Migrant Entrepreneurs Research Articles

Social networks for cross-border business activities: a comparison between transnational and domestic Moroccan migrant entrepreneurs

ABSTRACT The existing literature shows that social contacts and resources available through social networks are particularly important for migrant entrepreneurs. This seems to apply also to transnational migrant entrepreneurs, who are migrants involved in entrepreneurial activities crossing national borders. It is still not entirely clear which kind of social contacts they use, nor the differences with migrant entrepreneurs conducting a domestic (namely, non-transnational) business. The paper focuses on the use of social networks by transnational and domestic entrepreneurs, by illustrating the case of Moroccan migrant entrepreneurs in Amsterdam and Milan. The research reveals that transnational entrepreneurs have more heterogenous, geographically dispersed and territorially articulated support networks, which are both more extensive and less dense than those of domestic entrepreneurs. Transnational entrepreneurs exploit their capacity to have contacts with different people in different places. In contrast, domestic entrepreneurs tend to mobilize resources within their dense, homogeneous, and locally based networks.

“As if it were home”: an exploratory study of the role of homesickness among migrant entrepreneurs

ABSTRACT A common pattern observed in the psychological literature on migrants is homesickness, yet there is a lack of research examining if this phenomenon has any effect in the entrepreneurship sphere. This study begins to fill this gap with an inductive approach examining the Venezuelan migratory wave in Chile. Methodologically, we conduct an oral history analysis of 18 Venezuelan entrepreneurs’ narratives to explore the reasons they built their entrepreneurial ventures and the mechanisms underlying this process. Based on our findings, we show that homesickness can become an enabler that links entrepreneurs with a (latent unsatisfied) demand by facilitating the entrepreneurial ideation process. This phenomenon occurs because the engagement between individuals is heightened when they experience homesickness. On the one hand, we notice that homesick entrepreneurs enhance three resources that contribute to the entrepreneurial ideation process: (1) rhetorical skills, (2) affective empathy, and (3) adaptive attitude. On the other hand, two features also facilitate interaction from the demand side: (1) customer persona and (2) cohesive community identity. Thus, our results suggest that migrant entrepreneurs gain trusted partners based on shared homesickness. Consequently, a more efficient and effective entrepreneurial ideation process is generated.

Understanding the embeddedness and CSR of small in-migration tourism entrepreneurs: The moderating role of the duration of residence

ABSTRACT Local embeddedness implies the nature, complexity, and scope of entrepreneurs’ connection to the location’s environment. Based on limited recent research, this study emphasizes the bright side of in-migration tourism entrepreneurs in fulfilling CSR, and proposes a conceptual model to show the relationship between local embeddedness, place dependence, place identity, and CSR. Duration of residence representing the persistence of migration is further considered in the model to understand the continuing effectiveness of local embeddedness on CSR. After quantitative research, this study finds that local embeddedness can significantly and indirectly stimulate CSR implementation through promoting place identity or promoting place dependence and thus enhancing place identity, but the impact of local embeddedness on place identity diminishes over duration of residence. This study provides an opportunity to combine and compare migrant entrepreneurship research with mainstream entrepreneurship research, and ultimately contributes to the cross-study of migrant entrepreneurship and CSR.

The Economic Analysis of Cross-Border Migration: A Case Study of Lahore, Pakistan

The migrant entrepreneurs’ activities increasingly spread beyond national borders as they travel and move goods between countries. Yet, research still portrays a static and homogeneous picture of the phenomenon, which disregards complex biographies, evolving along multiple places over time, and cross-border activities beyond the origin and destination country. In response, this article uses a time-geographic and biographic approach, which allows for a more dynamic investigation of the different localities involved in migrants’ entrepreneurial projects and the evolution of cross-border resources throughout their history of migration. The presented study is based on quantitative research data collection through the distribution of 186 questionnaires among the educated faculty of the University of Management and Technology, Lahore. Because most research participants have multiple migration experiences and are female, it provides insights into understudied groups within the field. This article concludes that the lack of resource, poverty, and unemployment in Pakistan is the reason for the migration of educated people from Pakistan to abroad. In contrast to the classic literature, it highlights that the cross-border engagement of migrants often exceeds the origin–destination binary. Knowledge of economic and institutional environments, professional and intimate contacts, as well as other competencies that interviewees have developed within different localities and episodes of their mobile biographies, become important resources in this regard. Moreover, the study offers a nuanced view of the constraints experienced and strategies employed by different groups of migrants according to their position in society.

