Title: Entrepreneurship and neighbourhood among African Americans in Cleveland, Ohio

Authors: David H. Kaplan, Bessie House-Soremekun

Addresses: Department of Geography, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, USA. ' Department of Political Science, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA

Abstract: While African Americans in the USA have been eager to start businesses, the neighbourhood context can work against business success. In this paper, black businesses in the Cleveland metropolitan area are compared with the racial, social, and crime characteristics of the neighbourhoods within which they are located. Results indicate that black businesses are found in neighbourhoods that experience higher levels of violent crime. Such businesses are more likely to experience burglary and to have a stronger perception of crime. This research underscores some of the difficulties experienced by minority businesses and identifies potential areas of vulnerability.

Keywords: African American businesses; neighbourhood context; ethnic economy; racial characteristics; social characteristics; crime characteristics; black businesses; entrepreneurship; Cleveland; USA; United States; violent crime; minority businesses; vulnerability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2009.023498

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2009 Vol.3 No.3, pp.256 - 270

Published online: 25 Feb 2009 *

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