Maria Elo

Developing Innovative Business Models in Social Ventures

Social ventures represent a new type of organization that aim to create sustainable social value, such as promoting the well-being of communities and their existence is based on developing solutions to tackle complex social problems. Developing a suitable business model for a social venture is crucial because the right model with a sustainable value offering in its core can support the venture and direct it toward self-sustainability and competitiveness. Research on social venture business models has been so far limited and particularly innovation in business models needs more inquiry. Through an in-depth case study, we aim to extend the understanding how business models of social ventures can meet these goals and how the business model elements interact with each other. The study findings indicate that opportunity recognition which is followed by innovative resource mobilization and integration can turn into a well-functioning business-model that serves the desired ends, creating social value and help to achieve self-sustainability. Furthermore, establishing the right interconnections between the business model elements was found to support the development of an efficient social venture business model.

Organizing mobility: a case study of Bukharian Jewish diaspora

The contemporary rate and pace of increased migration flows and diaspora formation are creating challenges for the individuals, society and the private and public sector organizations in an unprecedented manner. The literature responses are both discipline and area centric and mostly considered the migrant as a recipient of migration policies and programmes. Studies range from migrants being considered a ‘liability’ and cost to being an ‘asset’, that is, talent or brain. There are a very few investigations in the area how the migrants and diasporas are organizing themselves to overcome migrant being a disadvantage. This paper examines how migrants and diasporas are organizing themselves to overcome alienation and unemployment. It presents a case study of the Post-Soviet era Bukharian Jewish diaspora. This diaspora, particularly its Post-Soviet wave, provides a theoretically interesting example of migrant integration and organization due to its refugee characteristics and instrumental nature. The findings present efficient informal and formal methods of resource employment across generations, and context-specific organizational structures, such as the Bukharian Jewish World Congress, and activities supporting integration while maintaining the cultural heritage, such as the Bukharian Teen Lounge. The Bukharian Jewish diaspora illustrate the role of diasporic agency, resilience and values that foster resource employment and entrepreneurship despite impediments and difficulties. The paper contributes to understanding of how diaspora can self-organize human resource utilization and better employment of its inherent talent, and thus benefit both host and home countries. Further research examining successful cases of integrative diaspora organization and international resource development emphasizing diaspora’s emic view is required for better policy-making.

The Role of Linguistic Resources in the Institutional Organisation of the Armenian Diaspora in Finland

This chapter presents a linguistic ethnographic case study exploring the role of linguistic resources in the institutional organisation of the Armenian diaspora within the Finnish context. Even though the Armenian diasporas across the globe have been extensively studied in various countries, relatively little research has been conducted on linguistic resources employed in the institutional organisation of the Armenian diasporas. In addition, to our knowledge, no single research has focused on the Armenian diaspora residing in Finland or organisational work done at the institutional level within the Finnish context. The study reported here attempts to address these gaps by drawing upon multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork, more precisely, participant observations and informal interviews conducted with Armenian volunteers of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) promoting the organisation of the Armenian diaspora at the institutional level in Finland. To do so, we examine the landscape of the Armenian diaspora, which is shaped on the basis of different generations of historical and contemporary Armenian diasporas, who have increasingly diversified backgrounds regarding their migration grounds and legal statuses in addition to their linguistic and socio-economic characteristics. Some activities, events and festivities arranged by the NGO are then described to illustrate organisational work done by the volunteers with the cooperation of individuals, institutions, associations and schools, apart from with the support of the Armenian diaspora based in Finland. Finally, we discuss linguistic resources that are used by the volunteers in organisational work carried out through internal and external communication within the offline and online contexts. Overall, the study findings indicate that the volunteers of the NGO make use of different linguistic repertoires in organisational work as not all the Armenian diaspora members master Armenian, which is the shared main language for the majority of them. The study, thus, confirms that linguistic, especially multilingual, resources promote the institutional organisation of the Armenian diaspora since linguistic diversity is commonplace among the diaspora members. This chapter contributes to understanding of how the diaspora can be organised at the institutional level through multiple linguistic resources that provides new insights into diaspora communities with little or no common language.

Towards a Multi-disciplinary Framing of Diaspora Networks in International Business

The phenomenon of diaspora networks in international business can be approached with a multitude of lenses, positive, negative and disciplinary. Building on the contributions of the book, we find that there is no “one size fits all” but specific, almost customized lenses are needed for particular research problems- and more dialectic approach in addressing the discussions. Diaspora matters are not only conceptually complicated, due to the international, even global dimensions and nuances, but it is also necessary to contextualize better the settings in which diaspora networks act and shape international business and entrepreneurship. The context of a developing country may differ greatly from a developed country and present other mechanisms and flows, just like political transitions and crises. Importantly, the balancing of disciplinary lenses and the mainstreaming of diaspora and migration are issues that are changing. The shift from the deficit and problem view to the agency and opportunity view is in making. The contributions here illustrate how both exist, representing the different sides of the token. Broadening the lenses may involve framings, contexts, transformations, transnationalism, time and timing, position in society, benefits for business and the asset side of diaspora. A more multi-disciplinary understanding is expected to diminish the theory-practice gaps, the danger of bias and misinterpretations and facilitate advancing the body of knowledge with new evidence.

