The COVID-19 pandemic and migrant entrepreneurship: Responses to the market shock

Abstract

The economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic reinforced existing inequalities in the business market. Typically facing numerous structural constraints, during the ongoing crisis migrant entrepreneurs appear to be at greatly heightened risk. Applying Davidsson’s and Gordon’s (2016) classification of crisis responses to the realm of migrant entrepreneurship, the current article intends to shed some light on what coping strategies are used by self-employed migrants when economic shocks arise. Four types of responses, namely, disengagement, delay, compensation, and adaptation, as well as their combination were identified in business practices of African entrepreneurs in Finland. The responses prove to be tightly linked to disrupted transnational business networks, limitations of technological solutions, and restricted access to funding and assistance.