Psychodynamic exploration of transnational entrepreneurship amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: case study of Polish-run firm in Zanzibar

Purpose This paper aims to examine how multiple embeddedness of transnational entrepreneurs shapes their process of adaptation to the global crisis, and how this process is influenced by emotions evoked by the crisis. Design/methodology/approach This paper addresses these exploratory questions by offering an in-depth case study of a Polish-run enterprise operating in the tourism industry in Zanzibar in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings Using a psychodynamic perspective, this paper shows the role of transnationality in shaping the entrepreneur’s response to the crisis, as well as the social response to the entrepreneur’s actions. Originality/value This paper shows that both the entrepreneur’s actions and their social reception can be understood through the prism of the unconscious defense mechanisms that individuals and groups develop to cope with anxiety.