Three Essays on Multiple Dimensions of Mobility and Entrepreneurship

Abstract

Entrepreneurship does not occur in isolation but unfolds within broader and evolving structural contexts. While prior research has emphasized the influence of family, organizations, and institutions on entrepreneurial behavior, it has often treated such contexts as static. Yet, individuals’ environments are inherently dynamic, shaped by ongoing transitions in their geographic locations, social standings, and occupational roles. These forms of mobility alter access to resources, risk preferences, and career trajectories, thereby reshaping entrepreneurial motivations and outcomes. Despite growing recognition that mobility influences individual agency and decision-making, research has largely overlooked how mobility-induced transformations shape entrepreneurial engagement and success. This dissertation addresses this gap by examining entrepreneurship through the lens of multi-dimensional mobility. Drawing on migration studies, social mobility research, and labor market theories, it comprises three interrelated essays. The first investigates how immigrant entrepreneurs navigate transnational family responsibilities and how this dynamic affects venture performance, emphasizing the role of geographic mobility. The second explores how intergenerational downward mobility influences entrepreneurial entry, conceptualizing entrepreneurship as a status-restoration response to social mobility challenges. The third examines career transitions after entrepreneurship, focusing on how different forms of entrepreneurial human capital (i.e., generalist versus specialist) affect reemployment prospects within organizations, contributing to research on occupational mobility. Together, these essays conceptualize entrepreneurship as both a consequence of and a response to shifting mobility trajectories. By integrating geographic, social, and occupational dimensions of mobility, the dissertation advances a dynamic understanding of entrepreneurship that bridges structural and individual perspectives, highlighting how individuals adapt their entrepreneurial paths to evolving social and economic environments.