scholarly journals Serving whom? Immigrant entrepreneurs in a new local context

2019 ◽  
Vol 197 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Lilius ◽  
Hossam Hewidy
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Future Prospects ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurship ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurs ◽  
Visible Part ◽  
Mainstream Society ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

In Helsinki, the current number of immigrants is quickly rising. Ethnic retail has emerged as a new, but visible, part of the city landscape. Compared to other European countries, becoming an entrepreneur is typically not very popular in Finland. Therefore, in this paper, we seek to comprehend this phenomenon and more specifically discover: what motivates immigrants to become entrepreneurs; what is the impact of their background and culture on the phenomenon; and finally, is the help provided by the city useful for them? Based on interviews and observations, we conclude that immigrant entrepreneurship facilitates in fluid ways the maintenance of cultural practices, while simultaneously enhancing meaningful encounters between immigrants and mainstream society. In our sample, we identify three types of entrepreneurs: growth-oriented, investors and status builders, as well as freedom and stability seekers. Although the groups are neither mutually exclusive nor collectively exhaustive, they display differences in certain aspects, which include their ways of entering into entrepreneurship, how their business is run, who their main clientele is, as well as in the future prospects for their businesses. We further infer that immigrant entrepreneurs, via their practices, also participate in making immigrant needs visible to politicians and policy-makers, thus also adding a layer to the local context within which they operate. However, we surmise that more effort is needed in addressing the freedom and stability seeker entrepreneurs if the aim of the city is to anchor immigrant retail in the city.

Is the choice of less-polluting modes of transport for non-work purposes affected by socio-demographic factors? Evidence from India

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taru Saigal ◽  
Arun Kr. Vaish ◽  
N.V. Muralidhar Rao
Keyword(s):  
Public Transportation ◽  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mode Of Transport ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time ◽  
The City

PurposeUsing survey data of a developing country city, this study aims to examine the impact of different socio-demographic factors on the choice of less-polluting modes of transport for purposes other than work.Design/methodology/approachStratified random sampling technique is employed and data on socio-demographic characteristics and mode of transport used is collected. Descriptive statistics complemented with a logit model of choice probabilities is implemented on the data obtained.FindingsMajority of the population in the city uses motorized means of transportation irrespective of the socio-demographic changes existing among them. Women, the individuals belonging to the youngest age group, the least economically well-off group of people, the least educated and the non-working are the individuals more likely to use more of less-polluting modes and less of more-polluting modes for non-work purposes as compared to their counterparts.Research limitations/implicationsThe study also calls for the development of an efficient and secured system of public transportation and non-motorized transportation in the city in such a way so as to neither hamper the goal of sustainability nor the goal of empowerment.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time a comprehensive analysis of the influence of socio-demographic factors on choice of type of mode of transport is carried out in this region of the developing world. This analysis will facilitate the policy makers in catering to the transportation needs of different segments of the society.

scholarly journals Incidence of Photovoltaics in Cities Based on Indicators of Occupancy and Urban Sustainability

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Barragán-Escandón ◽  
Esteban Zalamea-León ◽  
Julio Terrados-Cepeda
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Urban Energy ◽  
Urban Level ◽  
Energy Emissions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Previous research has assessed the potential of solar energy against possible demand; however, the sustainability issues associated with the use of large-scale photovoltaic deployment in urban areas have not been jointly established. In this paper, the impact of photovoltaic energy in the total urban energy mix is estimated using a series of indicators that consider the economic, environmental and social dimensions. These indicators have been previously applied at the country level; the main contribution of this research is applying them at the urban level to the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. Cuenca is close to the equatorial line and at a high altitude, enabling this area to reach the maximum self-supply index because of the high irradiation levels and reduced demand. The solar potential was estimated using a simple methodology that applies several indexes that were proven reliable in a local context considering this particular sun path. The results demonstrate that the solar potential can meet the electric power demand of this city, and only the indicator related to employment is positive and substantially affected. The indicators related to the price of energy, emissions and fossil fuel dependency do not change significantly, unless a fuel-to-electricity transport system conversions take place.

scholarly journals Digital Twin and CyberGIS for Improving Connectivity and Measuring the Impact of Infrastructure Construction Planning in Smart Cities

