Creating the Immigrant Entrepreneur

Communities everywhere were developed by immigrants who decided to become entrepreneurs. Learning what factors play a role in this decision is no small step in being able to encourage the growth of this practice. This paper looks at how forces inherent in the immigrant\u27s life influence his or her decision to build an opportunity; specifically how a Mexican immigrant\u27s planned length of stay, level of acculturation, and language variety correlates to his or her decision to become a business owner. The results supported the mediating relationship that was predicted between planned length of stay and acculturation in addition to the moderating mediating role that an immigrant\u27s access to a variety of job information sources plays in predicting if an immigrant is a business owner. These findings contribute to research in entrepreneurship which considers the influence of the context on an individual\u27s ability and willingness to engage in entrepreneurial activities