Exploring Day-level Effects of Cognitive and Emotional Conflicts on Entrepreneurs’ Eudaimonic Well-being

Drawing on the challenge–hindrance stressor framework, this study examines the mechanisms through which daily cognitive and emotional conflicts affect entrepreneurs’ eudaimonic well-being (EWB). The first pathway we explore is a behavioral pathway, in which the effect of cognitive conflict on EWB is mediated by improvisation. The second mechanism is an emotional pathway, in which the effect of emotional conflict is mediated by loneliness. We further examine whether digital technology usage (specifically phone-related deconcentration) moderates the emotional pathway. Using multilevel generalized structural equation modeling, we capture daily within-person fluctuations in cognitive and emotional conflicts and their behavioral and psychological consequences for EWB. Our findings indicate that emotional conflict does not affect entrepreneurs’ EWB directly, but rather indirectly through the mechanism of loneliness, while cognitive conflict does not affect well-being either directly or indirectly. Moreover, deconcentration associated with extensive smartphone use exacerbates the negative effect of loneliness on well-being.