Personal values and entrepreneurial career location: The case of high-skilled immigrants from a developing country

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to analyze the influence of personal values on the reasons why high-skilled immigrants from developing countries are returning to their home countries for career development by creating a business instead of starting up in their host country. A case study methodology was used to understand the role of personal values. The cases studied had a migration experience from Colombia to Spain and decided to return to Colombia to create a business instead of remaining in Spain. This study reveals the role played by personal values of high-skilled immigrants in key decisions about their professional careers. The instrumental values security, independence, stability and wealth help immigrants to shape their idea of the adequate place to develop a career and to decide what kind of career they want to develop. The terminal values: community, family and true friendship were important components of the decision to return home. The findings help policy makers to understand more deeply the phenomenon of entrepreneurship in high-skilled immigrants group. This paper examines a new approach –personal values- to understand the entrepreneur’s decision of where to locate their entrepreneurial activity. Key words: Personal values, high-skilled immigrants, entrepreneurship, career location, case studies.