Open for Business: Migrant Entrepreneurship in OECD Countries
... The restructuring of the economy seemed to give rise to the growth of small businesses, including small businesses run by migrant or ethnic entrepreneurs. Migrant entrepreneurship rates have grown since, and theorizing about this sector of the economy has grown accordingly (Boissevain, 1984;Light & Gold, 2000;Mars & Ward, 1984;OECD, 2010). ...
... The blockage or disadvantage hypothesis describes how opportunities are blocked for certain ethnic groups. They look for entrepreneurship as a necessity (Chrysostome, 2010), they are pushed into entrepreneurship because of disadvantages on the mainstream labor market (Baycan-Levent & Nijkamp, 2009;Dumond, Liebig, Peschner, Tanay, & Xenogiani, 2014;Fong, Busch, Armour, Cook Heffron, & Chanmugam, 2007;Naude, Siegel, & Marchand, 2017;OECD, 2010;Rath & Schutjens, 2016;Volery, 2007). The disadvantage hypothesis assumes that structural causes push migrants into starting their own businesses. ...
... This offers a possible opportunity for immigrant entrepreneurs. The enclave economy can also be beneficial for immigrant entrepreneurs because of the possible support from fellow immigrants (Chrysostome, 2010;Granovetter, 1995;Light & Gold, 2000;OECD, 2010). This links to the second theoretical framework of the specificity hypothesis (OECD, 2010) where the business focus of some immigrant groups is in a certain sector. ...
Support programs refugee entrepreneurs in the Netherlands
... In particular, we focus on case studies in the city of Milan, Italy. The role of diversity in entrepreneurship deserves a specific attention in the Italian context, where small entrepreneurship has an almost unique role in Europe: in many Western countries, small business is a secondary and poorly profitable segment of urban and national economies (Oecd, 2010;Panayiotopoulos, 2010). This is not the case of Italy, where the number of employees and the added value produced by micro enterprises are the highest in Europe (Eurostat, 2011), as the entrepreneurs' rate (Istat, 2015a). ...
... The economic performance of enterprises in diverse urban contextsespecially for discriminated-against minorities -risk to be particularly thin (Kloosterman and Rath, 2001;Rath, 2002;Panayiotopoulos, 2010;Oecd, 2010). Not rarely the sectors open for business to them are low-threshold, low-profitability stagnating markets not attracting "core" economic actors anymore. ...
... Not rarely the sectors open for business to them are low-threshold, low-profitability stagnating markets not attracting "core" economic actors anymore. The hard passage from a "breaking-in" into poor and competitive markets (where the competition with "left-behind" core actors can boost blaming and discrimination) to a "breaking-out" requires often economic and social capitals supporting innovation (Oecd, 2010; see also Engelen, 2001). ...
This article is aimed to analyse the relationship between diversity, entrepreneurship and embeddedness. Diversity is considered in terms of a variety of features of the enterprise, the entrepreneur, and the local context where the business operates. Socioeconomic embeddedness is considered in its mixed and territorial dimensions. Local embeddedness and neighbourhood diversity do intersect in producing specific configurations, so that the enterprise may both benefit from and contribute to the local diversity, or may just exploit it with no attention to its reproduction. This hypothesis is tested with a qualitative study based on interviews with entrepreneurs in Milan, Italy. Diversità, imprenditorialità e radicamento territoriale. Uno studio di caso a Milano Sommario Questo articolo intende analizzare la relazione fra diversità, imprenditoria e embeddedness. La diversità è considerata come varietà di caratteristiche dell'impresa, dell'imprenditore e del contesto locale in cui l'impresa si inserisce. L'embeddedness socio-economica è considerata nelle sue dimensioni miste e territoriali. Il radicamento territoriale e la diversità del contesto locale si incrociano producendo specifiche configurazioni, in cui l'impresa può sia beneficiare che contribuire alla diversità locale, o può sfruttarla senza favorire la sua riproduzione. Tale ipotesi è testata con una ricerca qualitativa a Milano. Parole chiave: mixed embeddedness, imprenditoria immigrata, diversità, immigrazione. Classificazione JEL: L26; J15.
