurpose\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003c/b\u003e Women entrepreneurship is an emerging field with several unanswered questions. This study investigates the integrated framework encompassing both work and non-work factors, and its multiplier effects, specifically on work-life balance (WLB) and entrepreneurial well-being (EWB), which remain largely underexplored\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eResearch methodology\u003c/em\u003e \u0026ndash; A phenomenological qualitative approach was employed. Data were collected through 18 semi-structured interviews, reaching saturation. Thematic analysis was conducted to extract main and sub-themes that illustrate the lived experiences of women entrepreneurs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFindings \u0026ndash;\u003c/em\u003e The study reveals that women entrepreneurs primarily conceptualize EWB through the lens of hedonic well-being, neglecting its eudaimonic dimension. The findings highlight that integrated work and non-work factors collectively influence EWB, with non-work elements such as family, spouse, children, and social support playing a dominant role. WLB is shown to stem from familial support and balance between domestic and business responsibilities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eResearch limitations\u003c/em\u003e \u0026ndash; The research is limited to a specific cultural and geographic context, which may restrict generalizability. Future research could apply mixed methods or cross-cultural comparisons.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePractical implications\u003c/em\u003e \u0026ndash; The results underscore the need for family-inclusive policies and support systems that enhance women\u0026rsquo;s entrepreneurial outcomes and well-being.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOriginality/Value\u003c/em\u003e \u0026ndash; This study adds value by introducing a context-specific, integrated framework of women entrepreneurship and EWB, advancing theoretical and empirical understanding of multiplier effects\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"A Qualitative Phenomenological Study on the Multiplier Effects of Women Entrepreneurship within an Integrated Conceptual Framework","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-08-17 14:25:10","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6988557/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"5d303bf9-6a37-4cd5-99db-ba46ae38bcc4","owner":[],"postedDate":"August 17th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-10-27T10:45:05+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-08-17 14:25:10","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6988557","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6988557","identity":"rs-6988557","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}