Transnational Ventures Research Articles

The influence of entrepreneurs’ multi-country resources and mobility on transnational entrepreneurship survivability

Abstract This study examines the role of entrepreneurs’ multi-country resources and mobility in achieving transnational entrepreneurship survivability. Outlined by the Forms of Capital model through the context of transnational entrepreneurship, this research provides a layer of understanding on the individual-opportunity-venture nexus in entrepreneurship through to exploring the way individual resources contribute towards venture survivability in a dynamic environment. The findings indicate that there are four core configurations associated with long-term entrepreneurial survivability, with geographical mobility is present as the necessary condition in achieving the outcome of interest. Theory-wise, this study speaks to the discourse of individual-opportunity-venture nexus through the configurations revealed from the findings. Practice-wise, the configurations will be useful for transnational entrepreneurs and policymakers interested in developing policies to encourage transnational venture sustainability.

Building legitimacy and distinctiveness on Nigerian-Canadian transnational ventures’ websites

ABSTRACT Achieving legitimacy in several markets is crucial for transnational ventures. Moreover, the literature on competitive strategy suggests that distinctiveness from competitors is a major source of competitive advantage for ventures. Nevertheless, our knowledge is sparse on how transnational ventures use claims to build legitimacy and distinctiveness through their website, which is increasingly the main point of contact with customers and other stakeholders. This research gap is especially relevant as an online presence plays a more important role than ever for ventures thriving to survive and grow. Thus, we analyzed (1) claims collected from 20 Nigerian-Canadian transnationals’ websites, classified by argument types, and (2) survey data from a 20-member review panel that assessed legitimacy and distinctiveness of those websites. Applying ranking, clustering and regression analysis, we found that not only legitimacy and distinctiveness are crucial for transnational ventures, but that they are also positively correlated. Hence, transnational ventures should design their websites to communicate their unique qualities, display customer reviews, provide comprehensive product information, and articulate their value proposition with the help of videos and images and pay attention to cybersecurity. Finally, we conclude with research propositions and managerial recommendations.

Exploring the multi-level processes of legitimacy in transnational social enterprises

Transnational entrepreneurship has emerged as a form of migrants' participation in the social, economic, and political lives of both their countries of origin and of residence. Leveraging increasing evidence about migrants' involvment in transnational social enterprises, we examine the multi-level processes through which organizational legitimacy is molded by transnational entrepreneurs to reflect country-level institutional settings, and how organizational-level legitimacy affects entrepreneurs' social status. We longitudinally examine the multi-level processes of legitimation in a transnational social enterprise operated by Ghanaian migrants across Italy and Ghana. We analyze secondary and ethnographic data for two years, observing how transnational social enterprises harvest moral and pragmatic legitimacy from the institutional contexts in which they operate. We study how entrepreneurs construe their social status through pragmatic legitimacy obtained from their transnational ventures, and their institutional environments inspired by micro- and meso legitimacy reconfigurations. We discuss theoretical implications for social and transnational entrepreneurship and practical contributions for policy-making.

Social Ties, Prior Experience, and Venture Creation by Transnational Entrepreneurs

The interaction between resources, and host and home country contexts of transnational entrepreneurs (TEs), is important for understanding their strategies and hence performance of their ventures. Yet, how they deploy their unique experiences and social networks in the founding of ventures in multiple institutional contexts is less understood. Based on 15 in-depth interviews with TEs of Indian origin in the UK, and nine of their counterpart heads of transnational venture (TNV) operations, we explore the use of prior experience, and personal and industry ties in the founding of TNVs in their home country. Our findings show that the way TEs use personal and industry ties in the host and home countries is contingent on whether they have prior experience of: 1) entering the home country; 2) implementing the business opportunity underlying the TNV in the home country, respectively, with a former employer. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Ethnic ties, motivations, and home country entry strategy of transnational entrepreneurs

Based on 30 in-depth interviews with Indian transnational entrepreneurs (TEs) in the USA and their corresponding India heads of operations, we explore the influence of TEs’ ethnic ties on their motivations and entry strategy in the formation of transnational ventures in their home country. Our findings show the heterogeneity of TEs’ motivations (economic and emotional) and home country entry strategy (proactive and reactive). Further, we find that TEs’ entry strategy is contingent on their (a) use of professional and personal ethnic ties and (b) prior experience of doing business with the home country. These findings contribute to the transnational and immigrant entrepreneurship literatures.

Social Ties and Home Country Entry by Transnational Entrepreneurs

US-based Indian migrant entrepreneurs have made a significant contribution to the creation of new businesses, especially in the high-tech sector in Silicon Valley. Many of these entrepreneurs have taken Silicon Valley entrepreneurial models back to India, while continuing to maintain connections with the US. These transnational entrepreneurs, who leverage their knowledge of two countries and cultures to found cross-border ventures, are the focus of this paper. We draw on international entrepreneurship and migrant entrepreneurship literatures to understand the role of ethnic ties in India and the US, in influencing and enabling Indian entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley to found transnational ventures. Our findings contribute to the emerging theoretical and empirical literature on transnational entrepreneurship, as well as to the international entrepreneurship literature.

Social Ties, Social Capital, and Recruiting Managers in Transnational Ventures

ABSTRACTSocial capital provides access to resources; however, how migrant entrepreneurs use social capital in the recruitment of managers for their transnational ventures is less understood. The authors conducted eight in-depth interviews with transnational entrepreneurs of Indian origin in the United Kingdom and nine confirmatory interviews with managers of their transnational ventures. Findings show that transnational entrepreneurs substitute or complement international and local social capital in the recruitment of managers contingent on whether they (a) live in the United Kingdom or India and (b) use social ties in the United Kingdom or India to recruit managers. Implications for research, policy and management are discussed.

