<form name="aspnetForm" method="post" action="immigrant-entrepreneurship?item=immigrant-entrepreneurship" id="aspnetForm">
<input type="hidden" name="MSOWebPartPage_PostbackSource" id="MSOWebPartPage_PostbackSource" value="" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOTlPn_SelectedWpId" id="MSOTlPn_SelectedWpId" value="" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOTlPn_View" id="MSOTlPn_View" value="0" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOTlPn_ShowSettings" id="MSOTlPn_ShowSettings" value="False" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOGallery_SelectedLibrary" id="MSOGallery_SelectedLibrary" value="" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOGallery_FilterString" id="MSOGallery_FilterString" value="" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOTlPn_Button" id="MSOTlPn_Button" value="none" />
<input type="hidden" name="__REQUESTDIGEST" id="__REQUESTDIGEST" value="0xE1F149AE4EA229F3D048F3F6E61FAD68FFC4C8E50A2ACD4513254B7B5FF9A178C4AB449432042B0C1D2A8DFFC69661D028623C92C912EBC7F2AE940F737312BA,16 Feb 2019 20:38:36 -0000" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOSPWebPartManager_DisplayModeName" id="MSOSPWebPartManager_DisplayModeName" value="Browse" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOSPWebPartManager_ExitingDesignMode" id="MSOSPWebPartManager_ExitingDesignMode" value="false" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOWebPartPage_Shared" id="MSOWebPartPage_Shared" value="" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOLayout_LayoutChanges" id="MSOLayout_LayoutChanges" value="" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOLayout_InDesignMode" id="MSOLayout_InDesignMode" value="" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOSPWebPartManager_OldDisplayModeName" id="MSOSPWebPartManager_OldDisplayModeName" value="Browse" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOSPWebPartManager_StartWebPartEditingName" id="MSOSPWebPartManager_StartWebPartEditingName" value="false" />
<input type="hidden" name="MSOSPWebPartManager_EndWebPartEditing" id="MSOSPWebPartManager_EndWebPartEditing" value="false" />
<input type="hidden" name="__VIEWSTATE" id="__VIEWSTATE" value="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" />

<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
var MSOWebPartPageFormName = 'aspnetForm';
var g_presenceEnabled = true;var _fV4UI=true;var _spPageContextInfo = {webServerRelativeUrl: "\u002f", webLanguage: 1033, currentLanguage: 1033, webUIVersion:4,pageListId:"{229a3fa1-d23f-4194-af04-83f712f16168}",pageItemId:24, alertsEnabled:true, siteServerRelativeUrl: "\u002f", allowSilverlightPrompt:'True'};//]]>
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="/_layouts/1033/init.js?rev=wgiyW1GQqDQZTITaawvYoA%3D%3D"></script>
<script src="/WebResource.axd?d=KzYTxvKcuTEp7j51joTea5GVr92AuJ4SL5aQ9QUnLuUrG7rTi8YCbgNYedMwdv6fDwv5Ou7X64HliGCav7hiwmuBylh2hjGhv6JU0lkokc63lAPUBD0MIaMGwGty9ueA82idlgs7ktVQj8-X5TCDW8nNPkA1&t=635091894137364301" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
var dlc_fvsi = {"DefaultViews":[],"ViewUrls":[],"WebUrl":"\/"};//]]>
</script>

<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
function _spNavigateHierarchy(nodeDiv, dataSourceId, dataPath, url, listInContext, type) {
    CoreInvoke('ProcessDefaultNavigateHierarchy', nodeDiv, dataSourceId, dataPath, url, listInContext, type, document.forms.aspnetForm, "", "\u002fitem\u002fimmigrant-entrepreneurship");

