Push and pull factors and Hispanic self-employment in the USA

Monica Fisher () and Paul Lewin
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Monica Fisher: University of Idaho

Small Business Economics, 2018, vol. 51, issue 4, No 13, 1055-1070

Abstract: Abstract This study examines the main push and pull factors driving Hispanic self-employment in the USA by modeling the self-employment decision as a function of sectoral earnings differences, country of origin, and other factors. Findings indicate that a main reason Hispanics engage in self-employment is they can earn more working for themselves than in wage/salary work. Immigrants appear to be pushed into self-employment as a result of limited opportunities in the wage work sector. Although low relative earnings in wage/salary work could push workers with limited English proficiency into self-employment, our findings indicate barriers to this. Results suggest that workers pulled into self-employment are those with more work experience and a college degree. Workers who originate from Southern South America and Colombia have relatively high self-employment rates, while Mexico-origin workers have relatively low self-employment rates. We also uncover differences across Hispanic origin groups in terms of the influence of gender, education, and personal wealth on self-employment participation.

Keywords: Culture; Discrimination; Entrepreneurship; Hispanic/Latino; Immigrant workers; Self-employment; J71; L26; J15; J61; Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1007/s11187-018-9987-6

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