This paper studies the intergenerational transmissions of self-employment
abilities among immigrants in Sweden. The results show that second-generation
immigrants are over-represented in self-employment compared to natives.
Male immigrants from countries neighbouring to Sweden and natives alike seem to
use both mothers and fathers as role models in their self-employment decision, but
the father is the stronger role model among male immigrants from more geographically
distant regions. Female immigrants use both their father and their
mother as role models in their self-employment decision. Furthermore, male
immigrants and male natives tend to become self-employed in the same business
sector as their fathers; female immigrants and female natives with self-employed
parents are over-represented in self-employment but not necessarily in the same
business sector as their parents.