Journal of Enterprising Culture

In the era of globalization, cross-cultural issues have been widely discussed. However, research concerning cultural barriers expatriates face in foreign subsidiaries are relatively rare. Hence, the aim of this study is to investigate and prioritize barriers that expatriates encounter during cross-cultural interactions. This study integrates a review of the literatures and experts’ experiences to construct an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model. AHP questionnaires were distributed to multinational corporations (MNCs) and were analyzed using Expert Choice software. This study finds that national culture bonded barriers are the most critical factors that hinder expatriates’ cross-cultural interactions with the host country. In addition, the sub-factors of ethnocentrism, headquarter strategy and cross-cultural communication are the most important factors within the categories of national culture bonded barriers, organizational barriers and individual rooted barriers, respectively. Finally, this study concludes that because cultural barriers are the main factors causing the failures of expatriates, it is crucial for MNCs to provide their employees with cross-cultural trainings that prepare expatriates’ language and cultural abilities for cross-cultural interactions with the host country and non-work social networks to facilitate the cross-cultural adjustment in MNCs.

There is limited research on similarities and differences in entrepreneurial experiences of first and second generation immigrant entrepreneurs. Using in-depth interviews with Lebanese entrepreneurs in two Canadian cities, we analyze how entrepreneurs belonging to two different generations of immigrants experience and enact opportunity identification and assessment, and business development and operation. The analysis shows that first and second generation immigrant entrepreneurs diverge in their views of macro-institutional structures (such as regulation), risk, trust, and the role of divine providence in the entrepreneurial venture. The findings highlight the importance of understanding how first generation immigrant entrepreneurs’ past frames — developed in the pre-migration context — interact with the environment in the country of settlement in shaping entrepreneurial undertaking. The study also highlights second generation immigrant entrepreneurs’ perceived similarities to and differences from mainstream entrepreneurs. Implications for research and policy are addressed.

This paper explores the experiences of Ghanaian female entrepreneur’s motivation for establishing their own business and the level of support they receive from their personal social network. Findings indicate that both push and pull factors motivate Ghanaian women to start their own business; however, initial motivation for becoming an entrepreneur does not appear to determine characteristics of the dichotomous labelling in relation to networking activity engagement or business growth relationship. This paper seeks to enable decision makers in Ghana to better formulate policy and support programs aimed at creating an environment more accepting of female Ghanaian entrepreneurs, regardless of what may trigger them into pursuing entrepreneurship as a career.

Often owner/decision-makers in closely-held small businesses are overloaded with work and can become isolated from novel information that could improve their decisions and ultimately firm performance. These decision-makers become reliant on heuristics to ease their cognitive burdens and develop a strong bias for the status-quo. Research suggests that external counsel and/or informal advisors may help to encourage more thoughtful consideration of situations, thus exposing or alleviating status-quo bias. This paper contributes to the understanding of decision making in small firms by examining relationships between industry association membership and the willingness of decision-makers in such firms to adopt new technologies. Evidence is found suggesting that small firm owners’ access to decision-making information from business associations is related to a greater willingness to adopt new technologies. This is evidence of conscious decision-making that enables their small businesses to go beyond the status-quo.