Migrant Entrepreneur Women in Konya: Processes and Expectations

This section of the book focuses on migrant women entrepreneurship in Konya. The framework of this study includes the economic sustenance strategies, entrepreneurship processes and expectations of women who are considered to be relatively disadvantaged among migrants, and the entrepreneurship examples that embody these experiences. By this means, it is aimed to determine the place and role of migrant women in migrant entrepreneurship. In the theoretical part, there is a theoretical discussion on the entrepreneur migrant woman based on the actor-centred approach. In this study 12 immigrant women who are entrepreneurs in various ethnic origins and sectors in Konya were interviewed with the interview technique from qualitative research methods. The data obtained were then analysed by dividing them into themes. Based on these analyses, while being an entrepreneur in Konya is directly related to the city structure and its culture, it has been revealed that the entrepreneurship process and supports also shape entrepreneurship. Although the processes and the fact that being a migrant woman bring along a series of problems, it has been determined that institutional support and spousal support are factors that mitigate the problems. With reference to expectations, a distinction has emerged between those who will stay in Türkiye and continue entrepreneurship and those who will return to their country at the first chance. Migrant entrepreneur women expect other migrant women to work, gain respect, get socialised and gain economic independence through adaptation.