MDE 2016
Conference Report 2nd - International Conference on Migration and
Diaspora Entrepreneurship - Challenges and Potential Solutions –
28 - 29 November 2016 Bremen | Germany
Organized by:
Sponsored by:
Report: MDE-Conference 2016
2nd - International Conference on Migration and Diaspora Entrepreneurship
- Challenges and Potential Solutions -
28 - 29 November 2016
Bremen | Germany
Organized by:
Prof. Dr. Jörg Freiling (University of Bremen)
Dr. Aki Harima (University of Bremen)
Dr. Maria Elo (Turku School of Economics)
Report edited by:
Quynh Duong Phuong (University of Bremen)
Sharon Mayer (University of Bremen)
MDE 2016 Conference Report
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Table of Content MDE - Conference ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
General Information ............................................................................................................................................. 2
List of Sessions ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
Statistics of Participants ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Impressions ............................................................................................................................................................... 7
Conference Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 10
Day 1 .................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Day 2 .................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Impressions of Participants .................................................................................................................................... 11
Short Summary of Survey Results ...................................................................................................................... 11
Personal Feedbacks............................................................................................................................................. 12
Prospect MDE Events .............................................................................................................................................. 14
Contact Information ............................................................................................................................................... 14
MDE - Conference
General Information The 2nd International Conference on Migration and Diaspora Entrepreneurship (MDE) aims at a better
understanding of challenges and potential solutions in the realm of migration and diaspora
entrepreneurship. Migration paths become more and more important and modern nations tend to be or
become transnational societies. As migrants and diasporans often act as risk-taking entrepreneurs,
innovators, and investors, they create a flow of financial capital and human capital such as knowledge
and information by exploring and exploiting transnational entrepreneurial opportunities.
Migration and diaspora entrepreneurship is, by nature, a highly heterogeneous and complex phenomenon,
as it is embedded in different societies, cultures, and persons as well as collective history. The MDE -
Conference enables an interdisciplinary debate that examines various aspects of their entrepreneurial
activities and involves international researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and students. The
conference facilitates unique student sessions where bachelor and master students can share progresses
and results of their research projects on the related topics in order to give early-stage researchers the
chance to exchange opinions with researchers and practitioners from all over the world and to include
their novel ways of thinking and creativity into discussions. The conference was started with the series of
‘ZenTra workshops on migration and diaspora entrepreneurship’ (2013-2014), predecessors of the MDE
- Conference, which took a huge step to create a research community in this field.
The 1st International Conference on Migration and Diaspora Entrepreneurship was held in December
2015. At MDE 2015, 67 people from 25 countries joined the conference in December 2015 in Bremen.
A unique combination of keynote speeches, paper presentations by international academicians, research-
and practice-oriented projects presented by students as well as a panel discussion with policy-makers,
researchers and practitioners on the topic of refugee entrepreneurship made significant contributions to
the research progress on migration and diaspora entrepreneurship.
