Towards a Greater Understanding of the Prevalence of Immigrant Entrepreneurship in the Informal Economy of Ghana
An Institutional Theory Perspective
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21737613 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Kwame Adom (Burman University, corresponding author), Benjamin Ackom (University of Ghana) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 264-286 |
| Publication date | 2024-04-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of African Business (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1522-8916 • E-ISSN: 1522-9076 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/15228916.2023.2170860 |
| OpenAlex | W4318617975 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 71 |
This study aims to explore the prevalence of immigrant entrepreneurship in Ghana's informal economy through institutional theory. Specifically, the study sought to understand how the elements of the institutional theory (norms, culture, and regulations, which form formal and informal institutions) support or discourage immigrant entrepreneurship in the Sub-Saharan African context, with insights from Ghana. It is qualitative research that adopts an in-depth face-to-face interview with 30 respondents. Analyzing the data from the interviews, the key findings are immigrants' inability to find paid jobs, failure to gather sufficient funds to operate in the formal sector, and the willingness to use innate ability. The Ghanaian culture of hospitality and the government's inability to implement trade regulations have been an enabler to the prevalence of immigrant entrepreneurship in Ghana. The legal frameworks that prohibit immigrants from participating in retailing, especially in the informal economy of Ghana, are well known by immigrant entrepreneurs, albeit it has yet to adhere. Therefore, there is a call for policy measures to address the weak institutional framework, which encourages disregard for the country's laws. Immigrant entrepreneurs who wish to remain in doing business in Ghana must obey the rules or suffer the punishment thereof
Business · Economic growth · Economics · Enabling · Entrepreneurship · Hospitality · Immigration · Informal sector · Institutional theory · Political science · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Tourism · Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences · Law · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Migration, Ethnicity, and Economy · Finance
Institutional Theory and Entrepreneurship
Out of sight, out of mind
Understanding and Evaluating Qualitative Research
Which Immigrants Are Most Innovative and Entrepreneurial? Distinctions by Entry Visa
Immigrant entrepreneurship
Institutional Theory Contributing To Atheoretical Research Program
Content analysis and thematic analysis
Managing Legitimacy
Entrepreneurship in the Cultural and Creative Industries
Nigerian Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Contemporary Ghana
Immigrant Entrepreneurs
Migrant Entrepreneurship Collective Violence and Xenophobia in South Africa
Silicon Valley’s New Immigrant High-Growth Entrepreneurs
Ethnicity and Entrepreneurship
Why Are Black‐Owned Businesses Less Successful than White‐Owned Businesses? The Role of Families, Inheritances, and Business Human Capital
Systematic review of immigrant entrepreneurship literature
Purposive Sampling as a Tool for Informant Selection
Misfits,” “stars,” and immigrant entrepreneurship
Not for Lack of Trying
International lifestyle immigrants and their contributions to rural tourism innovation
Do international migration and remittances reduce poverty in developing countries
Occupational Mobility among Legal Immigrants to the United States
Do Immigrants Suffer More From Job Loss? Unemployment and Subjective Well-being in Germany
The impact of ethnic communities on immigrant entrepreneurship
A Rising Tide? The Salience of Immigration and the Rise of Anti‐Immigration Political Parties in Western Europe
Two Sets of Business Cards
Covert racism
A Transaction Cost Theory of Politics
When Migrants Rule
Immigrant Self-Employment
The Expulsion of West African Aliens
Mixed embeddedness of immigrant entrepreneurs in microstates. The case of Andorra
African-Caribbeans in business
From Immigrant to Transmigrant
Immigrant Entrepreneurship in the Swedish Welfare State
Politics and Institutionalism
The growth of Korean immigrant entrepreneurship in Chicago
Transnational Embeddedness of Nigerian Immigrant Entrepreneurship in Ghana, West Africa
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |