PBS PhD Studentship

PBS PhD Studentship in Successful and unsuccessful use of networks among immigrant and minority group entrepreneurs in the Portsmouth/Hampshire area.

In the last decade, entrepreneurship research has started to pay more attention to the entrepreneurial activities within immigrant and minority groups. Government and regional development bodies have identified entrepreneurship as a possible successful route for the social and economic integration of these groups into UK society. One of the emerging research concerns is the different rates of success that different groups of minority/immigrant entrepreneurs have displayed and also the role that social networks can have in driving entrepreneurial success. The earlier literature on the role of social networks in entrepreneurship highlights the positive effects that networks can have for entrepreneurs: for example networks can be invaluable in overcoming information asymmetries/deficits about the trustworthiness of potential business partners, can help to raise or pool scarce resources (such as start-up finance) within communities and can be used to recruit suitable staff and professional expertise. The extent to which these effects can be evoked or called upon has been used by some researchers as an important explanatory factor for the different success rates of minority/immigrant groups in countries like the USA, Germany and the Netherlands.

A few more recent contributions, however, have drawn attention to inter-generational differences in the use of networks for entrepreneurial success within minority/immigrant groups, the problem of network "ossification" that can hamper entrepreneurial success (inward-looking orientation) and also to the harmful effects that can arise from an uncritical or too trustworthy use of social networks. It appears that while social networks have a significant potential to promote entrepreneurial success, it depends on the particular circumstances as well as the characteristics of the groups concerned, whether these advantages can actually come into effect.

The research project aims at making both a conceptual contribution to the emerging theory of the role of social networks for entrepreneurial success and a practical contribution to regional economic development in Portsmouth/Hampshire. Understanding success factors for minority entrepreneurship has relevance for local as well as national policy-making in terms of the identification of suitable policy measures. Furthermore, it is hoped that the success factors for social network usage identified for minority groups will also be, at least in part, of general relevance for entrepreneurial success per se. The research project ties in with the research and knowledge transfer activities of the Centre for Local & Regional Economic Analysis (CLREA). The Centre has an established record in the analysis of local labour markets at regional and sub-regional level as well as in the development of local economic policy.

Enquiries relating to the topic should be directed to: Dr. Andreas Hoecht (andreas.hoecht@port.ac.uk) .  This studentship is located in the Portsmouth Business School and potential applicants are advised to examine our Research Degree Pages at http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/faculties/portsmouthbusinessschool/researchdegrees/  prior to applying.

Applicants will have a good first degree (minimum 2.1 or equivalent) and ideally a Masters (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area.

Applications should include:

• a full CV including personal details, qualifications, educational history and, where applicable, any employment or other experience relevant to the application
• contact details for TWO referees able to comment on your academic performance
• a statement of 1,000 (words) outlining your proposed project, identifying the objectives of the research and discussing how the work will build on or challenge existing research in the above field.

Application Deadline: 30 March 2010, Start date 1 October 2010.

The studentships will cover tuition fees and an annual grant equivalent to that offered by the ESRC - currently £13290 per annum for a maximum of three years. UK/EU residence eligibility conditions apply."

Applications should be sent to: Donna Denham, Postgraduate Course Director, University of Portsmouth, Richmond Building, Portland Street, Portsmouth, PO1 3DE (applications can be submitted electronically via: Donna.Denham@port.ac.uk)