Mixed embeddedness and entrepreneurial activities of rural migrants in the host region: The case of Yuhuan City, China

《Mixed embeddedness and entrepreneurial activities of rural migrants in the host region: The case of Yuhuan City, China》

打印

关键字: IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS; SELF-EMPLOYMENT; URBAN CHINA; LABOR; RESOURCES; BEHAVIOR; RISE

作者单位: [Zhu, Huasheng; Pan, Fenghua] Beijing Normal Univ, Fac Geog Sci, Beijing, Peoples R China. [Feng, Junwei] Beijing Normal Univ, Beijing, Peoples R China. Pan, FH (reprint author), Beijing Normal Univ, Fac Geog Sci, Beijing Key Lab Environm Remote Sensing & Digital, 19 XinJieKouWai St, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China. E-Mail: panfenghua@bnu.edu.cn

摘要: This study seeks to investigate how rural migrants from less developed areas survive the hurdles of starting businesses in the host region in China from the perspective of mixed embeddedness. Based on 40 interviews via a snowballing survey strategy in Yuhuan City, Zhejiang Province, it is shown that rural migrant workers (RMWs) create their own enterprises through social and institutional embeddedness. Rural migrants can benefit from social embeddedness, particularly by developing relationships with local entrepreneurs and managers in local firms and other rural migrant entrepreneurs (RMEs) in their entrepreneurial activities. Further, it is also important for RMEs to embed institutionally in the host region in various ways. RMEs have been inspired by the local entrepreneurial tradition and culture of Yuhuan. In addition, the policies of both the host region and RMEs' hometowns have impacts on their entrepreneurial activities. Interestingly, RMEs can improve their institutional embeddedness by participating in the joint public governance on RMWs initiated by the hometown government.