"Social Ties, Social Capital and Recruiting Managers in Transnational Ventures"

ABSTRACTSocial capital provides access to resources; however, how migrant entrepreneurs use social capital in the recruitment of managers for their transnational ventures is less understood. The authors conducted eight in-depth interviews with transnational entrepreneurs of Indian origin in the United Kingdom and nine confirmatory interviews with managers of their transnational ventures. Findings show that transnational entrepreneurs substitute or complement international and local social capital in the recruitment of managers contingent on whether they (a) live in the United Kingdom or India and (b) use social ties in the United Kingdom or India to recruit managers. Implications for research, policy and management are discussed.

Transnational Muslim Americans: Four Women in Jordan

This article examines the biographies of four Muslim American women who have lived in Amman, Jordan. It seeks to understand how residency in this Muslim-majority country in the Middle East has affected their religious attitudes and practices as well as their gender, ethnic, and national identities. In offering analysis of these women’s own thinking about how their time in Jordan had or had not altered their Muslim and American identities and practices, this article contributes to larger scholarly conversations about religion and politics in transnational perspective. The travel and observations of these four women in Amman evidenced the often unpredictable nature of personal change when a human being moves, both physically and spiritually, from one place to another. Their stories confirm that the focus of much social scientific literature on transnationalism on how institutions—both formal and informal, state and non-state--delimit, constrain, and shape political identity is useful and necessary in understanding transnational ventures. But it also shows that such literature does not always account for the possible religious meanings of human movement. The transnational Muslim Americans in this study engage in ethical and cosmic, national and transnational practices all at once. Their stories show how an account sensitive to religious activity can helpfully account for the multiple meanings of transnational practice among Muslim Americans.

Reading "the Indies": Transnational Ventures in Early American Literature

Reading "the Indies": Transnational Ventures in Early American Literature

Complementary effects of network range and tie strength in enhancing transnational venture performance

AbstractWe examine the complementary effects of network range and tie strength on the performance of ventures in the context of the transnational entrepreneur (TE). Network range facilitates access to a broad set of knowledge and resources; however these resources may be activated only in the presence of strong ties. Alternatively, a network heavy in strong ties provides reliable connections, but a lack of range can lead to network closure. Using a sample of 452 TE ventures, we find that tie strength enhances venture performance, but network range does not have a significant effect. Furthermore, taken together, tie strength and network range significantly enhance TE venture performance. Supermodularity and linear restriction tests indicate asymmetric complementarity between network range and tie strength. Tie strength is a critical input and network range plays a supporting role in a TE's venture performance. Copyright © 2011 Strategic Management Society.

The Balancing Act: The Role of Transnational Habitus and Social Networks in Balancing Transnational Entrepreneurial Activities

Transnational entrepreneurship is becoming an increasingly important global phenomenon with enormous impact on economic, social, and political structures worldwide. Drawing on Bourdieu's theory of practice, we assess how transnational entrepreneurs (TEs) may balance their network scope and network size in dual environments to enhance their ability to operate in both environments. Using a sample of 452 U.S. Latin American TEs, we find that balanced network size and network scope in the respective institutional settings enhance the degree of transnational venture activities. More importantly, we find that the joint effects of balancing network size with network scope are significantly greater than their individual effects.

Remembering and Suffering: Memory and Shifting Allegiances in the Angolan Tokoist Church

AbstractIn this article I offer a historical and ethnographic account of the Angolan 'Tokoist church'. I start by underlining the reasons behind its 'forgotten history' in terms of academic debates on African Christianity, and then discuss its place within the 'Congo prophet paradigm'. This historical approach opens ground for the discussion between the different doctrinal and ideological tensions (the place of Bakongo ethnicity and Angolan nationality) that motivated its particular institutional growth — tensions and conflicts that are still in play in the recent developments of the church in Angola. Finally, I will argue that the recent transformation of the church into a transnational venture turned out to be a strategy for the overcoming of those tensions.

Knowledge and learning in transnational ventures: an actor‐centred approach

The aim of this article is to develop the foundations of an actor‐centred, processual approach to examining the influence of cross‐border knowledge transfer and management learning on transnational institution building in post‐socialist countries. We argue that there is a need for more research to understand how key social actors go about (re)structuring, (re)defining and sharing knowledge within new international ventures. We contend that social actors can play a significant role in creating and structuring the “transnational social space” in which the new venture takes shape, exercising strategic choice that can mediate, adapt or even reject the apparently constraining effects of technical‐economic or cultural‐institutional factors. The role of social actors is conceptualized as a socio‐political sensemaking process, a perspective that would complement the current structuralist bias in the discussion about the emergence of transnational social space in international management research literature.

Transnational nursing programs: models, advantages and challenges

Conducting transnational programs can be a very rewarding activity for a School, Faculty or University. Apart from increasing the profile of the university, the conduct of transnational programs can also provide the university with openings for business opportunities, consultative activities, and collaborative research. It can also be a costly exercise placing an enormous strain on limited resources with little reward for the provider. Transnational ventures can become nonviable entities in a very short period of time due to unanticipated global economic trends. Transnational courses offered by Faculties of Business and Computing are commonplace, however, there is a growing number of health science programs, particularly nursing that are being offered transnational. This paper plans an overview of several models employed for the delivery of transnational nursing courses and discusses several key issues pertaining to conducting courses outside the host university's country.