African-American Business Ownership: Strength In Numbers, But Where?

Abstract

Federal and state governments have seen fit to create enterprise and empowerment zones which benefit community redevelopment. Are these areas good for minority businesses? Data from Broward County, Florida show that African-American owned businesses tend to be in ethnic communities. They also tend to be in enterprise zones moreso than the other groups, and less likely than women-owned businesses to be in industry clusters. The findings, if replicated in other diverse urban communities, have implications for potential minority business owners. Future research should address whether the differences in location patterns are related to business success.