3 - Senegalese Entrepreneurs in the USA and Managerial Decision making: A pilot study
Corresponding Author(s) : Bassirou Tidjani
Africa Development,
Vol. 32 No. 2 (2007): Africa Development
Abstract
The paper looks at the conditions that influence how Senegalese entrepreneurs create and manage their businesses in the US while acquiring income in order to maintain and improve their social status in Senegal. The study uses the grounded theory to look at three cases in the city of Cincinnati. The study found that the creation of small businesses by Senegalese is the result of a process centred on the search for resources and the definition and protection of their business undertakings. This process is characterised by variations which depend on several conditions: owners’ social profile, their management of the Senegalese community as a key stakeholder, their individual perception of the relation be- tween religion and business, their personal understanding of the US reality, and their rejection or acceptance of the African system. This study concludes that Senegalese business owners approach doing business differently, even though they share the same basic culture and the same objective as their fellow mi- grants, which is to return home with an improved social status. However, given the methodology used (grounded theory), the sample and the pilot nature of the study, these conclusions cannot be generalised. The findings suggest that the study of immigrant businesses requires methodologies that are qualitative, in- terpretative and based on what business owners do and how they think.
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- Blumer, Herbert, 1986, Symbolic Interactionism Perspective and Method, Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Boissevain, Jeremy, et al., 1990, ‘Ethnic Entrepreneurs and Ethnic Strategies’, in R. Waldinger, H. Aldrich and R. Ward (eds) Ethnic Entrepreneurs Immigrant Business in Industrial Societies, London: Sage Publications, pp. 131-156.
- Bonacich, Edna, 1987, ‘Making It in America: A Social Evaluation of the Ethics of Immigrant Entrepreneurship’, Sociological Perspectives, Vol.30, 4, (Oct.): 446-466.
- Charon, M., 2001, Symbolic Interactionism An Introduction, An Interpretation, An Integration, Seventh edition, Prentice Hall.
- Granovetter, Mark, 1985, ‘Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness’, The American Journal of Sociology, Vol.91, 3, (Nov.): 481-510.
- Kamdem, Emmanuel, 2002, Management et Interculturalité en Afrique Expérience camerounaise, Les Presses de l’Université Laval, l’Harmattan.
- Kloosterman, Robert and Jan Rath, 2001, ‘Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Advanced Economies: Mixed Embeddedness Further Explored’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol.27, 2, (April): 189-201.
- Krogstad, Anne, 2004, ‘From Chop Suey to Sushi, Champagne, and VIP Lounge’, Social Analysis, Vol.48, 1, (Spring): 196-217.
- Light, Ivan, 2004, Immigration and Ethnic Economies in Giant Cities. Paris: UNESCO.
- Lee, Jennifer, 1999, ‘Retail Niche Domination among African American, Jewish, and Korean Entrepreneurs’, American Behavioral Scientist, Vol.42, 9, (June/ July): 1398-1416.
- Marger, Martin N., 2001, ‘The Use of Social and Human Capital among Canadian Business Immigrants’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol.27, 3,(July): 439-453.
- Mead, H. George, 1934, Mind, Self and Society from the Standpoint of a Social Behaviorist, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
- Nkakleu, Raphael, 2001, ‘Pour une approche contingente des PME au Cameroun. Contribution à la connaissance de l’identité des dirigeants et des modes de gestion du potentiel’. Thèse de Doctorat en Sciences de Gestion, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg Beta.
- Norderhaven, Niels and Tidjani, Bassirou, 2001, ‘Culture, Governance, and Economic Performance. An explorative study with a special focus on Africa’, International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, Vol. 1, No. 1.
- Portes, Alejandro and Sensenbrenner, Julia, 1993, ‘Embeddedness and Immigration: Notes on the Social Determinants of Economic Action’, The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 98, 6, (May): 1320-1350.
- Portes, Alejandro, 1987, ‘The Social Origins of the Cuban Enclave Economy of Miami’, Sociological Perspectives, Vol.30, 4, (Oct.): 340-372.
- Putz, Robert, 2002, ‘Culture and Entrepreneurship – Remarks on Transculturality as Practice’, Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Vol.94, 5: 554-563.
- Raijman, Rebecca and Tienda, Marta, 2003, ‘Ethnic Foundations of Economic Transactions: Mexican and Korean Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Chicago’, Ethnic and Racial Studies, Vol.26, 5, (Sep.): 783-801.
- Rath, Jan and Kloosterman, Robert, 2000, ‘Outsiders’ Business: A Critical Review of Research on Immigrant Entrepreneurship’, The International Migration Review, Vol.34, 3 (Fall): 657-681.
- Strauss, Anselm and Corbin, Juliet, 1990, Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques, Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications.
- Strauss, Anselm, 1987, Qualitative Analysis for Social Scientists, New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Tidjani, Bassirou, 1995a, ‘Management et Cultures Africaines: une problématique, plusieurs approches. Vers la construction d’une typologie’, Revue de Gestion des Ressources Humaines, N° 17, Nov., pp. 25-35.
- Tidjani, Bassirou, 1995b, ‘Approche Socio-culturelle de l’entreprise au Sénégal’, Africa Development/Afrique et Développement. Vol. XX, N° 3, pp. 89-104.
- Uneke, Okori, 1996, ‘Ethnicity and Small Business Ownership: Contrasts between Blacks and Chinese in Toronto’, Work, Employment and Society, Vol.10, 3, (Sep.): 529-548.
- Waldinger, Roger and Aldrich, Howard, 1990, ‘Trends in Ethnic Business in the United States’, in R. Waldinger, H. Aldrich and R. Ward (eds) Ethnic Entrepreneurs Immigrant Business in Industrial Societies, . Sage Publications. pp. 49-78.
