Digital capital: a mode of bridging capital for immigrant and refugee population

The resettlement of immigrant and refugee populations poses specific challenges to new host communities. Municipalities must find resources to assist these populations in transitioning into a new culture. Immediate needs are often adequate housing, health care, and primary schooling. While this transitioning process is still in play, the search for employment begins; often at the cost of consideration of longer-term needs, such as English or other host country language acquisition and planning for long-term career goals. Theorists in the field of social capital postulate that bonding and bridging social capital offers benefits for populations adjusting to new communities. Connections to like-minded individuals or pre-existing ethnic ties (bonding social capital) can provide support important to the well-being of individuals going through difficult social adjustments while connecting with new social groups (bridging social capital) can provide new information leading to expanding opportunities. The concept of bridging social capital for immigrant and refugee populations is the subject of this research study. It is situated within the context of our digital age in which information communication technology (ICT) is the primary mode of access to information and services. For the purpose of this thesis, the capability to exploit this mode of communication is thus identified as “digital capital.” As more and more governmental, educational, and social services are distributed within a technological environment, it is necessary to examine this mode of connection to information as a form of capital which can be viewed in a similar framework to other types of social capital. Access to technology and ICTs has been considered an integral element of the Development Goals as adopted by the United Nations for the Year 2000 Millennium Goals. Though later debates have questioned how ICTs may have benefited development goals, the pervasiveness of this form of information flow continues. Within Development Studies, Sen’s theory on the Capability Approach offers a valuable opportunity of connecting digital capital to development. Just as the Capabilities Approach accommodates the diversity of human values, characteristics, and functionings, so can digital capital provide flexibility through adaptation by the users to tailor the medium to meet specific needs. It is this freedom to adjust to individual needs and goals that allows this mode of bridging capital to hold a distinct advantage for immigrants and refugees who are searching for effective links into new social networks in the job search process. The role of the community college system has been at the forefront of providing educational training and social acclimation for this population in their quest for economic self-sufficiency in the resettlement process. A greater understanding of the role that technology plays in the success of immigrant and refugee resettlement is vitally important for the well-being of communities undergoing dynamic demographic change

Immigrants’ Entrepreneurial Opportunities: The Case of the Chinese in Portugal

Why do some foreign nationalities seem to have entrepreneurial initiatives and others don’t? Why do certain foreign communities tend to build an ethnic economy, and others melt in the economy of the reception country? The analysis made so far of the modes of incorporation of the different Chinese immigrant communities in Portugal allowed to evidence that, unlike what some authors defend, it is not only the cultural factors that channel immigrants into certain segments of the labour market. Several structural factors associated to these immigrants’ arrival should be considered: the immigration policy of the host society; the reasons that generated the migratory flow; the existence of a co-ethnic community in the country and its economic incorporation; the operation of social networks; the possibility to acquire capital among the community (informal resources); and the potential market of the host society. Furthermore, in Portugal, as in Southern Europe, the informal economy can be an opportunity to self-employment - not so easy in North European countries where institutional control is stronger and competition is higher.Immigrants, Entrepreneurship, Structural opportunities, Ethnic resources

Measuring the economic impact of immigration: A scoping paper

This discussion paper has three objectives. Firstly, it provides a brief review of recent international empirical research on the labour market impact of immigration. The synthesis of this literature is facilitated by reference to the results from a recent meta-analysis of the impact of immigration on wages. Secondly, the paper briefly reviews international research on other dimensions of the economic impact of immigration, namely productivity and technical change, trade and international relations, the fiscal impact, socio-economic impacts and externalities, and economy-wide (general equilibrium) effects. The approach adopted in considering each of these impacts is to identify the main issues associated with the particular impact, followed by key international references and, where available, New Zealand references on the particular type of impact. The gaps in NZ research are then identified along with any difficulties with the data available for replicating the international studies in New Zealand. Thirdly, the paper seeks to identify feasible (in terms of data availability) suggestions for further research that would add to our knowledge of the economic impact of immigration in New Zealand

The 10 Critical Imperatives Facing Cities in 2014

As we approach 2014, cities large and small confront challenges that not only impact the quality of life of those who live and work there, but the success of our entire nation. The National League of Cities is highlighting the most pressing of these challenges in this report. With more than 80 percent of Americans living in cities, and with cities producing more than 75 percent of our nation's economic output, it is imperative that we fnd solutions.1, 2 Cities across the country are innovating, but cannot and should not continue to go it alone. Partnerships among local governments, citizens, businesses, nonproft organizations, and federal, state, and county leaders are needed. Together we can ensure that our nation's cities thrive and continue to be centers of opportunity and national economic prosperity

