Tendency to risk and optimism as related to job satisfaction in entrepreneurs in the context of a pivotal career change

Abstract

In the article there has been formulated the concept of career transition and there are contained results of empirical studies regarding determinants of the tendency to introduce changes in the course of one’s career, with a special consideration given to personal factors. Next, there have been presented results of the author’s own research that were carried out in four groups: persons who did not plan any career changes (n = 42), persons who had planned a change but gave it up (n = 45), persons who made a pivotal career decision because of positive motives (n = 49), and persons who made a career change because of negative reasons (n = 42). The career change meant starting an enterprise and becoming an entrepreneur. The research results indicate differences among the enumerated groups regarding job satisfaction, positive and negative mood at work, optimism, and tendency to take risk. Persons who have made a career transition because of positive motives obtain the highest scores on job satisfaction, optimism, and tendency to risk.