Korean Immigrant Entrepreneurs : Networks and Ethnic Resources (Garland Studies in Entrepreneurship)

This book examines the advantages and disadvantages of Korean immigrant entrepreneurs in the mainstream labor market. Immigrants to the U.S. have historically pursued entrepreneurship as a means of achieving economic affluence. Among immigrants since the 1965 Immigration Amendment Act, Koreans have one of the highest rates of entrepreneurship. This study investigates various structural elements, including enclave and non-enclave economies, to uncover interconnections with personal advantages such as capacities for resource mobilization through networks and human capital utilized to establish businesses. The results show that networks are the most prominent resources that Korean immigrants use for business establishment. However, networks are divided into two elements: family and social. The examination of both types of networks shows how they operate differently and generate different intrinsic to business establishment. Although previous studies have recognized the economic advantages of immigrants with higher educational backgrounds, this study further demonstrates how higher human capital is utilized through network establishment to benefit business establishment. Also, counter to traditional belief, it is found that ethnic resources are not especially crucial resources for starting a business, but are useful after businesses are established. Yoo (sociology, U. of Georgia) interviewed people in depth in the Atlanta region for what seems to be her Ph.D. dissertation. She explores the relationship between networks and class resources as determined by educational background, the distinctions between social networks and family networks, the utilization of both kinds of networks by Korean immigrants to establish businesses, the factors that split Korean entrepreneurs into two economic niches inside and outside the enclave, and the utilization of ethnic resources. She Finds that people tend to use family networks to do business within the Korean community, and social networks to do business in the larger market, where higher returns are possible. First Published in 1999. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company