How Institutional Voids Shape Economic Opportunities in Refugee Camps

Chaux, Marlen de la; Haugh, Helen

doi:10.5465/ambpp.2015.17965abstract

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Refugees often become involved in Functional domains of business incubators informal entrepreneurial activities in countries with weak institutions. Recent scholars have, for instance, shed light on informal economic activities in refugee camps in Africa or Jordan (de la Chaux and Haugh, 2015;Refai et al, 2018). Similarly, Brown et al (2018) investigated the factors pushing urban refugees into the informal economy.…”

Section: Refugee Entrepreneurshipmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional domains of business incubators for refugee entrepreneurs

Harima

Freudenberg²,

Halberstadt

2019

JEC

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize business incubators and their support for entrepreneurial refugees. While the number of initiatives supporting refugees’ entrepreneurial activities has increased in recent years, we still know little about how they differ from other types of business incubators. Design/methodology/approach This case study investigates a business incubator in Hamburg, Germany, targeting enterprising refugees. For this paper, 14 in-depth interviews with program participants and incubation managers were conducted. Findings This paper inductively derives five functional domains of refugee business incubators: providing structured entrepreneurial knowledge; alleviating anxiety related to institutional differences; guiding through the process at the incubator and motivating participants; understanding and tapping into social capital in the host country; and providing soft support concerning personal matters. The findings show that business incubators could and possibly should address specific needs of refugees and that there is much room for improvement. This study suggests that the five domains listed above represent key characteristics that distinguish refugee business incubators from traditional business incubators. Practical implications This paper offers valuable practical insights for refugee business incubators, which need to consider and develop functional domains listed above. Because these kinds of incubators are a fairly recent phenomenon, there is a general lack of and need for blueprints. The findings of this paper suggest that business incubators could integrate and support entrepreneurial refugees provided that they consider the five functional domains identified here. The findings also provide evidence that entrepreneurship can be a possible means of vocational integration for refugees and one way of institutions and policy-makers in host country seeking to support refugees’ entrepreneurial activities, for example, by developing or subsidizing business incubators targeting refugees. Originality/value This paper’s contributions are twofold. First, this paper addresses a gap in the literature on refugee entrepreneurship by providing insights concerning the important role of support institutions. Second, this paper conceptualizes business incubators for enterprising refugees as a distinctive type of business incubators. This paper has, however, some limitations. Because it only considered a relatively small number of refugee entrepreneurs, it is difficult to generalize the findings. The cross-cultural setting of the empirical study, with its potential for linguistic and cultural misunderstandings, may have affected the results.

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Section: Refugee Entrepreneurshipmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional domains of business incubators for refugee entrepreneurs

Harima

Freudenberg²,

Halberstadt

2019

JEC

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“…The zone model should greatly enhance the opportunities of refugees to do business. Where refugees are allowed to operate businesses, they tend to endure higher administrative costs and more bureaucracy than others (De la Chaux and Haugh, 2014, p. 15). With R-SEZs, they could enjoy more efficient administration and less bureaucracy.…”

Section: How Would R-sezs Work?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Refugee special economic zones

Moberg¹,

Reil

2018

JEPP

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show how special economic zones (SEZs) can be applied to refugee camps. Zones are powerful tools for investors to act like institutional entrepreneurs, who promote institutional reform by pursuing exemptions from government constraints and taxes or by advocating for reform. Refugee SEZs (R-SEZs) would similarly allow for institutional entrepreneurs to promote broader immigration reform. Design/methodology/approach The authors apply a political economy framework to R-SEZs that explores the factors that make them feasible. A mathematical model is applied to explicitly define the conditions under which the zones could succeed in benefiting refugees, investors and the host economy alike. Findings Under certain conditions, appropriate tax rates can be applied to R-SEZs that make them feasible. Feasibility is determined by being beneficial for the host country while also attracting investors. The zones are feasible if they attract enough foreign investors as opposed to domestic investors. Other factors contributing to zone success are higher wages outside the zone, lower wages inside it, higher cost to the government of non-employed refugees, lower relocation cost for businesses and a higher tax rate outside the zone. Practical implications This policy would aim to provide job opportunities to refugees, profit opportunities to investors and lower net costs for the host government. R-SEZs should be considered by policy makers in countries hosting refugee camps. Just like the old model of SEZs, they can benefit workers while also enhancing the government’s budget. Social implications R-SEZs have the potential to alleviate the refugee crisis the world is facing, which is arguably one of the largest social challenges of our time. Originality/value This paper is the first to outline the political economy conditions for SEZs applied to refugee camps.

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Sustainability in Refugee Camps: A Comparison of the Two Largest Refugee Camps in the World

Wardeh

Marques

2021

Journal of Refugee Studies

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Although the refugee phenomenon is not new and refugee camps are rarely temporary, in most cases, the procedures implemented within refugee camps have failed to apply principles of sustainability to ensure refugees’ dignity and improve their quality of life, thereby helping them become independent and self-reliant. This improvement, in turn, may help them return to their homes in the future or may, at least, reduce the high cost and negative coping strategies associated with refugee camps and instead increase refugees’ social integration within the host community. This paper discusses the procedures applied in both the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan and the Dadaab Refugee Complex in Kenya and provides evidence regarding the extent to which they meet the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development without leaving refugees behind. Furthermore, this paper shows how sustainable development goals (SDGs) are interconnected in a refugee camp setting. This study concludes that refugee camps not only failed to align with 2030 agenda but failed to ensure refugees’ basic rights where a more inclusive and sustainable approach is required to improve the refugees’ quality of life and to help them live in dignity and reach self-reliance that can benefit both refugees and their host communities.

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How Institutional Voids Shape Economic Opportunities in Refugee Camps

Cited by 4 publications

References 44 publications

Functional domains of business incubators for refugee entrepreneurs

Functional domains of business incubators for refugee entrepreneurs

Refugee special economic zones

Sustainability in Refugee Camps: A Comparison of the Two Largest Refugee Camps in the World

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