Are SMEs with Immigrant Owners Exceptional Exporters?

Knowledge acquisition strategy, speed of capability development and speed of SME internationalisation

“…Rather, inherited knowledge (De Prijcker et al, 2012;Morgan et al, 2018), inter-organisational learning (Bruneel et al, 2010;Milanov and Fernhaber, 2014) and grafting (Fletcher and Harris, 2012) have been shown to be central for internationalising firms. Whereas many studies on alternative sources of knowledge acquisition have examined individual alternatives to experiential learning (Morgan et al, 2018;Reuber and Fischer, 1997), we have witnessed a growing interest in how knowledge sources are combined. Thus, a pioneering study by Fletcher and Harris (2012) provided important qualitative insights into the role and relevance of different knowledge sources for accessing different types of knowledge.…”

Are migrants in/from emerging economies more entrepreneurial than natives?

“…A plausible explanation is that migrant entrepreneurs are looking for entry into similar home markets to obtain greater returns (Griffin-EL and Olabisi 2018;Moghaddam et al 2018). Entrepreneurial migrants have access to international networks (created by family, other migrants) that represent a competitive advantage over natives (Neville et al 2014;Sui et al 2015;Morgan et al 2017). An interesting example is that of transnational diasporas composed of migrants and their descendants who establish entrepreneurial activities spanning the national business environments of their countries of origin and countries of residence (Drori et al 2009;Riddle et al 2010;Riddle and Brinkerhoff 2011).…”

Programming for Immigrant Women in Canada: Is Entrepreneurship Neglected?

“…The business or “investor” immigrant class is specifically targeted at investors who would set up new business or invest in existing ones in Canada (Hiebert, 2003; Ley, 2006). A number of studies have explored the trajectories of immigrant entrepreneurs in Canada, not only from the perspectives of those who immigrated to Canada through the investor category, but also immigrant‐owned businesses in general have been the focus of several studies (Bauder, 2008; Kariv, et al, 2009; Kwak, 2013; Neville et al, 2014; Sui, Morgan and Baum, 2015; Morgan, Sui and Baum, 2018). Bauder examines whether attitude towards entrepreneurship is shaped by an immigrant’s ethnic origin, employment status at place of settlement or the immigration category under which the immigrant came to Canada.…”

“…In a study of transnational networks and the performance of immigrant entrepreneurs in Canada, Kariv, et al (2009) observe that many immigrants have integrated into the host countries while maintaining ties to their home countries. Such international ties, which have often been exploited in the form of transnational business networks, enable immigrant entrepreneurs to explore different international markets (Min, 2005; Menzies et al, 2007; Cerdin, Diné, and Brewster, 2014; Neville et al, 2014; Morgan, Sui and Baum, 2018). Examining how transnational networks affect the performance of immigrant businesses in the Canadian cities of Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, Kariv et al (2009) conclude that transnational network has a positive impact on business performance, especially on the volume of sales and the survival of the businesses.…”

“…Examining how transnational networks affect the performance of immigrant businesses in the Canadian cities of Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, Kariv et al (2009) conclude that transnational network has a positive impact on business performance, especially on the volume of sales and the survival of the businesses. However, Morgan, Sui and Baum (2018) find that while Canadian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with immigrant owners have higher export intensity, perhaps due to presumed knowledge of international markets and transnational networks (resources) of the immigrant owners, such SMEs reap less financial reward from exporting into risky markets than do other SMEs with non‐immigrant owners. The authors suggest, based on a cognitive perspective, that immigrant owners may be overconfident in their internalization decision because of perceived transnational networks.…”