Comparative notes on the context of reception and immigrant entrepreneurship in new york city, washington, dc, el paso, barcelona, and paris

Abstract

The chapter provides a comparison of immigrant businesses in different cities in the United States and Europe. The chapter draws from several projects conducted by the author. It compares small ethnic businesses in various neighborhoods in order to discuss general patterns and specific arrangements between immigrants and the rate and type of ventures that they start. This chapter shows how the way that different city governments and civil society receive and treat immigrants impacts their entrepreneurial behavior. One should be careful when generalizing about the innate business ability or the propensity of a particular race or ethnicity to engage in commerce or entrepreneurship. It also shows how often storefronts do not necessarily map with the majority of people living in a street or neighborhood.