Article

Economic Opportunity in Social Acceptance: Syrian Entrepreneurs in Konya

Abstract

In this study, the reason why Syrian entrepreneurs who have been subjected to forced migration and found their own businesses to hold on to the city preferred to be tradesmen, whether they have established an economic relationship with local people and neighboring Turkish tradesmen through shopping, and this relation or unrelatedness reflections are discussed. A qualitative research was carried out with 72 Syrian entrepreneurs in Konya between May-December 2018. In the interviews where the snowball sampling technique is preferred, the semi-structured interview technique was used as a data collection tool. The data obtained from the research, entrepreneurship motivation and sector preference, local public relations, artisan culture and relations with neighboring Turkish artisans, the possibility of the economy in social acceptance, bureaucratic obstacles and the future, and were subjected to analytical analysis on the themes of expectations. It has been observed that Syrian entrepreneurs create an opportunity and a potential rather than a burden on the economy. However, it has been concluded that bureaucratic obstacles affect the relations with neighboring local tradesmen negatively, the social capital of Syrian entrepreneurs is insufficient, but the economic activity will facilitate social acceptance and cohesion as trust-based relationships are established over time.

Keywords

Syrian entrepreneurs social acceptance economy Konya immigrant entrepreneurship