Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Daphne Halkias

Abstract

Although the formation of an online home-based business may be a relatively simple and low-cost endeavor, entrepreneurial marketing researchers suggest that immigrant entrepreneurs must access appropriate resources to effectively market an online business for breakout from low-growth, ethnic enclave markets. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to explore the entrepreneurial marketing experiences of immigrant entrepreneurs in the United States operating online home-based businesses, and the implications of these experiences for supporting breakout from traditionally restricted markets. To address this gap, a narrative inquiry method was used to collect data from immigrant entrepreneurs. This study was framed by 2 key concepts focused on immigrant entrepreneurs in operating online businesses: Kloosterman's concept of postindustrial opportunities for immigrant entrepreneurs and Anwar and Daniel's concept of entrepreneurial marketing in online home-based businesses. Data was gathered using 6 face-to-face unstructured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis and a critical events analysis approach. Five conceptual categories were revealed for answering the research question. The findings of the research showed that that online home-based business strategies can mitigate gender, racial, or social biases given strong family support and leveraging social capital, social networks, relationships, or ethnic community support. Results gleaned from this narrative study may help to promote social change by revealing to entrepreneurship educators and policymakers the challenges with which immigrants who own online home-based businesses must contend.

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