THE IMPACT OF WORK–FAMILY CONFLICT ON ENTREPRENEURIAL PERFORMANCE: THE ROLES OF JOB RESOURCES AND WORK ENGAGEMENT AMONG CHINESE FEMALE LEADERS

Abstract

This study examines how work–family conflict affects entrepreneurial performance among Chinese female leaders by integrating job resources and motivational mechanisms. Although previous studies have examined the relationship between work–family conflict and women’s work outcomes, limited research has simultaneously investigated the structural relationships among work–family conflict, perceived organizational support, job autonomy, work engagement, and entrepreneurial performance within the context of Chinese female leadership. To address this gap, a structural model was proposed linking work–family conflict, perceived organizational support, job autonomy, work engagement, and entrepreneurial performance. Survey data were collected from 450 Chinese female leaders, including managers and entrepreneurs across different managerial levels in China, using a purposive and snowball sampling approach. Measurement quality was evaluated through Cronbach’s alpha reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis, and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling with maximum likelihood estimation. The results indicate that work–family conflict significantly and negatively predicts perceived organizational support, job autonomy, and work engagement, and also shows a significant negative direct effect on entrepreneurial performance. In contrast, perceived organizational support significantly positively predicts both job autonomy and work engagement, while work engagement demonstrates the strongest positive direct effect on entrepreneurial performance. These findings suggest that work–family conflict undermines entrepreneurial performance both directly and indirectly by eroding key job resources and reducing work engagement. The study contributes to the literature by providing an integrated resource-based explanation of how work–family conflict influences entrepreneurial performance among Chinese female leaders and highlights the importance of organizational support and autonomy in sustaining motivational and performance outcomes.