Abstract
This study is expected to contribute to the development of entrepreneurship theories by presenting luck as one of the potential factors that may influence entrepreneurial success. Although there are studies investigating entrepreneurs’ perceptions about luck in achieving success, the lack of studies revealing the situation of immigrant entrepreneurs in this regard may be a starting point for other studies to be conducted in the future. Based on this, the aim of this study has been determined as to reveal the proportion of luck in the immigrant entrepreneurs` success perceptions. For this purpose, the author(s) conducted structured and face-to-face interviews with 31 entrepreneurs of Turkish origin in Germany and used MAXQDA Software Package to analyze the interviews. The analysis results reveal that nearly half of the participants believe in the role of luck in their entrepreneurial success. These immigrant entrepreneurs associate luck with factors such as acquiring an insolvent or transferred business, encountering the right people at the right time, and having favorable conditions to seize opportunities. Conversely, many participants attribute their success to personal effort and hard work, immigrating to Germany due to family circumstances, receiving strong social support, and benefiting from a predominantly Turkish customer base—factors they do not consider linked to luck. Despite differing views on luck, all participants agree on three essential criteria for entrepreneurial success: having an independent decision-making mechanism, ensuring employee satisfaction, and maintaining strong customer relationships.
Presenters
Serol KaralarResearch Associate, Intercultural Business Communication, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Thüringen, Germany
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Luck, Turkish, Immigrant, Entrepreneur, Success, Germany
