Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 101 This study examines the role of entrepreneurship in fostering meaningful work. Using a qualita ti ve approach, in ‐depth interviews were conducted with entrepreneurs and employees to explore di fferences in their percep ti on of work mean ‐ ing. The findings suggest that entrepreneurs experience higher levels of meaningfulness at work due to greater au ‐ tonomy, purpose ‐driven engagement, and self ‐actualiza ti on opportuni ti es. Employees, on the other hand, o ft en experience constraints that hinder the experience of meaningfulness. This study contributes to the understanding of work meaningfulness by highligh ti ng the dis ti nct factors that influence the entrepreneurial and employee work expe ‐ rience. Addi ti onally, the discussion explores implica ti ons for organiza ti onal design, policy recommenda ti ons, and the broader impact of work meaningfulness on well ‐being, produc ti vity, and economic sustainability. The research findings provide a deeper insight into the impact of meaningful work on individual and organiza ti onal success. Keywords: Meaningful Work, Meaningfulness Entrepreneurship, Employee Well ‐Being, Autonomy FINDING MEANING AT WORK: ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A WAY OF ACHIEVING HIGHER MEANINGFULNESS Blaž Abe School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia blaz.abe@ef.uni ‐lj.si Abstract sponse, scholars from various disciplines, including psychology, philosophy, and organiza ti onal studies, have sought to understand how individuals con ‐ struct meaning in their work. Viktor Frankl’s (1985) existen ti al perspec ti ve sug ‐ gests that individuals find purpose by iden ti fying their why—a guiding sense of meaning amid the complex ‐ i ti es of life. The search for meaning is a fundamental human endeavor, as people naturally a tt empt to in ‐ terpret informa ti on and create coherence in their ex ‐ periences (Baumeister & Vohs, 2002). Given that a significant por ti on of life is spent working, under ‐ standing the meaning of work is crucial to broader ex ‐ isten ti al and psychological well ‐being (Ward & King, 2017). Research indicates that individuals do not per ‐ ceive work merely as a means of financial sustenance but seek deeper significance in their professional roles (Šverko & Vizek ‐Vidovi ć, 1995). The emergence of pos ‐ i ti ve psychology (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2014) has further catalyzed research into meaningful work, emphasizing its role in well ‐being and fulfillment (Cameron & Du tt on, 2003; Luthans, 2002; Wong, 1 INTRODUCTION Why do we wake up in the morning, go to work, and repeat this rou ti ne throughout our lives? At first glance, one might assume this is an easy ques ti on to answer. However, the nature of work—how, where, and when we engage in it—has changed dra ‐ ma ti cally over the last several decades (Borman, Ilgen, & Klimoski, 2003). While work has always been essen ti al for survival, our percep ti ons of it have evolved throughout history. Before the Indus ‐ trial Revolu ti on, farmers, cra ft smen, and merchants bore heavy responsibili ti es but also enjoyed the au ‐ tonomy to navigate new challenges daily (Schwartz, 2015). The significance of work is so deeply in ‐ grained in iden ti ty that many surnames s ti ll reflect historical occupa ti ons (e.g., Smith, referring to a blacksmith) (Standing, 2010). Today, work takes place in a globalized and increasingly technological world, raising new challenges for individuals and or ‐ ganiza ti ons. As Baudrillard (1994, p. 79) observed, “We live in a world where there is more and more informa ti on and less and less meaning.” In re ‐ Vol. 14, No. 1, 101 ‐113 doi:10.17708/DRMJ.2025.v14n01a06 Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 Blaž Abe: Finding Meaning at Work: Entrepreneurship as a Way of Achieving Higher Meaningfulness 102 2014). Studies have demonstrated that meaningful work is associated with posi ti ve organiza ti onal and in ‐ dividual outcomes, including job sa ti sfac ti on (Kam ‐ dron, 2005), mo ti va ti on (Hackman & Oldham, 1980), well ‐being (Arnold, Turner, Barling, Kelloway, & McKee, 2007), engagement (May, Gilson, & Harter, 2004), and even physical and psychological health benefits (Ward & King, 2017). The meaning of work is commonly defined as an individual’s understanding of what they do and the significance they a tt ribute to it (Wrzesniewski, Dut ‐ ton, & Debebe, 2003). However, research on this topic is fragmented across mul ti ple disciplines, lack ‐ ing a unified framework (Rosso, Dekas, & Wrzes ‐ niewski, 2010). Furthermore, scholars dis ti nguish between meaning and meaningfulness. While mean ‐ ing is an inherent component of cogni ti on—individ ‐ uals constantly interpret and assign meaning to their experiences—meaningfulness refers to the perceived significance and posi ti ve value a tt ributed to work (Pra tt & Ashforth, 2003). This dis ti nc ti on has shaped ongoing debates, par ti cularly regarding whether re ‐ search on meaningful work has been overly eudai ‐ monic (growth ‐ and purpose ‐oriented) at the expense of hedonic (pleasure ‐oriented) perspecti ves (Steger, 2012; Wong, 2014; Ward & King, 2017). The rela ti onal nature of meaning further com ‐ plicates the discussion. Meaning in work arises from interac ti ons between employees and employers, shaped by implicit psychological contracts (Schein, 1978). Organiza ti ons must adapt to shi ft ing external condi ti ons to maintain competiti ve advantages, with meaningful work emerging as a key factor in foster ‐ ing well ‐being and engagement (Burke, 2017). Orga ‐ niza ti onal culture, leadership, recruitment strategies, and job design all play roles in shaping meaningful work (Pra tt & Ashforth, 2003). Conversely, when these factors fail to support employees’ psychologi ‐ cal needs, meaninglessness—commonly understood as the absence or loss of meaningfulness—can emerge, leading to disengagement and dissa ti sfac ‐ ti on (Bailey & Madden, 2016). Despite the extensive research on meaningful work, exis ti ng studies predominantly focus on em ‐ ployees within structured organiza ti onal se tti ngs. However, entrepreneurs—who o ft en self ‐organize their work—may construct meaning in fundamen ‐ tally di fferent ways. Historically, work resembled en ‐ trepreneurial engagement more than contemporary employment structures, as individuals had greater autonomy to navigate challenges and