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List of Sessions Day 1 - Monday, November 28th
Student Conference Track A (9:30 – 10:45) Chair: Aki Harima
Indian Female Returnee Entrepreneurs – Key Agents to Change Homeland Institution
o Sharon Mayer (University of Bremen)
o Quynh Duong Phuong (University of Bremen)
o Victoria Theohavora (University of Bremen)
Ethnic Resource as a Source Of Competitive Advantage
o Jan Elsner (University of Bremen)
o Nadine Arrestegui Hermoza (University of Bremen)
Opportunities and Challenges for Syrian Refugee Entrepreneurs in Turkey
o Moiz Muhammad (Istanbul Commerce University)
Student Conference Track B (11:00 – 12:15) Chair: Maria Elo
German Diaspora Entrepreneurs in South Africa: Institutional Perspective
o Pia Brockers (University of Bremen)
o Rika Stelljes (University of Bremen)
o Elena Litowtschenko (University of Bremen)
o Martin Bogdanow (University of Bremen)
o Katharina Heller (University of Bremen)
o Svenja Klinger (University of Bremen)
The Impact of Diaspora Networks on the Motivation to Found a Diaspora Startup
o Kim Kaufmann (University of Hamburg)
The Imprint of Korean “Diasporaness” on Business Model Design
o Ha Eui Lee (University of Bremen)
Opening Session (13:00-13:30) Opening Words
o Prof. Dr. Yasemin Karakaşoğlu (VicePresident for International Affairs and Diversity at the
University of Bremen, Director of the Unit for Intercultural Education)
Opening Remarks
o Prof. Dr. Jörg Freiling (University of Bremen)
o Dr. Aki Harima (University of Bremen)
o Dr. Maria Elo (University of Turku)
Session 1: Refugees and Social Challenges
13:30-15:00
Chair: Aki Harima
Session 2: Motivation & Opportunities
13:30 – 15:00
Chair: Beata Glinka The Longitudinal Development of a Social
Enterprise for Refugee and Internally Displaced
Persons
o Caleb Kwong (University of Essex)
Ecosystem for Refugee Entrepreneurship
o Ralf Sänger (IQ-Netzwerk)
Entrepreneurial Opportunities and Immigrant
Entrepreneurs’ Knowledge: Towards a Theoretical
Framework
o Rocío Aliaga-Isla (University of Liege)
Entrepreneurial Opportunities in the Eyes of
Lithuanian Expat-preners
o Vilmante Kumpikaite-Valiuniene (Kaunas
University of Technology)
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Co-Creation of Social Entrepreneurial Opportunities
With Refugee Entrepreneurs: A Case Study of
‘Refugee Innovation Challenge’
o Julia Freudenberg (Leuphana University
Lüneburg)
o Aki Harima (University of Bremen)
o Jurga Duobiene (Kaunas University of
Technology)
o Ineta Zickute (Kaunas University of
Technology)
What Should I Do? Immigrant Entrepreneurs in
Search of Business Ideas
o Beata Glinka (University of Warsaw)
Session 3: Internationalization &
Opportunity
15:30 – 17:00
Chair: Arnim Decker
Session 4: New Perspective
15:30 – 17:00
Chair: Rolf Sternberg
The Influence of Family Background on
Entrepreneurial Motivation of Vietnamese Second-
Generation Immigrants in Germany
o Cat My Dang (University of Bremen)
Understanding a Knowledge-Based Diaspora: The
Case of Honduras Global
o Allan Discua Cruz (Lancaster University)
Leave the Country, Serve Your People:
Opportunities for Creating a New Market Space
o Arnim Decker (Aalborg University)
Migration and Entrepreneurship of Remaining
Household – A Comparative Analysis of
Afghanistan, Burndi, Ethiopia and Morocco
o Katrin Marchand (University of
Maastricht)
Screening the Barbarians at the Gate-Opportunities
and Obstacles for Entrepreneurship Visa Regimes
o Joachim Kolb (Trinity College Dublin)
Transnational Diaspora Entrepreneurship (TDE)
Meets Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) –
Preliminary Results of an Empirical Attempt to
Measure TDE Between Countries
o Rolf Sternberg (Leibniz University of
Hannover)
o José Ernesto Amorós (EGADE Business
School, Technólogico de Monterrey)
o Johannes von Bloh (Leipniz University of
Hannover)
o Jonathan Levie (University of
Strathclyde)
Keynote Speech
18:00 – 19:15
Cartesium (University of Bremen)
Newcomers, New Opportunities, New Issues: Migrant entrepreneurs and Cognitive-Cultural
Capitalism
o Prof. Dr. Robert Kloosterman (University of Amsterdam)
Conference Dinner (19:30 – 22:00)
German Christmas Dinner
at Café Unique (University of Bremen)
Day 2 - Tuesday, November 29th
Session 5: Conceptualization
9:30 – 11:00
Chair: Ram Vemuri
Session 6: Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
9:30 – 11:00
Chair: Maria Elo Refugee Entrepreneurship in Germany: Jumping
from Factor-Driven Economies into Innovation
Driven Economies”
o Hartmut Meyer (FOM Bremen)
Filipino Returnee Entrepreneurs’ Role in Boosting
the Local Startup Scene: A Case Study on A
Filipino Accelerator
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Challenges, Competencies, and Caliber of
Multinational Diaspora Entrepreneurs
o Alli Nathan (Providence College School of
Business)
Contextualizing Migration for Understanding
Diaspora Entrepreneur
o Ram Vemuri (Charles Darwin University)
o Gerald Perry Estavillo Martin (University
of Bremen)
With and without migration entrepreneurs: What
glues actors within a start-up ecosystem?
