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Ethnic entrepreneurship: the myths of informal and illegal enterprises in the UK

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  • Sanya Ojo
  • Sonny Nwankwo
  • Ayantunji Gbadamosi

Abstract

This study, based on lived experiences of a sample of Nigerian entrepreneurs in the UK, provides an insight into why ethnic minority entrepreneurs work and feel justified in working outside the formal/legal structures regulated by government. It contributes an understanding of ethnic entrepreneurship at the periphery or grey zones of the market economy. Thirty Nigerian entrepreneurs based in London were interviewed over a period of 3 months, and their responses analysed for characterization of their entrepreneurial activities. It was found that besides their regular involvements in 'off-the-book' illicit deals, the demarcation between formal and informal entrepreneurial activities is blurred and not easily navigable. Importantly, the study explanatorily exposes the inherent myths of informal/illegal space associated with the study and power of entrepreneurship as an analytical concept.

Suggested Citation

  • Sanya Ojo & Sonny Nwankwo & Ayantunji Gbadamosi, 2013. "Ethnic entrepreneurship: the myths of informal and illegal enterprises in the UK," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(7-8), pages 587-611, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:entreg:v:25:y:2013:i:7-8:p:587-611
    DOI: 10.1080/08985626.2013.814717
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Johnson, Simon & Kaufmann, Daniel & Zoido-Lobatón, Pablo, 1998. "Corruption, public finances and the unofficial economy," Sede de la CEPAL en Santiago (Estudios e Investigaciones) 34372, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    2. repec:ilo:ilowps:373470 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Cited by:

    1. Esther Salvi & Frank-Martin Belz & Sophie Bacq, 2023. "Informal Entrepreneurship: An Integrative Review and Future Research Agenda," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(2), pages 265-303, March.
    2. Eunice Maria M. N. Dos Santos & João J. Ferreira, 2017. "Analyzing Informal Entrepreneurship: A Bibliometric Survey," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(04), pages 1-20, December.
    3. Malcolm Brynin & Mohammed Shamsul Karim & Wouter Zwysen, 2019. "The Value of Self-Employment to Ethnic Minorities," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 33(5), pages 846-864, October.
    4. Serge Francis Simen, 2018. "Dynamique de l'entrepreneuriat informel au Sénégal : caractéristiques et particularités," Post-Print halshs-01782037, HAL.
    5. Barak-Bianco, Anda & Raijman, Rebeca, 2015. "Asylum seeker entrepreneurs in Israel," economic sociology. perspectives and conversations, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, vol. 16(2), pages 4-13.
    6. David J. Scheaf & Matthew S. Wood, 2022. "Entrepreneurial Fraud: A Multidisciplinary Review and Synthesized Framework," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(3), pages 607-642, May.
    7. Amanda Haarman & Marcus M. Larsen & Rebecca Namatovu, 2022. "Understanding the Firm in the Informal Economy: A Research Agenda," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(6), pages 3005-3025, December.
    8. Aki Harima, 2015. "Motivation of Japanese Descending Diaspora Entrepreneurs (Motywacja przedsiebiorcow diaspory japonskiej bedacych potomkami emigrantow)," Research Reports, University of Warsaw, Faculty of Management, vol. 2(19), pages 22-36.

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