More resources or less demands? A three-wave longitudinal study on student well-being and perceived employability in entrepreneurship courses

Abstract

Building on the study demands-resources model, this study investigates the relationships between study resources and demands, student well-being and their perceived employability. A total of 518 students completed a questionnaire at the beginning, middle, and end of an entrepreneurship course. Structural equation modelling revealed that study resources, such as teacher-student and student-student relationships, positively related to study engagement. In contrast, study demands, including role conflict and emotional demands, positively related to emotional exhaustion. In turn, study engagement positively related to students’ perceived employability over time, whereas the impact of emotional exhaustion on perceived employability was not significant. Additionally, we proposed the moderation effect of study resources on the relationship between study demands and emotional exhaustion. Contrary to expectations, the results showed that teacher-student relationships strengthened the effect of role conflict on emotional exhaustion. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical insights into the relationships between study resources and demands, student well-being, and employability development. The findings also have practical implications for improving teaching pedagogies of entrepreneurship courses.