develop skills (Schwartz, 2015). Autonomy is a well ‐established driver of well ‐being and engagement (Gagné & Bhave, 2011), yet modern hierarchical workplaces o ft en constrain it (Harley, 1999). Given the increas ‐ ing demand for meaningful work in today’s complex and evolving professional landscape, this research aims to explore how entrepreneurs perceive and cul ti vate meaningful work. By comparing their ex ‐ periences with those of employees, this study seeks to iden ti fy key mechanisms that contribute to meaningful work, o ffering insights for both theory and prac ti ce in organiza ti onal se tti ngs. The following research ques ti ons are examined: Research ques ti on 1: Which factors contribute to the meaningfulness of work? Research ques ti on 2: How is the meaning of work perceived by entrepreneurs? Research ques ti on 3: What are the di fferences be ‐ tween the way entrepreneurs and employees per ‐ ceive the meaning of work? Research ques ti on 4: Do entrepreneurs or founders of organiza ti ons have a higher chance of achieving higher meaningfulness based on their unique free ‐ dom in the work context? 2 MEANING AND MEANINGFUL WORK Baumeister & Vohs (2002) iden ti fy the connec ‐ ti on as “the essence of meaning.” They define mean ‐ ing as something that connects various en titi es. And those connec ti ons form a nonphysical reality that can help us manage what is happening around us and act as a tool for imposing stability in life. Mean ‐ ing resides in no individual alone, but depends on socio ‐poli ti cal as well as material ‐technological con ‐ text (Hoeyer & Wadmann, 2020). Meaning in life is widely regarded as a crucial component of human well ‐being and flourishing (Ry ff & Singer, 1998; Selig ‐ man, 2011; Steger, Kashdan, & Oishi, 2008) as well as the meaning of work being an essen ti al aspect of Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 103 it (Steger & Dyk, 2009). According to the analysis of the 14 defini ti ons Both ‐Nwabuwe et al. (2017) de ‐ fined meaningful work as “the subjec ti ve experience of existen ti al significance resul ti ng from the fit be ‐ tween the individual and work.” Meaning could either be posi ti ve, nega ti ve or neutral (Wrzesniewski, 2003). Therefore, sta ti ng that work has meaning does not necessarily mean that work is meaningful. “Meaning of work” is commonly mistaken for meaningfulness (Rosso, Dekas & Wrzes ‐ niewski, 2010), which is associated with posi ti ve in ‐ dividual and organiza ti onal outcomes (Bailey et al., 2019; Lysova et al., 2019). Pra tt and Ashforth (2003) define meaningfulness as the amount of significance something holds for an individual. 3 METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLE A qualitative research design was employed, using semi ‐structured interviews with 20 partici ‐ pants—10 enterpreneurs (Research sample 1) 10 employees (Research sample 2). Thematic analysis was conducted to identify patterns related to work meaningfulness, autonomy, and job satisfaction. Participants were selected based on purposive sampling, ensuring a diverse range of industries and experiences. Interviews lasted between 45 and 90 minutes, allowing for an in ‐depth explo ‐ ration of participants’ perspectives. Data were an ‐ alyzed through iterative coding to reveal key themes and recurring narratives. The research de ‐ sign was guided by principles of grounded theory to ensure emergent insights were adequately cap ‐ tured (Charmaz, 2006). A compara ti ve analysis between entrepreneurs and employees was conducted to assess di fferences in their percep ti on of work meaningfulness. The ‐ ma ti c clusters were iden ti fied in the areas of auton ‐ omy, job sa ti sfac ti on, work engagement, financial mo ti va ti on, and career growth. Addi ti onally, demo ‐ graphic variables such as industry, years of experi ‐ ence, and job role were considered. 4 FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS OF THE RESEARCH SAMPLE 1 The findings indicate that entrepreneurs derive meaning from autonomy, crea ti vity, responsibility, and impact. Many le ft employment due to restric ‐ ti ons, discovering greater fulfillment in entrepreneur ‐ ship. However, autonomy comes with challenges, such as self ‐management and financial risks. While some struggled to define their purpose, all acknowl ‐ edged a drive to build and create. The percep ti on of meaning varied, influenced by past experiences, busi ‐ ness impact, and personal philosophy. Gender Age group Posi ti on Company’s industry Annual revenue in 2020 Interviewee 1 M 45 ‐50 CEO technology “around 40 million €” Interviewee 2 M 40 ‐45 board member finance 1,9 million € Interviewee 3 M 35 ‐40 CEO educa ti on “a few million €” Interviewee 4 M 25 ‐30 CTO crypto “half a million” Interviewee 5 F 30 ‐35 CEO social N/A Interviewee 6 M 35 ‐40 consultant/ investor real estate/ start ‐ups N/A Interviewee 7 M 55 ‐60 Partner management coaching 0,14 million € Interviewee 8 M 20 ‐25 CEO technology 0,3 million € Interviewee 9 M 35 ‐40 CEO law 0,15 million € Interviewee 10 F 25 ‐30 CEO marke ti ng “around 1 million €” Table 1: Research sample 1 Source: Own work. Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 Blaž Abe: Finding Meaning at Work: Entrepreneurship as a Way of Achieving Higher Meaningfulness 104 4.1 Entrepreneurs and their forma ti on of meaning Entrepreneurs provided diverse perspec ti ves on the meaning of work, o ft en rooted in their personal experiences and career journeys. Some framed meaning as an extension of their vision and long ‐term goals. “If you want to create a meaningful life, you need to envision it before you build it. I created this film in my head when I was young, and now, 30 years later, I am living it” (Interviewee 1). Others associated meaning with problem ‐solving, autonomy, and per ‐ sonal fulfillment: “I do what I have chosen myself, and I enjoy it. That is what fuels me” (Interviewee 7). Some entrepreneurs took a deeper, psychoana ‐ ly ti cal approach, sugges ti ng that work fulfills subcon ‐ scious drives. “Everyone has a unique story, but in the end, we are all looking to find some sense through work. We push forward because of our deep internal mo ti va ti ons” (Interviewee 2). Others viewed work meaning as deriving from helping others and solving problems. “My purpose is to resolve problems and help people. I don’t care what that is or on what level” (Interviewee 6). Many saw the process of cre ‐ a ti ng something as inherently meaningful, regardless