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Shirowzhan ◽  
Willie Tan ◽  
Samad M. E. Sepasgozar
Keyword(s):  
Smart City ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Smart Devices ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Infrastructure Project ◽  
Smart Technologies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Smart technologies are advancing, and smart cities can be made smarter by increasing the connectivity and interactions of humans, the environment, and smart devices. This paper discusses selective technologies that can potentially contribute to developing an intelligent environment and smarter cities. While the connectivity and efficiency of smart cities is important, the analysis of the impact of construction development and large projects in the city is crucial to decision and policy makers, before the project is approved. This raises the question of assessing the impact of a new infrastructure project on the community prior to its commencement—what type of technologies can potentially be used for creating a virtual representation of the city? How can a smart city be improved by utilizing these technologies? There are a wide range of technologies and applications available but understanding their function, interoperability, and compatibility with the community requires more discussion around system designs and architecture. These questions can be the basis of developing an agenda for further investigations. In particular, the need for advanced tools such as mobile scanners, Geospatial Artificial Intelligence, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Geospatial Augmented Reality apps, Light Detection, and Ranging in smart cities is discussed. In line with smart city technology development, this Special Issue includes eight accepted articles covering trending topics, which are briefly reviewed.

scholarly journals Street markets, urban development and immigrant entrepreneurship: Unpacking precarity in Moore Street, Dublin

Urban Studies ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 004209802110409
Author(s):  
Cristín Blennerhassett ◽  
Niamh Moore-Cherry ◽  
Christine Bonnin
Keyword(s):  
Urban Governance ◽  
Structural Constraints ◽  
Specific Nature ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurship ◽  
Traditional Markets ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurs ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
The City ◽  
Regulatory Landscapes

Traditional markets represent vital spaces of opportunity for livelihood-building, intercultural contact and for developing familiarity with the city. Yet, worldwide, markets are under pressure due to redevelopment agendas driven by neoliberalised forms of urban governance. Although precarious sites of occupation and employment, markets still maintain an attractiveness for immigrant micro-entrepreneurs as a foothold into the labour market and urban economy. Through a case study of the historic Moore Street market in central Dublin (Ireland), we explore the experiences of immigrant entrepreneurs. While these may be different in terms of their familiarity with the urban, institutional and regulatory landscapes, they are not entirely dissimilar from the experiences of longer-term traders in Moore Street. However what is evident is how precarity is tactically exploited by newcomer entrepreneurs for particular reasons. These traders prize the autonomy brought by market trading and use it as a meso-scale between low-paid waged employment and higher-level employment that may be out of reach for a variety of reasons. We argue that in examining urban precarity, increased attention should be paid to exploring the context-specific nature of the processes that give rise to it as well as the agentic capacity exercised to exploit it even within structural constraints.

Immigrant entrepreneurs and community social capital: an exploration of motivations and agency

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 579-605
Author(s):  
Claudia Gomez ◽  
B. Yasanthi Perera ◽  
Judith Y. Wesinger ◽  
David H. Tobey
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Ethnic Community ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Ethnic Communities ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurs ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mixed Motives

PurposeThe social capital used to access ethnic community resources is widely recognized in the literature as being important for immigrant entrepreneurship. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the extent to which immigrant entrepreneurs' agency, specifically their motivations, influence their use of, and contributions to, their ethnic social capital. In this paper, the authors explore this relationship.Design/methodology/approachBased on a qualitative approach, this research utilizes semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis to identify the motivations, sources and effects of ethnic social capital.FindingsThis research indicates that immigrant entrepreneurs have mixed motives when engaging with their ethnic communities. The findings suggest that the immigrant entrepreneurs' social capital–mediated interactions within their ethnic community are driven not only by the social structure but that their agency, specifically their motivations, play an important role in them. While entrepreneurs hold mixed motives, they recognize the importance of business success. Thus, they make concessions to their ethnic community and utilize its resources if doing so benefits their business.Research limitations/implicationsThis research explores the role that immigrant entrepreneurs' motivations play in how they use and contribute to immigrant community social capital. By doing so, this study brings agency to the forefront of the discussion on immigrant entrepreneurship and social capital.Practical implicationsThis study provides insight into the connection between the extent to which immigrant entrepreneurs utilize and contribute to their ethnic community's social capital, their motivations for doing so and the effect that these factors have on the businesses as well as their ethnic communities. This understanding might be useful for organizations seeking to foster immigrant entrepreneurship as well as for entrepreneurs themselves.Originality/valueIndividuals' motivations as they relate to social capital involve a variable that is rarely, if ever, considered – that is, individual agency. Thus, this research contributes this perspective to the immigrant entrepreneurship literature but also more broadly to the social capital and entrepreneurship fields. This research can be extended to understand the impact of entrepreneurs' motivations on the communities in which they are embedded.

