Return migrants: The rise of new entrepreneurs in rural China

Sylvie Démurger and Hui Xu
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Hui Xu: GATE Lyon Saint-Étienne - Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon - Saint-Etienne - ENS de Lyon - École normale supérieure de Lyon - Université de Lyon - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - UCBL - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 - Université de Lyon - UJM - Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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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)
Date: 2011
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-ent, nep-mig and nep-tra
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00627732v2
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (113)

Published in World Development, 2011, 39 (10), pp. 1847-1861

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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 (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)
Working Paper: Return migrants: The rise of new entrepreneurs in rural China (2010)
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