Long and winding road?

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and analyse the barriers entrepreneurs with disabilities (EWD) face when establishing their own enterprises, as well as the supporting factors in starting and running a business. Design/methodology/approach This is an explorative study. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with ten Hungarian entrepreneurs with physical disabilities or sight-loss, during the summer of 2018. Findings The paper classifies the barriers and supporting factors, as personal, economic and social. Based on the perceptions of the entrepreneurs, personal characteristics, identity and various types of family support play an important role in becoming entrepreneurs, but the entrepreneurial ecosystem generally is not favourable in Hungary, and there are no special support programmes focussing on EWD. Research limitations/implications Sample size is a serious limitation: the ten entrepreneurs do not represent in any sense the entire EWD community in Hungary, so the patterns found cannot be considered a generally valid picture. Originality/value The article contributes to the literature on entrepreneurship and disabilities, especially through the systematic review of the possible barriers and supporting factors and to the existing empirical body of knowledge by shedding light on the barriers and supporting factors in a rarely investigated region, in Central Europe: Hungary.

Motives for entrepreneurship and establishing one’s own business among people with disabilities: Findings from a scoping review

“…At a later stage in the process (see Selecting relevant studies, below), we discovered that barriers and opportunities were well researched and the knowledge synthesised (e.g. Csillag, Gyori, and Svastics 2019). However, we identified a gap when it comes to synthesising the knowledge of establishment motives.…”

“…The reading yielded a total of 117 potentially relevant studies. In the process of reading all articles in full, we found that barriers and opportunities, both part of our initial research question, were well researched and the knowledge synthesised (Csillag, Gyori, and Svastics 2019). A reformulated research question focused on establishment motives among people with disabilities (see Research question, above).…”

“…However, other previous research has shown that informants with congenital disabilities had conscious strategies by which they developed social capital, educated themselves, and chose to become self-employed. Persons with acquired disabilities benefited from past experience and used their professional network when choosing to become their own entrepreneurs (Csillag, Gyori, and Svastics 2019). The question of congenital or acquired functional disabilities ought to be of significance in further research.…”

The formation of ecosystems of employment for persons with disabilities

“…Of interest is the opinion of Roundy P, who argues that entrepreneurial ecosystems influence the activities and effectiveness of social entrepreneurs through mechanisms such as: the diversity of resource providers, the availability of support infrastructure and entrepreneurial culture, as well as available training opportunities [10]. Social entrepreneurs can not only form entrepreneurial ecosystems, but also attract attention to the created ecosystem of interested parties, thereby increasing its profitability [11,12].…”

Transformation of Vocational Skills for Doormat Craftsmen from Persons with Disabilities using Assistive Technology

“…The company owner does not necessarily do this. However, according to Csillag et al (2019), it is caused by an unsupportive ecosystem, and there is still much stigma built up in a society that the abilities of people with disabilities are still far below those of non-disabled people.…”