Diversity and Entrepreneurship Analyzing Successful Women Entrepreneurs

by Smith-Hunter, Andrea

• ISBN13: 9780761825203
• ISBN10: 0761825207
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-04-01
• Publisher: UPA

Summary

Diversity and Entrepreneurship provides a comparative analysis of women entrepreneurs across racial lines (white versus minorities). The characteristics of the business owners, the characteristics of the businesses, and the network structures of the business owners are analyzed to determine what factors lead to economic success for the two groups of women entrepreneurs.

Author Biography

Andrea E. Smith-Hunter is an assistant professor at Siena College in Loudonville, New York.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	ix
Preface	xi
Acknowledgements	xiii
Women as Employees and Entrepreneurs	1	(10)
Introduction	1	(1)
The Changing Face of Entrepreneurship	2	(1)
The Current State of Female Employment	3	(1)
Female Entrepreneurship	4	(1)
Minority Entrepreneurship	5	(1)
Observations and Important Issues	5	(3)
Current Study	8	(1)
Organization of Chapters	8	(3)
Research Field of Women Entrepreneurship	11	(30)
Introduction	11	(1)
The Multi-Dimensional Small Business Owner	12	(4)
Research on Small Business Owners	16	(3)
Research on Women Business Owners	19	(9)
Research on Minority Business Owners	28	(6)
Personal Services Industry	34	(2)
Economic Success of Businesses	36	(2)
Limitations of Current Study	38	(3)
Theories and Conceptual Foundations	41	(20)
Introduction	41	(1)
Niches	42	(2)
Protected Market Hypothesis	44	(1)
Disadvantage Theory	45	(3)
Cultural Theory	48	(1)
Other Perspectives and Hypotheses	49	(7)
Conclusion	56	(5)
Research Design and Methods	61	(8)
Introduction	61	(1)
Sample	61	(2)
Procedures	63	(1)
Measures	63	(4)
Interviews	67	(1)
Data Analysis	67	(2)
Results of Analyses: Economic Success Factors	69	(30)
Introduction	69	(2)
Niches	71	(1)
Protected Market Hypothesis	72	(2)
Disadvantage Theory	74	(2)
Cultural Theory	76	(3)
Descriptive Statistics and Other Perspectives	79	(10)
Other	89	(1)
Hypotheses Summary	90	(1)
Additional Results	90	(5)
Factors leading to Economic Success	95	(4)
Conclusions: Critical Issues and New Perspectives	99	(24)
Introduction	99	(1)
Niches	100	(1)
Protected Market Hypothesis	100	(1)
Disadvantage Theory	101	(1)
Cultural Theory	102	(1)
Individual Characteristics	103	(1)
Business Characteristics	104	(1)
Network Structure	105	(1)
Incubators	105	(1)
Economic Success of Women Business Owners	106	(1)
Critical Issues for Women Business Owners	106	(2)
Contribution to Literature	108	(3)
The State of Women Entrepreneurs in the United States	111	(1)
The State of Women Entrepreneurs in the Global Marketplace	112	(1)
Limitations of Study	113	(1)
Future Perspectives and Research	114	(4)
Oligopolistic Discrimination: A New Theory on Women and Minority Business Ownership	118	(2)
Conclusion	120	(3)
Appendixes	123	(12)
Appendix A: Initial Letter to Potential Participants	123	(1)
Appendix B: Cover Letter to Participants/ Consent Form	124	(1)
Appendix C: Questionnaire	125	(9)
Appendix D: Interview Questions	134	(1)
Selected Bibliography	135	(16)
Subject Index	151	(8)
About The Author	159