Investment climate, strategic business development, and success factors: Basis for expat-preneurship framework

This study intended to examine the Investment Climate, Strategic Business Development, and Success Factors: Basis for Expat-preneurship Framework in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Specifically, it aims to assess the investment climate faced by expat entrepreneurs in terms of access to capital, regulatory and legal barriers, and cultural adaptation; evaluate the strategic development employed by expat entrepreneurs, focusing on networking, innovation, and market research to overcome the challenges; describe the success factors that contribute to the sustainability of expat businesses including resilience, leadership, and financial planning; test the significant relationship among investment climate, strategic business development, and success factors; to empirically test and analyze the predictors of successful expat-preneurship by examining the interplay between investment climate, strategic business development, and key success factors; and lastly, to develop an enhanced expat-preneurship framework by integrating key elements of investment climate, strategic business development, and success factors.Based on the researcher's findings, access to capital is the most significant challenge.Most entrepreneurs rely on personal funding, citing limited support from financial institutions and government grants.While legal and regulatory barriers are generally perceived as navigable, and cultural adaptation emerges as a key strength, with expats actively embracing and integrating local norms.Innovation is the predominant strategic focus, driven by a commitment to new ideas, technologies, and responsiveness to customer feedback.Networking, particularly via social media, plays a critical role in expanding professional connections.Market research is primarily conducted through direct customer engagement, though collaboration with external firms remains limited.Leadership is recognized as a vital success factor, emphasizing transparent communication and teamwork.Resilience is widely valued, with adaptability viewed as essential, though rapid recovery from setbacks shows some variation.Financial planning is considered important, especially in resource allocation, while external funding remains a secondary priority.