Exploring transnational entrepreneurship. Immigrant entrepreneurs and foreign-born returnees in the Italian ICT sector. (3rd September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brzozowski, Jan; Cucculelli, Marco; Surdej, Aleksander
• Is Part Of: Journal of small business and entrepreneurship. Volume 31:Number 5(2019)
• Page Start: 413
• Page End: 431
• Publication Date: 2019-09-03
• Subjects: transnationalism -- immigrant entrepreneurship -- return migration -- diaspora entrepreneurship; transnationalisme -- entrepreneuriat des immigrés -- migration de retour -- entrepreneuriat de la diaspora; Small business -- Periodicals; Small business -- Canada -- Periodicals; Entrepreneurship -- Periodicals; Petites et moyennes entreprises -- Périodiques; Petites et moyennes entreprises -- Canada -- Périodiques; Entrepreneurs (Économie politique) -- Périodiques; 658.022
• DOI: 10.1080/08276331.2018.1429803
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0827-6331

Abstract

Abstract : This explorative paper contributes to the expanding literature on immigrant transnationalism by investigating the determinants of transnational entrepreneurial behavior among two groups of foreign-born entrepreneurs from emerging and developing countries who settled in Italy: foreign-born returnees (i.e., foreign-born individuals of Italian origin) and immigrants (i.e., persons without Italian ethnic origin). Using a large data-set on immigrant entrepreneurs in the Italian ICT sector, we have found foreign-born returnees to be less likely to engage in transnational entrepreneurship activity than immigrant entrepreneurs of non-Italian descent. Foreign-born returnees are mostly linked with economic activities focused on the domestic (Italian) market, while other immigrants much often turn their entrepreneurial activities back to home countries, but also their firms tend to be more internationalized. Therefore, we argue that the multicultural experience of foreign-born returnees constitutes an unexploited potential for the ICT sector in Italy, especially within the context of the internationalization prone ICT entrepreneurship.