IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jglont/v13y2023i1d10.1007_s40497-023-00367-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Envy and jealousy in entrepreneurial activities: existence and nature, causes, effects and management

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Agyekum Addo

    (Founder and CEO of Mikkaddo Holdings (Former KAMA Industries))

  • Isaac Mensah

    (University of Education, Winneba, School of Business)

Abstract

Envy and jealousy arising out of human emotions have received limited attention in the entrepreneurship literature. This paper explored the nature and existence of envy and jealousy, as well as their causes, effects and management in entrepreneurship. A qualitative case study design and convenience sampling were used to select four CEOs of entrepreneurial firms in Ghana. Interviews were conducted to understand the phenomenon from the respondents’ viewpoints. Thematic analysis was done to guide the Ghanaian narrative of envy and jealousy and their nexus with firms’ success or otherwise. The paper found that envy and jealousy are different phenomena that exist in entrepreneurial activities, their nature is suggestive and manifest changes in demeanour where a normal characteristic of frowning deepens into a scowl, gossip, apathy and “eye service”. Envy and jealousy were caused by perceived favoritism arising out of lack of transparency, selfishness, greed and nepotism. Envy and jealousy lead to increased labour turnover, loss of revenue and sometimes sabotage but positively make the envied person resilient and hardworking. It, therefore, requires skillful strategies to attenuate the negative effects of envy and jealousy through education, transparent communication, discipline, friendliness and firm and fair management strategies. This paper provides better insights to help keep businesses alive by way of awareness creation to encourage entrepreneurs to consider envy and jealousy as possible factors that can destroy companies. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first to provide insight into the phenomenon of envy and jealousy in the field of entrepreneurship using Ghanaian narratives.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Agyekum Addo & Isaac Mensah, 2023. "Envy and jealousy in entrepreneurial activities: existence and nature, causes, effects and management," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 13(1), pages 1-20, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:jglont:v:13:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s40497-023-00367-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s40497-023-00367-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s40497-023-00367-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s40497-023-00367-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ying Xue & Xiyuan Li & Hongmei Wang & Qiu Zhang, 2020. "How Employee’s Leadership Potential Leads to Leadership Ostracism Behavior: The Mediating Role of Envy, and the Moderating Role of Political Skills," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-15, April.
    2. Jones, Robert G. & Stout, Tracy, 2015. "Policing Nepotism and Cronyism Without Losing the Value of Social Connection," Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(1), pages 2-12, March.
    3. Sergey Anokhin & William Acar, 2012. "Corruption and the ethical context of country-level entrepreneurship," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 4(4), pages 391-408.
    4. Baron, Robert A. & Mueller, Brandon A. & Wolfe, Marcus T., 2016. "Self-efficacy and entrepreneurs' adoption of unattainable goals: The restraining effects of self-control," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 55-71.
    5. Loureiro, Sandra Maria Correia & de Plaza, Maria Alejandra Pinero & Taghian, Mehdi, 2020. "The effect of benign and malicious envies on desire to buy luxury fashion items," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    6. Rosemond Boohene, 2018. "Entrepreneur’s Social Capital and Firm Growth: The Moderating Role of Access to Finance," International Journal of Modern Physics C (IJMPC), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 26(03), pages 327-348, September.
    7. Juelin Yin & Ali Quazi, 2018. "Business Ethics in the Greater China Region: Past, Present, and Future Research," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 815-835, July.
    8. Jensen, Jaclyn M. & Raver, Jana L., 2018. "It Takes Two to Tango: Victims, Perpetrators, and the Dynamics of Victimization," Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(1), pages 141-144, March.
    9. Pilar González-Navarro & Rosario Zurriaga-Llorens & Adekunle Tosin Olateju & Lucía I. Llinares-Insa, 2018. "Envy and Counterproductive Work Behavior: The Moderation Role of Leadership in Public and Private Organizations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-17, July.
    10. Ine Umans & Nadine Lybaert & Tensie Steijvers & Wim Voordeckers, 2020. "Succession planning in family firms: family governance practices, board of directors, and emotions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 189-207, January.
    11. Oscar Javier Montiel & Mark Clark & María Guadalupe Calderón, 2020. "The Dark Side of Entrepreneurship: An Exploratory Conceptual Approach," Economía: teoría y práctica, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, México, vol. 53(2), pages 71-96, Julio-Dic.
    12. Daniel M. Quaye & Isaac Mensah, 2019. "Entrepreneurial leadership and performance of female-owned small and medium-sized enterprises in Ghana," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 38(1/2), pages 19-44.
    13. Shivani, Shradha & Mukherjee, S.K. & Sharan, Raka, 2006. "Socio-cultural influences on Indian entrepreneurs: The need for appropriate structural interventions," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 5-13, February.