}
//]]>
</script>
<input type="hidden" name="__VIEWSTATEGENERATOR" id="__VIEWSTATEGENERATOR" value="7BAFC84E" />
<script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("sp.core.js", "\u002f_layouts\u002fsp.core.js?rev=7ByNlH\u00252BvcgRJg\u00252BRCctdC0w\u00253D\u00253D");</script><script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("sp.res.resx", "\u002f_layouts\u002fScriptResx.ashx?culture=en\u00252Dus\u0026name=SP\u00252ERes\u0026rev=b6\u00252FcRx1a6orhAQ\u00252FcF\u00252B0ytQ\u00253D\u00253D");</script><script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("sp.ui.dialog.js", "\u002f_layouts\u002fsp.ui.dialog.js?rev=Tpcmo1\u00252FSu6R0yewHowDl5g\u00253D\u00253D");RegisterSodDep("sp.ui.dialog.js", "sp.core.js");RegisterSodDep("sp.ui.dialog.js", "sp.res.resx");</script><script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("core.js", "\u002f_layouts\u002f1033\u002fcore.js?rev=Emb5hNX1RZMNXk9oS82yvA\u00253D\u00253D");</script>
<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
var _spFormDigestRefreshInterval = 1440000;window.g_updateFormDigestPageLoaded = new Date(); window.g_updateFormDigestPageLoaded.setDate(window.g_updateFormDigestPageLoaded.getDate() -5);function loadMDN2() { EnsureScript('MDN.js', typeof(loadFilterFn), null); }
function loadMDN1() { ExecuteOrDelayUntilScriptLoaded(loadMDN2, 'sp.ribbon.js'); }
_spBodyOnLoadFunctionNames.push('loadMDN1');//]]>
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("sp.runtime.js", "\u002f_layouts\u002fsp.runtime.js?rev=IGffcZfunndj0247nOxKVg\u00253D\u00253D");RegisterSodDep("sp.runtime.js", "sp.core.js");RegisterSodDep("sp.runtime.js", "sp.res.resx");</script><script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("sp.js", "\u002f_layouts\u002fsp.js?rev=\u00252B4ZEyA892P3T0504qi0paw\u00253D\u00253D");RegisterSodDep("sp.js", "sp.core.js");RegisterSodDep("sp.js", "sp.runtime.js");RegisterSodDep("sp.js", "sp.ui.dialog.js");RegisterSodDep("sp.js", "sp.res.resx");</script><script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("cui.js", "\u002f_layouts\u002fcui.js?rev=OOyJv78CADNBeet\u00252FvTvniQ\u00253D\u00253D");</script><script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("inplview", "\u002f_layouts\u002finplview.js?rev=WB6Gy8a027aeNCq7koVCUg\u00253D\u00253D");RegisterSodDep("inplview", "core.js");RegisterSodDep("inplview", "sp.js");</script><script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("ribbon", "\u002f_layouts\u002fsp.ribbon.js?rev=F\u00252BUEJ66rbXzSvpf7nN69wQ\u00253D\u00253D");RegisterSodDep("ribbon", "core.js");RegisterSodDep("ribbon", "sp.core.js");RegisterSodDep("ribbon", "sp.js");RegisterSodDep("ribbon", "cui.js");RegisterSodDep("ribbon", "sp.res.resx");RegisterSodDep("ribbon", "sp.runtime.js");RegisterSodDep("ribbon", "inplview");</script><script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("sp.ui.policy.resources.resx", "\u002f_layouts\u002fScriptResx.ashx?culture=en\u00252Dus\u0026name=SP\u00252EUI\u00252EPolicy\u00252EResources\u0026rev=YhBHGmUAGyJ3lAgSdE4V\u00252Fw\u00253D\u00253D");</script><script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("mdn.js", "\u002f_layouts\u002fmdn.js?rev=gwmFFJ2\u00252FfFacqXWAqG\u00252FqKg\u00253D\u00253D");RegisterSodDep("mdn.js", "sp.core.js");RegisterSodDep("mdn.js", "sp.runtime.js");RegisterSodDep("mdn.js", "sp.js");RegisterSodDep("mdn.js", "cui.js");RegisterSodDep("mdn.js", "ribbon");RegisterSodDep("mdn.js", "sp.ui.policy.resources.resx");</script>
<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[

