CHINESE MIGRANT FEMALE ENTREPRENEURSHIP: A STUDY ON THE POSSIBILITY TO MIGRATE AND TO BUILD AN INDEPENDENT ACTIVITY

Abstract

Immigrants are an important part of our society, of our culture and, in some cases, they are influencing us with theirs. It is not rare that they are seen as a threat because there is in many people the preconception that immigration is linked with crime and illegality. Sometimes this thought can be truthful but sometimes we have demonstrations that these people do not take anything from us, on the contrary, they represent a benefit from which we should get something. In particular, I would like to pay attention to the entrepreneurial aspect because there are many immigrants who invest their time and money to build an enterprise that is perfectly integrated in the Italian economic system. Entrepreneurial mind-set particularly belongs to Chinese population that, according to its values, would never live as a scrounger in a foreign country; on the contrary, they would do anything to give their contribution, and they would certainly build an independent activity to sustain their family and community. Furthermore, I would like to adopt a gender perspective, focusing on women participation, because it means to be aware that in the last years the migratory scene has deeply changed. The feminization of the flows is the index of a transformation of the meanings and the dynamics that characterizes the migratory project. Why do Chinese migrate, why do they chose Italy and why can they integrate better than other immigrants in the Italian economic system? Why do they chose and independent activity? What is the entrepreneurial role of women in these activities? My analysis will involve a study on migration history in Italy and China, a study on the role of women in these two countries, a study on the entrepreneurial activities of migrant and finally a study on women’s role in these activities. These are all the answers that will be given through a theoretical part regarding literature and history and a research part based on answers of young Chinese women defining migration and their entrepreneurial role into it.