of the outcome. “As long as I am doing challenging work, I am fine. That is what I need” (Interviewee 8). Feedback was also a significant source of mean ‐ ing. Some derived sa ti sfac ti on from posi ti ve client impact: “Meaning comes from seeing the result of your work and actually having an impact” (Intervie ‐ wee 3). Others priori ti zed their employees’ well ‐ being and professional growth: “The most meaning ‐ ful thing for me is building a pla tf orm that enables people to develop their talents. We are like a sports team performing in a big league. There are ups and downs, but we constantly push forward” (Intervie ‐ wee 1). Similarly, Interviewee 5 emphasized the so ‐ cietal role of work: “If you give work to people, you give them dignity. You protect them from economic distress and give them social inclusion.” However, some ques ti oned whether work needed to have meaning at all. “Even if I am deluding myself, as long as I enjoy it, it doesn’t ma tt er” (Inter ‐ viewee 3). Others acknowledged that meaning is subjec ti ve and dependent on perspec ti ve: “Maybe our work has no meaning. It depends on how you look at it” (Interviewee 4). These responses suggest that meaning is not always a clearly defined concept but rather something that evolves with personal ex ‐ periences. 4.1.1 Ac ti vely thinking about meaning While some entrepreneurs frequently reflected on the meaning of their work, others rarely did. Three par ti cipants ac ti vely considered work mean ‐ ing, linking it to leadership and long ‐term business strategy. “I think about the meaning of work all the ti me. Every decision must fit our vision” (Intervie ‐ Table 2: Research sample 2 Source: Own work. Gender Age group Posi ti on Years of work experience Interviewee A M 40 ‐50 Head of the projects in construc ti on, SME 22 Interviewee B F 25 ‐30 Technical steward in a pharmaceu ti cal company 4 Interviewee C F 60 ‐65 Sanitary inspector, public sector 39 Interviewee D M 55 ‐60 Commercialist in a SME 35 Interviewee E F 50 ‐55 Medical doctor in a public healthcare ins ti tu ti on 21 Interviewee F M 35 ‐40 Specialist for market rela ti ons in an energe ti cs company 10 Interviewee G F 40 ‐45 Data and ar ti ficial intelligence lead in a mul ti na ti onal company 16 Interviewee H M 65 ‐70 System operator in an energe ti cs company 41 Interviewee I F 50 ‐55 Marke ti ng manager in a public ins ti tu ti on 26 Interviewee J M 25 ‐30 Researcher in drug development, mul ti na ti onal company 3 Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 105 wee 10). Another par ti cipant highlighted how exis ‐ ten ti al reflec ti ons improved business decision ‐mak ‐ ing and personal mo ti va ti on. In contrast, others saw overthinking meaning as unnecessary. “It’s be tt er to work toward a mean ‐ ingful goal than to constantly ques ti on meaning it ‐ self. I think you ask these ques ti ons when you’re not on the right path” (Interviewee 4). Some suggested that meaningful work naturally aligns with passion and values, reducing the need for ac ti ve contempla ‐ ti on. “I don’t think about meaning o ft en, maybe be ‐ cause my work is already meaningful, and I don’t see any problem” (Interviewee 3). Despite di fferences in explicit reflec ti on, most entrepreneurs made decisions that aligned with their values, whether consciously or unconsciously. Their focus on cra ft ing meaningful businesses, en ‐ suring alignment with personal goals, and seeking feedback suggests an underlying pursuit of purpose. 4.1.2 Impact and greater good Many entrepreneurs believed in making a posi ‐ ti ve impact but were reluctant to claim they were changing the world. Some, like Interviewee SJ, who ran a social enterprise, felt strongly about crea ti ng change: “I have a feeling I am making a di fference in the world. It’s a small thing, but I hope to inspire oth ‐ ers.” However, most par ti cipants had a more modest perspec ti ve. “I hope I’m making a change, but I know I’m not ending world hunger” (Interviewee 1). Several entrepreneurs grappled with the ethics of business impact. “Entrepreneurship is one of the best ways to create a powerful impact, but we are part of an unsustainable system” (Interviewee 1). Others noted that conflicts in business some ti mes made it hard to stay true to meaningful work. Despite these concerns, many found impact in smaller, every ‐ day contribu ti ons. “There is nothing be tt er than see ‐ ing feedback from a happy client” (Interviewee 8). A recurring theme was the role of employees in crea ti ng impact. “We try to be an organiza ti on where people feel good so they can pass on that posi ti ve influence” (Interviewee 1). Others empha ‐ sized that improving employees’ lives was just as meaningful as crea ti ng a large ‐scale impact. “In ‐ stead of thinking about changing the world, I focus on changing the lives of my employees. If I provide them a good life, I am already making an impact” (Interviewee 10). 4.2 Entrepreneurs and their forma ti on of meaning Entrepreneurs provided diverse perspec ti ves on the meaning of work, o ft en rooted in their personal experiences and career journeys. Some framed meaning as an extension of their vision and long ‐term goals. “If you want to create a meaningful life, you need to envision it before you build it. I created this film in my head when I was young, and now, 30 years later, I am living it” (Interviewee 1). Others associated meaning with problem ‐solving, autonomy, and per ‐ sonal fulfillment: “I do what I have chosen myself, and I enjoy it. That is what fuels me” (Interviewee 7). Some entrepreneurs took a deeper, psychoan ‐ aly ti cal approach, sugges ti ng that work fulfills sub ‐ conscious drives. “Everyone has a unique story, but in the end, we are all looking to find some sense through work. We push forward because of our deep internal mo ti va ti ons” (Interviewee 2). Others viewed work meaning as deriving from helping oth ‐ ers and solving problems. “My purpose is to resolve problems and help people. I don’t care what that is or on what level” (Interviewee 6). Many saw the process of crea ti ng something as inherently mean ‐ ingful, regardless of the outcome. “As long as I am doing challenging work, I am fine. That is what I need” (Interviewee 8). Feedback was also a significant source of mean ‐ ing. Some derived sa ti sfac ti on from posi ti ve client impact: “Meaning comes from seeing the result of your work and actually having an impact” (Intervie ‐ wee 3). Others priori ti zed their employees’ well ‐ being and professional growth: “The most meaningful thing for me is building a pla tf orm that enables people to develop their talents. We are like a sports team performing in a big league. There are ups and downs, but we constantly push forward” (Interviewee 1). Similarly, Interviewee 5 emphasized the societal role of work: “If you give work to peo ‐ ple, you give them dignity. You protect them from economic distress and give them social inclusion.” Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 Blaž Abe: Finding Meaning at Work: Entrepreneurship as a Way of Achieving Higher Meaningfulness 106 However, some ques ti oned whether work needed to have meaning at all. “Even if I am delud ‐ ing myself, as long as I enjoy it, it doesn’t ma tt er” (Interviewee 3). Others acknowledged that meaning is subjec ti ve and dependent on perspec ti ve: “Maybe our work has no meaning. It depends on how you look at it” (Interviewee 4). These responses suggest that meaning is not always a clearly defined concept but rather something that evolves with per ‐ sonal experiences. 4.3 Entrepreneurship vs. employment A key research goal was to compare how en ‐ trepreneurs and employees perceive work meaning. While many struggled to ar ti culate this ini ti ally, their responses became clearer when reflec ti ng on their transi ti on from employment to entrepreneurship. 4.3.1 Feeling limited at work Many par ti cipants described employment as restric ti ve. “I felt trapped, like I had no freedom” (In ‐ terviewee 9). “Being employed really limits a per ‐ son” (Interviewee 6). They noted that their work was confined to assigned tasks, limi ti ng crea ti vity and decision ‐making. “At a job, you can’t just try something new” (Interviewee 3). Frustra ti on with these constraints o ft en mo ti vated their en ‐ trepreneurial journey. “I felt that working in an or ‐ ganiza ti on was holding me down if I wanted to be crea ti ve. It was just a ma tt er of ti me before I went on an entrepreneurial journey” (Interviewee 9). 4.3.2 Working as a subordinate A common theme was dissa ti sfac ti on with having a boss. “Although the job was generally good, having a superior was always bothering me” (Interviewee 4). Some felt their e fforts were unappreciated: “When I was employed, someone would tell me what I did wrong and correct it. Now, the market directly tells me how good my work is” (Interviewee 3). Others disliked being dependent on someone else’s decisions: “Now I choose how I work, when, and with whom” (Intervie ‐ wee 9). Many believed that employment forced them to follow someone else’s dreams, while entrepreneur ‐ ship allowed them to pursue their own vision. 4.3.3 Being your own boss While autonomy was highly valued, some par ‐ ti cipants admi tt ed it came with challenges. “When you leave a company, you feel free. But a ft er some ti me, this taste of freedom is gone” (Interviewee 3). Several acknowledged the di fficul ti es of self ‐man ‐ agement: “Now I o ft en don’t even know what prob ‐ lems to solve. It is di fficult, but that is also the beauty of it” (Interviewee 3). Despite these challenges, none expressed a desire to return to employment. 4.3.4 Unlocking hidden poten ti al Many par ti cipants reported increased engage ‐ ment and crea ti vity a ft er becoming entrepreneurs. “Entrepreneurship opened a whole new world for me. It released inner energy and crea ti vity I was never aware of” (Interviewee 6). Some linked en ‐ trepreneurship to personal fulfillment: “Being in a workplace that doesn’t fulfill you won’t bring maxi ‐ mum engagement and commitment” (Interviewee 7). Crea ti ng their own work environment enabled them to align their tasks with personal strengths and aspira ti ons. 4.3.5 Risk and responsibility Entrepreneurship was seen as requiring greater responsibility, which enhanced its meaning. “If you own a business, mo ti va ti on increases with respon ‐ sibility” (Interviewee 3). Par ti cipants noted that fi ‐ nancial risk and accountability heightened their engagement: “Now all the responsibility is on me. I take responsibility for what I do and what I don’t do” (Interviewee 4). The idea of ownership fueled their mo ti va ti on: “Entrepreneurship is risky, but less so if you believe in yourself. You own your decisions” (In ‐ terviewee 10). 4.3.6 Sa ti sfac ti on at work Overall, par ti cipants reported higher job sa ti s ‐ fac ti on a ft er transi ti oning to entrepreneurship. “En ‐ trepreneurship brings me higher sa ti sfac ti on. I can’t even imagine not doing it” (Interviewee 5). In ‐ creased autonomy, ownership, and control over their work were the primary reasons for their en ‐ hanced sa ti sfac ti on. Some, however, described a Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 107 shi ft rather than a drama ti c increase: “I was sa ti sfied before, but entrepreneurship brought me fulfill ‐ ment. Now I feel at peace” (Interviewee 2). 4.4 Entrepreneurship and personality Entrepreneurs a tt ributed their drive to personal characteris ti cs such as crea ti vity, leadership, and risk ‐taking. “Entrepreneurship is a phase in life where you really need to look into yourself. A ft er you have done that, you become more open to new solu ti ons” (Interviewee 6). Self ‐awareness and per ‐ sonal development were recurring themes: “If you want to lead a company well, you need to know yourself and how to lead yourself” (Interviewee 2). The no ti on of being a “builder” was frequently men ti oned. “If you are an entrepreneur, you simply have it. I don’t know if that is entrepreneurial, but it’s also something ar ti sts have—you want to build and express yourself” (Interviewee 6). Some ques ‐ ti oned whether entrepreneurial traits were innate or developed: “I am not sure if I was born to be an entrepreneur or if entrepreneurship made me one. It’s a chicken ‐and ‐egg ques ti on” (Interviewee 1). 4.5 Meaning of work and private life Par ti cipants noted that entrepreneurship blurred the lines between work and personal life, o ft en integra ti ng lessons from one into the other. “Ownership logic is very helpful in personal life as well. If you think you are a vic ti m, you don’t feel the ability to change. As an entrepreneur, you get the feeling that change happens” (Interviewee 3). Many saw entrepreneurship as a con ti nuous process of self ‐improvement and reflec ti on. 4.6 Entrepreneurship as a life trajectory Many par ti cipants described entrepreneurship as a long ‐term vision rather than a short ‐term choice. “I always wanted to have an enterprise. It has become a part of my iden ti ty” (Interviewee 3). Some described it as a natural progression rather than a planned decision: “I never had a clear idea of becoming an entrepreneur. But throughout life, I was always building something” (Interviewee 8). 