ABSTRACT
Over the past decade, immigrant entrepreneurship has become a subject of growing interest in light of business ownership now offering the main alternative to waged/salaried employment for securing income and even wealth for immigrants and their communities. Through our cross-national study, outlined in the chapters of this book, we have witnessed that the effect female immigrant entrepreneurs (FIEs) and their ventures have on their lives and host or sending societies at large, both in quantitative as well as qualitative terms, is of tremendous significance. In our interviews with FIEs around the world we have heard the voices of individuals telling stories encompassing social, economic, regional, and international viewpoints. Regarding the futures of these enterprising women across the globe, we can confidently note that economic growth and institutional factors such as governance can motivate female immigrants to make headway in reaching for new horizons. Forecasts indicate that ethnic minorities will represent the fastest-growing population segment in many industrialized nations, with women accounting for almost half of this group.