The impact of immigrant entrepreneurs℉ social capital related motivations

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Gomez ◽  
B. Yasanthi Perera ◽  
Judith Y. Weisinger ◽  
David H. Tobey ◽  
Taylor Zinsmeister-Teeters
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Ethnic Community ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Ethnic Communities ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurship ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurs ◽  
The Impact

The immigrant entrepreneurship literature indicates that immigrant entrepreneurs reap numerous benefits from their co-ethnic communities℉ social capital. These benefits, however, often come at a price because scholars note the potential for this community social capital to impose limitations on the entrepreneurs. While the literature largely focuses on the benefits of social capital, there is no research on what motivates the immigrant entrepreneurs to engage with their co-ethnic community in terms of contributing to, and utilizing, their co-ethnic communities℉ social capital, and the consequences these may have on their enterprises. Addressing this gap in the literature is important in the development of successful immigrant enterprises. Thus, based on a model posited by Portes and Sensenbrenner (1993), we suggest that immigrant entrepreneurs℉ motivations will influence their use of, and contributions to, co-ethnic community social capital, impacting, in turn, business success. We contribute to both the immigrant entrepreneurship and social capital research through exploring how entrepreneurs℉ motives, with respect to their co-ethnic communities℉ social capital, influence business success.

scholarly journals Análisis del efecto Airbnb en la ciudad de Valencia. Situación actual (2020) y perspectivas de futuro / / / \ \ \ Analysis of the Airbnb effect in the city of Valencia. Current situation (2020) and future prospects

2021 ◽  
pp. 98
Author(s):  
David De la Osada Saurí ◽  
María Dolores Pitarch-Garrido
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Change ◽  
Urban Spaces ◽  
Tourist Attraction ◽  
Future Prospects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Palabras Clave ◽  
Heritage Protection ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The City

Resumen: Las ciudades experimentan cambios rápidos. Uno de estos tiene como elemento disruptivo el crecimiento del turismo, es decir, de la atractividad de determinados espacios urbanos que ha dado lugar a un aumento de la oferta para los visitantes, tanto de recursos como, sobre todo, de alojamiento. Un elemento clave para explicar este aumento de la oferta es el alquiler turístico o alquiler de corta duración a través de plataformas digitales, entre las que destaca Airbnb. En la ciudad de Valencia, este fenómeno ha experimentado un crecimiento espectacular durante el segundo decenio del presente siglo. A partir de un análisis detallado de la oferta turística en los barrios de Valencia, se detecta una concentración en aquellos espacios con cierto atractivo turístico. En la presente investigación se realiza una aproximación a la relación existente entre el proceso de turistificación, medido a través de la oferta presente en la plataforma digital Airbnb en la ciudad de Valencia, y otros fenómenos como el aumento del precio del alquiler en algunos barrios, el impacto de los proyectos urbanísticos y de protección del patrimonio, etc. En conclusión, parece demostrado que Airbnb ha encontrado acomodo aumentando la presión turística en los barrios centrales y el frente marítimo, sin embargo, aún no se ha llegado a los límites de saturación que existen en otras ciudades, al menos así se desprende del análisis de la opinión de los residentes. El parón turístico originado por la pandemia del Covid-19 puede ser una oportunidad para replantear el modelo turístico de la ciudad.   Palabras clave: Turistificación; Valencia; Airbnb; alquiler vacacional.   Abstract: Cities are undergoing rapid change. One of these transformations has as its disruptive element the growth of tourism, that is, the attractiveness of certain urban spaces which has led to an increase in the supply for visitors, both of resources and, above all, of accommodation. A key element in explaining this increase in short-term rental flats through platforms, among which Airbnb stands out.  In the city of Valencia, this phenomenon has experienced spectacular growth during the second decade of this century. Based on a detailed analysis of the tourist offer in the neighbourhoods of Valencia, a concentration has been detected in those areas with a certain tourist attraction. This research do an approximation to the relationship between the process of tourism, measured through the offer in the Airbnb platform in the city of Valencia and other phenomena such as the increase in rent in some neighbourhoods, the impact of urban planning and heritage protection projects, etc. In conclusion, it seems to be demonstrated that Airbnb has found accommodation by increasing the tourist pressure in the central districts and the waterfront, however, the saturation limits which exist in other cities have not yet been reached, at least this is clear from the analysis of the residents' opinion. The tourist stoppage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic may be an opportunity to rethink the city's tourism model.   Key words: Tourist Board; Valencia; Airbnb; holiday rental.