4.7 Entrepreneurs and their purpose Entrepreneurs frequently reflected on their deeper mo ti va ti ons. “Always do your best, work with your best inten ti ons, and don’t stop. You can’t build a good enterprise if you are not a good per ‐ son” (Interviewee 2). Some struggled to ar ti culate their exact drive but felt compelled to create: “En ‐ trepreneurship is like building blocks. You just need to put them together correctly” (Interviewee 10). Their mo ti va ti on o ft en stemmed from a strong inner force pushing them toward their goals 5 FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS OF THE RESEARCH SAMPLE 2 5.1 Employees and their forma ti on of meaning Employees found it challenging to define the meaning of work, o ft en refining their responses throughout the interviews. Some ini ti ally cited tra ‐ di ti onal sayings or prac ti cal necessi ti es, par ti cularly older interviewees who emphasized providing for their families. “I s ti ll have kids that need my finan ‐ cial support. Providing for them is meaningful to me,” said Interviewee D. Over ti me, some devel ‐ oped a broader perspec ti ve, seeing meaning in their contribu ti ons to society, helping others, or personal growth. “My work is to help people in need; this gives my life meaning,” explained Inter ‐ viewee E. A commonly accepted response was that work gains meaning when it creates value, whether by di ‐ rectly helping others or playing a role in a larger sys ‐ tem. Some par ti cipants described work as a societal duty, emphasizing the collec ti ve e ffort needed for social and economic structures to func ti on. “One’s work is meaningful because it all makes sense in the end,” said Interviewee H. Others focused on the per ‐ sonal aspect, sta ti ng that feeling useful is essen ti al to meaningful work. “A person needs to feel signifi ‐ cant, that their work ma tt ers to others. You can have everything, but if you do not feel useful, you will not find meaning,” claimed Interviewee E. Receiving feedback was another crucial factor in determining meaningfulness. Those who worked closely with clients or customers found significance in knowing their e fforts were appreciated. Some Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 Blaž Abe: Finding Meaning at Work: Entrepreneurship as a Way of Achieving Higher Meaningfulness 108 emphasized the importance of seeing the tangible results of their work. Others valued personal sa ti s ‐ fac ti on above external valida ti on, highligh ti ng their contribu ti on and sense of accomplishment. “It is more important to me that I have contributed, and if I am content with it, I want to have inner peace,” said Interviewee G. One notable outlier, Interviewee I, described work as deeply intertwined with her life, similar to perspec ti ves observed in entrepreneurs. She fully immersed herself in her job and ac ti vely sought work that created value for both herself and society. “I want to do work that is meaningful, that creates value for society and myself,” she explained. Unlike others, she also cited religion as a key source of meaning. 5.1.1 Meaninglessness at work Employees also described experiences where they felt li tt le or no meaning in their work. Iden ti fy ‐ ing the causes of meaninglessness is as important as understanding what drives meaningfulness, as addressing these issues can improve employee sat ‐ isfac ti on. Many struggled to pinpoint meaninglessness directly but gradually revealed it in their responses. The most common cause was feeling that their work lacked purpose or did not make a tangible impact. Employees o ft en cited bureaucra ti c tasks, unrecog ‐ nized e fforts, or redundant work as sources of frus ‐ tra ti on. “I need to make some Excel spreadsheets that no one ever reads,” said Interviewee I. Corporate environments and rigid structures also contributed to feelings of meaninglessness. Some employees described feeling disconnected due to top ‐down decision ‐making, where they had to execute projects they did not believe in. “Then it is up to you to handle the situa ti on, which can be quite poli ti cal. The problem is that these situa ti ons can demo ti vate people incredibly,” explained Inter ‐ viewee G. Another key factor was the lack of recogni ti on for e ffort. Some employees put significant work into projects only to see their contribu ti ons ignored or a tt ributed to someone else. “You work hard to com ‐ plete the project, and then all the commenda ti on goes to the person that did not do much,” com ‐ plained Interviewee J. Without apprecia ti on, mo ti ‐ va ti on and fulfillment diminished. Feelings of insecurity and doubt also played a role in meaninglessness, par ti cularly when employ ‐ ees faced challenges beyond their exper ti se. “When things go wrong, and I do not know what to do, I start ques ti oning the meaning of my work,” said Interviewee B. Uncertainty in job roles and re ‐ sponsibili ti es hindered employees’ ability to find sa ti sfac ti on. 5.1.2 Changing meaning over ti me Employees’ perspec ti ves on work meaning evolved throughout their careers. Younger employ ‐ ees o ft en placed great importance on work, seeing it as central to their iden ti ty. “You are ambi ti ous; ev ‐ erything needs to make sense,” said Interviewee UP . Many younger par ti cipants formed strong rela ti on ‐ ships with colleagues, blurring the line between work and personal life. “People from your job be ‐ come the people you hang out with since you spend so much ti me together. You start to equal job with your life,” said Interviewee G. Over ti me, priori ti es shi ft ed, and many employ ‐ ees emphasized work ‐life balance. They realized that while work was significant, personal interests and rela ti onships were equally important. “In the first years, I overes ti mated the role of work, posi ‐ ti oning it beyond my personal interests. Now I see that a counterweight is needed to prevent burnout,” said Interviewee E. Many reported learning to set boundaries and adapt expecta ti ons to maintain a healthier rela ti onship with work. Work experience also influenced how employ ‐ ees handled challenges. Early ‐career employees re ‐ ported higher stress levels and self ‐doubt, whereas experienced workers described becoming more confident in managing work ‐related issues. “In the beginning, you have more doubt in yourself, but slowly the stress of new projects and challenges is gone,” said Interviewee F. Similarly, Interviewee D noted, “Things that took much of my ti me and men ‐ tal energy are just part of the rou ti ne now.” Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 109 Career progression o ft en shi ft ed employees’ understanding of meaning, as some realized the lim ‐ ita ti ons of their autonomy. Some developed coping strategies to sustain meaning, while others grew dis ‐ illusioned. “You need to set borders. You need to see what you receive for what you give,” said Inter ‐ viewee A, sugges ti ng that realis ti c expecta ti ons help maintain fulfillment. Contrary to most par ti cipants, Interviewee I ac ‐ ti vely sought meaningful work throughout her ca ‐ reer, frequently changing jobs to align with her values. “O ft en, I was jobless just so I could find and do the work I really wanted,” she said. Even when meaning diminished, she tried to reshape her role before ul ti mately deciding to move on. 5.1.3 Feedback Feedback played a significant role in shaping employees’ sense of purpose. Many ini ti ally down ‐ played its importance, but their enthusiasm when discussing posi ti ve feedback suggested otherwise. Recogni ti on from clients, managers, or coworkers reinforced employees’ sense of contribu ti on. “The highest sa ti sfac ti on for me is when the customer ap ‐ proves my work,” said Interviewee A. Some employees expressed a desire for more direct customer feedback, feeling disconnected from the impact of their work. “I wish I could be closer to a customer to hear their feedback,” said Interviewee J. Others valued recogni ti on from su ‐ pervisors, no ti ng that praise from management sig ‐ nificantly boosted their mo ti va ti on. “If there was an outage, and you managed to solve the situa ti on quickly, you got praise, and that was very powerful,” said Interviewee H. Coworkers’ feedback was also highly valued. Many employees described how peer apprecia ti on was more meaningful than financial compensa ti on. “Because of feedback, we have be tt er rela ti ons, more flexibility, and that is far more important for me,” said Interviewee A. Addi ti onally, employees emphasized feedback’s role in defining their work iden ti ty and career growth. Construc ti ve feedback helped them recog ‐ nize strengths and weaknesses, guiding their pro ‐ fessional development. “You need to understand who you are at work. It is di fficult to achieve that without feedback. You can say you have found your meaning, but maybe you are a headache for oth ‐ ers,” said Interviewee F. This suggests that con ti nu ‐ ous feedback is crucial for fostering a sense of purpose and improvement. 6 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION This study explores how entrepreneurs per ‐ ceive the meaning of work and compares their ex ‐ periences with those of employees. Findings indicate that entrepreneurs a tt ribute higher signifi ‐ cance to their work, making it more meaningful. This aligns with theore ti cal expecta ti ons, as en ‐ trepreneurs integrate personal, organiza ti onal, and societal meanings into their work more seamlessly than employees. A notable aspect of the interviews was the depth of reflec ti on par ti cipants engaged in. En ‐ trepreneurs o ft en demonstrated a strong sense of purpose, even if they struggled to ar ti culate it ex ‐ plicitly. Employees, on the other hand, frequently expressed sa ti sfac ti on with their work but later re ‐ vealed constraints that limited their ability to align work with personal meaning. This suggests that em ‐ ployees’ autonomy plays a crucial role in the mean ‐ ingfulness they derive from work. The findings resonate with research on mean ‐ ing ‐making, which suggests that individuals con ‐ struct meaning through narra ti ves (Hermans, 1998; Sommer & Baumeister, 1998; Harari, 2016). Par ti ci ‐ pants o ft en uncovered their own work meaning through storytelling, reinforcing the idea that mean ‐ ingful work is closely ti ed to rela ti onal and contex ‐ tual factors. Frankl’s (1959) argument that meaning is found through others, rather than in isola ti on, is parti cularly relevant in this context. Moreover, this study supports the no ti on that meaningfulness is not merely about the presence of meaning but about the significance a tt ributed to it (Pra tt & Ashforth, 2003; Steger et al., 2012). En ‐ trepreneurs appear to experience higher levels of meaningfulness due to their ability to act in align ‐ ment with their values and goals. Employees, in con ‐ trast, may struggle to redesign or reframe their work Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 Blaž Abe: Finding Meaning at Work: Entrepreneurship as a Way of Achieving Higher Meaningfulness 110 experiences due to structural limita ti ons. This is re ‐ flected in their descrip ti ons, which, unlike en ‐ trepreneurs, o ft en carried a sense of resigna ti on regarding their capacity to shape their work envi ‐ ronments. 6.1 Research ques ti on 1: Which factors contribute to the meaningfulness of work? Research on work meaning has largely over ‐ looked entrepreneurs, despite its link to well ‐ being. This study finds that entrepreneurs derive meaning primarily through relationships, beliefs, and contributions to others. As leaders, they shape organizational values, influencing employees’ per ‐ ceptions of meaningful work. Family also plays a role in shaping their motivations. A key but under ‐ explored source of meaning is their perceived im ‐ pact on customers and society. Entrepreneurs exhibit high job involvement and often view work as a calling, seeing it as an intrinsic pursuit rather than just a means to an end. These findings high ‐ light the deeper significance entrepreneurs at ‐ tribute to their work. 6.2 Research ques ti on 2: How is the meaning of work perceived by entrepreneurs? Entrepreneurs and employees derive meaning from similar sources, such as rela ti onships, beliefs, and work outcomes. However, key di fferences emerge in job involvement, work centrality, and per ‐ cep ti ons of meaninglessness. Entrepreneurs view work as a lifestyle, struggle to separate it from per ‐ sonal life, and experience higher meaningfulness due to greater autonomy. Employees, in contrast, priori ti ze work ‐life balance, o ft en disengage from work a ft er hours, and express frustra ti on over tasks they find meaningless. Entrepreneurs rarely men ‐ ti on meaninglessness, as they have more control over their work. Employees, however, o ft en feel constrained by external factors, leading to resigna ‐ ti on and lower mo ti va ti on. Entrepreneurs tend to see their work as a calling, while employees fre ‐ quently describe their careers as uninten ti onal, lack ‐ ing clear purpose or direc ti on. These di fferences suggest that autonomy and purpose are crucial in shaping meaningful work experiences. 