Learning how to learn and then doing it all over again: The evolving learning modes of migrant entrepreneurs

Abstract

Building on an in-depth study of 12 Bulgarian migrant entrepreneurial company cases in London, we illustrate how migrant entrepreneurs (MEs) interact with, and learn from, their exposure to a diaspora network. We demonstrate that learning processes need to be studied within the context where they occur as MEs adapt their modes of learning to contextual changes. We use social learning theory to offer a situated process model of learning, which shows why and how learning evolves over time, the learning modes MEs undergo (i.e. observational, participative, and exploratory learning), as well as the process configuration within which these learning modes are rooted. This article adds to the growing body of work showing the boundary conditions and the mechanisms through which MEs learn from networks when operating in a foreign market.