Investigating the Perceived Contribution of Migrant Communities to Economic Diversification Competitiveness and Development Beyond Remittance Inflows
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70670/sra.v4i2.2326Keywords:
Migrant Communities, Economic Diversification, Economic Competitiveness, Remittance Inflows, Diaspora EntrepreneurshipAbstract
This study investigated the perceived contribution of overseas Pakistani migrant communities to economic diversification, competitiveness, and development beyond remittance inflows. Using an exploratory qualitative design, data were collected from 16 respondents, including economists, bank officers, SME owners, diaspora-linked entrepreneurs, migrant family members, policy representatives, digital finance professionals, and academic researchers. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings showed that overseas Pakistani communities contributed through five connected channels: financial support, entrepreneurship, knowledge transfer, market linkages, and institutional engagement. Remittances remained important for household welfare, but their development value increased when linked with SMEs, exports, digital finance, skills development, and productive investment. Respondents also identified weak institutional trust, limited SME finance, poor investment facilitation, and lack of diaspora mapping as major barriers. The study concludes that Pakistan should treat overseas migrant communities as strategic development partners for diversification and inclusive economic growth.
References
Arrighetti, A., & Canello, J. (2025). Explaining the multifaceted patterns of migrant firms in the global economy: a resource-based approach. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 31(11), 273-292.
Arzu, F., Amjad, S. I., Abbasi, F. A., Abrar, K., & Wasi, S. (2026). Decentralized Digital Wallets in Pakistan and the UK: Leveraging Blockchain for Secure, Low-Cost Cross-Border Payments and Financial Inclusion. Advance Journal of Econometrics and Finance, 4(2), 507-521.
Ashraf, N., Arzu, F., Abrar, K., & Anwar, M. (2025). Narratives of SMEs on Access to Finance: Barriers and Opportunities in Pakistan’s Banking Sector. The Critical Review of Social Sciences Studies, 3(4), 262-277.
Braun, V., Clarke, V., & Hayfield, N. (2022). ‘A starting point for your journey, not a map’: Nikki Hayfield in conversation with Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke about thematic analysis. Qualitative research in psychology, 19(2), 424-445.
Byrne, D. (2022). A worked example of Braun and Clarke’s approach to reflexive thematic analysis. Quality & quantity, 56(3), 1391-1412.
Hole, L. (2024). Handle with care; considerations of Braun and Clarke's approach to thematic analysis. Qualitative research journal, 24(4), 371-383.
Jones, T., Ram, M., & Villares-Varela, M. (2019). Diversity, economic development and new migrant entrepreneurs. Urban Studies, 56(5), 960-976.
Kacou, K. Y. T., Kassouri, Y., Alola, A. A., & Altuntaş, M. (2022). Examining the sustainable development approach of migrants' remittances and financial development in sub‐Saharan African countries. Sustainable Development, 30(5), 804-816.
Mendoza, C., & Domínguez-Mujica, J. (2025). Immigration and local endogenous development in rural border areas: A comparative study of two Left-Behind Spanish regions. Agriculture, 15(8), 806.
Mutai, N. C., Ibeh, L., Nguyen, M. C., Kiarie, J. W., & Ikamari, C. (2025). Sustainable economic development in Kenya: influence of diaspora remittances, foreign direct investment and imports. African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, 16(1), 61-78.
Piras, R. (2023). Remittances, economic complexity, and new firms’ creation: empirical evidence from a large sample of countries. Economic Change and Restructuring, 56(4), 2557-2600.
Raimi, L., & Mahmoud, M. A. (2025). Does migrant entrepreneurship impact economic development in host and home countries? A systematic literature review. Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 19(5), 1391-1421.
Resende‐Santos, J. (2016). Cape Verde: Rethinking diaspora in development policy. International Migration, 54(2), 82-97.
Saadi, M. (2020). Remittance inflows and export complexity: New evidence from developing and emerging countries. The Journal of Development Studies, 56(12), 2266-2292.
Sekmen, F., Okoth, E., & Gökırmak, H. (2025). The role of remittances in the sustainable development of developing economies: a panel data analysis of 43 African countries. Quality & Quantity, 1-26.
Tahir, T. B., Mehsud, N. K., Qazi, Z., Ullah, S., & Naz, A. (2023). Migration And Economic Development In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa An Analysis Of Community Perception. Migration Letters, 20(1), 123-135.
Ullah, A. A. (2025). Integrating Remittance Economies Into the Indo‐Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF): Pathways to Resilience and Inclusive Growth. World Affairs, 188(4), e70038.
Verma, B., Bhardwaj, M., Arora, S., & Oberoi, S. (2025). Unveiling the impact of remittances on productive efficiencies: investigating productivity growth of prominent remittance-receiving developing nations. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 74(4), 1101-1124.
Wainaina, M., & Wainaina, P. (2026). The Impact of Diaspora Remittances on Kenya’s Economic Development: An Analysis of Growth, Poverty Reduction, and Financial Inclusion. Journal of Economics, 11(1), 27-47.
Yavuz, R. I., & Bahadir, B. (2022). Remittances, ethnic diversity, and entrepreneurship in developing countries. Small Business Economics, 58(4), 1931-1952.
Yeboah, T., Boamah, E. F., & Appai, T. P. (2021). Broadening the remittance debate: Reverse flows, reciprocity and social relations between UK-based Ghanaian migrants and families Back home. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 22(1), 47-68.
