A narrative analysis of barriers encountered by a sample of immigrant entrepreneurs in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa

Abstract

A growing movement of foreign nationals is settling and starting up businesses in South Africa. Given this fact, there is a need to understand those factors influencing the human capital side of being an immigrant entrepreneur as a basis for coming up with mechanisms to support such a sample group. The focus of this empirical investigation was to understand those barriers that are encountered by immigrant entrepreneurs in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. To fully experience this, there is a need to understand those factors that affect immigrant entrepreneurship as a practice and the entrepreneur as someone who seeks to enact this value. The narrative research paradigm was adopted to understand the main purpose of the study. Guided by the study objectives, semi-structured interviews were conducted using a sample of foreign immigrants operating businesses in the Eastern Cape (n = 23). Individual stories and narratives highlighted the fact that immigrant entrepreneurs encountered the following challenges: financial resources, xenophobia and crime, legislation and finally lack of networks.