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Entrepreneurs from low-skilled immigrant groups in knowledge-intensive industries: company characteristics, survival and innovative performance

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  • Elisabeth Mueller

Abstract

This paper analyzes how companies of immigrant entrepreneurs in knowledge-intensive industries differ from companies of native entrepreneurs with respect to start-up characteristics, company survival and innovative performance. I focus on immigrants from the “recruitment countries” of south and southeast Europe, who arrived in Germany mainly in the 1970s to fill labor shortages. They are the largest immigrant group in Germany and can be reliably identified via ethnic name coding. Companies owned exclusively by immigrants tend to be smaller and have higher exit rates. After controlling for size and other company characteristics, I find no differences in patenting activity compared to companies owned exclusively by natives. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

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  • Elisabeth Mueller, 2014. "Entrepreneurs from low-skilled immigrant groups in knowledge-intensive industries: company characteristics, survival and innovative performance," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(4), pages 871-889, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:42:y:2014:i:4:p:871-889
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-013-9498-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Ratan J. S. Dheer, 2018. "Entrepreneurship by immigrants: a review of existing literature and directions for future research," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 555-614, September.
    2. Cuntz, Alexander & Czernich, Nina & Dauchert, Helge & Meurer, Petra & Philipps, Annika, 2015. "Gesellschaftliche Dimensionen von Innovation: Zentrale Fragen und Datenlage," Studien zum deutschen Innovationssystem 18-2015, Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation (EFI) - Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation, Berlin.
    3. A. Arrighetti & G. Foresti & S. Fumagalli & A. Lasagni, 2018. "Are Migrant Firms Actually Different From Native Firms?," Economics Department Working Papers 2018-EP05, Department of Economics, Parma University (Italy).
    4. Dabić, Marina & Vlačić, Bozidar & Paul, Justin & Dana, Leo-Paul & Sahasranamam, Sreevas & Glinka, Beata, 2020. "Immigrant entrepreneurship: A review and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 25-38.
    5. Nahikari Irastorza & Iñaki Peña-Legazkue, 2018. "Immigrant Entrepreneurship and Business Survival during Recession: Evidence from a Local Economy," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 27(2), pages 243-257, September.
    6. Carlos Poblete & Vesna Mandakovic, 2021. "Innovative outcomes from migrant entrepreneurship: a matter of whether you think you can, or think you can’t," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 571-592, June.
    7. Bellido-Jiménez, Víctor Manuel & Martín-Martín, Domingo & Romero Luna, Isidoro, 2022. "Autoempleo en inmigrantes y supervivencia empresarial de los negocios incubados en Andalucía," INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES - Journal of REGIONAL RESEARCH, Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional, issue 52, pages 59-80.
    8. Ungerer, Christina & Reuther, Kevin & Baltes, Guido, 2021. "The lingering living dead phenomenon: Distorting venture survival studies?," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 16(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Immigrants; Innovation; Entrepreneurship; Knowledge-intensive industries; J15; M13; O32; L26;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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