Multifocal business practices: the case of Moroccan import/export businesses in Milan

In recent years, the topic of cross-border businesses developed by immigrants has emerged as one of the most interesting areas of research in studies on migrants and their economic activities. The article seeks to contribute to this topic, presenting the case of Moroccan import/export businesses in Milan, a particular example of transnational economic activity. From a theoretical point of view, the paper proposes to use the concept of multifocality, defined as migrants’ structural and relational embeddedness in places and groups. With regard to this, a scheme adapting the mixed embeddedness approach to the case of transnational entrepreneurship is introduced. From an empirical point of view, the article focuses on the role of context and structural embeddedness, a role often taken for granted, in shaping immigrant entrepreneurial activities and, in particular, the choice of sector and the decision to internationalize the business. The study shows three important elements. Firstly, in terms of business connections, Moroccan entrepreneurial activities are simultaneously connected with several countries, that is, not only the countries of immigration and origin, but other countries as well. Secondly, Moroccan entrepreneurs exploit opportunities from different spheres; in particular they take advantage of market conditions and group behaviours, mainly those of co-nationals. These strongly impact on the choice of products to sell and the decision to expand the business outside of Italy. Thirdly, regarding structural embeddedness, Moroccan entrepreneurs use their personal multifocality to identify and take advantage of business opportunities. Taking into consideration only places, Moroccan entrepreneurs are bifocal, as their spatial embeddedness is only related to two countries: Morocco and Italy. However, introducing also the part of structural embeddedness connected to group, one can see that embeddedness in the group of co-nationals also plays a central role. In these terms it is possible to assert that Moroccan entrepreneurs use their multifocality, in order to distinguish and exploit all available opportunities.