Immigrant entrepreneurship motivation – scientific production, field development, thematic antecedents, measurement elements and research agenda

Abstract

Purpose Years of research into immigrant entrepreneurship motivation (IEM) call for a synthesis of the field to note field developments and identify thematic antecedents and measurement elements. The paper aims to fill this literature review gap in IEM field. Improving existing analytical frameworks and establishing a research agenda are also goals of the research. Design/methodology/approach Adopting the PRISMA procedure, a systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted. This produced 53 IEM research papers (internationally, from 1974 to 2020) from a database search and other sources, each of which was reviewed based on extracted variables, findings and suggestions. A well-accepted entrepreneurial motivation model is used for thematic measurement analyzes. Findings IEM research has gained attention over the past 25 years as to the number of publications, research foci and antecedent discoveries. The review suggests that there are six motivational thematic dimensions: individual characteristics, personal experiences and circumstances, personal values, business ideas and opportunities, goal-setting and self-efficacy and immigrant entrepreneurial ecosystem (IEE). The results also reveal a relationship between entrepreneurship motivations and the IEE which is one of the keys recommended future research strands. Research limitations/implications This research contributes to entrepreneurship literature by providing a chronological timeline of IEM field development and antecedent discoveries. The review suggests applying the IEE and its associated components to investigate host and home countries’ interactive effects on IEM. Practical implications The research provides guidance for policymakers and practitioners concerning available policy instruments and IEM determinants in addition to individual factors. Originality/value This study is the first SLR on IEM. It presents a holistic view of the IEM field.

Transnational immigrant entrepreneurs in the context of dual entrepreneurial ecosystem

“…Compared to eco-factors in a single host-country context (Figure 1), transnational immigrant entrepreneurs face hindering ecofactors, including discrimination, non-credited education qualifications, certifications and licenses (Duan et al, 2021c). Cultural norms in a host country are unfamiliar and may not be acceptable, particularly to some religious people.…”

“…The advantages of transnational immigrant entrepreneurs are their home-country entrepreneurial ecosystem. Every eco-factor from the home country affects TIE as important as host-country factors in the context of cross-border economic activities (Duan et al, 2021d). Empirical studies show that some important home-country eco-factors consist of social networks, family background and culture, marketplaces, technology and production levels.…”

“…Host country key influential eco-factors identified in the literature include financial support, labor market, consumers, suppliers, professional services, social reception, regulation and political context. From the co-ethnic community perspective, community size, entrepreneurial culture, willingness to share knowledge, and acceptance of low-paying jobs contribute to TIE (Brzozowski et al, 2017;Duan et al, 2021c). Home country factors include finance, education, economic development, corruption status and government policies (Van Tubergen, 2005;You & Zhou, 2019).…”

“…Empirical research shows that a high percentage of TIE engage in cross-border business activities (Bagwell, 2018). Wang et al (2015) and Duan et al (2021d) found that transnational entrepreneurs intend to be involved in cross-border economic activities because of the established linkage with the home country. Therefore, Wang et al argue that immigrants involved in cross-border business activities are more likely to establish a business out of perceived opportunity than necessity (Wang & Liu, 2015).…”

“…From a research methodology standpoint, it is clear that the individual level of analysis is commonplace. Thus, scholars (Duan, et al, 2021d;2021g) argue that future investigations should take meso-and macro-level factors into consideration, given the importance of institutional context to the promotion of IE.…”