The Rise of Social Media Entrepreneurs: Filipino Migrants in Japan During the COVID-19 Pandemic
摘要
This chapter explores how Filipino migrant entrepreneurs in Japan who were affected by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic appropriated social and technological resources to mitigate its effects. We observed how these migrants utilized Facebook’s technological features to sell various products to Filipinos in Japan, the Philippines, and abroad as an alternative source of income before and during the pandemic. Using data from in-depth interviews with six Filipino migrant entrepreneurs based in Japan, this study shows how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), such as social media, have influenced the establishment and maintenance of Filipino migrant businesses in Japan. In this chapter , we argue that (1) the socio-historical background of Filipino migrants in Japan has influenced their entrepreneurial aspirations, the nature of their businesses, and how they have capitalized on their ethnic and cultural identity; (2) the COVID-19 pandemic has affected both offline and online businesses, pushing entrepreneurs to increase their social media presence, and lastly; (3) the technological affordances of social media has allowed Filipino migrant entrepreneurs not only to mitigate but take advantage of the situation caused by the pandemic. Their innovative practices accentuate the role of ICTs in breaking spatial, social, and temporal boundaries—illustrating how migrants utilize such technology to create alternative spaces, opportunities, and identities. Our study indicates that by becoming social media entrepreneurs, migrants can break free from their traditional migrant identities. Therefore, Japan must work towards lessening institutional and social barriers to encourage more migrant businesses.