Small Business, Innovation & Well-being Research
Psychometric properties
Before being able to state that a questionnaire has excellent psychometric properties, meaning a scale is both reliable and valid, it must be evaluated extensively.
(Portney & Watkins, 2009)
To use this tool, please contact Professor Sukanlaya Sawang
Why middle-aged entrepreneurs are better than young ones
by Sukanlaya Sawang
New research reveals that middle-aged entrepreneurs are more successful than younger ones, thanks to greater experience, industry knowledge, and financial stability. The article challenges the myth of the young startup founder and suggests a shift in how we approach entrepreneurship education, funding, and support.
Featured ARTICLE
Professor Sukanlaya Sawang’s research examines how entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises respond to technological, environmental and institutional change. Bringing together organisational psychology, entrepreneurship and innovation management, she investigates how human behaviour, organisational capabilities and wider ecosystems influence innovation, business resilience and wellbeing. Her work challenges one-size-fits-all approaches to business development, showing how different combinations of resources, relationships and institutional conditions shape entrepreneurial outcomes. Her research streams include:
Entrepreneurship and wellbeing
Entrepreneurial identity, founder wellbeing and business decision-making.
Digital transformation and responsible AI
AI adoption, digital innovation and governance in SMEs and family businesses.
Innovation ecosystems and networks
Stakeholder collaboration, regional innovation and SME capabilities.
Sustainable enterprise and circular economy
Eco-innovation, sustainable consumption and circular business practices.
Business resilience and inclusive development
Entrepreneurial resilience, economic inclusion and sustainable growth.
Leadership and Funding
Professor Sawang has secured more than £1.5 million in competitive research funding and leads international collaborations across the UK, Europe, Asia and Australia. Her projects have received support from funders including UK Research and Innovation, the British Academy, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Australian Research Council. With more than 5,000 citations and an h-index of 38, her research connects academic scholarship with industry engagement and public policy.
Expertise and Focus Areas
Her research spans entrepreneurial psychology and wellbeing, SME innovation, digital transformation, responsible artificial intelligence and sustainable enterprise. Particular interests include AI maturity in smaller businesses, family business governance, entrepreneurial ecosystems, stakeholder engagement and circular economy transitions. Across these areas, she examines how people, organisations and institutions interact to shape responsible innovation and long-term resilience.
Research Contributions
Professor Sawang’s work has contributed frameworks for understanding SME technology adoption, digital social capital, circular economy ecosystems and AI maturity. Her research on entrepreneurial archetypes demonstrates how different combinations of identity, behaviour and capability influence business performance and founder wellbeing. Other studies examine how stakeholder relationships and regional conditions shape environmental practices, innovation and digital transformation.
Research Approach and Impact
Combining psychological, organisational and ecosystem perspectives, Professor Sawang uses qualitative, quantitative and configurational approaches to investigate complex business challenges. Her research translates into practical frameworks, business support initiatives and evidence for policymakers, helping entrepreneurs and SMEs navigate technological and sustainability transitions while supporting human wellbeing and inclusive economic development.