o Thomas Baron (University of Bremen)
Attracting Diaspora Business: How is the Caribbean
Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
o Indianna Minto-Coy (Mona School of
Business)
o Maria Elo (University of Turku)
Workshop: Refugee Entrepreneurship
11:15 – 12:45
Chair: Sibylle Heilbrunn
Session 7: Policy Implication
11:15 – 12:45
Chair: Stephen Syrett
Aim of the Workshop:
Collection of case studies on refugees doing
entrepreneurship in different countries
Participants:
Experienced researchers and advanced students
attending the MDE 2016 in Bremen who are
interested in conducting a single case study on
refugee entrepreneurship in their country of
residence.
Spanish Entrepreneurs in Germany: Do They Get
Support From the Spanish Embassy?
o Abelardo Medel Dominguez (Ilmenau
University of Technology)
o Ruben Paya (Ilmenau University of
Technology)
Identifying ‘Good’ Foreign Entrepreneurs:
Immigration Policy Challenge
o Diane Floreal Bouleau (University of
Auckland) & Brent Burmester (University
of Auckland)
Diasporas, Policization and Enterprise:
Conceptualizing Politicized Diasporic
Entrepreneurship
o Stephen Syrett (Middlesex University)
o Janroj Keles (Middlesex University)
Session 8: Refugee Entrepreneurship
13:45 – 15:15
Chair: Sibylle Heilbrunn
Session 9: Social Factors
13:45 – 15:15
Chair: Liesl Riddle Refugee Camp Entrepreneurship
o Crista Plak (University of Limoges)
Challenges and Barriers to Refugee Entrepreneurship
o Manal Haimour (University of Bremen)
Entrepreneurship as Gatekeeper for Sanity: Asylum
Seekers in Detention Camp
o Sibylle Heilbrunn (Kinneret College on the
Sea of Galilee)
What Factors Make Immigrant Entrepreneurs from
Developing and Emerging Countries Successful in
Developed Countries? Empirical Evidence from
Germany
o Bamrot Yekoye Abebe (University of
Siegen)
Latin American Migrant Women’s Entrepreneurship
in Germany – An Approximation to Its Realities
o Abelardo Medel Dominuguez(Ilmenau
University of Technology)
Session 10: Refugee Entrepreneurship
15:30 – 17:00
Chair: Caleb Kwong
Session 11: Homeland Development
15:30 – 17:00
Chair: Maria Elo Critical Review of the German Refugee Policy to
Promote Specialist Shortage and Entrepreneurship in
Germany
o Hartmut Meyer (FOM Bremen)
Homeland Investment and Philanthropy:
Experience, Attitudes, and Motivating Factors in the
Ghanaian Diaspora
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Conceptualization of Refugee Entrepreneurship
o Aki Harima (University of Bremen)
Entrepreneurship Amongst Internally Displaced
Persons in Pakistan – A Study of Their Resource
Utilization Through Improvisation and Bricolage
o Caleb Kwong (University of Essex)
o Nana Kweku Nduom (George
Washington University)
o Liesl Riddle (George Washington
University)
Central Asian Economy and Diaspora Roles in
Economic Development
o Maria Elo (University of Turku)
Closing Session
17:00 – 17:30
Key reflection of MDE 2016
o Dr. Maria Elo (University of Turku)
Future Perspective (MDE 2017)
o Dr. Aki Harima (University of Bremen)
Closing Remarks
o Prof. Dr. Jörg Freiling (University of Bremen)
MDE 2016 Conference Report
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Statistics of Participants
Impressions
MDE 2016 Conference Report
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MDE 2016 Conference Report
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MDE 2016 Conference Report
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Conference Overview
Day 1 The MDE – Conference 2016 traditionally started with student sessions which gave the young faculty
and international future researchers the possibility to share their work with global researchers. The session
included papers on various levels (Bachelor thesis, Master thesis and research in progress). The students
processed topics like female entrepreneurship, returnee entrepreneurship, and refugee entrepreneurship
and the opportunities and challenges, the role of ethnic resources, the impact of networks and the business
model design and also the institutional perspective of diaspora entrepreneurship.