Stress and resilience to migrant entrepreneur-managers of small and medium enterprises during COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate the stressors faced by migrant entrepreneur-managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their resilience strategies for reviving their businesses.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a qualitative research design based on grounded theory. Semi-structured interview questionnaire was used for one-to-one interviews with 20 migrant entrepreneur-managers, representing ten different business sectors during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 and 2021. Interviews were transcribed, coded into open code, axial code and selective code to identify the major themes, and analysis was done into three levels to explore the stressors and initial strategies implemented to cope with the crisis. Trustworthiness of the findings was ensured by credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability, and reflexivity.FindingsThis study explored three types of stressors: finance-related stressors, supplies-related stressors and human resources-related stressors in migrant SME entrepreneur-managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study revealed the use of comprehensive supply chain strategies followed by migrant SME entrepreneur-managers to be resilient enough to cope with a crisis situation like the COVID-19 pandemic.Originality/valueThis study covers an under-researched area of research related to stressors and resilience strategies in migrant SME entrepreneur-managers during the pandemic situation. A large body of prior research contributes to employees' stress and coping behaviors, while this paper focuses on stressors in migrant entrepreneur-managers in the special context of pandemics and their strategies to be resilient during a crisis situation. Thus, the findings of this study contribute to SME entrepreneur-managers, policy makers and academicians so that a large number of migrant entrepreneurs can develop resilient strategies for crisis situations. Furthermore, this study contributes to the supply chain resilience literature and resource dependency theory.

Self-regulation, micro-foundations and migrant entrepreneurs’ capacities for resilience

ABSTRACT In this article, using regulatory focus theory (RFT), we adopt a micro-foundational approach to illuminate how migrant entrepreneurs develop forms of resilience within a small firm context. Conceptually we showcase how the fusing of individual and organizational interactions enables the enactment of generative resilience capacities. Our empirical study involves a qualitative, interpretative approach encompassing sixty-one interviews with migrant entrepreneurs across three urban centres in the UK. The enactment of resilience capacities is activated through legitimacy building, network building and resource and capability development. Theoretically we underscore the role of accumulated agency, which aids migrant entrepreneurs to overcome existing structural challenges and in doing so, build resilience capacities. Our findings also reveal the temporal nature of resilience capacity building, involving real-time, retrospective and prospective actions. We offer theoretical contributions, practical implications and signpost directions for future research.

Cultural diversity, social integration, and migrant entrepreneurship—evidence from the China migrants dynamic survey

Cultural diversity, social integration, and migrant entrepreneurship—evidence from the China migrants dynamic survey

The association between settlement intention and migrant entrepreneurship in China: Explanation from human capital and risk aversion

In the new era, one of the keys to promoting sustainable economic growth is to give full play to the main role of migrants in innovation and entrepreneurship, and improve the overall employment quality of society. Based on the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) data, this paper attempts to use the reference group theory, self-motivation theory, human capital theory, and risk preference theory to provide the theoretical framework. Then, the relationship between immigrants’intention and entrepreneurship is examined by using PSM, Heckman-two stage model and IV method. The results clearly show that settlement intention is negatively associated with migrant entrepreneurship for both necessity-based entrepreneurship and opportunity-based entrepreneurship. Further study shows that this negative effect is achieved by changing migrants’ human capital and their risk preference. The heterogeneity analysis shows that the negative effect of settlement intention on migrant entrepreneurship is among those migrants who are between 25 and 45 years old, who are female migrants, who have rural hukou, and who live in central and western China. In a sense, this study identifies a side effect of settlement intention that sublimates and complements the theory of migrant entrepreneurship.

