Dalit entrepreneurial ecosystem: the micro foundations of navigating marginalization

Entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) research has predominantly focused on inclusivity without examining systematic barriers - emanating from socio-cultural and historical reasons - that marginalized groups face when engaging with the ecosystem. In this study, we focus on Dalits, a historically marginalized section of the community in India on social identity (caste) lines, to examine how caste poses barriers to Dalit entrepreneurs from engaging with EE and what micro-practices the entrepreneurs take to navigate the marginalization. Drawing on qualitative interviews with entrepreneurs and other EE actors from within the Dalit community, we identify caste prejudices restricting Dalit entrepreneurs from access to different entrepreneurial capital resources thereby constraining their market participation on equal terms. Furthermore, we observe that Dalit entrepreneurs engage in micro-practices, such as advocacy for targeted efforts, creation of alternate spaces, and clientelism, as mechanisms of navigating through the marginalization within EE. We contribute to research on EE, marginalized entrepreneurship, and caste in management.