Characteristics and Business Profiles of Immigrant-Owned Small Firms: The Case of African Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Greece

Abstract

Greece has experienced rapid growth in immigrant and refugee populations since 1990. Many African immigrants arriving in Greece
started small businesses in their quest to become economically self-sufficient, serve the consumer needs of fellow newcomers, and integrate
into culture and society of the host country. Research cites that immigrant businesses are closely intertwined with national interest in
community economic and social development. As well, national economic and social science research and statistics have reflected that
immigrant entrepreneurship in Greece has a direct economic impact on the local economies and also provides a springboard for successful
immigrant social integration into the host society. Finally, research in the area of immigrant small business development must also address
reasons that the immigrant small business entrepreneur gravitates to self-employment and innovative financing methods. The purpose of this
research is three-fold: 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 results of this preliminary study, recommendations are made for developing
a follow-up three year longitudinal study of African immigrant businesses in Athens. With the results of this four-year study,
recommendations will be made to government and private-sector agencies in OECD countries for policy formulation to support and
encourage 1) sustainable small-scale economic development activities by African immigrants and determine ways to integrate these small
businesses into existing urban economic development projects and strategies, and 2) social policy addressing issues of immigrant social
exclusion and successful community integration.
This is the second paper of a dynamic five-year project to research and promote the unique entrepreneurial and self-employment spirit
brought by immigrants and refugees to Greece.