Abstract
We contribute in this paper to the scant literature on the factors and conditions influencing the development of different perceptions of potential international opportunities for immigrant and native entrepreneurs in the pre-internationalization phase. Specifically, we investigate what factors influence the perceived likelihood entrepreneurs have of exporting. Building on entrepreneurial intentions and opportunity-based entrepreneurial processes, we propose a cognitive account of perceived likelihood of exporting based on entrepreneurs’ perceptions of the desirability and feasibility of export opportunities. We investigate how the immigrant status (i.e., individual characteristics) and time (i.e., contextual factors) influence the relationship between the desirability and feasibility of exporting, and entrepreneurs’ perceived likelihood of exporting. We employ an experimental design on a matched-pair sample of 108 native and immigrant entrepreneurs in domestic technology-based firms. The results are a unique account of the cognitive antecedents of the perceived likelihood of exporting under different temporal conditions, comparing immigrant and native entrepreneurs. We discuss theoretical and practical implications.
Highlights
Part of prior literature on immigrants has approached their entrepreneurial endeavors with a “deficit” lens, often situating them in a necessity and economic adaptation position; differently, other streams of literature have highlighted immigrant entrepreneurs’ competitive advantages and resources compared to the native ones, in particular with respect to internationalization processes (Elo et al 2018)
These divergent approaches in prior literature suggest that immigrant and non-immigrant entrepreneurs might have different experiences, resources, and structural positions that could lead to different advantages or disadvantages in business processes and outcomes
For instance, immigrant entrepreneurs might be in the position to leverage knowledge and resources from international networks (e.g., Jiang et al 2016; Neville et al 2014; Wang and Liu 2015), but might be at a disadvantage compared to native entrepreneurs because of their lack of businessrelated knowledge, financial capital, and institutional or governmental assistance from the host country (e.g., Constant and Zimmerman 2006; Hammarstedt 2001; Bolzani and Boari 2018), or because of a language mismatch with the host country or foreign country target (Sui et al 2015)
Summary
Part of prior literature on immigrants has approached their entrepreneurial endeavors with a “deficit” lens, often situating them in a necessity and economic adaptation position; differently, other streams of literature have highlighted immigrant entrepreneurs’ competitive advantages and resources compared to the native ones, in particular with respect to internationalization processes (Elo et al 2018). We are interested in firm outward internationalization, measured in terms of exports In this domain, for instance, immigrant entrepreneurs might be in the position to leverage knowledge and resources from international networks (e.g., Jiang et al 2016; Neville et al 2014; Wang and Liu 2015), but might be at a disadvantage compared to native entrepreneurs because of their lack of businessrelated knowledge, financial capital, and institutional or governmental assistance from the host country (e.g., Constant and Zimmerman 2006; Hammarstedt 2001; Bolzani and Boari 2018), or because of a language mismatch with the host country or foreign country target (Sui et al 2015). To date it has still to be clarified whether and under what conditions immigrant entrepreneurs develop different perceptions of opportunities to enter foreign markets (e.g., Bolzani and Boari 2018; Elo and Minto-Coy 2018)
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