- Waldinger, Roger, et al., 1990, ‘Opportunities, Group Characteristics, and Strategies’, in R. Waldinger, H. Aldrich and R. Ward (eds) Ethnic Entrepreneurs Immigrant Business in Industrial Societies, Ashgate: Sage Publications. pp. 13-48
- Waldinger, Roger et al., 1990, ‘Spatial Dimensions of Opportunity Structures’, in R. Waldinger, H. Aldrich and R. Ward (eds) Ethnic Entrepreneurs Immigrant Business in Industrial Societies, Ashgate: Sage Publications pp. 106-130.
References
Blumer, Herbert, 1986, Symbolic Interactionism Perspective and Method, Berkeley: University of California Press.
Boissevain, Jeremy, et al., 1990, ‘Ethnic Entrepreneurs and Ethnic Strategies’, in R. Waldinger, H. Aldrich and R. Ward (eds) Ethnic Entrepreneurs Immigrant Business in Industrial Societies, London: Sage Publications, pp. 131-156.
Bonacich, Edna, 1987, ‘Making It in America: A Social Evaluation of the Ethics of Immigrant Entrepreneurship’, Sociological Perspectives, Vol.30, 4, (Oct.): 446-466.
Charon, M., 2001, Symbolic Interactionism An Introduction, An Interpretation, An Integration, Seventh edition, Prentice Hall.
Granovetter, Mark, 1985, ‘Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness’, The American Journal of Sociology, Vol.91, 3, (Nov.): 481-510.
Kamdem, Emmanuel, 2002, Management et Interculturalité en Afrique Expérience camerounaise, Les Presses de l’Université Laval, l’Harmattan.
Kloosterman, Robert and Jan Rath, 2001, ‘Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Advanced Economies: Mixed Embeddedness Further Explored’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol.27, 2, (April): 189-201.
Krogstad, Anne, 2004, ‘From Chop Suey to Sushi, Champagne, and VIP Lounge’, Social Analysis, Vol.48, 1, (Spring): 196-217.
Light, Ivan, 2004, Immigration and Ethnic Economies in Giant Cities. Paris: UNESCO.
Lee, Jennifer, 1999, ‘Retail Niche Domination among African American, Jewish, and Korean Entrepreneurs’, American Behavioral Scientist, Vol.42, 9, (June/ July): 1398-1416.
Marger, Martin N., 2001, ‘The Use of Social and Human Capital among Canadian Business Immigrants’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol.27, 3,(July): 439-453.
Mead, H. George, 1934, Mind, Self and Society from the Standpoint of a Social Behaviorist, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Nkakleu, Raphael, 2001, ‘Pour une approche contingente des PME au Cameroun. Contribution à la connaissance de l’identité des dirigeants et des modes de gestion du potentiel’. Thèse de Doctorat en Sciences de Gestion, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg Beta.
Norderhaven, Niels and Tidjani, Bassirou, 2001, ‘Culture, Governance, and Economic Performance. An explorative study with a special focus on Africa’, International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, Vol. 1, No. 1.
Portes, Alejandro and Sensenbrenner, Julia, 1993, ‘Embeddedness and Immigration: Notes on the Social Determinants of Economic Action’, The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 98, 6, (May): 1320-1350.
Portes, Alejandro, 1987, ‘The Social Origins of the Cuban Enclave Economy of Miami’, Sociological Perspectives, Vol.30, 4, (Oct.): 340-372.
Putz, Robert, 2002, ‘Culture and Entrepreneurship – Remarks on Transculturality as Practice’, Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Vol.94, 5: 554-563.
Raijman, Rebecca and Tienda, Marta, 2003, ‘Ethnic Foundations of Economic Transactions: Mexican and Korean Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Chicago’, Ethnic and Racial Studies, Vol.26, 5, (Sep.): 783-801.
Rath, Jan and Kloosterman, Robert, 2000, ‘Outsiders’ Business: A Critical Review of Research on Immigrant Entrepreneurship’, The International Migration Review, Vol.34, 3 (Fall): 657-681.
Strauss, Anselm and Corbin, Juliet, 1990, Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques, Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications.
Strauss, Anselm, 1987, Qualitative Analysis for Social Scientists, New York: Cambridge University Press.
Tidjani, Bassirou, 1995a, ‘Management et Cultures Africaines: une problématique, plusieurs approches. Vers la construction d’une typologie’, Revue de Gestion des Ressources Humaines, N° 17, Nov., pp. 25-35.
Tidjani, Bassirou, 1995b, ‘Approche Socio-culturelle de l’entreprise au Sénégal’, Africa Development/Afrique et Développement. Vol. XX, N° 3, pp. 89-104.
Uneke, Okori, 1996, ‘Ethnicity and Small Business Ownership: Contrasts between Blacks and Chinese in Toronto’, Work, Employment and Society, Vol.10, 3, (Sep.): 529-548.
Waldinger, Roger and Aldrich, Howard, 1990, ‘Trends in Ethnic Business in the United States’, in R. Waldinger, H. Aldrich and R. Ward (eds) Ethnic Entrepreneurs Immigrant Business in Industrial Societies, . Sage Publications. pp. 49-78.
Waldinger, Roger, et al., 1990, ‘Opportunities, Group Characteristics, and Strategies’, in R. Waldinger, H. Aldrich and R. Ward (eds) Ethnic Entrepreneurs Immigrant Business in Industrial Societies, Ashgate: Sage Publications. pp. 13-48
Waldinger, Roger et al., 1990, ‘Spatial Dimensions of Opportunity Structures’, in R. Waldinger, H. Aldrich and R. Ward (eds) Ethnic Entrepreneurs Immigrant Business in Industrial Societies, Ashgate: Sage Publications pp. 106-130.