6.3 Research ques ti on 3: What are the di fferences between the way entrepreneurs and employees perceive the meaning of work? Meaningfulness at work is shaped by various factors, differing between entrepreneurs and employees. Employees frequently cited feedback as essential, while entrepreneurs emphasized au ‐ tonomy and creativity. These findings align with Bailey and Madden (2016), who identified recog ‐ nition, accomplishment, and engagement as key drivers of meaningful work. Entrepreneurs’ strong preference for autonomy supports re ‐ search suggesting that it enhances well ‐being (Shir, Nikolaev, & Wincent, 2019) and fulfills basic psychological needs (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Addi ‐ tionally, meaningful work fosters creativity (Cohen ‐Meitar, Carmeli, & Waldman, 2009). While individual factors vary, autonomy, compe ‐ tence, and relatedness appear central to mean ‐ ingfulness across work contexts. 6.4 Research ques ti on 4: Do entrepreneurs or founders of organiza ti ons have a higher chance of achieving higher meaningfulness based on their unique freedom in the work context? Entrepreneurs have a greater opportunity to experience meaningful work due to their auton ‐ omy and ability to align their work environment with personal values (Shir, Nikolaev, & Wincent, 2019). Unlike employees, who often feel con ‐ strained by external structures and limited in their ability to redesign their work, entrepreneurs can shape their organizations to reflect what matters most to them (deCharms, 1981). Employees fre ‐ quently retreat into the most meaningful aspects of their work when faced with misalignment, but this often leads to shrinking engagement and un ‐ realized potential. Responsibility also plays a cru ‐ cial role in meaningfulness, as entrepreneurs bear significant accountability for their organizations, stakeholders, and society (Hebert & Link, 1989). This heightened responsibility shifts focus from self ‐interest to a broader purpose, aligning with Frankl’s view that meaning is found through con ‐ tributing to something greater than oneself (Wong, 2014). Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 111 6.5 Limita ti ons The research sample was rela ti vely small and lacked heterogeneity, limi ti ng the generalizability of findings. A larger sample covering industry, experi ‐ ence, company size, and organiza ti onal role would provide deeper insights. Most employee par ti ci ‐ pants held higher educa ti on or senior posi ti ons, leaving room to explore how meaning varies by ed ‐ uca ti on level and job posi ti on. The broad nature of the study encompassed mul ti ple aspects of meaningful work, given the scarcity of research on entrepreneurs. Future stud ‐ ies could focus on specific factors driving meaning ‐ fulness. Combining in ‐depth interviews with ques ti onnaires would allow for both qualita ti ve depth and quan ti ta ti ve correla ti on analysis. Bias may have influenced responses, par ti cu ‐ larly among entrepreneurs, who might have favored entrepreneurship over employment. However, they also engaged in more self ‐reflec ti on, adjus ti ng ini ti al responses. Employees exhibited generaliza ti ons aligned with societal beliefs. Addi ti onally, interview format di fferences—some in person, others virtual— may have a ffected par ti cipants’ openness, which is crucial given the deeply personal nature of the topic. 6.6 Conclusion This study highlights the central role of work meaningfulness in individual well ‐being, par ti cularly among entrepreneurs. Findings confirm that en ‐ trepreneurs experience higher meaningfulness due to their autonomy, ability to shape their work envi ‐ ronment, and strong sense of responsibility. Their high involvement and calling orienta ti on further en ‐ hance their work’s significance. In contrast, employ ‐ ees derive meaning from external factors such as feedback and personal life domains, yet o ft en strug ‐ gle with meaninglessness due to limited autonomy and misalignment with organiza ti onal structures. Employees frequently cited demo ti va ti on and disengagement when facing meaningless work, o ft en retrea ti ng into select aspects of their job rather than reshaping it. This loss of human poten ‐ ti al underscores the importance of fostering work environments that encourage meaning discovery. While meaningfulness cannot be externally im ‐ posed, open discussions about strengths, values, and contribu ti ons can help employees cul ti vate a deeper connec ti on to their work. EXTENDED SUMMARY/IZVLE ČEK Ta študija raziskuje povezavo med delom in smiselnostjo, pri čemer se osredoto ča na podjet ‐ ništvo kot možno pot do globljega doživljanja smisla pri delu. Na podlagi spoznanj iz organizacijskega vedenja, pozi ti vne in eksistencialne psihologije preu čuje, kako podjetniki in zaposleni dojemajo pomen svojega dela ter kateri dejavniki prispevajo k ob čutku smiselnos ti . Kvalita ti vna raziskava, ki temelji na poglobljenih intervjujih s podjetniki in zaposlenimi, razkriva, da so klju čni dejavniki smisel ‐ nega dela avtonomija, krea ti vnost in ob čutek namena. Podjetniki pogosto poro čajo o ve čji smiselnos ti svojega dela v primerjavi z zaposlenimi, saj imajo ve čjo svobodo pri oblikovanju svojega delovnega okolja. Študija poudarja vlogo samotranscendence pri doživljanju smiselnos ti ter nakazuje, da pod ‐ jetništvo lahko ponuja edinstveno priložnost za posameznike, ki iš čejo izpolnitev onkraj finan čnega uspeha. Ugotovitve prispevajo k širšemu razumevanju smiselnega dela in imajo pomembne posledice za oblikovanje delovnih mest ter organizacijsko vedenje. Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 Blaž Abe: Finding Meaning at Work: Entrepreneurship as a Way of Achieving Higher Meaningfulness 112 REFERENCES Arnold, J., Turner, N., Barling, J., Kelloway, E. K., & McKee, M. C. (2007). Transforma ti onal leadership and psychological well ‐being: The media ti ng role of meaningful work. Jour ‐ nal of Occupa ti onal Health Psychology, 12(3), 193–203. Bailey, C., & Madden, A. (2016). What makes work mean ‐ ingful – or meaningless. MIT Sloan Management Re ‐ view, 57(4), 53–61. Bailey, C., Yeoman, R., Madden, A., Thompson, M., & Ker ‐ ridge, G. (2019). A review of the empirical work on meaningful work: Progress and research agenda. Human Resource Development Review, 18(1), 83–113. Baudrillard, J. (1994). Simulacra and simula ti on. Univer ‐ sity of Michigan Press. Baumeister, R. F., & Vohs, K. D. (2002). The pursuit of meaningfulness in life. In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of posi ti ve psychology (pp. 608– 618). Oxford University Press. Borman, W. C., Ilgen, D. R., & Klimoski, R. J. (Eds.). (2003). Handbook of psychology: Industrial and orga ‐ niza ti onal psychology. John Wiley & Sons. Both ‐Nwabuwe, J. M., Dijkstra, M. T. M., Beersma, B., & Van Vianen, A. E. M. (2017). A thema ti c analysis of 14 defini ti ons of meaningful work. Fron ti ers in Psychol ‐ ogy, 8, 1645. Burke, R. J. (2017). Organiza ti onal culture and meaningful work. In C. Machado & J. P . Davim (Eds.), Handbook of research on organiza ti onal culture and diversity (pp. 321–336). Edward Elgar Publishing. Cameron, K. S., & Du tt on, J. E. (Eds.). (2003). Posi ti ve or ‐ ganiza ti onal scholarship: Founda ti ons of a new disci ‐ pline. Berrett‐ Koehler Publishers. Charmaz, K. (2006). Construc ti ng grounded theory: A practi cal guide through qualita ti ve analysis. Sage Pub ‐ lica ti ons. Cohen ‐Meitar, R., Carmeli, A., & Waldman, D. A. (2009). Linking meaningfulness in the workplace to crea ti vity: The media ti ng role of rela ti onal iden ti fica ti on. Journal of Organiza ti onal Behavior, 30(7), 951–968. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self ‐determina ti on of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. deCharms, R. (1981). Personal causa ti on and the self ‐sys ‐ tem. Academic Psychology Bulle ti n, 3(2), 229–238. Frankl, V. E. (1985). Man’s search for meaning. Simon & Schuster. Gagné, M., & Bhave, D. (2011). Autonomy in the work ‐ place: An essen ti al ingredient to employee engage ‐ ment and well ‐being in every culture. In V. I. Chirkov, R. M. Ryan, & K. M. Sheldon (Eds.), Human autonomy in cross ‐cultural context(pp. 163–190). Springer. Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (1980). Work redesign. Addison ‐Wesley. Harley, B. (1999). The myth of empowerment: Work or ‐ ganisa ti on, hierarchy and employee autonomy in con ‐ temporary Australian workplaces. Work, Employment and Society, 13(1), 41–66. Harari, Y . N. (2016). Homo Deus: A brief history of tomor ‐ row. HarperCollins. Hebert, R. F., & Link, A. N. (1989). In search of the mean ‐ ing of entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics, 1(1), 39–49. Hermans, H. J. (1998). The dialogical self: Beyond individ ‐ ualism and ra ti onalism. American Psychologist, 53(10), 1111–1120. Hoeyer, K., & Wadmann, S. (2020). Meaning and mean ‐ inglessness in healthcare data: Interpre ti ng clinical re ‐ ali ti es in the era of big data. Anthropology & Medicine, 27(1), 18–34. Kamdron, T . (2005). Work mo ti va ti on and job sa ti sfac ti on of Estonian higher o fficials. Interna ti onal Journal of Public Administra ti on, 28(13–14), 1211–1240. Luthans, F. (2002). The need for and meaning of posi ti ve organiza ti onal behavior . Journal of Organiza ti onal Be ‐ havior, 23(6), 695–706. Lysova, E. I., Allan, B. A., Dik, B. J., Du ffy, R. D., & Steger, M. F. (2019). Fostering meaningful work in organiza ‐ ti ons: A mul ti‐ level review and integra ti on. Journal of Voca ti onal Behavior, 110, 374–389. May, D. R., Gilson, R. L., & Harter, L. M. (2004). The psy ‐ chological condi ti ons of meaningfulness, safety and availability and the engagement of the human spirit at work. Journal of Occupa ti onal and Organiza ti onal Psychology, 77(1), 11–37. Pra tt , M. G., & Ashforth, B. E. (2003). Fostering meaning ‐ fulness in working and at work. In K. S. Cameron, J. E. Du tt on, & R. E. Quinn (Eds.), Posi ti ve organiza ti onal scholarship (pp. 309–327). Berrett‐ Koehler Publishers. Rosso, B. D., Dekas, K. H., & Wrzesniewski, A. (2010). On the meaning of work: A theore ti cal integra ti on and re ‐ view. Research in Organiza ti onal Behavior, 30, 91–127. Ry ff, C. D., & Singer, B. H. (1998). The contours of posi ti ve human health. Psychological Inquiry, 9(1), 1–28. Schwartz, B. (2015). Why we work. Simon & Schuster. Schein, E. H. (1978). Career dynamics: Matching individ ‐ ual and organiza ti onal needs. Addison ‐Wesley. Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new un ‐ derstanding of happiness and well ‐being. Free Press. Seligman, M. E. P ., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2014). Posi ti ve psychology: An introduc ti on. In M. Csikszentmihalyi (Ed.), Flow and the founda ti ons of posi ti ve psychol ‐ ogy (pp. 279–298). Springer. Shir, N., Nikolaev, B. N., & Wincent, J. (2019). En ‐ trepreneurship and well ‐being: The role of psycholog ‐ ical autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Journal of Business Venturing, 34(5), 105875. Dynamic Rela ti onships Management Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, May 2025 113 Sommer, K. L., & Baumeister, R. F. (1998). The construc ‐ ti on of meaning from life events: Empirical studies of personal narra ti ves. Journal of Social and Clinical Psy ‐ chology, 17(3), 336–361. Standing, G. (2010). The precariat: The new dangerous class. Bloomsbury Academic. Steger, M. F. (2012). Making meaning in life. In S. J. Lopez (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of posi ti ve psychology (2nd ed., pp. 165–174). Oxford University Press. Steger, M. F ., Kashdan, T . B., & Oishi, S. (2008). Being good by doing good: Daily eudaimonic ac ti vity and well ‐ being. Journal of Research in Personality, 42(1), 22–42. Steger, M. F., & Dik, B. J. (2009). If one is looking for mean ‐ ing in life, does it help to find meaning in work? Ap ‐ plied Psychology: Health and Well ‐Being, 1(3), 303–320. Ward, S. J., & King, L. A. (2017). Work and the good life: How work contributes to meaning in life. The Journal of Posi ti ve Psychology, 12(3), 249–262. Wong, P. T. P. (2014). The quest for meaning: A guide to the theory and prac ti ce of existen ti al posi ti ve psychol ‐ ogy. Routledge. Wrzesniewski, A., Du tt on, J. E., & Debebe, G. (2003). Inter ‐ personal sensemaking and the meaning of work. Re ‐ search in Organiza ti onal Behavior, 25, 93–135.