Communicatively Managing Multiple, Intersecting Identities Among Immigrant Women Entrepreneurs

Abstract

Immigrant women comprise one of the fastest growing groups of business owners in the United States and other urban economies; however, a greater proportion of immigrant women business owners shut down their business within a year compared with their nonimmigrant peers. In an attempt to address this challenge, the study reported here explores the communication strategies adopted by immigrant women entrepreneurs as they manage key identities (gender, ethnicity, religion, and immigrant status) that may influence their success. Drawing on a structurational model of multiple identities and linking that with intersectionality research, this study examines the experiences of 60 immigrant women entrepreneurs from 30 different countries in New York City as they (dis)connect with their various identities. In addition to insights about each separate identity, we identify three tensions at the intersection of multiple identities, business sector, and sociocultural and historical context: visible versus invisible, expressive versus silent, and revealing versus concealing. Furthermore, we show how strategic communication practices are adopted to negotiate these tensions, and hence secure and/or increase business opportunities and business survival.

Insights on the glass ceiling for immigrant women entrepreneurs in the technology sector

“…For example, WEs emphasize their appearance and concentrate on projecting a professional presence through their clothing, hair, the way they communicate, and their work ethic (Marlow and McAdam, 2015;Haseki et al, 2020). Competitive entrepreneurs are expected to hold individual characteristics, such as determination, work ethic, resilience, trustworthiness, perseverance, flexibility, and professionalism (Orser et al, 2012;Martin et al, 2015;Nkrumah, 2016;Kuschel and Lepeley, 2016a;Andrejuk, 2018;Sritanyarat and Sakdiyakorn, 2020;Haseki et al, 2020). WEs try to develop and use these competitive characteristics to showcase confidence, avoid discrimination and language barriers, handle competition and avoid stereotyping.…”

“…Individual-level response strategies One common strategy used by WEs is to develop or use existing skills to represent themselves as more muscular and more competitive in the field where they work (Knight, 2016;Poggesi et al, 2016Poggesi et al, , 2019Marlow and McAdam, 2012;Azmat, 2013). For example, WEs emphasize their appearance and concentrate on projecting a professional presence through their clothing, hair, the way they communicate and their work ethic (Marlow and McAdam, 2015;Haseki et al, 2020). Competitive entrepreneurs are expected to hold individual characteristics, such as determination, work ethic, resilience, trustworthiness, perseverance, (Orser et al, 2012;Martin et al, 2015;Nkrumah, 2016;Kuschel and Lepeley, 2016a;Andrejuk, 2018;Sritanyarat and Sakdiyakorn, 2020;Haseki et al, 2020).…”

“…Immigrant WEs utilize their ethnic identity and culture as a response strategy to build and grow their business. For instance, some immigrant WEs use their identity to develop relationships with businesses and clients; for example, a woman from Vietnam who runs a technology business discloses her identity because of the stereotype that Asians are skilled in technology (Haseki et al, 2020). Furthermore, some immigrant WEs create their business to cater to a specific ethnic group or uses a cash-only approach to avoid documentation (Chreim et al, 2018).…”

“…Overall, the position of immigrant women in the labor force can be understood as reflecting the combined impact of sex and birthplace or the "double negative" effect. (1984, p. 10) Immigrants are classified as individuals born outside the host country (Kalu and Okafor, 2020;Haseki et al, 2020). The UN (2019) reports that there are 272 million international migrants worldwide, with an increase of almost 100 million from 2010 to 2019.…”

Online gathering in times of physical (im)mobility: Facebook practices of Malagasy mothers in France

“…The word ‘empowerment’ takes on its full meaning for immigrant women entrepreneurs who find it challenging to prospect for and sell to local customers, who are not necessarily sensitive to the ‘exotic’ products they offer. This has been addressed by studies in other contexts, such as women immigrant entrepreneurs in New York (Haseki et al, 2021: 09).…”