From \u27Break Out\u27 to \u27Breakthrough\u27: Successful Market Strategies of Immigrant Entrepreneurs in the UK

This paper explores the strategies that enable ethnic minority immigrant entrepreneurs to \u27break out\u27 of local ethnic markets and \u27break through\u27 into more promising markets with greater opportunities. It analyzes the contextual and personal characteristics of the entrepreneurs that implement those strategies, based on a primary survey of South Asian entrepreneurs in the UK. The analysis suggests that breaking out of co-ethnic customer markets is neither necessary nor sufficient for entrepreneurial expansion. The critical factor is the entrepreneur\u27s ability to break through into customer markets that are larger, by geographical reach or profit margins and value added. Many successful immigrant entrepreneurs leverage market knowledge of their home countries. At the same time, the more successful entrepreneurs break out of ethnic labor markets by hiring non-ethnic employees. The capacity to \u27break out\u27 and \u27break through\u27 into larger, global markets, is strengthened by the entrepreneur\u27s education, experience, access and ability to leverage international business networks, and agility to move into more promising markets

Developments in Education and International Migrations in New Member States of the EU

The paper examines the development of education systems and international migrations in selected new Member States. The countries are Estonia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The paper focuses on various elements in the development of education systems making people able to cope with competition on global labour markets. The outcomes of these developments largely regulate the supply of labour and consequently its international demand. Some statistics on international migration and integration of migrants in global labour markets are presented. The aim of this paper is to raise questions about relevant issues to be paid attention to in studies focusing on education and international migrations rather than to try to give any straightforward solutions

Intersecting Inequalities: Research to Reduce Inequality for Immigrant-Origin Children and Youth

This is one of a series of five papers outlining the particular domains and dimensions of inequality where new research may yield a better understanding of responses to this growing issue.Immigration has grown across all post-industrial nations, and inequality has risen at a steep rate on a variety of indicators, including income distribution, child poverty, residential segregation, and numerous academic outcomes.In this report, we see that among the children of immigrants, inequality is manifested against a backdrop of wide disparity in post-migration conditions faced by new immigrants. Indeed, immigrant groups represent some of the most and least advantaged groups in the U.S. in terms of skills, education, and assets. Many immigrant-origin students struggle academically, leaving school without acquiring the tools necessary to function effectively in the highly competitive, knowledge-intensive U.S. economy, in which limited education impedes wages and social mobility

Migrants and the Irish Economy

Immigration should be viewed as an opportunity to be embraced rather than a cost to be minimised, according to this report from economist Jim Power and the Integration Centre, an Atlantic grantee. The non-Irish population in Ireland is highly skilled with qualification levels exceeding that of the foreign population in other EU countries. The overall majority have a professional or trade qualification and the variety of language skills they hold is invaluable. In short, the immigrant population has been and remains a key asset to the Irish economy. The report includes a number of recommendations to enable migrants to continue to make valuable contributions to Ireland's economic recovery, and provides a useful guide for the better integration of immigrants in Ireland

The best of both worlds? Online ties and the alternating use of social network sites in the context of migration

While an ever-growing body of research is concerned with user behavior on individual social network sites (SNSs)—mostly Facebook—studies addressing an alternating use of two or more SNS are rare. Here, we investigate the relationship between alternating SNS use and social capital in the context of migration. Alternating SNS use avoids some of the problems associated with large networks located on one site; in particular the management of different social or cultural spheres. Not only does this strategy hold potential for increased social capital, it also provides a particular incentive for migrants faced with the challenge of staying in touch with back home and managing a new social environment. Two survey studies are presented that focus on the relationship between alternating SNS use and online ties in a migrant context involving Indian nationals. Study 1 looked at migration within India, whereas Study 2 compared international with domestic SNS users. In both studies, alternating SNS use added to the prediction of online network size and accounted for differences in network size found for migrant and non-migrant users. Differences were due to the number of peripheral ties, rather than core ties. Findings suggest that alternating SNS use may constitute a compensatory strategy that helps to overcome lower levels of socializing represented through a single SNS