Moving to the Big City: Temporal, Demographic, and Geographic Influences on the Perceptions of Gender-Related Business Acumen among Male and Female Migrant Entrepreneurs in China

Do migrant entrepreneurs from rural areas hold more traditional or more egalitarian gender-role perceptions, when immersed in urban areas? The answer to this question affects China’s within-country migrant entrepreneurs, who are increasingly women, because egalitarian gender-role perceptions increase the resources provided to female entrepreneurs by key stakeholders, including other migrant entrepreneurs. Currently, we know little about the gender equity and gender perceptions evidenced at the intersection of two significant trends in China: (1) rural–urban migration and (2) entrepreneurship. To advance our understanding of the gender bias that female migrant entrepreneurs may encounter, we first analyzed business acumen indicators of a nationally and geographically representative sample of 4660 entrepreneurs in China using Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data (Study 1). Second, we analyzed differences in gender perceptions regarding female business acumen of 293 migrant entrepreneurs based in Beijing (Study 2). The perceptions of all entrepreneurs in rural areas (Study 1) and of male migrant entrepreneurs who were originally from rural areas (Study 2) are the most consistent with traditional gender-role stereotypes. However, male migrant entrepreneurs’ tenure and interactions in Beijing and all entrepreneurs’ exposure to higher proportions of female entrepreneurs were associated with more egalitarian perceptions. Migrant entrepreneurship in China provides insights into the differential influence of gender and home region socialization on the gender stereotypes and business-related perceptions of those immersed in a location with more egalitarian gender stereotypes.

Back for business: The link between foreign experience and entrepreneurship in Latvia

AbstractResearch shows that return migrants have a higher propensity to set up an entrepreneurial activity or be self‐employed compared to non‐migrants. We take a multidisciplinary approach and empirically study the case of Latvia as a migration donor country to learn how re‐migrants participate in entrepreneurship back at home. We are interested if return migrants can be seen as a vehicle for entrepreneurship development and if it is worth looking at them as agents of business growth and innovation. Not only we measure the fact of being entrepreneurial but also explore sources that contribute to the higher propensity, attitudes to creating own business venture, level of ambitions and population sentiment towards entrepreneurs. Based on a nationally representative adult population survey of 8000 observations, we find that early‐stage entrepreneurial activity, established business ownership as well as intrapreneurship for return migrants exceed that of the non‐migrant population. The self‐perceived capabilities to start business is higher for those who have lived abroad, and fear of failure is lower. Return migrants also have better business networks and higher growth and export ambitions. Latvian return migrant entrepreneurship is not necessity driven but rather motivated by opportunities. Migration experience, length of stay aboard and capital accumulated abroad are found to be significant predictors of probability to become entrepreneur when controlled for socioeconomic and personal factors.

Regulation of migrant entrepreneurship: The strained conjunction of laws, policies and practices

AbstractWe are struck by a curious paradox: the flourishing discourse on migrant entrepreneurship is replete with references to the regulatory environment; yet the precise ways in which regulations exert influence is rarely spelt out. This task is all the more urgent because policymakers are alighting on the fact that migrants often turn to self‐employment to make their way in destination societies. Yet, the extent to which regulations – comprising laws and governmental and non‐governmental policy measures and practices – is poorly understood. This special section aims at filling this gap by adopting a theoretically informed analytical perspective to understand the role of regulation in migrant entrepreneurship. Articles in this special section analyse the nature of laws, policies and practices, the factors of success/failure of these, the role of governmental and non‐governmental actors, and the effect of different welfare regimes and governance conditions.

