Return migrants: The rise of new entrepreneurs in rural China

Sylvie Démurger and Hui Xu ()
Additional contact information
Hui Xu: Université de Lyon, Lyon, F-69003, France; CNRS, GATE Lyon St Etienne, UMR 5824, 93, chemin des Mouilles, Ecully, F-69130, France; ENS-LSH, Lyon, France ; Center for Modern Chinese City Studies (CCMC), East China Normal University, Shanghai, China

No 1008, Working Papers from Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Étienne (GATE Lyon St-Étienne), Université de Lyon

Abstract: This paper analyzes return migrants' occupational choice upon their return to their home village, by using an original rural household survey conducted in Wuwei county (Anhui province, China) in 2008. We apply two complementary approaches : a horizontal comparative analysis of occupational choice between non-migrants and return migrants, and a vertical investigation of the impact of migration experience on returnees only. Two main findings are drawn up from the estimation of probit models which account for potential selection bias and endogeneity. First, return migrants are more likely to be self-employed and to opt for higher ability jobs than non-migrants. Second, both return savings and the frequency of job changes during migration increase the likelihood for return migrants to become self-employed. These findings suggest that (a) working experience during migration enhances individual's human capital and entrepreneurial ability, and (b) repatriated migration experience is a key stimulating factor in promoting rural entrepreneur activity.

Keywords: Return migrants; occupational change; entrepreneurship; Asia; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J62 L26 O15 O53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 32 pages
Date: 2010
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-ent, nep-hrm, nep-mig, nep-sbm and nep-tra
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
ftp://ftp.gate.cnrs.fr/RePEc/2010/1008.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Return Migrants: The Rise of New Entrepreneurs in Rural China (2011)
Working Paper: Return migrants: The rise of new entrepreneurs in rural China (2011)
Working Paper: Return migrants: The rise of new entrepreneurs in rural China (2010)
Working Paper: Return migrants: The rise of new entrepreneurs in rural China (2010)
Working Paper: Return migrants: The rise of new entrepreneurs in rural China (2010)
Working Paper: Return migrants: The rise of new entrepreneurs in rural China (2010)
Working Paper: Return migrants: The rise of new entrepreneurs in rural China (2010)
Working Paper: Return migrants: The rise of new entrepreneurs in rural China (2010)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gat:wpaper:1008

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