Self-Initiated Expatriation Rebooted: A Puzzling Reality – A Challenge to Migration Research and its Future Direction

Modern expatriation and self-initiated expatriation have resulted from many societal, economic and political changes. The idea of expatriation as a corporate governed phenomenon has been shifting towards mobile individuals and families migrating for career progression, and a mobilisation of their resources in international contexts. The chapters in this book illustrate the different nuances, dynamics and situations that help us to understand the self-initiated expatriation of highly skilled people. The findings suggest that there is a continuum of agency location and a collectiveness of action from corporate talent management to individual life plans and aspirations. Thus, there is less of a dichotomy than a hybridization of expatriation processes that points out a need for conceptual discussions. Furthermore, the single migration process for work purposes is contested as a concept, especially when multiple migrations and mobility forms are considered. The challenging viewpoints and findings presented underline the necessity to examine the phenomenon from cross-disciplinary angles. This chapter collates these underpinnings and reflections.

Rethinking Self-Initiated Expatriation in International Highly Skilled Migration

International migration and mobility, and the concept of self-initiated expatriation (SIE) (SIE as abbreviation is used for self-initiated expatriation as a concept, and for a self-initiated expatriate (SIE) or self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) as individuals) are intensively debated, ranging from research and politics to families and corporate recruiting strategies. Today, previously nonexistent possibilities and contexts enable and advance new processes and patterns of highly skilled mobility, such as self-initiated expatriation. An emerging field of study examines the concept of SIE and boundaryless career building processes from the perspectives of highly skilled people and human resource management. The importance of ‘global talents’, the demand for skills in globalizing labour markets, and the phenomenon of individualization influence policies at multiple levels and pull highly skilled people in diverse destinations. International opportunities beyond traditional corporate assignments generate various life and career options for these ‘talents’. The aim of the chapter is to foster reconceptualization and contextualization of SIE and its cross-dissemination. It provides an overview of the approaches and debates in international migration and mobility research, and focuses on these talents as embedded individuals. The chapter addresses recent theory discussions, such as the ‘mobility turn’ and the ‘big data’ in empirical social research, and it synthesizes a theory landscape on SIE research. It incorporates various disciplinary angles, interlinking different lenses, framings and mechanisms to trigger future research. The contribution broadens understanding of SIE concept both empirically and theoretically with particular insights from the Finnish context.

Dynamics of Diasporic Life – Entry and Exit Behavior of Highly Skilled Migrants

Highly skilled migrants and expatriates are the subject of the global competition for talent. Their human capital is considered as positive, and it is expected to be wanted and not brain-wasted. Economic benefits and career building represent acknowledged reasons for migration of this “elite”. Their decision-making on migration is a complicated and multi-layered process, which is not limited to the interests of the individual, the receiving country, or the corporations. Instead, highly skilled migrants living in a global diaspora or in a transnational space, negotiate their migratory options beyond their career sphere. Therefore, the dynamics of the migratory life of self-initiated expatriates require a better understanding, further theorizing and novel propositions addressing their embeddedness and contextuality. Hence, we examine life trajectories over time and analyse how specific episodes and proximity to family shape the decision-making of male self-initiated expatriates (SIE). SIEs moving to Finland provide evidence contradicting previous views on the role of post-migratory gains in decision-making and highlight complex employment-entrepreneurship outcomes. The study contributes to self-initiated expatriation and transnational diaspora studies.

The Concept of Diaspora from the Perspective of International Business and Economy: An Introduction to the Book

Diaspora is a multifaceted and multi-disciplinary concept with several definitions and applications. Regardless of the definition, the phenomenon is relevant for international business. As a result of globalization and international migration, diasporas and migrants are increasingly influencing the everyday conduct of international business, economy and society as a whole. Diverse diaspora networks act and shape the global and local business environment that become more glocal, more transnational and interconnected. This book provides a broad discussion on different diaspora influences, roles and mechanisms, as well as theories and empirical studies from various settings. Numerous novel insights and perspectives are presented from different areas and contexts. It contributes to the broadening of the international business lens, the conceptual and contextual understanding of diaspora actors, and to several debates on approaches to how diaspora networks are employed in international business, entrepreneurship and development.

Migration Perspective on Entrepreneurship

Migration- a form of globalization- influences new venture creation, internationalization and overall economic landscape. These global flows of people shift human capital, entrepreneurial ideas and activities across places, but little is known on the interconnectedness of migratory and entrepreneurial dynamics. Theoretical lenses, such as migration theories, epidemic dynamics, gravity laws and bandwagon effects, among other explanatory models, have not really diffused into explaining entrepreneurship. This chapter broadens the view and addresses migration dynamics implanting entrepreneurs into new contexts and between contexts, and discusses the types of entrepreneurs and businesses “in dispersion”. The chapter advances the understanding of the intertwined nature of these two dynamics and contributes to the analytical clarity of the terminology employing the idea of topology.

Management of remanufacturing – strategic challenges from intellectual property rights

Remanufacturing is a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to virgin material-based manufacturing processes. A product is disassembled, cleaned, repaired and reassembled to function as new, which links to end-of-life strategies. Considered to be the ultimate form of recycling and a source of new international business opportunities, the concept involves not only manufacturing and technological challenges but also managerial and strategic challenges due to complexity and intellectual property rights (IPR) implications. Remanufacturing is often embedded in a web of international activities interlinked across various legal domains, creating ambiguity for IPR. This study is the first to assess IPR implications regarding strategic management of remanufacturing, especially from a global perspective. It combines a meta-analysis of court decisions with qualitative analysis of expert interviews, providing an analytical framework for management challenges related to remanufacturing strategy, operations and IPR. The study contributes a remanufacturer typology and implications for operations and marketing, and provides a conceptual tool for management.