Essays on Jewish Transnational Entrepreneurs in a Host Country

This dissertation includes a collection of four studies that aim to investigate the influence of social and cultural capitals on Jewish entrepreneurial activities and businesses mainly in Shanghai, but also on other non-developed host countries. These two lines of inquiry on capitals were chosen since they offer relevant lenses to address the phenomenon, while acknowledging the embeddedness in the civil societies. The main research question is:
What impact does social and cultural capitals have on the building, managing, and developing of entrepreneurial businesses by Jewish entrepreneurs in a host country? The dissertation focuses on Jewish migrant entrepreneurs and the development of their businesses. It presents different sub-groups in terms of their migratory life: Sojourners in that their stay is limited in duration; Transnational entrepreneurs in that they maintain close ties with home and other countries; and others that develop individual level ties for private life e.g. marry local Chinese spouses and live and work in China. Jewish entrepreneurs are an interesting subject for study, as they have a long and varied entrepreneurship history, notable global diasporas, and can be reflected over time and place. The findings illustrate multiple roles of social and cultural capitals in international and transnational entrepreneurial activity. Additionally, the study contributes to a relevant context, as China is an attractive market and a growing number of foreign business actors are going there for business purposes.