How do refugee entrepreneurs navigate institutional voids? insights from malaysia*

TY - CHAP

T1 - How do refugee entrepreneurs navigate institutional voids? insights from malaysia*

AU - Au, Wee Chan

AU - Drencheva, Andreana

AU - Yew, Jian Li

N1 - Funding Information: This study was funded by grant AH/R005354/1. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by Emerald Publishing Limited. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - In this study, the authors develop in-depth understanding of how refugee entrepreneurs navigate institutional voids in market participation in Malaysia. The authors employ an inductive research design consistent with recent research investigating adversity and disadvantaged entrepreneurship. The findings of this study reveal that refugees adopted different, gendered approaches to navigate institutional voids in market participation. The women refugees in this study anchored towards safety by leveraging legitimacy of market intermediaries (e.g. social ventures and refugee support organisations) to gain protection for entrepreneurial activities and access markets while conducting their labour at home. The men refugees in this study engaged in harbouring – concealing entrepreneurial activities in the local community or under others’ identities to protect income-generating opportunities. The findings of this study thus provide nuance and demonstrate plurality in how refugee entrepreneurs navigate institutional voids, contributing towards more holistic understanding of refugee entrepreneurship, offering insights for development agencies, policy-makers, and other institutions on how to support refugees’ entrepreneurial activities.

AB - In this study, the authors develop in-depth understanding of how refugee entrepreneurs navigate institutional voids in market participation in Malaysia. The authors employ an inductive research design consistent with recent research investigating adversity and disadvantaged entrepreneurship. The findings of this study reveal that refugees adopted different, gendered approaches to navigate institutional voids in market participation. The women refugees in this study anchored towards safety by leveraging legitimacy of market intermediaries (e.g. social ventures and refugee support organisations) to gain protection for entrepreneurial activities and access markets while conducting their labour at home. The men refugees in this study engaged in harbouring – concealing entrepreneurial activities in the local community or under others’ identities to protect income-generating opportunities. The findings of this study thus provide nuance and demonstrate plurality in how refugee entrepreneurs navigate institutional voids, contributing towards more holistic understanding of refugee entrepreneurship, offering insights for development agencies, policy-makers, and other institutions on how to support refugees’ entrepreneurial activities.

KW - Anchoring

KW - Gender

KW - Harbouring

KW - Institutional voids

KW - Malaysia

KW - Refugee entrepreneurs

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85123792289&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1108/S2040-724620220000014006

DO - 10.1108/S2040-724620220000014006

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:85123792289

T3 - Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship Research

SP - 121

EP - 144

BT - Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship Research

PB - Emerald Group Holdings Ltd.

ER -