The Value of Self-Employment to Ethnic Minorities

Malcolm Brynin, Mohammed Karim () and Wouter Zwysen
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Malcolm Brynin: University of Essex, UK
Wouter Zwysen: University of Essex, UK

Work, Employment & Society, 2019, vol. 33, issue 5, 846-864

Abstract: It is sometimes argued that ethnic minorities have a cultural predisposition towards self-employment. However, this is generally not the preferred option for minority groups. We argue that ethnic minorities face a double risk in deciding between employment and self-employment. While their chances in employment leave them exposed to greater risk than the majority group, self-employment, which is inherently risky for all workers, adds to their general risk environment. We demonstrate a negative underpinning to their self-employed activity, showing that minority groups in the UK earn less in self-employment relative to the white British majority, work longer hours, and have lower job satisfaction. They also leave self-employment sooner to take up a job as an employee and use resources such as higher education to stand a better chance in employment.

Keywords: education; ethnicity; income; self-employment; UK (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:woemps:v:33:y:2019:i:5:p:846-864

DOI: 10.1177/0950017019855232

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