Resumo

MENDOZA, Cristóbal; MOREN-ALEGRET, Ricard  e  MCAREAVEY, Ruth. International immigration and entrepreneurship in Spanish rural areas: Economic dynamism and mobilities in small villages of Empordà, Catalonia. Invest. Geog [online]. 2021, n.104, e60172.  Epub 20-Set-2021. ISSN 2448-7279.  https://doi.org/10.14350/rig.60172.

The dynamism and survival of economic activities in rural areas are true challenges in Europe. Frequently, these areas record depopulation and aging processes; processes that, in turn, exacerbate the economic and environmental vulnerability of these territories. Moreover, as older people give up economic activities and are not replaced by younger populations, many rural municipalities enter an economic stagnation phase. As a result, international immigration has become a key source of economic development. The role of immigrants in stopping (or at least slowing down) depopulation in rural European areas has been widely recognized in the scientific literature. In fact, the arrival of immigrants in rural areas has been a core element of agricultural restructuring in Europe. In this context, this article examines the relationships between local economies, entrepreneurship and immigration in municipalities with less than 500 inhabitants in the Alt Empordà region, Spain. Specifically, the article analyzes the economic integration of immigrant entrepreneurs in Alt Empordà and compares their views and practices in local labor markets with those of native entrepreneurs. The following specific research questions are put forward: How do immigrant entrepreneurs contribute to the local economies and social fabric of the small towns of Alt Empordà? To what extent do the companies created by these immigrants follow an economic benefit logic (or, on the contrary, respond to other criteria, such as the search for a better quality of life)? Are immigrant entrepreneurship ideas original and innovative, or do they differ substantially from those of non-immigrant entrepreneurs?

This article is part of a larger project carried out by the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (Autonomous University of Barcelona; UAB) on immigration and economic development in the Catalonia micro-towns, supported by the RECERCAIXA Program (an initiative of the Catalan Association of Public Universities and CaixaBank). This project used a multi-local research based on pre-selected case studies; qualitative methods were used, supplemented with official statistical information. For this article in particular, 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with immigrants, entrepreneurs, or self-employed persons, born abroad (all were from other countries of the European Union) that had lived for at least one year in municipalities with less than 500 inhabitants of the Alt Empordà region (Girona). This information was supplemented by additional interviews with key informants from the region. Particularly, a total of 12 Spanish entrepreneurs were interviewed, most of them native of the study area (nine out of 12), as well as seven mayors of micro-towns of Alt Empordà.

The immigrants interviewed are multilingual and highly qualified, allowing them to leverage the economic opportunities of the Alt Empordà labor markets and thus occupy specific niches in local economies that are not filled by local inhabitants. A noteworthy finding is that these immigrants consider that culture, nature, and landscape have an intrinsic (economic) value. In fact, their appreciation of local resources is sometimes a major driver to settle in rural areas. Our research suggests that immigrant entrepreneurs have the ability to re-conceive and rethink the local culture and nature as potential business areas, and recognize unexplored economic opportunities. The entrepreneurs interviewed also acknowledge the relevance of personal networks to the success of their businesses and as sources of well-being (networks involve both long-distance meetings and face-toface relationships, as well as Internet contacts). Given their small size, some towns seem better prepared than cities to develop this kind of personal ties, influencing businesses that are strongly rooted in rural environments. It should be noted that immigrants have other modalities of capital, in addition to social capital (e.g., human or economic capital), allowing them to choose a certain lifestyle and business that may not be available to all residents in the area. This range of available capital contributes to create new types of innovative businesses that, although not large in financial terms or staff hired, can stimulate cross-linked rural development and help strengthen values related to sustainability, community and sense of belonging.

Palavras-chave : immigrant entrepreneurship; qualified migration; social networks; rural areas; Spain.

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