Exploring the relationship between immigrant enclave theory and transnational diaspora entrepreneurial opportunity formation

Immigrant Enclave Theory (IET) investigates the concentration and localisation of immigrants in a specific geographic area. Some IET studies have highlighted the resilience of these communities and described such enclaves as sources of mutual support, collective political power and beneficial social relationships. Other studies have examined the influence of IET on immigrant entrepreneurial activity within these geographic areas, although some of these studies have highlighted IET as a contributor to low profit margin businesses due to over-representation of immigrant enterprises within the same sector and geographic locality. This article considers the potential for Transnational Diaspora Entrepreneurship (TDE) as an alternative approach to business development within immigrant enclaves and proposes a new model for the relationship between IET and TDE opportunity formation. For the contextualisation of the relationship between IET and TDE, the article explores immigrant enclave related theories and transnational diaspora entrepreneurship frameworks to draw out the relationship between IET and TDE.