Defining the expatreneur : starting up abroad and understanding foreign incentives: an abductive analysis

Abstract

Over the past few decades, there has been a growth in entrepreneurs moving to other countries to start up new businesses. Sixty percent of the workers moving to other countries (the globally mobile workforce) is currently made up of entrepreneurs, and this segment is growing. At the same time, 1% to 2% of American entrepreneurs are leaving the country to startup businesses, and the rate of expatpreneur expatriation is growing. This may seem like an inconsequential number from the American perspective, but these entrepreneurs are having a more significant effect overseas. For example, over 36,000 American entrepreneurs are currently active in Germany. This study is an abductive analysis that provides early indications as to how and why American entrepreneurs attempt to start up in Germany. Why is Germany trying to attract American startups, and can those efforts affect socio-cultural change in those countries? The analysis concluded that American expatriate entrepreneurs have some different motivations for startups than American domestic entrepreneurs. Also, the study found that larger German business is taking the lead over government in helping expedite the import of expatpreneurs to assist in disruptive change through entrepreneurial marketing.