fullscreen

eFinder

eFinder

Home › Article

Playing the entrepreneurial game can turn job loss into opportunity

Phys · · 424 words · By Geoff McMaster
headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing
Generate a natural audio summary of this story
Daily briefing

What to know about Playing the entrepreneurial game can turn job loss into opportunity

The article discusses a qualitative study from the University of Alberta and University of Ottawa regarding individuals who pursued entrepreneurship after losing their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights how some people used new business ventures as a psychological tool to regain a sense of control and rebuild their professional identity.

Propaganda risk 10%
Claims checked 5
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center80%
Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Playing the entrepreneurial game can turn job loss into opportunity Gaby Clark Scientific Editor Andrew Zinin Lead Editor In times of financial crisis, some people will roll the dice on starting a new venture to cope with the uncertainty of unemployment, say…

Why it matters

In a new study in the Journal of Business Venturing, University of Alberta researchers Angelique Slade Shantz, Madeline Toubiana of the University of Ottawa and their team found that when people lost jobs and experienced "occupational disorientation" during…

Common ground

The qualitative study focused on 47 people who had lost jobs or career paths between 2020 and 2021—but had a safety net of savings, government benefits or family support, rather than those pursuing an "urgent, compelling, and obvious course of action based on…

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

The article discusses a qualitative study from the University of Alberta and University of Ottawa regarding individuals who pursued entrepreneurship after losing their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights how some people used new business ventures as a psychological tool to regain a sense of control and rebuild their professional identity.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-playing-entrepreneurial-game-job-loss.html

analyticsAnalysis

10%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 5 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 3
check_circle Corroborated 1
verified Verified 1
info
Claim 1: “most subjects underwent a psychological process of granting themselves permission to launch a venture, rather than rushing in impulsively”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence confirms the study's focus on how individuals 'try on' entrepreneurship to envision a future, but the specific psychological process of 'granting themselves permission' as a majority experience is not explicitly detailed in the snippets provided.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Study design, settings & participant criteria. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study using focus group discussions (FGDs) to explore the drivers of psychological distress among female, and Bla…
https://journals.plos.org/mentalhealth/article?id=10.1371/jo…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — However, the literature suggests that participants may experience challenges related to their social-emotional state, psychological strength domains, or physical capacity.Exploring the significance of…
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42322-026-00244-9
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The sample included a diverse demographic, though most participants were middle-class adults. Participants were unaware that they were part of a psychological experiment, which helped preserve the nat…
https://www.zimbardo.com/the-foot-in-the-door-technique-stud…
info
Claim 2: “The study focused on [people] who had a safety net of savings, government benefits or family support”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence confirms the study exists and its general theme, but the specific detail regarding the 'safety net of savings, government benefits or family support' is not present in the search snippets.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — One that participates, shares, or takes part in something. adj. Sharing in or taking part; participating. par·tic′i·pance n. American Heritage®...
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Participants
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 1 day ago · The meaning of PARTICIPANT is one that participates. How to use participant in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/participant
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The participants in an activity are the people who take part in it. 40 of the course participants are offered employment with the company.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/partici…
check_circle
Claim 3: “In a new study in the Journal of Business Venturing, University of Alberta researchers Angelique Slade Shantz, Madeline Toubiana of the University of Ottawa and their team found that when people lost jobs and experienced 'occupational disorientation' during the COVID-19 pandemic, some chose to 'play' with entrepreneurship”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the existence of the study 'Permission to play: Trying on entrepreneurship in times of crisis' authored by Madeline Toubiana, Angelique Slade Shantz, and others, published in the Journal of Business Venturing. The research focuses on individuals trying on entrepreneurship during crises (specifically COVID-19 job loss).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — a study published in the journal Psychological Science.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/095679761452458…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Madeline Toubiana is Professor and the Desmarais Chair in Entrepreneurship. Her research program has been focused broadly on what stalls and supports social change.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Madeline-Toubiana
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Discover our latest research. IMD's faculty and research teams publish articles, case studies, books and reports on a wide range of topics.By Madeline Toubiana, Brian J. Bergmann Jr., Angelique Slade …
https://www.imd.org/research-knowledge/entrepreneurship/case…
info
Claim 4: “The qualitative study focused on 47 people who had lost jobs or career paths between 2020 and 2021”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the existence of the study is confirmed, the specific sample size of '47 people' and the exact timeframe '2020 and 2021' are not explicitly detailed in the provided search snippets, which only describe the study as qualitative and focusing on individuals during crisis.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Madeline Toubiana is a Professor of Strategy and Organization and the Desmarais Chair in Entrepreneurship at the University of Ottawa. Her research is focused on what stalls and supports thriving for …
https://telfer.uottawa.ca/en/directory/madeline-toubiana/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2020, June 18).
https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/people-who-lost-job-or-were-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — “How is it possible to do work that you’re proud of and not feel like your job is encroaching on all parts of your life?” Cal Newport, author of ‘Slow Produc...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HMjTxKRbaI
verified
Claim 5: “Madeline Toubiana et al, Permission to play: Trying on entrepreneurship in times of crisis, Journal of Business Venturing (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2026.106583”
VERIFIED
The title 'Permission to play: Trying on entrepreneurship in times of crisis', the authors (Toubiana, Bergmann Jr., Slade Shantz, Bacq), and the publication 'Journal of Business Venturing' are explicitly confirmed by multiple academic/institutional sources.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Toubiana, Madeline.This qualitative study explores how individuals try on entrepreneurship during crisis. We discover that individuals use entrepreneurship as a way to envision a possible future in a …
https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbvent/v41y2026i3s088390262600…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Permission to play: Trying on entrepreneurship in times of crisis. This qualitative study explores how individuals try on entrepreneurship during crisis.By Madeline Toubiana, Brian J. Bergmann Jr., An…
https://www.imd.org/research-knowledge/?MRK_CMPG_SOURCE=webl…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Madeline Toubiana is a Professor of Strategy and Organization and the Desmarais Chair in Entrepreneurship at the University of Ottawa. Her research is focused on what stalls and supports thriving for …
https://telfer.uottawa.ca/en/directory/madeline-toubiana/
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.