Purpose. Building on the theoretical embeddedness construct, this study stresses the joint role that contextual and individual factors play in successful migrant women entrepreneurship, uncovering which factors can sustain migrant women entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach. This paper conducts a multi-case study of a sample of 4 successful migrant women entrepreneurs. Findings. Results show that when the context denotes resistance towards migrant women entrepreneurs, soft skills, especially “self-esteem” and “self-efficacy” can balance the negative effect of context. This mismatch between personal expectations and received stimulus from context produces a cognitive response that follows an individual perspective based on “self-investment”. Meanwhile, when the context is perceived as favorable to migrant women’s entrepreneurship development, individual factors seem to amplify the contextual factors, creating a centrifugal reaction. In this case, personal expectations and received stimuli from the context match and generate a cognitive response that follows a business perspective based on conceiving firm development strategies. Practical and Social Implications. Findings can help migrant women entrepreneurs and practitioners (consultants and other entrepreneurs) identify the main factors that can sustain or inhibit entrepreneurial behaviors by anticipating possible concerns and issues and, above all, trying to remove potential context barriers. Moreover, findings also call into action policymakers to promote ad hoc entrepreneurship education programs to strengthen the individual level and contrast possible adverse effects due to hostile contexts. Originality of the study. Previous studies have investigated the context and the individual levels separately, while this study argues that the two levels coexist and deserve to be jointly analyzed. Additionally, this study focuses on successful migrant women entrepreneurs, considered enlightening because they are embedded in multiple contexts: the country of origin and the host country. By uncovering how they perceive the context (friendly vs. hostile), results show different cognitive responses to overcome difficulties and achieve success.
Unveiling the Path to Success: An Exploratory Study on Migrant Women Entrepreneurs
Floris M
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2023-01-01
Abstract
Purpose. Building on the theoretical embeddedness construct, this study stresses the joint role that contextual and individual factors play in successful migrant women entrepreneurship, uncovering which factors can sustain migrant women entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach. This paper conducts a multi-case study of a sample of 4 successful migrant women entrepreneurs. Findings. Results show that when the context denotes resistance towards migrant women entrepreneurs, soft skills, especially “self-esteem” and “self-efficacy” can balance the negative effect of context. This mismatch between personal expectations and received stimulus from context produces a cognitive response that follows an individual perspective based on “self-investment”. Meanwhile, when the context is perceived as favorable to migrant women’s entrepreneurship development, individual factors seem to amplify the contextual factors, creating a centrifugal reaction. In this case, personal expectations and received stimuli from the context match and generate a cognitive response that follows a business perspective based on conceiving firm development strategies. Practical and Social Implications. Findings can help migrant women entrepreneurs and practitioners (consultants and other entrepreneurs) identify the main factors that can sustain or inhibit entrepreneurial behaviors by anticipating possible concerns and issues and, above all, trying to remove potential context barriers. Moreover, findings also call into action policymakers to promote ad hoc entrepreneurship education programs to strengthen the individual level and contrast possible adverse effects due to hostile contexts. Originality of the study. Previous studies have investigated the context and the individual levels separately, while this study argues that the two levels coexist and deserve to be jointly analyzed. Additionally, this study focuses on successful migrant women entrepreneurs, considered enlightening because they are embedded in multiple contexts: the country of origin and the host country. By uncovering how they perceive the context (friendly vs. hostile), results show different cognitive responses to overcome difficulties and achieve success.
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