... In many countries, immigration and immigrant entrepreneurship are dual key drivers of sustainable prosperity [1]. Due to immigrant entrepreneurs' knowledge of both their host countries and countries of origin, they have made unique contributions to globalization and international business [2]. However, among the various types of immigrants, necessitydriven entrepreneurship emerges when individuals have no other employment options and turn to entrepreneurship as a means of income generation [3]. ...
This paper explores the interaction between immigrant small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the entrepreneurial ecosystems of their home and host countries. These SMEs, often established out of necessity due to economic hardship or unemployment, contrast with opportunity-driven ventures that seek to exploit new market prospects. Employing a dynamic capabilities framework, the study investigates how immigrant SMEs identify and mobilize critical resources in unstable environments, and how these resources are dynamically adapted and transformed to meet organizational objectives while responding to ecosystem changes, ultimately cultivating competitive advantages. Interviews were conducted with 25 immigrant entrepreneurs from eight countries, and the interviews took place within their business environments, with native speakers of the interviewees′ home countries present to ensure accuracy and authenticity. The findings highlight that immigrant entrepreneurs effectively leverage resources from both home and host country ecosystems, with human capital being the most essential asset. Additionally, the role of immigrants′ social networks is emphasized as a crucial mechanism for resource acquisition. This study further illustrates the positive contributions of immigrant enterprises to entrepreneurial ecosystems, revealing a co-evolutionary relationship whereby the businesses and ecosystems both mutually evolve. This co-evolution strengthens the resilience and sustainability of immigrant ventures, significantly enhancing their long-term success.
... Usually, migrants do not negatively influence the public purse of the receiving countries. Some studies point out that the effects are marginal and countries like Switzerland or Luxembourg have even seen a net benefit of about 2% of GDP from migration, as migrants are usually young and have a long working life ahead of them (Bodvarsson and Van den Berg 2013;Card et al. 2012;OECD 2010;Ottaviano and Peri 2012). However, other studies report negative effects of migration on wages and employment of natives (Borjas 2003(Borjas , 2014. 4 The somewhat inconsistent results may in part be attributable to researchers approaching migration and its effects from very different perspectives (e.g., Borjas 1999;Riphahn et al. 2010;Zorlu 2013). ...
We study decisions on welcoming or opposing welfare migration in a laboratory setting with two societies in which one subject can migrate from the poorer to the richer society, provided a majority in the richer society votes to allow that. In each society, subjects indicate their preference for a percentage contribution to a public pool. The median of these rates sets the contributions paid by everybody; a feature that results in high contribution rates with an average of 90%. Varying the multiplier with which contributions are magnified before redistribution to society members, and thus the expected gain/loss associated with migration, we find that subjects overwhelmingly welcome migrants if they expect an economic benefit, while most participants oppose migration if they would be negatively affected by it. Regarding participants' attitudes, we find that more altruistic people are more in favor of migration than more selfish people and that center right-wing oriented subjects propose lower contribution levels than center left-wing oriented subjects. We conclude that economic motives are a crucial factor for accepting or rejecting welfare migration. Therefore, a key to promoting acceptance of new migrants is to ensure and then communicate that their net effect on growth, society, and the public purse is positive.
Supplementary information:
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43546-022-00356-6.
... Education is one of the main episodes to develop a realistic view of entrepreneurship and even novel busi-ness ideas (Alvarado Valenzuela et al., 2020;Bosetti et al., 2015), because it operates as a bridge to gain access to resources such as applied knowledge, to belong to closed circles, to get acquainted with business contacts or to get a certificate of recognition of expertise. In countries like the Netherlands or Italy, education and work experience are very important, and the level of education of migrant entrepreneurs is usually higher than the average of the entrepreneurs without a migrant background (OECD, 2010). Several studies have pointed out that matching the level of education and training could provide migrants with adequate entrepreneurial skills to manage their business and seize opportunities in destination countries' markets (Bates, 1994;Beckers & Blumberg, 2013;Hawes et al., 2017;Kariv et al., 2009;Patel & Conklin, 2009;Valdez, 2008). ...
