Immigrant Women Entrepreneurship in Türkiye: The Istanbul Example

Abstract

Migration, as a phenomenon that has shaped societies throughout history, has increased, especially in recent years, due to wars, economic crises, and environmental disasters. The integration processes of migrants in their countries of destination have become an important research topic, especially in the context of entrepreneurship. While immigrant women entrepreneurs living in Istanbul contribute to the local economy by gaining economic independence, they encounter problems such as language barriers, cultural differences, financial difficulties, and bureaucratic obstacles. This study was conducted on migrant entrepreneur women who live in Istanbul and own businesses. The research findings reveal that the problems immigrant women entrepreneurs face in the business world are multi-dimensional and that social acceptance and social capital play a critical role in overcoming these difficulties. According to the research findings, immigrant women overcome the problems they face with different methods, sustain their existence by creating economic value, and make significant contributions to the country's economy. Despite playing a significant role in Istanbul's business world, migrant women entrepreneurs have not been sufficiently studied in the literature. Research has typically focused on male migrants, neglecting the challenges faced by women. This study addresses the issues that migrant women experience in the business world, such as language barriers, cultural adaptation, access to financial resources, and bureaucratic obstacles, as well as their contributions to the Turkish economy.

Keywords: Migration, entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurs, socio-economic contributions, social integration.