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The future-time reference of home-country language and immigrant self-employment: an imprinting perspective

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  • Mingzhi Hu

    (Zhejiang University of Technology)

  • Zhongfeng Su

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University)

  • Wenping Ye

    (Jinan University)

Abstract

Immigrants came from different countries exhibit a high diversity in self-employment rates, making it vital to identify the sources of this diversity. Drawing on the linguistic relativity theory and imprinting theory, we argue that the future-time reference of home-country language is a key source, as it forms an imprinting on an immigrant of how to value future rewards and then affects his/her behaviors. Utilizing data collected by the American Housing Survey, we find that home- country language with weak future-time reference encourages an immigrant to be self-employed and the effect is mitigated by duration of residence. We clarify a new source of diversity in self- employment rates across immigrant groups. Moreover, we extend the implications of future-time reference to immigrant self-employment and identify a novel way by which duration of residence plays its role in immigrant life.

Suggested Citation

  • Mingzhi Hu & Zhongfeng Su & Wenping Ye, 2023. "The future-time reference of home-country language and immigrant self-employment: an imprinting perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 521-535, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:60:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s11187-022-00601-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-022-00601-0
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