In this article we look at the various paths taken by transnational and domestic entrepreneurs based on their education and work experience. These act as catalysts for skills that allow migrant entrepreneurs to better position themselves in different markets. Differences in migrant entrepreneurs allow us to better understand the strategies employed and the consequences for society and the economy at both domestic and transnational levels. Earlier research has extensively analysed individual characteristics of migrant entrepreneurs and, to a much lesser extent, the geographical nature of their business activities.
This article addresses this gap by looking at the geographical orientation of migrant entrepreneurs’ businesses. The research question is as follows: In what ways are transnational or domestic activities of Moroccan migrant entrepreneurs in the Netherlands and Italy influenced by skills acquired in earlier experiences? We provide empirical evidence on the different paths leading to domestic and transnational activities using a micro-level perspective of the experiences collected in the narratives of first-generation Moroccan migrant entrepreneurs who have migrated to Milan or Amsterdam (N=70).
Four different paths combining these two life experiences emerged from the interviews: #1 Job-based, #2 Education-driven, #3 Job-education merger, and #4 By chance (neither education nor work experience). The most relevant paths for migrant entrepreneurs seem to be the first (#1) and third (#3) paths. Furthermore, our findings show that transnationally oriented entrepreneurs have an extended business-oriented education and rely on skills learned, in contrast to domestically oriented entrepreneurs who become entrepreneurs ‘by chance’.
... In recent decades, a growing number of researchers have highlighted the issue of immigrant entrepreneurship in traditionally and newly or infrequently immigrantreceiving countries in Europe ( Barberis and Solano, 2018). The phenomenon's crucial importance is mainly determined by the rising number of immigrants and to extensive changes in the labour market 1 and the wider economy (OECD, 2010;OECD, 2020). The growing interest in the phenomenon is also linked to a policy-making trend considering self-employment as a way to integrate new immigrants into the labour market and create new jobs (European Commission, 2016;Ludovicci, 2010;Baycan-Levent and Nijkamp, 2009). ...
Law makers on the legislative houses in Nigeria are elected by party member and the electorate. The members of legislative chambers are constituted through competitive periodic elections to represent different interests recognised by the electorate. Interest desiring representation has included gender, environment, economic, religion, political party, ethnic, and many more. While there are diverse interests requiring representation, the issue of gender representation forms the basic interest of the study. The reason is due to the observed predominance of male over female in gender representation in elective governmental positions while the constitution allows for equal opportunity in democracy. The study appraises the role of political parties in gender representation in the Nigerian legislative chambers, and gender preference by the electorate for political parties’ performance in legislative elections is analysed. The study, adopts qualitative research design in which data were sourced from secondary sources. The study reveals that political parties do not have any reservation for gender in the presentation of candidates for election. The study notes that the choice of voter is beyond gender. The study concludes that gender issues in election may be one of the many factors influencing voter’s decision.
... It is therefore important to investigate incorporation processes of minorities through an economic lens. Migrant businesses are no longer part of a "niche economy" (OECD, 2010). For example, in many districts of the Ruhr Area migrants support not only local service supply structures but also operate in sectors like handcraft, manufacturing, and business services. ...
The decision-taking and risk management of bankers, as well as confidence as the basis of the banking business, became highly relevant social topics during the last financial crisis of 2008 onwards. Their significance for understanding banking practices has a long history. This introduction offers definitions of particular terms and explains their relevance for historical research. It also gives an overview of the methodological approaches presented in this volume, from system theory to behavioural finance, from new institutional economics to praxeology, from convention theory to network analysis. Each chapter also offers a case study where the methodological approach is put to the test in empirical historical research. The introduction urges the intensive application of cultural historical methods to banking history.
