Beyond Rugged Individualism?: Exploring the Resilience of Black Entrepreneurs to Chronic Racism

Abstract

This study investigates how the resilience process unfolds for Black entrepreneurs in the context of chronic racism, employing a novel qualitative approach that combines Group Model Building (GMB) and semi-structured interviews with 49 Black entrepreneurs. Drawing on the socio-ecological theory of resilience and leveraging Critical Race Theory (CRT), the research finds that resilience, shaped by the persistent nature of racism, requires ongoing adaptation rather than a return to a pre-adversity state. This continuous adaptation can lead to the depletion of coping resources. The study also illustrates how internal and external coping mechanisms interact, showing that over-reliance on internal coping mechanisms arises due to insufficient institutional and social support. Our research contributes to the literature on Black entrepreneurship, resilience, and race in entrepreneurship, while offering a comprehensive policy approach to both support and empower Black entrepreneurs. We advocate for decolonizing research practices that not only study but actively benefit the communities involved, fostering engaged and transformative scholarship.