Cosmopolitans as Migrant Entrepreneurs

Abstract

A growing number of individuals identify as cosmopolitans, that is, citizens of the world. They voluntarily move from country to country in pursuit of self-fulfilment in both life and work, and construct a cosmopolitan identity in the process. With the help of three entrepreneurial narratives the authors investigated how cosmopolitan disposition affects entrepreneurial behaviour. The authors found that cosmopolitan entrepreneurs share many common entrepreneurial characteristics, such as openness to opportunities, a need for achievement and the locus of control. However, they also challenge the understanding of entrepreneurship by downplaying the role of environment and interpreting success in an unconventional way. The study demonstrates that this growing group of entrepreneurs deserves more attention from entrepreneurship scholars.

Citation

Nummela, N., Paavilainen-Mäntymäki, E., Harikkala-Laihinen, R. and Raitis, J. (2021), "Cosmopolitans as Migrant Entrepreneurs", Vershinina, N., Rodgers, P., Xheneti, M., Brzozowski, J. and Lassalle, P. (Ed.) Global Migration, Entrepreneurship and Society (Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship Research, Vol. 13), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 55-70. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2040-724620210000013011