... It is therefore important to investigate incorporation processes of minorities through an economic lens. Migrant businesses are no longer part of a "niche economy" (OECD, 2010). For example, in many districts of the Ruhr Area migrants support not only local service supply structures but also operate in sectors like handcraft, manufacturing, and business services. ...
As European Capitals of Culture in 2010 and metropolitan areas of immigration and transmigration, both Istanbul and the Ruhr Area (Essen was designated as European Capital of Culture on behalf of the Ruhr Area) share a complex cultural and social history. Strong human, political, and economic ties have long linked the European Capital of Culture of Turkey to Germany’s main immigration region, which is about to become a new cultural center thanks to the recognition of its industrial heritage by UNESCO (Zeche Zollverein in Essen).1 Even though the cultural history of each region is different, a crisscross reading of ‘parallel lives’ between the two countries helps to understand better the use and the potential of urban diversity over time.
... It is therefore important to investigate incorporation processes of minorities through an economic lens. Migrant businesses are no longer part of a "niche economy" (OECD, 2010). For example, in many districts of the Ruhr Area migrants support not only local service supply structures but also operate in sectors like handcraft, manufacturing, and business services. ...
Building on the extant literature and utilizing data from the EU-SILC and the EU-LFS surveys conducted between 2009 and 2023, we empirically investigate the impact of poor employment conditions—associated with insecure or precarious employment—on third-country nationals’ (TCNs’) self-perceived health status (SPH). The role of employment conditions in health is examined by employing indicators of temporary, part-time, and self-employment. Driven by theory and empirical analysis, we also investigate the effects of additional variables, including long-term unemployment. Finally, to probe differences across countries, we examine how the effects of employment conditions on TCNs’ health vary across institutional settings, namely across different types of welfare state. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses of panel data reveal that employment conditions affect immigrants’ SPH and surface significant differences across countries. The estimated country-specific effects point to statistical average differences between Germany and two groups of countries: one showing higher effects (i.e., Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, and France) and another with lower effects (i.e., Greece, Ireland, Italy, and Spain). The welfare model adopted by different countries is a qualitative significant predictor of TCNs’ SPH. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings for future research, but also policy initiatives to improve TCNs’ employment conditions and, consequently, their health and overall well-being.
Despite increasing numbers of female immigrant entrepreneurs, their existence, needs and contributions have long been overlooked in their host society. Among many reasons for such disinclination are gender-biased assumptions and ethnic background-based constraints. Considering these impediments, this paper aims to focus on experiences of female immigrant entrepreneurs in Germany and in doing so, evaluate the factors involved in the whole process of enabling immigrant women to become entrepreneurs using a qualitative multi-level approach including micro, meso and macro levels.
Given the objectives, an exploratory research design has been chosen in which one-to-one in-depth interviews using the standardised open-ended interview form have been conducted to collect unique experiences of female immigrant entrepreneurs from different ethnic backgrounds. As a result, our study became a pilot study. This research intends to derive practice-oriented recommendations for reducing obstacles to fill the gap between the formed policies and their implementation on a multi-level basis. These recommendations would help increase the efficacy of the process for integrating future female immigrants of all ethnic groups into entrepreneurial activities in the host society and successfully pave the way for them to become entrepreneurs.
This chapter meets an identified need to examine the situation of female immigrant entrepreneurs from different ethnicities in Germany from multi-level perspectives. Our findings contribute to policy recommendations that could foster female immigrant entrepreneurship in general.
