Sébastien Arcand

Transmission of entrepreneurial spirit from first to second generation ethnic minorities in Montreal

Purpose - Very little research has been conducted on the specific topic of intergenerational transmission of the entrepreneurial spirit. The current study aims to elucidate the concept of entrepreneurial spirit. The purpose of this paper is to identify the main factors that influence sons and daughters of immigrant entrepreneurs in their decisions to take over from their parents or start new businesses. Design/methodology/approach - Semi-directed interviews with the children of immigrants (aged 18 to 35) have been conducted in the area of Montreal. Their parents are or were entrepreneurs and the interviews focused on how interviewees perceive entrepreneurship. Findings - Ethno-cultural background does not play a significant role in this transmission. Parents do not have a direct influence on the development of an entrepreneurial spirit among their offspring. Interviewees identify more with an “open culture” rather than with a specific ethnic identity. Research limitations/implications - The data must be subjected to other types of analysis and methodologies. Studies in other contexts must also be conducted in order to compare the findings. Practical implications - The paper raises the importance of working on opening existing institutions to these second generation entrepreneurs, rather than to favour the creation of specific institutions based on ethnic identity. Entrepreneurship empowerment among second-generation immigrants should focus on new possibilities rather than on perpetuating traditional niches occupied by ethnic minority entrepreneurs. Originality/value - The paper focuses on the manner in which an entrepreneurial spirit is transmitted to the second generation. This study is grounded in the social processes that trigger business creation and the transmission of an entrepreneurial spirit among ethnic minority groups.

Being an (in)Formal Afro-Descendant Entrepreneur in Medellín, Colombia: A Case Study

Many Afro-descendants residing in Medellin seek to have an impact on their territories to achieve and guarantee minimum economic conditions for a better communities’ quality of life and the preservation of their cultural identity. Using a propositional and qualitative approach, this chapter analyzes the process of inception and development of these black entrepreneurships, from the study of three specific cases. Entrepreneurship processes carried out by the Afro-descendant population of the District 13 in Medellin have been surrounded by an institutional context that these entrepreneurs have taken advantage of to develop their entrepreneurial activities. The entrepreneurs who participated in the study move continuously between the formal and the informal economy. While they look for opportunities to generate income through informal ways (subsistence strategies such as food preparation, cleaning, and masonry), they also use formal ways (participation in institutional programs of business entrepreneurship promotion).

Integration of Immigrants and Temporary Migrants into the Labour Market in Quebec and Canada: New Perspectives on Contexts and Actors

In the decades after World War II, immigrants generally managed to fit into the Canadian labour market without too many obstacles. Even when they were poorly educated, they found adequate jobs in the secondary sector, particularly in manufacturing. Moreover, if they were initially paid less than the natives, they tended to catch up after about fifteen years. In the early 1970s, however, when the thirty-year postwar boom gave way to a period of restructuring the productive system, the ensuing strong expansion of the tertiary sector resulted in fewer suitable employment opportunities for immigrants. The Canadian and Quebec governments responded by putting in place a policy that sought to select their immigrants on the basis of human capital characteristics. This policy continues to this day, especially because the world of work is currently engaged in a new phase of transformation linked to the development of the knowledge economy. Roughly speaking, this policy of selecting immigrants has played its role. Nevertheless, immigrants who entered the country after its adoption (as early as the 1980s) began to encounter integration difficulties, which increased with each new cohort of immigrants. In particular, their job remuneration deteriorated steadily in comparison with that of the natives so that immigrants’ wage parity appeared difficult and improbable. The underlying reasons for immigrant employment difficulties are numerous and diverse as they relate to various actors. The immigrants’ human capital in terms of education and work experience is not always recognized at its true value. The government, in part to meet the demands of the globalization of economic activity, relaxed its policy of regulating labour that once involved the supply of full-time and indefinite jobs. Also, employers are often reluctant to hire immigrants, especially if they are members of the visible minorities.

Les cadres expatriés au Mexique : défis et conseils clés

Dans le contexte de l’acceleration du processus de mondialisation, l’expatriation des cadres est de plus en plus frequente. A partir d’une analyse des actions entreprises par des cadres quebecois travaillant au Mexique, nous decrivons dans cet article les quatre principaux defis auxquels ils font face : le defi des rapports hierarchiques et de la supervision, le defi de la communication et des relations interpersonnelles, le defi de la participation et de la motivation du personnel ainsi que le defi de l’integration des equipes de travail. Nous indiquons egalement les pratiques que les expatries appliquent pour s’adapter a leur nouvel environnement. Finalement, nous proposons deux conseils cles aux cadres qui veulent reussir leur projet d’expatriation ainsi que deux recommandations cles que leurs sieges sociaux ou maisons meres doivent mettre en œuvre afin de faciliter leur integration et leur adaptation.