The Grass is Indeed Greener in India and China for Returnee Entrepreneurs: America's New Immigrant Entrepreneurs – Part VI

24 Pages Posted: 28 Apr 2011 Last revised: 20 Feb 2014

See all articles by Vivek Wadhwa

Vivek Wadhwa

Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization, Pratt School of Engineering; Stanford University - Arthur & Toni Rembe Rock Center for Corporate Governance

Sonali Jain

Duke University - Center on Globalization, Governance, & Competitiveness

AnnaLee Saxenian

University of California, Berkeley - School of Information

G. Gereffi

Duke University - Department of Sociology - Director, Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness

Huiyao Wang

Harvard Kennedy School; Center for China & Globalization

Date Written: April 8, 2011

Abstract

Our previous research had documented that 52% of Silicon Valley's startups were founded by immigrants; that immigrants were contributing to 25% of WIPO PCT applications filed from the U.S.; the backlog of skilled immigrants waiting for permanent resident visas had increased to over 1 million people. We predicted a reverse brain drain, and followed this up with interviews with returnees and foreign students in the U.S.

This research goes one step further. This is based on a survey of returnee entrepreneurs to India and China. We wanted to learn learn how the entrepreneurship landscape in India and China compares to the U.S.; why these entrepreneurs returned; what their perceptions of the entrepreneurial climate in their home countries were; what the advantages and disadvantages of working in India and China were over working in the U.S; and what types of ties they maintained to the U.S.

In this paper, we present our findings. That returnees say that the grass is indeed greener in India and China for entrepreneurs.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Returnees, India, China, Innovation, Startups, Reverse Brain Drain, Immigration, Global Competitiveness

Suggested Citation

Wadhwa, Vivek and Jain, Sonali and Saxenian, AnnaLee and Gereffi, Gary and Wang, Huiyao, The Grass is Indeed Greener in India and China for Returnee Entrepreneurs: America's New Immigrant Entrepreneurs – Part VI (April 8, 2011). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1824670 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1824670

Vivek Wadhwa (Contact Author)

Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization, Pratt School of Engineering ( email )

Durham, NC 27708
United States

Stanford University - Arthur & Toni Rembe Rock Center for Corporate Governance ( email )

Crown Quadrangle 559 Nathan Ab
Stanford, CA 94305-8610
United States

Sonali Jain

Duke University - Center on Globalization, Governance, & Competitiveness ( email )

Grey Building, Suite 0010, Lower Level
2020 W. Main St.
Durham, NC 27705
United States

AnnaLee Saxenian

University of California, Berkeley - School of Information ( email )

102 South Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-4600
United States

Gary Gereffi

Duke University - Department of Sociology - Director, Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness ( email )

Box 90088
Durham, NC 27708-0204
United States
919-660-5880 (Phone)
919-684-2855 (Fax)

Huiyao Wang

Harvard Kennedy School ( email )

79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

HOME PAGE: http://ash.harvard.edu/Home/About/Fellows-Scholars/Rajawali/Wang-Huiyao

Center for China & Globalization ( email )

Suite 12B10, Hanwei Plaza
No. 7 Guanghua Rd, Chaoyang Dist.
Beijing, 100004
China
86-10-65611038 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.ccg.org.cn

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