Switzerland is a country with a high share of people with a migrant background in the population; however, there is a lower share of migrant entrepreneurs compared to native entrepreneurs in most countries. This raises the question of who the migrant entrepreneurs in Switzerland are and what their motivations and challenges are. This chapter is based on data from the Federal Statistical Office as well as a written survey of new founders who started their company between 2014 and 2019. Sixty-three entrepreneurs with a migrant background were surveyed among the total sample. The results show that the differences between native and migrant entrepreneurs are small to non-existent. The motivation and challenges are the same, only in getting support the migrant entrepreneurs rely more on external help than the native entrepreneurs. Also, migrants more often start their business alone. The research contributes to the existing literature by confirming the findings of other countries that migrant entrepreneurs are very similar to native entrepreneurs and have the same daily challenges. This knowledge can help providers of entrepreneurship support to shape their offerings and attract native as well as migrant entrepreneurs to the same offerings, as they are all entrepreneurs first.
Since its first use in organisational research, nearly five decades ago, imprinting has gained recognition in entrepreneurship studies. Accordingly, this study utilises the behavioural concept to develop new theorisations to account for the entrepreneurial processes of immigrant entrepreneurs. It pays attention on its effects on immigrant entrepreneurs, particularly when it comes to their decision–making and behaviours towards business creation in Canada. A comprehensive analysis of a dataset generated from a systematically selected group of immigrant entrepreneurs revealed the complexity of their imprints at various stages of their entrepreneurial cycle in the North American country. It emerged that imprinting not only modified their behaviours, attitudes and cognition, but also shaped the trajectory of their entrepreneurial processes. That is, their imprints had an effect on how they identified business opportunities, the types of businesses they pursued, their level of entrepreneurial drive, and the types of resources they acquired or accessed in their new environment. Notably, following a period of normalisation in their new surroundings, their original imprints changed due to diminishing affinity with their country-of-origin. This holds research and policy implications as it uncovers an unfolding but less-understood entrepreneurship phenomenon.
Even if the general tendency is to analyse the impact of migration from an economic perspective and mainly in the countries of origin or destination, in this chapter we approach migration and remittances from a social point of view. Thus, an attempt is made to improve the literature with a synthesis of positive and negative effects from a macroeconomic and microeconomic perspective, both on the country of origin and on the country of destination.
Uwarunkowania rozwoju współczesnej gospodarki wiążą się z procesami globalizacyjnymi. Jednym z kluczowych elementów takiej gospodarki są migracje. Decyzja o emigracji wymaga przełamania wielu barier, podjęcia ryzyka. Wyzwaniem staje się funkcjonowanie w nowych warunkach społeczno-gospodarczych, gdzie każde podjęte działanie nacechowane jest innowacyjnością. Można postawić tezę, że działania takie wymagają od emigrantów rozwiniętych zachowań przedsiębiorczych. Połączenie zjawisk, takich jak migracje i przedsiębiorczość, a w konsekwencji analiza przedsiębiorczości imigrantów staje się interesującym polem badawczym. Celem głównym opracowania jest analiza zjawiska przedsiębiorczości wśród imigrantów oraz określenie istotnych obszarów dla dalszych prac badawczych. W ramach tak określonego celu poruszono zagadnienia odnoszące się do zachowań przedsiębiorczych oraz problematyki migracji. Dla potrzeb realizacji celu wykorzystano dostępną literaturę przedmiotu. Odczuwa się pewien niedosyt w zakresie prowadzonych badań, szczególnie pogłębionych, kompleksowych. W niektórych krajach (np. Grecja) można zauważyć wyższy wskaźnik samozatrudnienie wśród rdzennych mieszkańców, natomiast w innych (np. Polska) wśród imigrantów. Można przypuszczać, że na taki obraz mają wpływ z jednej strony bariery przedsiębiorcze dla emigrantów (kapitał, ograniczenia formalno-prawne), a z drugiej skłonność rodzimych mieszkańców do prowadzenia własnej firmy. Powstaje pytanie, na ile te różnice są wynikiem zachowań przedsiębiorczych, ograniczeń formalno-prawnych, wymuszonej przedsiębiorczości. Poznanie motywów migracji wśród przedsiębiorców imigrantów, z uwzględnieniem narodowości imigrantów oraz branży, w której działają w poszczególnych krajach, pozwoliłoby na formułowanie precyzyjnych wniosków.