Economy of marginality and familiarity: Making sense of South Asian migrant breakout business in Hong Kong

This article examines an emerging phenomenon within the South Asian economy in Hong Kong: Disadvantaged entrepreneurs, mainly from Pakistan, Nepal and India, have adopted breakout strategies to target other disadvantaged migrants, particularly Indonesian and Filipino foreign domestic workers. This challenges the widely shared assumption that breakout strategies of migrant entrepreneurs address primarily the mainstream population. By applying Erving Goffman’s notion of frame, we focus on how these entrepreneurs understand and interpret their (change of) market orientation in the context of a specific entrepreneurial environment, where power asymmetries exist in the economic and political constellation between the ethnic majority and various groups of migrants. Regarding methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and analyses were done based on 15 business units with 19 migrant entrepreneurs targeting other marginalised migrant groups with whom they share stigmatisation by the ethnic majority. The findings reveal that four frames around “marginality” and “familiarity” play a crucial role in shaping South Asian migrant entrepreneurs’ market orientation and strategies: a) shared experiences of discrimination, b) unwanted locality as resources, c) common culture, and d) race-based affinity and sympathy. These results contribute to the debates by adding a rather neglected form of market orientation to the diversification of migrant entrepreneurial strategies in existing literature, supplementing the economic and social explanations by applying a cultural sociological perspective of social inequality, and critically reviewing the assumption that breakout automatically generates economic success and social mobility.

Migrants in the economy of European rural and mountain areas. A cross-national investigation of their economic integration

New dynamics of local development have shed the light on the possible revitalization of European rural and mountain areas. A key element in these dynamics is the international migration fluxes that have these areas as new destinations. Newcomers' arrivals to rural and mountain areas represent both an opportunity and a challenge. They can fill in the gaps in local job markets left by the out-migration of young and the depopulation of remaining locals, but migrants' integration can present hurdles. Within the complex composition of the integration process, this research analyses the economic aspects related to local entrepreneurs' behaviours, migrant self-entrepreneurship, the role of the social economy and its effects on local communities. This paper presents results from secondary sources produced by the work of ten research teams – which collaborate on a European project MATILDE Horizon 2020 – based in as many European countries. The consortium agreed on a qualitative research approach, the use of semi-structured interviews, focus groups and participatory observation for data collection, and the “Foundational Economy” as the principal theoretical framework. Then, our research team carried out data extraction and comparison. Results show the diverse features of economic integration, encompassing local economic actors’ solutions, reactions in the communities, the role of the social economy and migrant entrepreneurship.

Transnational digital entrepreneurship and enterprise effectiveness: A micro-foundational perspective

Transnational digital entrepreneurship (TDE), the establishment of digital enterprises by combining home- and host-country value creation to serve domestic and foreign customers, is increasing. In order to understand the role of entrepreneurs in transnational digital enterprise effectiveness, we investigate how the competencies of transnational digital entrepreneurs influence social interactions among stakeholders that contribute to enterprise effectiveness. We apply the micro-foundations perspective of management and entrepreneurship and semi-structured interview data from transnational entrepreneurs from six countries—Finland, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Australia, and the USA—and their partners in Pakistan. We find that entrepreneurs’ digital knowledge, skills, and abilities—versatile cognitive capabilities, digital managerial capabilities, and multicultural capabilities—affect social interactions through four socio-structural mechanisms—structural support, trust-building, knowledge sharing, and resource configuration—that enhance enterprise effectiveness. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications for transnational entrepreneurship, policymakers, and migrant entrepreneurs.

Migrant entrepreneurs in the ‘Farm of Europe’: the role of transnational structures

ABSTRACT The so-called ‘sea of plastic’ in Almería, Spain, is a 450km2 area devoted to intensive greenhouse farming managed by 10,000 small farmers who employ a labour force of 50,000 workers, mostly immigrants from Africa and eastern Europe. Romanian immigrants arrived at the beginning of 2000s and have occupied various positions within this agro-industrial district. Some started their own businesses in greenhouse reparation and construction employing fellow Romanians. They seized the market, providing more stable jobs through their transnational networks, and extending their businesses nationally and internationally. This paper analyses the global processes ‘from below’ that explain the occupation of specific economic spaces by transnational migrant entrepreneurs. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and social network analysis, the paper shows how the seasonal mobilization of a workforce through a transnational social field connecting Romania and Spain provided a competitive advantage to these entrepreneurs to start investing in their ventures and acquiring new markets.

