Entrepreneurial Creativity, Well-being and Gender

The “Innovation Strategy of Andalusia 2020 (RIS3 Andalusia)” begins by pointing out that innovation is a key factor of competitiveness in the global economic context, reflected in the levels of economic development of the countries with the highest volume of investment in R&D, and in the indices related to the quality of life and well-being of the population. This statement becomes even more important in the context of the current crisis, which has harmed the economic and psychosocial well-being of the population. Therefore, the objective of this proposal is to analyze entrepreneurial creativity (from a dual perspective of stable trait and changing state) as a key element to achieve higher levels of innovation and well-being (economic and psychosocial). In addition, it studies its background (psychosocial risks, protection factors and gender) and aspects that modulate the proposed relationships (gender and industry and country context).

To make a contribution to the Andalusian economy, valid and reliable data is needed, as well as elements of comparison. Therefore, the project has been designed following the following research strategy:

1) A questionnaire has been designed that will be administered in more than 20 countries in 2 moments of time (1: resolution of the call and 2: 1 year later).

2) Daily longitudinal study for 4 weeks (2 weeks at each time point) in 10 of the more than 20 countries in the population.

3) The results will be analyzed taking into account the industry in which the entrepreneur operates.

4) The gender perspective will be taken into account, since it is likely that the effects of the measures applied during the crisis have been different between men and women in jobs that allow the typical flexibility of entrepreneurship.

The results obtained will contribute to the literature (they will be published in prestigious journals due to their impact factor) and to social agents to provide solutions to the crisis through the promotion of creativity.

Aims

1. To analyze the socioeconomic impact of the crisis on the entrepreneurial population during and after the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (conducting a comparative analysis between Spanish autonomous communities, more than 20 countries on five continents, industries and gender)..
2. To carry out a dual analysis of entrepreneurial creativity as a stable trait and as a changing state during and after the crisis.
3. To analyze the relationship between entrepreneurial creativity, innovation and economic and psychosocial health during and after the crisis.
4. To analyze the influence of gender on entrepreneurial creativity, its antecedents and consequences during and after the crisis.
5. To analyze how the psychosocial risks and protective factors of the entrepreneurial population during and after the crisis influence their creativity..
6. 6. To understand how the different contexts (country and industry) enabled or limited the variables analyzed in objectives 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 during and after the crisis

Expected impact

“Entrepreneurial creativity as a key resource for innovation and economic and psychosocial well-being in times of crisis: a gender analysis” is a project developed to have a marked international impact for three reasons:

1. 1. It has been designed with a global vision, since it analyzes the situation in Andalusia and compares it with that of the rest of Spain and the world to contribute to the Challenges of Andalusian Society, the objectives of the State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation 2017-2020 (hereinafter, State Plan), the Spanish Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2013-2020 (hereinafter, Spanish Strategy) and Horizon 2020. The results will be the starting point for establishing successful strategies that promote creativity, innovation and Andalusian, Spanish and international economic and psychosocial well-being.
      Specifically, it is a research project aimed at two of the challenges of Andalusian society: Challenge 6 “Inclusive, innovative and reflective societies”, and secondly Challenge 1 “Health, demographic change and social welfare”. These challenges are included in Horizon 2020, the objectives of the State Plan and the Spanish Strategy. In these lines we want to justify how our project will have a contribution to the challenges marked locally, state and internationally.Challenge 6 contributes to the 2018-2020 work program of Horizon 2020 “Europe in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective societies” and is called “Changes and social innovation”, according to the Spanish Strategy. This challenge includes disciplines such as Economics, Business Management and Psychology (all taken into account in this proposal), and highlights the character oriented towards R + D + i activities (which we take into account when analyzing creativity) considered from a double perspective: orientation to social challenges within the social sciences and humanities or new scenarios. We consider that the multidisciplinary nature used in this project to analyze the antecedents and consequences of creativity is in line with economics, the social sciences and the humanities; and that it is a good starting point to analyze the new scenario facing world society and seek the necessary interdisciplinary solutions to address the complexity of the social challenges we face. Finally, we also address this challenge using one of the main priorities of Challenge 6 of Horizon 2020: “Socioeconomic and cultural transformations in the context of the fourth industrial revolution”. Specifically, with “TRANSFORMATIONS-15-2020: Society and innovations: understanding the contexts, processes and consequences”. In addition, the State Plan also promotes the integration of research in the social sciences and humanities in R&D&i projects aimed at solving the problems raised in other challenges.Regarding the local, national and international contribution to Challenge 1: “Health, demographic change and well-being” (according to the State Plan and H2020). One of the priority areas of work for this challenge is research in public health, including environmental factors (which we take into account through the background of creativity), health and well-being in the workplace (fundamental aspect of this project, which we intend to develop through creativity). In addition, this project is closely related to two of the main priorities of Challenge 1 of H2020: ““1.4. Innovative health and care systems”. Specifically with, “SC1-BHC-22-2019: Mental health in the workplace”; and “1.5 Decoding the role of the environment, including climate change, for health and well-being”. Specifically with “SC1-BHC-29-2020: Innovative actions for improving urban health and wellbeing – addressing environment, climate and socioeconomic factors”.

1. 2. The team has a clear international character. The generation of the idea for the development of this proposal is part of an international team in which the principal researcher and three of the collaborating members of this proposal participate. Both the international nature of the members of the proposal and the population under study are two of its main contributions (see project report where the participation of 28 countries in the study is explained).
   3. The results will be disseminated internationally. This project is proposed with the aim of providing a scientific and technological impact that materializes in international academic and social results:

a. For key social agents from all participating countries and from other countries. The results of the project can materialize in recommendations for measures that sustain the continuity and growth of entrepreneurial activity, reducing the economic slowdown. In addition, our cross-cultural study offers a new way to understand how different health systems and political strategies related to COVID-19 interfere with the creativity of entrepreneurs. The results will be synthesized in reports, meetings, seminars. By placing Andalusia at the center of the study and having data on the rest of Spain and 27 other countries (at two points in time), the conclusions obtained can be used in the Andalusian economy with a sufficiently broad framework of comparison to establish the appropriate measures.

b. For entrepreneurs from all participating countries and other interested countries. The project offers them different types of benefits, both in the study phase and afterwards:

i. Feedback and support during telephone interviews. The team’s experience in investigations with daily interviews shows that they serve as an accompaniment. In such a difficult time, this support can be of vital importance. The groups in charge of the daily interviews have been designed taking into account the languages of the interviewers and interviewees.

ii. Reports with the main results. It is intended to prepare detailed reports and with improvement tools from the theoretical review carried out by the members (of the team and collaborators) of this research project and the data obtained in the two waves of interviews. The reports will also be written in various languages to facilitate their dissemination.

iii. Online and face-to-face seminars and workshops, in different languages, to disseminate the results and support entrepreneurship.

c. For society. The aggregate data of the study, reports and academic and popular articles will be available on the project website (ECREABIEN).

4. For the literature. At least five articles will be published in the most prestigious international journals.