Transnational Entrepreneurship: Japanese Diaspora Entrepreneurs in Latin America

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K01857
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07080:Business administration-related
• Research Institution: Toyo Gakuen University
• Principal Investigator: Birchley Sarah Louisa 東洋学園大学, 現代経営学部, 教授 (50508562)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 横山 和子 東洋学園大学, 現代経営学部, 兼任講師 (50230660)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: Diaspora / Transnational / Entrepreneurship / Nikkei / Japan / Mexico / Brazil / Expatriate

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This exploratory study analyses the backgrounds of Japanese and Nikkei entrepreneurs working abroad, their business fields and success factors, and raises the possibility of Japan's future collaboration with entrepreneurs living in Latin America. Due to time and financial constraints, a semi-structured questionnaire survey was conducted in 2023 on 21 people in Brazil and 13 people in Mexico. In addition, the same questionnaire was administered in Japan to 13 entrepreneurs of Japanese descent living in Shizuoka, Gunma and Okinawa prefectures. The study is currently conducting a comparative analysis of Japanese and Nikkei entrepreneurs living in Brazil, Mexico and Japan, and the research results will be published in English and Japanese in 2024 after the analysis is completed.

Free Research Field

Diaspora Entrepreneurship

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究に先立ち行われた東南アジア6ヶ国で起業している日本人起業家研究から、日本人起業家は日本企業のアウトソーシングや日本企業との関連で事業展開をしていることが事例研究から明らかになった。本研究は、中南米諸国、特にブラジル、メキシコでの事例研究を通じ、機会認知、イノベーション、起業家精神研究から、トランスナショナル起業家（一世）および日系人起業家の連携や活用の可能性について示唆を与える。