    14. Soo Kim & Dong-Il Jung & Jung Lee, 2013. "Service employees’ deviant behaviors and leader–member exchange in contexts of dispositional envy and dispositional jealousy," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 7(4), pages 583-602, December.
    15. George Brenkert, 2009. "Google, Human Rights, and Moral Compromise," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(4), pages 453-478, April.
    16. Rosemond Boohene, 2018. "Entrepreneur’s Social Capital and Firm Growth: The Moderating Role of Access to Finance," Journal of Enterprising Culture (JEC), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 26(03), pages 327-348, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fuming Yang & Xixi Ye & Weilun Huang & Xuemeng Zhao, 2023. "The impacts on informal financing strategy of small and micro enterprises by interest rate risks and public health emergencies," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1673-1705, December.
    2. Ashraf Elsafty & Dalia Abadir & Ashraf Shaarawy, 2020. "How Does the Entrepreneurs’ Financial, Human, Social and Psychological Capitals Impact Entrepreneur’S Success?," Business and Management Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 6(3), pages 55-71, September.
    3. Chen, Xi & Zhang, Stephen X., 2024. "Too much of two good things: The curvilinear effects of self-efficacy and market validation in new ventures," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    4. Samir Marwan Hammami & Tareq Muhammad Alhousary & Ahmad Taha Kahwaji & Syed Ahsan Jamil, 2022. "The status quo of omani female entrepreneurs: a story of multidimensional success factors," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 2063-2089, August.
    5. Emmanuel Affum-Osei & Sharon G. Goto & June Chun Yeung & Rong Wang & Hodar Lam & Inusah Abdul-Nasiru & Darius K. S. Chan, 2024. "A cross-cultural study of entrepreneurial motivation and entrepreneurial intentions amongst university students: the roles of individualism and collectivism," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Tongyu Meng & Jamie Newth & Christine Woods, 2022. "Ethical Sensemaking in Impact Investing: Reasons and Motives in the Chinese Renewable Energy Sector," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(4), pages 1091-1117, September.
    7. E. Zabelina & D. Tsiring & Yu Chestyunina, 2018. "Personal helplessness and self-reliance as predictors of small business development in Russia: pilot study results," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 279-293, June.
    8. H.V. Mukesh & Abhishek S. Rao & Rajasekharan Pillai K., 2018. "Entrepreneurial Potential and Higher Education System in India," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 27(2), pages 258-276, September.
    9. Jolita Vveinhardt & Włodzimierz Sroka, 2020. "Nepotism and Favouritism in Polish and Lithuanian Organizations: The Context of Organisational Microclimate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-23, February.
    10. Rukhsana Gul Gilal & Faheem Gul Gilal & Naeem Gul Gilal, 2024. "Beauty and the brands: the interplay of celebrity attractiveness, brand envy, and social comparison in shaping masstige brand passion in hospitality," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 31(3), pages 251-264, May.
    11. Marcus T. Wolfe & Pankaj C. Patel & Will Drover, 2020. "The Influence of Hypomania Symptoms on Income in Self-Employment," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 44(3), pages 422-450, May.
    12. Miaomiao Li & Xiaofeng Xu & Ho Kwong Kwan, 2023. "The antecedents and consequences of workplace envy: A meta-analytic review," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 1-35, March.
    13. Robert A. Baron, 2024. "Importing knowledge from psychology: how it broadens the scope of entrepreneurship research—and helps it avoid the “multi-tower effect”," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(4), pages 1355-1363, December.
    14. Patel, Pankaj C. & Wolfe, Marcus T., 2019. "Money might not make you happy, but can happiness make you money? The value of leveraging subjective well-being to enhance financial well-being in self-employment," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 12(C).
    15. Triana Fitriastuti & Pipiet Larasatie & Alex Vanderstraeten, 2021. "Please Like Me: Ingratiation as a Moderator of the Impact of the Perception of Organizational Politics on Job Satisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-15, July.
    16. Dorian Boumedjaoud & Karim Messeghem, 2020. "Vigilance entrepreneuriale du repreneur externe et mentorat : rôle de l'accompagnement en amont," Post-Print hal-02569210, HAL.
    17. Mukhamad Najib & Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman & Farah Fahma, 2021. "Business Survival of Small and Medium-Sized Restaurants through a Crisis: The Role of Government Support and Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-16, September.
    18. Nuria Ceular-Villamandos & Virginia Navajas-Romero & Lorena Caridad y López del Río & Lucia Zita Zambrano-Santos, 2021. "Workplace Situation and Well-Being of Ecuadorian Self-Employed," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-26, February.
    19. De Clercq, Dirk & Haq, Inam Ul & Azeem, Muhammad Umer, 2018. "The roles of informational unfairness and political climate in the relationship between dispositional envy and job performance in Pakistani organizations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 117-126.
    20. Samanthala Hettihewa & Lori S. Kopp & Christopher S. Wright, 2019. "Ethics/Virtues and Consequences: An Exploratory Study of Regional Small Businesses in Developed and Emerging Countries," International Journal of Business and Economics, School of Management Development, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan, vol. 18(1), pages 17-40, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jglont:v:13:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s40497-023-00367-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.