A micro-enterprise entrepreneur is a career that must deal with the pressures of economic volatility that affects the business and, as a result, is vulnerable to developing mental health issues. Although resilience is an important factor in helping a person maintain good mental health when faced with difficult situations, the findings of current research do not cover the knowledge needed to describe the process of resilience. This study aims to find an explanation for the process of resilience and understand the resilience from previous economic crises of micro-enterprise entrepreneurs, leading to enhancing characteristics of resilience in the face of repeated economic crises through a study of quality by case study method, data collected by in-depth interviews with 8 micro-enterprise entrepreneurs in Bangkok and its surroundings who have experienced repeated economic crises. The results showed that resilience is a process caused by a mechanism between personal competence, social competence, personal structure, family coherence, and external support systems. In addition, facing economic crises in the past causes learning from mistakes and planning to prevent recurring problems, including having the ability to solve problems, which is a characteristic that entrepreneurs use to deal with problems when having to face repeated economic crises. Findings from this research can be a guideline for micro-enterprise entrepreneurs and related agencies to promote resilience, including as a guideline for further research using other research methods.

Authors:
Kamolchanok Chumtap, Srinakarinwirot University, Thailand

About the Presenter(s)
Ms Chumtap is a University Postgraduate Student at Srinakarinwirot University in Thailand. She works at aviation jet fuel company but always has interested in positive psychology.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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