When faith meets enterprise: coordinating meanings for coping with stress among Buddhist entrepreneurs in China

Entrepreneurs often face persistent, uncontrollable stressors, yet research has prioritised problem- and emotion-focused coping over meaning-making processes. Drawing on Park and Folkman’s global-situational framework, this qualitative study examines how religious (Buddhist) and professional (entrepreneurial) meanings interact in coping among Chinese Buddhist entrepreneurs. Based on semi-structured interviews with 22 interviewees, we identify two families of interaction mechanisms: overriding (prioritising Buddhist meanings when entrepreneurial frames fail, e.g. interpreting outcomes through karma or elevating religious goals over profit) and intertwined (integrating meanings, e.g. pairing non-attachment with perseverance to sustain effort while reducing outcome fixation). These mechanisms generate situational meanings that render adversity bearable without abandoning entrepreneurial commitments. The study advances meaning-making coping by showing that it involves coordinating multiple components within global meaning, not merely reconstructing situational appraisals. We reconceptualise global meaning as a dynamic, negotiable system where stability and flexibility coexist, illustrating how religious resources support rather than substitute for entrepreneurial logics.