Social ties, Bukharian Jewish Diaspora and Entrepreneurship-Narratives from Entrepreneurs

: Elo Maria, Jokela Päivi

: 2013

: Diasporas Exploring Critical Issues

: http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/at-the-interface/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/elodiaspaper.pdf

The socio-cultural context of entrepreneurship and the bi-directional interplay between entrepreneurship and its
socio-cultural context are under-explored. Especially, diaspora entrepreneurship differs from mainstream
entrepreneurship as diaspora members with multiple social ties are embedded in more than one culture. These
strong social and entrepreneurial ties provide them various resources which may also be constraining, which
may bind them to invest or act in a certain manner. In this study we examine the “immigrant effect” and
contribute with novel information and a model on diaspora impacts on the first generation1
entrepreneurship
drivers. Theoretically we build on social network, entrepreneurship and diaspora entrepreneurship theories,
when examining diasporans and their strong ties2
. Our unique socio-cultural group in focus are Bukharian Jews
and we use the methodology of multiple case studies on entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan and Israel.
The socio-cultural context of entrepreneurship and the bi-directional interplay between entrepreneurship and its socio-cultural context are under-explored. Especially, diaspora entrepreneurship differs from mainstream
entrepreneurship as diaspora members with multiple social ties are embedded in more than one culture. These strong social and entrepreneurial ties provide them various resources which may also be constraining, which may bind them to invest or act in a certain manner. In this study we examine the “immigrant effect” and
contribute with novel information and a model on diaspora impacts on the first generation entrepreneurship drivers. Theoretically we build on social network, entrepreneurship and diaspora entrepreneurship theories,
when examining diasporans and their strong ties. Our unique socio-cultural group in focus are Bukharian Jews and we use the methodology of multiple case studies on entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan and Israel.