The Role of Ghana’s Macro Environment in Ethnic Migrants Self-Employment Entrepreneurial Motivation

This study examines the role of Ghana’s macro environmental factors on the entrepreneurial motivation of self-employed ethnic migrants. It analyses the effect of context on motivation, by focusing on the six PESTLE variables, as predictors for each of the eight distinct dimensions of entrepreneurial motivation factors, identified through an initial factor analysis of the generated survey data. We tested five hypotheses to determine the association between macro-environmental factors, and the entrepreneurial motivation of the respondents. Following data analysis and interpretation, two hypotheses comprising H2, and H3 were supported. Thus, our results show a statistically significant positive correlation between Ghana’s economic environment (i.e. H2), including its social context (i.e. H3), and the self-employment entrepreneurial motivation of the study’s respondents, as hypothesised. However, three hypotheses, consisting of H1, H4, and H5, were partially supported. The new insights derived from the findings constitute this paper’s contribution to the existing knowledge, and the entrepreneurship literature. Also, the paper’s scope and focus positions it as one of the first studies, or probably it could be the first study that has empirically analysed the impact of Ghana’s macro-contextual factors on the entrepreneurial motivation of internal ethnic migrant entrepreneurs. Furthermore, our exclusive focus on external macro-environmental factors contained in PESTLE models, which were rigorously analysed to determine their impact on entrepreneurial motivation, is a departure from the frequent analysis of the personality of entrepreneurs, and internal factors within an enterprise. Thus, from the ensuing, we make both a methodological contribution, and additions to the structural theory approach of entrepreneurship.

A resource interaction perspective on resource use and development in migrant entrepreneur networks

Many scholars indicate that a more complex, interactionist approach to migrant entrepreneurs’ resources is needed. The aim of this paper is to use the Resource Interaction Approach (RIA) and the Actors, Resources, Activities model (ARA) to identify the processes by which resources development occurs through interactions in three network types (ethnic, transnational, and local), and to show the use of those resources in migrants’ entrepreneurial activities. Examples derived from 135 interviews confirm RIA as a fruitful approach to explaining this phenomenon. The paper contributes to stronger integration between RIA and the ARA model; it also supports arguments regarding the nature and processes of resource interactions and shows the role of network type in shaping those interactions. The paper also contributes to migrant entrepreneurship literature by providing a new perspective on the ways resources are created within networks.

The transnational dimension of the Pakistani ethnic economy in Barcelona

ABSTRACT The city of Barcelona has become a nodal point of the transnational social space of the Pakistani diaspora. Despite being quite invisible, Pakistanis stand out for their entrepreneurial activities, especially in the food and telecommunication sectors. This paper aims to shed light on the transnational dimension of Pakistani ethnic businesses of Barcelona through the lens of ‘transnational mixed embeddedness’ and a multi-level approach that combines analytical levels (macro, meso and micro) and territorial levels (local/national and transnational). This is within the theoretical debate around globalization from below, immigrant entrepreneurship and transnational entrepreneurship, and by using a mixed-methods design. The results show how migrant entrepreneurs can be placed in a ‘continuum of transnational embeddedness’, depending on the interrelation of agency and micro-sociological processes entailing in-group differences with meso-market and macro-structural factors from a dynamic point of view.

Guest editorial: Migrant entrepreneurship and the roles of family beyond place and space: towards a family resourcefulness across borders perspective

Guest editorial: Migrant entrepreneurship and the roles of family beyond place and space: towards a family resourcefulness across borders perspective

Letter from the editors

Letter from the editors