Finnish outdoor Christmas markets epitomize the winter season by evoking cozy atmospheres illuminating the cold, outdoor landscape with sparkling lights and spiced drinks. But what about the persons behind the festive market stalls? This study directs attention to a unique subset of market entrepreneurs, those who participate in Finnish outdoor Christmas markets. We use IPA (interpretive phenomenological analysis) to better understand the well-being and ill-being during outdoor Christmas market participation in Southern Finland.
In our paper, Jingle Bells and Juggling Stress: An IPA Analysis of well-being and ill-being among market entrepreneurs in outdoor Finnish Christmas markets published in the Journal of Business Venturing Insights, we identify the effect on two areas of well-being primarily focused in research, hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. While distinct areas, these approaches are also closely interconnected. Hedonic has a focus on self-evaluation including what constitutes happiness and fulfilment in life while an eudaimonic approach views well-being as a combination of happiness and finding meaning and purpose in life.
Gaining insights from IPA
The exploratory nature of IPA, coupled with its use of a double hermeneutic idiographic framework, allowed us as outsiders to gain a deeper understanding the lived experiences of these outdoor market sellers. Key to this study was to hear in the participants own words how they experienced their market selling experience and its direct impact on these areas of well-being. Three themes were identified illustrating the complexities of well-being and entrepreneurship while operating with somewhat of an internal conflict.
The true meaning of well-being?
The study identified well-being themes experienced collectively by five Finnish Outdoor Christmas market sellers. Our themes, ‘Uncertainty of…’, ‘Challenging work conditions’, and ‘Doing what you love’, reflect the predominantly positive aspects to eudaimonic well-being. Overwhelmingly, the passion for creating and selling products, along with entrepreneurial engagement, be that with customers, employees, or other sellers at the Finnish outdoor Christmas markets significantly contributes to eudaimonic well-being and drives a passion to continue their participation despite identified challenges.
Furthermore, entrepreneurship in the form of market selling, provided more than just financial independence, it also offered opportunities for self-expression, aesthetic enjoyment, and the celebration of diversity through the connecting with communities—benefits unattainable to each of them in traditional employment and experienced readily while selling at these Finnish outdoor Christmas markets.
Why does it even matter?
Our pioneering study brings to light the people behind the stalls who dedicate months of their year to make Christmas bright for all the attendees at Finnish outdoor Christmas markets. Most studies on community markets have focused on the impact on the community or the relationship with the organizers, for which we found was significant, but lacking in the human-relations side. These market sellers play a crucial role in our communities bringing people together year after year to celebrate traditions and bring joy to all who attend.
Read the full paper here to find out more: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352673425000022
Author Bios
Regina Casteleijn-Osorno is a Doctoral Researcher at Turku University, School of Economics and Lego® Serious Play® facilitator. Her research interests include wellbeing, DEI, illbeing, mother-caregivers, neurodiversity/additional needs and aspects of entrepreneurial performance by mothers including the societal impact. She herself identifies as neurodiverse and is the mother to three children, two with neurodiversity and additional needs.
Linh Duong is a Doctoral Researcher at the School of Business of Åbo Akademi University, Finland. Her doctoral research project explores the performance of gender within entrepreneurial pitching context. Her research interest revolves around gender issues in entrepreneurship, rural entrepreneurship, minority entrepreneurship, and intersectional aspects in entrepreneurship.
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