Tracking an African International Student’s Development of Intercultural Entrepreneurship During Study Abroad in China: A Longitudinal Social Network Design

The current study traces how a Zimbabwean student, Eric, embarked on an entrepreneurial journey during his time studying in China. A longitudinal social network design was adopted to examine the process through which his multilingual use, intercultural networks, and engagement in intercultural activities shaped each other. Data collection took place over two years, including an open-ended Intercultural Network Questionnaire, in-depth semi-structured interviews, and observational field notes. The findings documented an increase in Eric’s entrepreneurial potential due to his network structure becoming denser over time. He gained access to more entrepreneurial opportunities through his multilingual practices, which further advanced his intercultural entrepreneurial development as he participated in varied intercultural activities. The study suggests that Eric enacted agency to mobilize his multilingual skills and resources, which became a valued commodity to enhance his worth in the context of China-Africa relations. We thus argue that international students’ neoliberal project of self-development may be premised on China’s economic engagement in Africa and their ambitions to leverage on the geo-economic dimensions of Sino-African relations. We conclude with implications for study-abroad program designers to support international students in expanding their intercultural networks and facilitating their pursuit of entrepreneurial careers in the Chinese context and beyond.