„Nekem nincs bajom a hétfő reggelekkel.” – Vállalkozói tevékenység mint hivatás? Kevert módszertanú vizsgálat a hivatás, az identitás és a pszichológiai jóllét összefüggéseiről vállalkozók körében

Abstract

Background and Aims: For some entrepreneurs, work is not merely a means of livelihood but a calling imbued with deeper meaning and commitment. However, less is known about how this experience develops and which psychological factors sustain it over time. This study adopts a psychological perspective on entrepreneurship, focusing on meaning, identity, and subjec­tive experience beyond economic or organizational aspects. The aim was to explore internal processes through which calling develops and identify factors that strengthen or weaken it.
Methods: An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was applied, allowing qualitative and quantitative approaches to complement each other. In the qualitative phase, thematic analysis was conducted on interviews with 31 entrepreneurs. In the quantitative phase, sta­tistical analyses were performed on a sample of 327 participants to examine the identified relationships.
Results: The interviews suggest that calling is a gradually unfolding process, accompanied by self-awareness development, alignment with personal values, and conscious work orga­nization. Statistical results indicated that the strongest predictor of calling was perceived meaning in work (β = 0.41), psychological well-being showed a weak negative effect (β = −0.21), while disenchantment showed a moderately negative relationship (β = −0.37). The model explained approximately half of the variance in calling (R² = 0.51).
Discussion: The findings confirm that calling in an entrepreneurial context is a consciously shapeable psychological phenomenon. Entrepreneurship provides a framework for autonomy and independent functioning, while calling is carried by the activity itself. The results high­light the role of meaning, identity, and the complex relationship of psychological well-being with calling.