FACING 2020: THE 9 TRAITS OF SUCCESSFULL MIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF ROME.

The distinctiveness of migrants’ entrepreneurial propensity can be explained by considering both internal characteristics of the individual migrant, as well as the external environment of the host economy he/she operates in (Kloosterman et al. 1999). Migrants can perceive and seek entrepreneurial opportunities through specific sets of resources and personality-traits (Kloosterman/Rath 2001, Kloosterman 2010). Despite of this, the topic is vastly under-studied compared to its economic importance. After an in-depth study of the literature status quo about it, the paper analyses the motivation, intention, self-efficacy, culture, entrepreneurial orientation and performance of immigrant entrepreneurs. The main aim is to verify to what extent perceptions and skills of these immigrant entrepreneurs are similar to entrepreneurial psychological constructs studied in the literature. The used research instrument was the semi-structured interview consisting of 49 open-ended questions directed at the sample under examination. The results of the study showed a significant correlation between motivation and business performance (a motivated entrepreneur is more likely to succeed in business than an unmotivated entrepreneur) and a significant positive correlation between culture and motivation to start a business (a culture that is supportive of entrepreneurial activities, lowuncertainty avoidance, high individualism and lowpower distance relates positively to a high level of entrepreneurial self-efficacy).