The student session received again a very positive feedback both from researchers and students. Students
especially valued the opportunity to receive useful feedback and comments and to be able to gain
knowledge from international academics. Also researchers were very interested in the input from the
young faculty and supported the session with engagement and experience.
After the lunch , the official opening session was held by Prof. Dr. Jörg Freiling (University of Bremen)
and Aki Harima (University of Bremen), headed by the welcome speech of the Vice President of the
University of Bremen Prof. Dr. Yasemin Karakaşoğlu.
In the afternoon, sessions to the areas Refugees and Social challenge, Motivations and Opportunities
of Diaspora Entrepreneurship, Internationalization and Opportunity, and New Perspectives took
place. Each session had three presentations with time to discuss afterwards. The day was full of interesting and inspiring discussions, many moments for connecting and networking,
and a very warm atmosphere. After the official sessions the keynote speech by Robert Klosterman was
held at the campus of the university. Followed by the official Conference Dinner which not only gave the
chance to have a taste of a German Christmas Dinner, but also was a unique opportunity to establish
friendships and a global network.
Day 2 Day 2 started with two parallel sessions. One on the topic of Conceptualization and one on
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems.
After the first session a Workshop on Refugee Entrepreneurship by Sibylle Heilbrunn with the aim to
collect case studies on refugees doing entrepreneurship in different countries took place. The participants
experienced a discussion, which showed interesting insights on different countries facing the challenge
of a high refugee influx. Participants have additionally the opportunity to conduct data as a single case
study in their country of residence.
Simultaneously the session Policy Implication took place. Afterwards the sessions Refugee
Entrepreneurship and Social Factors took place, followed by the session about Homeland
Development. The conference concluded with the closing session.
Prof. Dr. Freiling ended the conference with closing remarks together with Aki Harima and Dr. Maria
Elo. In the end, the MDE - Conference was a full success to all participant and also the organizational
committee so that everyone is looking forward to the MDE - Conference 2017.
MDE 2016 Conference Report
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Impressions of Participants
Short Summary of Survey Results As it is shown in the diagram below all different elements of the MDE - Conference were rated mostly
excellent or good. This demonstrates especially that elements like the registration had excellently been
prepared and implemented. But as important as the most positive elements are elements which need to
be improved so that the next MDE - Conference can give a greater result for every participant.
Furthermore, participants evaluated that the MDE - Conference was helpful for many people to extend
their research collaboration network. Results can be seen in the diagram below.
To sum up it can be said that the overall impressions of the MDE - Conference are absolutely positive.
On the basis of the survey results it can be expected that the next MDE - Conference in 2016 will be at
least as successful as it was in 2015, regarding participants and content.
0
20
40
60
very poor poor ok good excellent
Was the MDE - Conference 2016 helpful for you to extend your research collaboration network?
