Typological essay on the meaning and causes of suicide among SME owners-managers in France and Italy

Ensayo tipológico sobre el significado y las causas del suicidio entre los dirigentes propietarios de PyME en Francia e Italia

Thierno Bah (), Charlotte Kinowski-Moysan, Olivier Torrès and Dany Gaillon
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Thierno Bah: IAE Rouen - Institut d'Administration des Entreprises (IAE) - Rouen, UNIROUEN - Université de Rouen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université
Charlotte Kinowski-Moysan: UM - Université de Montpellier, MRM - Montpellier Research in Management - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - UM - Université de Montpellier, Labex Entreprendre - UM - Université de Montpellier
Olivier Torrès: UM - Université de Montpellier, Groupe Sup de Co Montpellier (GSCM) - Montpellier Business School, MRM - Montpellier Research in Management - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - UM - Université de Montpellier, Labex Entreprendre - UM - Université de Montpellier
Dany Gaillon: CNAM - Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers [CNAM]

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Abstract: Based on a multiple cases study, this article focuses on the suicide of SME owners-managers, a taboo topic that remains virtually unexplored by specialists in SME and entrepreneurship. More specifically, it attempts to understand the meaning and causes of the suicidal gesture among business leaders by mobilizing a double framework of analysis: the typology of suicide from sociologist Baechler (1975) and the stressors of entrepreneurial activity of Lechat and Torrès (2016a, 2016b, 2017). To this end, the paper suggests a novel methodological approach on the basis of secondary data on 25 concrete cases of suicide that occurred in France and Italy. The results highlight the predominant role of over-indebtedness in the root causes that lead managers to end their lives. However, not everyone experiences the situation in the same way, and therefore does not give the same meaning to their suicidal gesture. Thus, different types of suicides specific to SME owners-managers have been identified through Baechler's typology.

Keywords: Santé au travail; Suicide; Stress entrepreneurial; Surendettement; Dirigeants-propriétaires de PME; France; Italie (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-01-17
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Published in Revue Internationale PME, 2023, 35 (3-4), pp.150-180. ⟨10.7202/1095587ar⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04009471

DOI: 10.7202/1095587ar

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