Resilience of women entrepreneurs: Mitigating burnout from work–family conflict to enhance entrepreneurial orientation

Type of the article: Research ArticleAbstractThis study examines the effect of work–family conflict on entrepreneurial orientation among women entrepreneurs in Bali, with entrepreneurial burnout as a mediator and resilience as a moderator. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted in the second quarter of 2025 among 242 married women entrepreneurs managing micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in Bali Province, Indonesia. Married women were specifically selected as the target population because they simultaneously occupy work and family roles, making them more likely to experience work–family conflict as a salient contextual demand. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with bootstrapping procedures to test direct, mediating, and moderating effects. Work–family conflict significantly increases entrepreneurial burnout and directly reduces entrepreneurial orientation. Entrepreneurial burnout partially mediates the relationship between work–family conflict and entrepreneurial orientation, indicating that emotional exhaustion serves as a key explanatory mechanism. Furthermore, resilience weakens the positive effect of work–family conflict on burnout, demonstrating its protective role as a psychological resource. The findings suggest that MSME empowerment policies should incorporate resilience-building and role-management interventions alongside financial and technical support to enhance the sustainability of women-owned enterprises. This study extends the JD-R framework to entrepreneurial contexts and positions entrepreneurial burnout as a strategic inhibitor of entrepreneurial orientation. By integrating COR theory, the paper highlights resilience as a buffering resource in gendered entrepreneurship in an emerging economy.