Title: Characteristics and business profiles of immigrant-owned small firms: the case of African immigrant entrepreneurs in Greece

Authors: Daphne Halkias, Chinedum Nwajiuba, Nicholas Harkiolakis, Garry Clayton, Patrick Dimitris Akrivos, Sylva Caracatsanis

Addresses: Hellenic American University, 12 Kaplanon Street, Athens 10680, Greece. ' Imo State University, P.M.B. 2000, Owerri, Nigeria. ' Hellenic American University, 12 Kaplanon Street, Athens 10680, Greece. ' Charlton College of Business at Cape Cod, University of Massachusetts, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA. ' Hellenic American University, 12 Kaplanon Street, Athens 10680, Greece. ' Hellenic American University, 12 Kaplanon Street, Athens 10680, Greece.

Abstract: Research cites that immigrant businesses are closely intertwined with national interest in community, economic and social development. In addition, national economic and social science research, and statistics reflect that immigrant entrepreneurship in Greece has a direct economic impact on the local economies and provides a springboard for successful immigrant social integration into the host society. The second article of a dynamic five-year project to research and promote the unique entrepreneurial and self-employment spirit brought by immigrants and refugees to Greece, the purpose of the current research is threefold: (1) to determine characteristics and business profiles of small firms owned and operated by African immigrant entrepreneurs in Athens, Greece, (2) to view ethnic enterprise as a means of socio-cultural integration in the host society, aiming to reveal rich and varied forms of economic self-organisation and (3) based on the results of this preliminary study, recommendations are made for developing a follow-up three-year longitudinal study of African immigrant businesses in Athens.

Keywords: African immigrants; immigration; small firms; business innovation; ethnic entrepreneurship; Greece; small business; self employment; local economies; Athens; refugees; socio-cultural integration; economic development; immigrant businesses.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2009.027104

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2009 Vol.3 No.4, pp.382 - 401

Published online: 15 Jul 2009 *

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