function _spNavigateHierarchyEx(nodeDiv, dataSourceId, dataPath, url, listInContext, type, additionalQString) {
    SetAdditionalNavigateHierarchyQString(additionalQString);
    g_originalSPNavigateFunc(nodeDiv, dataSourceId, dataPath, url, listInContext, type);
}

g_originalSPNavigateFunc = _spNavigateHierarchy;
_spNavigateHierarchy = _spNavigateHierarchyEx;
var _fV4UI = true;//]]>
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("msstring.js", "\u002f_layouts\u002f1033\u002fmsstring.js?rev=QtiIcPH3HV7LgVSO7vONFg\u00253D\u00253D");</script><script type="text/javascript">RegisterSod("browserScript", "\u002f_layouts\u002f1033\u002fnon_ie.js?rev=EVTj1bu32\u00252FMla6SDN\u00252FsNTA\u00253D\u00253D");</script>
<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
var __wpmExportWarning='This Web Part Page has been personalized. As a result, one or more Web Part properties may contain confidential information. Make sure the properties contain information that is safe for others to read. After exporting this Web Part, view properties in the Web Part description file (.WebPart) by using a text editor such as Microsoft Notepad.';var __wpmCloseProviderWarning='You are about to close this Web Part.  It is currently providing data to other Web Parts, and these connections will be deleted if this Web Part is closed.  To close this Web Part, click OK.  To keep this Web Part, click Cancel.';var __wpmDeleteWarning='You are about to permanently delete this Web Part.  Are you sure you want to do this?  To delete this Web Part, click OK.  To keep this Web Part, click Cancel.';//]]>
</script>
</form>

Skip to Main Content

18 Aug 2016Working Paper Summaries

Immigrant Entrepreneurship

by Sari Pekkala Kerr and William R. Kerr

Immigrant entrepreneurship is a topic of key policy interest but one with few facts. The authors construct a data platform using US Census Bureau administrative data to provide new statistics on the patterns of business formation by immigrant entrepreneurs and on the medium-term success of those businesses. Immigrants account for around a quarter of US entrepreneurs, and this share has been increasing since 1995. Immigrant entrepreneurs display a stronger up-or-out dynamic that is typical of young firm growth than natives—they fail more frequently, but immigrant-founded firms that persist experience greater employment growth compared to their native counterparts.

Author Abstract

We examine immigrant entrepreneurship and the survival and growth of immigrant-founded businesses over time relative to native-founded companies. Our work quantifies immigrant contributions to new firm creation in a wide variety of fields using multiple definitions. While significant research effort has gone into understanding the economic impact of immigration into the United States, comprehensive data for quantifying immigrant entrepreneurship are difficult to assemble. We combine several restricted-access U.S. Census Bureau data sets to create a unique longitudinal data platform that covers 1992–2008 and many states. We describe differences in the types of businesses initially formed by immigrants and their medium-term growth patterns. We also consider the relationship of these outcomes to the immigrants’ age at arrival to the United States.

Paper Information

Full Working Paper Text
Working Paper Publication Date: July 2016
HBS Working Paper Number: 17-011
Faculty Unit(s): Entrepreneurial Management

Trending

- 07 Feb 2019
- Book
How Big Companies Can Outrun Disruption
- 28 Jan 2019
- Research & Ideas
Forget Cash. Here Are Better Ways to Motivate Employees
- 07 May 2018
- Research & Ideas
Why Online Retailers Should Hide Their Best Discounts
- 11 Sep 2017
- Research & Ideas
Why Employers Favor Men
- 14 Feb 2019
- Cold Call Podcast
The Delicious History of Hershey Chocolate

William R. Kerr

William R. Kerr

Dimitri V. D'Arbeloff - MBA Class of 1955 Professor of Business Administration

Contact

→ More Articles

Find Related Articles

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

Interested in improving your business? Learn about fresh research and ideas from Harvard Business School faculty.