0
50
100
"I am satisfied with the conference" "I would recommend the conference" "I will come to the MDE-Conference2017"
Overall Impression
strongly agree agree disagree strongly disagree
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
exellent good ok poor very poor not attend
Elements of the MDE - Conference
Student Session Paper Session
Keynote Speech Conference Dinner
Workshop: Refugee Entrepreneurship Publication Opportunities
The Structure of the Program The added value of the conference for you
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Personal Feedbacks
In my opinion, this conference talked about significant issues for Germany and many other European countries. This conference is well-organized by the MDE Team, every lecturer had amazing presentations and audiences gave thoughtful comments. I'm honored to join the 2nd MDE in Bremen, and they really inspired me to rethink to do scientific work in future. Thanks for MDE Team to hold this conference! Lulu Fan, Gdansk University of Technology, Poland
I have participated in the first two years of the MDE - Conference in Bremen; each time has been a perfect opportunity to share with the scientific community from around the world about relevant theoretical and empirical issues related to Migrant Entrepreneurship from different academic perspectives. This diversity has offered me a unique chance to learn and contribute directly to the scientific understanding and debate of this important and upcoming socio-economic phenomenon. Participating in the MDE - Conference have increased significantly my research collaboration network. I have developed contacts and friendships with colleagues working in similar topics around the world, which opened me the chance for current and future collaborations increasing, therefore, my chances of global professional mobility and academic productivity. Nonetheless, the MDE -Conference organization’s team do always a perfect job, taking care of all details and logistics to make the best of your stay and Bremen is for itself an enchanting city which, for those visiting it on winter time, offers a perfect season to enjoy part of the German culture with all senses!! Come to the MDE - Conference once, and you will be wishing for the next year to join once more!!
Abelardo Medel, TU Ilmenau, Germany/ UDLAP, Mexico
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The MDE - Conference is a ‘must go’ event for anyone who is interested in the areas of migrant, diaspora, and refugee entrepreneurship. The conference is well-organised, with a well-balanced presentations from academics, practitioners as well as research students who specialised in the subjects, from all across the world. I really enjoyed the diverse, vibrant and friendly atmosphere in the discussion. There were plenty of opportunities to network and the hosts were extremely hospitable. Caleb Kwong University of Essex, United Kingdom
I loved the atmosphere of this young conference. The diversity of the presented topics and the transdisciplinary of the attendants made room for an exciting exchange and offered many new insights within the area of migrant and diaspora entrepreneurship. Thank you so much for the perfect organization. Julia Freudenberg – Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany
MDE 2016 was my first international conference as a PhD candidate. I have learned a lot from the well-known professors who were in attendance, the participants were very engaging, and the organization was fantastic. I built a very good network and a chance to work on a project with book publishing possibility as a result of my participation in MDE 2016. I am looking forward to participate in MDE 2017” Bamrot Yekoye Abebe, University of Siegen, Germany
I think there was a very friendly and international atmosphere at the MDE -Conference. Moreover it was a great opportunity to meet academics from other parts of the world, likewise get to know their research fields and topics regarding migration entrepreneurship. I think the MDE - Conference offers students a good chance to get input about actual topics and new ideas for a research project. Additionally I had the chance to present my actual research project and get valuable feedback from experienced academics. I can only recommend attending this conference and will be very happy to participate next year too. Nadine Arrestegui Hermoza, University of Bremen, Germany
MDE 2016 Conference Report
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Prospect MDE Events
MDE Workshop on Refugee Entrepreneurship
Date: 18.07. 2017
Abstract submission deadline: 01.06. 2017
Location: Bremen, Germany
3rd International Conference on Migration and Diaspora Entrepreneurship (MDE 2017)
Date: 30.11.2017-01.12.2017
Abstract submission deadline: 15. 08. 2017
Location: Bremen, Germany
Contact Information
Chair in Small Business & Entrepreneurship
(LEMEX, Prof. Dr. Jörg Freiling)
Faculty 7: Business Studies & Economics, University of Bremen
Wilhelm-Herbst-Str. 5
28359 Bremen, Germany
Email: [email protected]
Homepage: www.mde-conference.com