Is it possible to increase the opportunity motivation of immigrant entrepreneurs in Europe?

Abstract

This study examines factors that condition opportunity motivation of immigrant entrepreneurs in 31 European countries. We find that distance in language between immigrants’ country of residence and country of origin harms entrepreneurial opportunity motivation and that, at the same time, opportunity motivation is likely to benefit from both the normative aspects of institutions that reduce locals’ opportunity motivation (cultural values of uncertainty avoidance) and the regulative distance (the dissimilarity between the laws and regulations). Implications for the formulation of public policies and actions of private associations to promote immigrant entrepreneurs’ opportunity motivation derive from our work.