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Ethnic Entrepreneurship Among Indian Women in New Zealand: A Bittersweet Process
Author(s) -
Pio Edwina
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
gender, work and organization
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.159
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1468-0432
pISSN - 0968-6673
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0432.2007.00358.x
Subject(s) - ethnic group , entrepreneurship , underemployment , immigration , customer base , context (archaeology) , government (linguistics) , sociology , qualitative research , feeling , small business , gender studies , political science , economic growth , public relations , business , marketing , psychology , social psychology , unemployment , economics , social science , geography , linguistics , philosophy , archaeology , anthropology , law
This research article explores the lived‐in and lived‐through experiences of Indian women entrepreneurs in New Zealand in the context of ethnic entrepreneurship. Through a four‐stage model emerging from qualitative interviews, the article illuminates the bittersweet entrepreneurial process of ethnic minority migrant women. The four stages are: the low permeability for entry into the job market for ethnic minority migrant women; underemployment; setting up a micro‐enterprise and expanding the business and creating employment for others, primarily co‐ethnics as well as an expanding customer base. A combination of factors ranging from perceived discrimination, low self esteem and feelings of being devalued, to ethnic networks and lack of access/knowledge of government resources and the entry of women from Indian business families feed into each of the four stages of this model. The article offers an analysis of minority voices, along with implications for future research.