The phenomenon of ethnic entrepreneurship does not seem to flourish in Italy when compared with other European countries. An exception is provided by the Romanian group. Specifically, this community seems to be extremely successful on the entrepreneurial level, not only because of the large number of firms they established in the territory, but also because of their rapid and extensive growth in recent years. This phenomenon is interesting and puzzling when considering the discriminatory attitudes of the Italian public opinion towards Romanians and the contradictory Italian immigration policies.
This thesis intends to disentangle the reasons for the entrepreneurial success of Romanians in Italy, taking into consideration the specific location of Padua. In doing so, this study contributes to the debate on ethnic entrepreneurship, by developing the understanding of the multiplicity of factors behind this phenomenon.
Given the scope, a qualitative approach was adopted. Specifically, the core of this thesis is a community-based fieldwork carried out in Padua. Five Romanian entrepreneurs in the territory were carefully sampled and interviewed. Subsequently, their answers have been interpreted, analysed and discussed.
The results suggest that several factors contribute to the entrepreneurial careers of Romanians in Padua. First, the economic landscape seems to be beneficial thanks to abundant market opportunities and to the large presence of SMEs. Second, the characteristics of the Romanian community in Italy are important for their success. Specifically, they seem to be rich in human, cultural and social capital, which hence represent crucial fostering factors for their entrepreneurial achievements. Third, the accession of Romania into the EU in 2007 resulted to be highly related with this phenomenon, as it triggered the proliferation of Romanian firms in the territory. Lastly, the presence of firms from North-Eastern Italy in Romania and the local supportive institutions established in Padua marginally contribute to this phenomenon.
Altogether, this research conforms to previous studies on ethnic entrepreneurship. Specifically, in line with the mixed-embeddedness approach elaborated by Kloosterman and Rath, this thesis suggests that a throughout analysis of this phenomenon needs to take into consideration not only the ethnic group, but also the socio-economic and legal environment of the host country with its institutions.[...]
Table of Contents
1. SUMMARY
2. INTRODUCTION
3. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
3.1 Entrepreneurship
3.2 Ethnic Entrepreneurship
3.3 Forms of Capital
3.3.1 Human and Cultural Capital
3.3.2 Social Capital
4. METHODOLOGY
5. EXPLORING ROMANIAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN PADUA
5.1 1. The Italian landscape
5.2 2. Italy-Romania: migrations and agreements
5.2.1 2.1 Italians to Romania
5.2.2 2.2 Romanians to Italy
5.2.2.1 2.2.1 Why Italy? Why Padua?
5.3 3. Opening a business in Padua
5.3.1 3.1 Why becoming entrepreneurs?
5.3.2 3.2 How to open an enterprise
5.3.3 3.3 How to access the financial resources
5.4 4. The access to the market
5.4.1 4.1 Discrimination
5.5 5. Further reasons for their success
6. DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS
7. CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This thesis investigates the reasons behind the entrepreneurial success of Romanian immigrants in the North-Eastern Italian city of Padua. The central research question explores why, among various foreign communities, Romanians have emerged as one of the most successful entrepreneurial groups in Italy, specifically considering the socio-economic and political context of the region.
- Analysis of ethnic entrepreneurship models and the role of mixed-embeddedness.
- Evaluation of human, cultural, and social capital as drivers for entrepreneurial success.
- Examination of the impact of Romania's EU accession in 2007 on migration and business activities.
- Assessment of the role of migrant social networks and co-ethnic support structures in Padua.
- Investigation into how Romanians overcome discrimination and legal barriers to enter the Italian market.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Opening a business in Padua
Summing up, in the previous pages it was outlined the respondents share a common migratory experience: they arrived illegally, and then they regularized their status taking advantage of the amnesties enacted by the Italian governments during the last decades. For the purpose of this thesis, it is also crucial to understand how they became entrepreneurs, and the reasons for their choices. Therefore, the following section seeks to explore their entrepreneurial history, trying to comprehend why they decided to establish a business and whether they were supported in handling the difficulties of becoming a Romanian entrepreneur in the context of Padua.
3.1 Why becoming entrepreneurs?
It was previously mentioned that immigrants are normally pushed towards entrepreneurship by the prospect of independence and economic growth. Analyzing the contents of the interviews, this factor is indeed always present:
“When I opened my firm I was 37 years old, with years of experience [...] So it was time to stop working on the dependence of someone and to try to manage my life on my own”. (Alex)
“I was tired of doing different dependent jobs […] I decided to focus on an activity, and I thought that without a boss I would have earned much more money”. (Andreea)
Summary of Chapters
SUMMARY: Provides an overview of the research, noting the puzzling success of Romanian entrepreneurs in Italy despite discriminatory attitudes and highlighting the key factors of social, human, and cultural capital.
INTRODUCTION: Establishes the research question regarding Romanian entrepreneurial success in Padua and outlines the qualitative methodology used to investigate this phenomenon.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: Defines core concepts such as entrepreneurship, ethnic entrepreneurship, and the various forms of capital (human, cultural, social) utilized to interpret the empirical data.
METHODOLOGY: Details the qualitative approach, describing the fieldwork conducted in Padua, the selection of the five Romanian entrepreneurs, and the semi-structured interview technique.
EXPLORING ROMANIAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN PADUA: Analyzes the Italian economic landscape, the history of Italy-Romania migration flows, and the practical experiences of the interviewees regarding business creation and market access.
DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS: Integrates the empirical results with the mixed-embeddedness approach to synthesize how capital and institutional factors influence Romanian entrepreneurial achievement.
CONCLUSION: Summarizes the study's findings, affirming that a combination of the ethnic group's characteristics, favourable local economic structures, and the impact of EU accession explains the observed entrepreneurial success.
Keywords
Ethnic entrepreneurship, Romania, Italy, Padua, Mixed-embeddedness, Human capital, Cultural capital, Social capital, SMEs, Migration flows, EU accession, Integration, Networks, Business creation, Entrepreneurial success.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work examines the reasons for the remarkable entrepreneurial success of Romanian immigrants in Padua, Italy, exploring why this specific group thrives despite a generally challenging environment for ethnic entrepreneurs.
What are the primary themes discussed in the study?
The study centers on the role of forms of capital—social, human, and cultural—as well as the impact of the broader socio-economic and political context, including European integration policies.
What is the main objective of the thesis?
The primary goal is to disentangle the multi-layered factors that contribute to the proliferation and success of Romanian-owned businesses in the North-Eastern Italian region of Veneto.
Which scientific methodology is applied here?
The author adopts a qualitative research approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews with five selected Romanian entrepreneurs in Padua to gain in-depth insights into their business experiences.
What does the main body cover?
It explores the evolution of Romania-Italy migration, the process of business formation, the importance of informal networks for financial and operational support, and how these factors facilitate market integration.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Ethnic entrepreneurship, social capital, Romanian migration, SMEs, and mixed-embeddedness are the defining concepts.
How did Romania's accession to the EU in 2007 change the entrepreneurial landscape for these migrants?
The accession provided legal security and equalized rights, which, according to the findings, led to a surge in business establishments by removing previous hurdles like mandatory work permits.
How does social capital specifically help these entrepreneurs?
It provides access to financial support, business advice, and labor, as evidenced by the community-based "word of mouth" marketing and informal lending systems used by the interviewees.
What role does the local context of Padua play in this study?
Padua serves as a specific case study because it exhibits a high concentration of Romanian businesses relative to its size, providing a unique environment to analyze the interaction between local economic opportunities and immigrant entrepreneurship.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Luca Cavinato (Autor:in), 2011, Ethnic Entrepreneurship and Forms of Capital, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/189522