Slovakia has experienced a six-year period of decreased labour market efficiency during a post-crisis period and growing emigration flows before and after a post-crisis period. There is also the concurrent issue of the lack of sufficient business activities in the southern, northern and eastern regions, and the economic development of some of the Slovak regions lacks diversification. We have analysed labour market conditions and emigration trends in Slovakia and EU neighbouring countries. The analysis of emigration trends has shown that among EU neighbouring countries, the Slovak migrant population tends to migrate mostly to the Czech Republic. We conducted regression analysis with the use of the ordinary least squares method to identify the main drivers affecting emigration from Slovakia to the Czech Republic as the primary destination country for Slovak migrants. The analysis has revealed that unemployment rates in both countries, labour market regulation which was introduced in the Czech Republic as well as EU enlargement in 2004 are the most significant triggers for emigration in Slovakia. Based on the results obtained, we have discussed possible ways to stimulate economic growth and prevent future emigration from Slovakia.
Gender-Smart Entrepreneurship Education & Training Plus (GEET+) translates academic
research and evidence-based insights into practical applications to support the development of inclusive entrepreneurship education and training. The GEET+ framework, rationale, principles, action strategies, GEET+ Scorecard©, tips, and case-based illustrations are presented.
The overarching goal of GEET+ is to reduce gender, racial and occupational stereotypes and
unconscious biases associated with entrepreneurship education and training. The entry point
of GEET+ is gender, with the understanding that gender is one identity attribute that interacts
with others, through venture creation, small business management and entrepreneurship
education and training. Women entrepreneurs are not a homogenous group. Consistent with
the ‘plus’ of gender-based analysis (GBA), Gender-Smart Entrepreneurship Education and
Training Plus acknowledges that gender-based analysis goes beyond biological (sex) and sociocultural (gender) differences, to include multiple identity factors such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.
GEET+ can be used by instructors and trainers to assess the status of equity, diversity and
inclusion in entrepreneurship courses and programs and to develop gender-smart curricula.
Activities are provided, such as an inventory of phrases and attributes to examine gendered
language in course descriptions. Program managers can use the GEET+ scorecard to determine the degree to which courses and advisory services are inclusive, and to construct action plans to address program and/or organization level gaps. Action plans can be tailored to leverage good practices and prioritize components of the GEET+ framework that need development. Illustrative performance indicators can be used to direct and monitor interventions. Policymakers, funders and advocates can draw on the GEET+ scorecard to design inclusive policies, and hold delivery agencies accountable for inclusive practices.
This chapter asks how migration might affect the economies of European welfare states. The welfare state is put in the perspective of the refugee crisis that Europe has experienced since 2015. The chapter explores the economic costs and benefits that migration can generate against the background of comprehensive welfare ambitions and economic redistribution in many European countries. Large-scale asylum-based immigration often entails economic costs for the recipient country, at least initially, but the authors also show that immigrants often contribute to economic development through innovation and new networks. Here, the authors emphasize that an effective integration policy is critical to national economic performance, as well as the future scope and design of welfare policies. One of the main issues brought up in the chapter is whether the most expansive welfare states in Europe will be able to maintain their universal nature or whether welfare entitlements must somehow be differentiated. Consequently, there is substantial policy scope to shape the ultimate outcome of higher immigration.
The principal characteristic of entrepreneurship as a socioeconomic phenomenon is its immanent diversity, which, arguably, poses a challenge for researchers. In turn, it is crucial that policymakers recognize the internal diversity of business establishments and their leaders, as it allows them to influence more effectively—with the use of various instruments—the pace and the directions of development within the enterprise sector. A total of 24 facets of entrepreneurship have been conventionally divided into three main groups. The first one is the segment of small business. The second group features entrepreneurship facets reflecting the renaissance of entrepreneurship at the turn of the 21st century. The third group encompasses diverse manifestations of entrepreneurial attitudes outside the business sector.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.