Female Migrant Entrepreneurship in Germany: Determinants and Recent Developments

Abstract

Although female migrant entrepreneurship has gained some momentum during the last decade, research on it is limited, and empirical findings in the German context remain scarce. The entrepreneurial activities of female migrants have long been ascribed to certain industries. Their businesses often remain small with limited prospects for revenue. However, recent developments indicate some emerging changes in terms of female migrant entrepreneurship. Based on the empirical data of the German microcensus, we analyze structural characteristics of female migrant entrepreneurship and its development in Germany between 2005 and 2016. We further examine how selected determinants (qualification, occupational segregation, family responsibilities) can explain these developments, and how these determinants affect the propensity of female migrants to become self-employed. Our findings cast new light on country-specific aspects of female migrant entrepreneurship and how entrepreneurial activities of female migrants and selected determinants differ from their native counterparts.