Hoarding Opportunities: Entrepreneurship and Inequality

The conference will explore the dynamics of entrepreneurship within the broader context of social inequality, centering on the pivotal concept of “opportunity hoarding” as proposed by Charles Tilly. We will examine how access to entrepreneurial opportunities is often monopolized by specific groups or networks. This hoarding of opportunities, resources, and knowledge not only perpetuates but also deepens structural inequalities. Examples range from solo self-employed entrepreneurs who create exclusive niches in certain service sectors to dynastic business families who consolidate wealth through inheritances. In the discussions we aim to unpack such complex dynamics, offering a critical examination of how opportunity hoarding shapes the vast spectrum of entrepreneurial activity. By juxtaposing insights from the fields of social inequality and entrepreneurship, the conference seeks to foster an understanding of opportunity hoarding and its diverse manifestations across various entrepreneurial contexts.