Movements of Entrepreneurs of Born Global Startups: An Ethnographic Study of Migration of the Highly Qualified
Date Issued
2016
Author(s)
Abstract
How do founders of born global startups create and experience movement? This thesis explores this question based on an ethnographic field study. It positions itself in the larger frame of “migration of the highly qualified”. The research design combines the perspectives from economic entrepreneurship studies and migration studies, thus not using the frame of ethnic or national groups as entities for research. The fieldwork included biographical interviews with founders, interviews with startup centers and coaches as well as participant observation.
Based on an analysis with Grounded Theory, I present condensed accounts of the biographies and examine the protagonists’ migration strategies, dimensions of mobilities, transurban spaces of movement, orientation schemes and self-understandings. I argue that it makes sense to specify and question notions such as “migration” and “highly qualified” in the context of globally mobile people and work instead with concepts of mobility, transurban space and orientation schemes.
Based on an analysis with Grounded Theory, I present condensed accounts of the biographies and examine the protagonists’ migration strategies, dimensions of mobilities, transurban spaces of movement, orientation schemes and self-understandings. I argue that it makes sense to specify and question notions such as “migration” and “highly qualified” in the context of globally mobile people and work instead with concepts of mobility, transurban space and orientation schemes.