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According to economic geography literature, the success of firms is affected by the local context, in particular when firms are socio-spatially embedded. We expect this effect to be stronger when firms face an increase in local disorder. We analysed data on 344 firms (active in retail, eating and drinking establishments, personal services and private education, business services, cultural activities, manufacturing and building) in 108 Dutch residential neighbourhoods, and data on the changes in social and physical disorder of those neighbourhoods, to examine firm success determinants. We find that it is not the degree of disorder that matters to local firms turnover, but rather recent changes in local disorder. More in particular, we find that local firm turnover is negatively affected by an increase in local disorder, but only when a firm depends on daily visits from predominantly local customers. Our results suggest that physical and social local interventions to create safe and clean public spaces will indirectly positively influence local firms and subsequently, the neighbourhood economy. This spill-over effect is promising for both residents, who benefit from local amenities and local 'buzz', and local entrepreneurs, whose firm success is stimulated.

This article addresses transnational migrant entrepreneurship, which refers to migrants involved in cross-border entrepreneurial activities. Previous models and concepts in migrant entrepreneurship studies have not fully succeeded in recognising the role played by differential groups and places in the pursuit of opportunities by transnational migrant entrepreneurs. This is due to a tendency to focus on the country of residence as well as on the inclination to view migrant entrepreneurs as members of a coherent ethnic or national group. To help fill this gap, we propose a new model combining the concept of multifocality, covering the simultaneous involvement of migrant entrepreneurs in both multiple places and multiple groups, with group modes of behaviour as an additional dimension influencing the opportunity structure. The case of Moroccan transnational entrepreneurs in Amsterdam shows that the role of multifocality in place, in combination with group modes of behaviour, is critical when it comes to pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand how important networks are for the emergence and growth of social enterprises as well as how social enterprises use their networks throughout the life course of their organisation. A comparative approach is used by contrasting social enterprises with traditional commercial enterprises along the dimensions of obtaining resources and legitimacy through their networks.Design/methodology/approachAn abductive approach is used starting from existing knowledge on how commercial enterprises use networks during the start-up and growth of their enterprise. Qualitative interviews with 23 entrepreneurs were conducted. Using a matched-pairs design, the network importance and use of social and commercial enterprises is compared.FindingsIt is found that networks are highly important for both commercial and social enterprises throughout their life course. However, they substantially diverge in how they use their networks. Social enterprises tend to access more intangible resources through their networks than do commercial enterprises. Moreover, social enterprises rely more strongly on their networks for legitimacy in both the start-up and growth phase of the enterprise.Originality/valueThis paper takes a novel approach by empirically comparing the networks of social and commercial enterprises. New insights are offered in the resource flows within networks and how entrepreneurs use resources obtained from their networks.

AbstractChina's increasing role in many African economies has given rise to discussions about the drivers of these economic relations and the benefits that Africa can reap. This article, based on field work carried out in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), aims to contribute to this discussion by shedding light on a group that is often overlooked: the Chinese small entrepreneurs. Our investigation of five specific economic linkages shows how Chinese entrepreneurs mainly operate in secluded market segments, but also are impactful players in the local economy of Bole Rwanda (Addis Ababa). Their presence has both direct and indirect economic effects: even though focusing mainly on serving the Chinese community, these entrepreneurs play important roles in employment generation, and the transfer of knowledge of particular markets, while simultaneously offering new opportunities for Ethiopian entrepreneurs and transforming the existing vegetable market. The dragon helped the lion to breathe fire—the challenge is to make it a far-reaching and long-lasting breath.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, mitigating behaviour moved into the moral domain, and compliance with restrictions became tied to issues of intergenerational solidarity. Little is known about young people's experiences with and attitudes towards coping with COVID-19 restrictions or about the role of intergenerational solidarity and conflict in their compliance. An analysis of 20 in-depth interviews with young adults (aged 18–24) in Dutch cities revealed a profound impact of the restrictions on their lives. Most tried to comply on moral grounds, particularly care and loyalty. But they felt that the impact on their own lives was not taken seriously and that young people were stereotyped as inconsiderate and perceived as flouting regulations. However, when the restrictions were prolonged, some participants renegotiated the ways in which they complied.

This article deals with the changes in the tenant profile of the social rented stock in the Netherlands. It is inspired by the question whether the sector may be subject to a residualisation trend. The wider importance of such a phenomenon is that of the social marginalisation of the people concerned in general. Moreover, if the position of the social rented stock can be shown to be deteriorating, it would also illustrate a tendency to social polarisation in the redefined welfare state. Social and income polarisation in Western societies has been extensively investigated but, so far, polarisation tendencies in housing have largely been ignored. This article seeks to show that this omission should be rectified because changes in tenant profiles reveal wider developments. It also aims to uncover the impact of policy in this respect. The analysis of the changing position of the social rented sector during the period leading up to and following the housing policy reform of 1989 constitutes the core of the paper. The aim of that policy change was to improve the match between the tenants' ability to pay and the cost of housing as a means of reducing the burden of rent subsidies on the state. The reform has been hailed as an example of the effectiveness of policy-making. However, the analysis shows that the role of the social rented sector had already been shifting during the 1980s, well before the announcement of the overhaul of housing policy. This result illustrates that policy may simply codify decisions made in a network of actors rather than initiate change on its own accord.