The primary objective of this study is to attempt to answer the question, even with a limited sample of interviewees, if ethnic female entrepreneurs are behaving more as “female”…
Abstract
Purpose
The primary objective of this study is to attempt to answer the question, even with a limited sample of interviewees, if ethnic female entrepreneurs are behaving more as “female” or more as “ethnic” entrepreneurs.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents empirical data from a face‐to‐face interview type research conducted in the regions of Attica and Central Macedonia, Greece. The study involved conducting face‐to‐face interviews with 15 founders of ethnic minority businesses (EMBs), between May and June 2009.
Findings
The results suggest that ethnic female entrepreneurs may share some common characteristics with their ethnic male entrepreneurial colleagues but ethnic women's unique qualities, characteristics, motivations, background and business views distinguish them from their male ethnic counterparts bringing forth more their femininity rather than their ethnicity.
Originality/value
This paper presents the results of the first‐ever research on ethnic female entrepreneurs in Greece. It examines the influences and the factors that facilitate ethnic female entrepreneurs' decision to become self‐employed and their experiences of entrepreneurship. It discerns in which economic sectors they develop occupational niches and investigates how strong is family participation and support in their businesses. Last but not least this research brings forth the balance between domestic and business responsibilities and how much support from governmental initiatives, policies and training programs they receive.
Details
Keywords
Abstract
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to explore and analyse the impact of higher education programmes, structures and culture on students' entrepreneurship intentions and attitudes. It investigates…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore and analyse the impact of higher education programmes, structures and culture on students' entrepreneurship intentions and attitudes. It investigates the relationships between education and entrepreneurship using a case study research approach.
Design/methodology/approach
During the academic year 2008‐2009, a questionnaire survey was distributed to a sample of 603 first‐year and final‐year students studying business and management studies at two public HEIs in Greece. Furthermore a series of in‐depth and semi‐structured interviews was conducted with students in order to capture the integral aspects of the phenomena under investigation (i.e. a more comprehensive understanding of the students' adverse intentions towards entrepreneurship), and with faculty members in order to enter their perspective on entrepreneurship and education, as well as unveil the structure (rules and regulations) and the culture (shared beliefs and attitudes) of HEIs.
Findings
The findings suggest that students' entrepreneurial intentions and aspirations deteriorate during their four‐year studies in universities, and that faculty members lack the mentality towards entrepreneurship education. Furthermore, the research data reveal that the structure and regulations of universities in Greece prohibit the commercialisation of knowledge, technology transfers, spin‐off enterprises and industry‐university collaborations.
Originality/value
Although the benefits of entrepreneurship education have been much extolled by researchers and policy makers in the advanced economies of the world, the impact that non‐entrepreneurial higher education programmes and cultures have on students' entrepreneurial intentions has never been tested before in the less developed regions of Europe. This study addresses this issue.
Details
Keywords
The present paper aims to report and analyse empirical data from 391 ethnic minority entrepreneurs and 132 of their family members, from eight different ethnic communities of…
Abstract
Purpose
The present paper aims to report and analyse empirical data from 391 ethnic minority entrepreneurs and 132 of their family members, from eight different ethnic communities of Albanians, Armenians, Bulgarians, Chinese, Georgians, Indians, Nigerians and Russians in Greece.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents empirical data from face‐to‐face interview‐type research conducted between January 2006 and August 2008 in the regions of Attica and Central Macedonia, Greece. The selection criteria used for the inclusion of enterprises in the ethnic minority business (EMB) database were: ethnicity of the business owner; sectors, including traditional sectors and emerging sectors of EMB; and finally location, i.e. in the regions of Attica and Central Macedonia.
Findings
The findings of this research point to the fact that the three theories of “block mobility”, “opportunity structures” and “ethnic resources” complement each other in explaining the process of starting up an ethnic minority business and becoming self‐employed, while the “cultural thesis” seems to stand on its own.
Originality/value
This paper presents the results of the first‐ever large‐scale authoritative analytical research on EMBs and immigrant entrepreneurship in Greece, provides empirical evidence to why and to what extent ethnic groups are attracted to self‐employment, in which economic sectors they develop occupational niches, and how strong family participation and support is in the EMBs, and attempts to go beyond most of the existing literature, which is focused mainly on “Black” or “Asian” ethnic groups. The research makes a contribution by presenting empirical evidence of five “White”, one “Asian”, one “Indian” and one “Black” ethnic group.
Details
Keywords
Panagiotis G. Liargovas and Konstantinos S. Skandalis
The past decade has shown a remarkable growth in entrepreneurship among immigrants in Greece, while their contribution to Greek society is still clouded by issues of social…
Abstract
Purpose
The past decade has shown a remarkable growth in entrepreneurship among immigrants in Greece, while their contribution to Greek society is still clouded by issues of social integration, crime, exclusion, racism and discrimination. The purpose of this paper is to empirically identify the motivations that are responsible for migrant entrepreneurship in the case of Greece.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use the principal component factor analysis technique in order to investigate common factors that might explain underlying beliefs about the perceived variables. The research questionnaire includes open‐ended and closed questions to collect the necessary information in order to provide insights into a variety of critical factors which determine the start and existence of ethnic firms.
Findings
It is found that the intention to become an entrepreneur depends on family survival needs, immigrant community ties, personality features or traits and market infrastructure and general conditions of the Greek economy.
Originality/value
The findings of this study provide important insights into the perceived and actual motivations encountered by immigrant entrepreneurs in Greece and allow for implications to be made to both owners and government policies.