New publication explores the challenges faced by immigrant entrepreneurs

MMTC member Imran Ilyas co-authors new research on liability of foreignness and venture failure

MMTC member Imran Ilyas Opens in new window. has co-authored a new article published in the Journal of Business Venturing Insights External link, opens in new window. examining how “liability of foreignness” shapes the experiences and challenges of immigrant entrepreneurs establishing new ventures.

The article, titled “Strangers in a strange land: Exploring the role of individual-level liability of foreignness in the failure of immigrant owned new ventures,” was co-authored with Kristína Némethová from the Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics, and investigates how immigrant entrepreneurs navigate unfamiliar institutional, cultural, and social environments.

Drawing on a multiple case study analysis of immigrant-owned ventures in Finland, the research identifies how challenges linked to foreignness — including unfamiliarity with local systems, limited networks, discrimination, language barriers, and restricted access to resources — can contribute to venture failure. The study also highlights how these pressures affect entrepreneurs’ ability to build the human, social, and financial capital needed for business sustainability.

Importantly, the article contributes to entrepreneurship research by shifting attention toward the often-overlooked realities of entrepreneurial failure among immigrant business owners. By examining the “other side” of entrepreneurship, the study provides valuable insights into the structural and institutional conditions shaping entrepreneurial outcomes in increasingly globalised societies.