scholarly journals A NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVE OF IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURIAL IDENTITY: LITERATURE REVIEW AND IMPLICATIONS FOR STUDIES IN THE POST SOCIALIST SOCIETIES

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Žilvinas Židonis
Keyword(s):  
Identity Formation ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Female Entrepreneurship ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurship ◽  
Cultural Phenomenon ◽  
Narrative Perspective ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurs ◽  
Opportunity Discovery ◽  
Mainstream Society ◽  
Research Stream

This article aims to contribute to better understanding of immigrant entrepreneurial identity formation from the perspective of autobiographical narrative analysis. Research on immigrant entrepreneurship identity has been dominated by works of scholars who basically fall into two main steams. The first one deals with such issues as ethnic, female entrepreneurship, and in many cases it reduces immigrant entrepreneurship identity to an ethno-cultural phenomenon, which exists outside or at least in the margins of official economy and mainstream society. The second research stream elaborates on rapidly emerging field of transnationalism studies. From the perspective of identity, transnational entrepreneurs are considered as new “nomads” who migrate from one country to another and maintain linkages with their former country of origin. The article argues that, in spite of extensive and numerous research studies, little has been said about how individuals identify themselves as immigrant entrepreneurs. The article delivers two main propositions. First, instead of “labelling” immigrant entrepreneurs, such as “ethnic”, “female”, or “transnational”, we should approach identity phenomena from the perspective of opportunity discovery and opportunity realisation. Proposition is based on the assumption that opportunity is the generic theme in entrepreneurial discourse. Second, the article proposes autobiographical approach to show how immigrants construct entrepreneurial identity by narrating opportunity, which lies in the centre of any entrepreneurship story.

scholarly journals Influence of Population Income on Energy Consumption for Heating and Its CO2 Emissions in Cities

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4531
Author(s):  
Pedro J. Zarco-Periñán ◽  
Irene M. Zarco-Soto ◽  
Fco. Javier Zarco-Soto ◽  
Rafael Sánchez-Durán
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Energy Utilities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City ◽  
High Energy Consumption

As a result of the increase in city populations, and the high energy consumption and emissions of buildings, cities in general, and buildings in particular, are the focus of attention for public organizations and utilities. Heating is among the largest consumers of energy in buildings. This study examined the influence of the income of inhabitants on the consumption of energy for heating and the CO2 emissions in city buildings. The study was carried out using equivalized disposable income as the basis for the analysis and considered the economies of scale of households. The results are shown per inhabitant and household, by independently considering each city. Furthermore, to more clearly identify the influence of the population income, the study was also carried out without considering the influence of the climate. The method was implemented in the case of Spain. For this purpose, Spanish cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants were analyzed. The results show that, both per inhabitant and per household, the higher the income of the inhabitants, the greater the consumption of energy for heating and the greater the emissions in the city. This research aimed to help energy utilities and policy makers make appropriate decisions, namely, planning for the development of facilities that do not produce greenhouse gases, and enacting laws to achieve sustainable economies, respectively. The overall aim is to achieve the objective of mitigating the impact of emissions and the scarcity of energy resources.

Markets for Purchased Farm Inputs

2005 ◽  
pp. 60-71
Author(s):  
E. Serova ◽  
O. Shick
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Policy ◽  
Financial Constraints ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Government Policies ◽  
Market Institutions ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Farm Inputs

Russian policy makers argue that agriculture suffers from decapitalization due to financial constraints faced by producers. This view is the basis for the national agricultural policy, which emphasizes reimbursement of input costs and substitutes government and quasi-government organizations for missing market institutions. The article evaluates the availability of purchased farm inputs, the efficiency of their use, the main problems in the emergence of market institutions, and the impact of government policies. The analysis focuses on five groups of purchased inputs: farm machinery, fertilizers, fuel, seeds, and animal feed. The information sources include official statistics and data from two original surveys.

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