Title: Entrepreneurship in ethnic groups: the case of the multicultural city of Thessaloniki, Greece

Authors: Panagiotis Piperopoulos, Theodor Ikonomu

Addresses: Department of Marketing and Operations Management, University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia Street, 540 06 Thessaloniki, Greece. ' Department of Economics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 206, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: The present research concentrates on the areas of ethnic groups and entrepreneurship. Following a short outline of theoretical aspects of the concepts of entrepreneurship and ethnicity, this paper presents preliminary empirical data from an ongoing qualitative research in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. The initial findings of this research point to the fact that entrepreneurs were influenced in their majority by negative |push| factors towards self-employment. They made use of extensive networks of identity, family and community resources to acquire business information and inside knowledge of market opportunities and have a strong family aspiration; family participation and support is clearly evident in almost all cases.

Keywords: entrepreneurship; ethnic groups; ethnic business; self-employment; Thessaloniki; Greece; ethnic entrepreneurs; globalisation; ethnic networks; family support.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2007.014435

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2007 Vol.1 No.2, pp.272 - 292

Published online: 08 Jul 2007 *

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