Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Competition of cooperation? "Somalinomics" in the UK

Carlson, Benny LU and Galvao Andersson, Gabriela (2017) In MIM Working Paper Series 17(9).
Abstract
The purpose of this article is (a) to review scholarly literature on entrepreneurship among Somalis in the United Kingdom and (b) through a field survey among Somali entrepreneurs in the UK assess if the prevailing image – derived from (a) – is valid or if some additional observations may alter the picture. Step (b) is accomplished through interviews with 36 Somalia-born entrepreneurs, most of them secondary migrants from other European countries and currently living in Birmingham, Leicester and London, about their lives and businesses. The results indicate that the prevailing image holds true in most respects. However, the view of Somali entrepreneurs as victims of intense competition should be modified. Many shopkeepers selling similar... (More)
The purpose of this article is (a) to review scholarly literature on entrepreneurship among Somalis in the United Kingdom and (b) through a field survey among Somali entrepreneurs in the UK assess if the prevailing image – derived from (a) – is valid or if some additional observations may alter the picture. Step (b) is accomplished through interviews with 36 Somalia-born entrepreneurs, most of them secondary migrants from other European countries and currently living in Birmingham, Leicester and London, about their lives and businesses. The results indicate that the prevailing image holds true in most respects. However, the view of Somali entrepreneurs as victims of intense competition should be modified. Many shopkeepers selling similar goods cooperate and reap advantages from sharing information and costs. Also, Somali entrepreneurship should be judged not only by its economic but also by its social achievements. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Working paper/Preprint
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Somali entrepreneurship, UK, field study, competition, cooperation
in
MIM Working Paper Series
volume
17
issue
9
pages
17 pages
publisher
Malmö Institute for Studies of Migration, Diversity and Welfare (MIM)
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
56dee30e-a14a-462c-b7fc-4c2915c342b6
alternative location
https://www.mah.se/upload/Forskningscentrum/MIM/Publications/WPS%202017.9%20Benny%20Carlsson%20and%20Gabriela%20Galvao%20Andersson%20.pdf
date added to LUP
2017-11-29 16:09:55
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:36:20
@misc{56dee30e-a14a-462c-b7fc-4c2915c342b6,
  abstract     = {{The purpose of this article is (a) to review scholarly literature on entrepreneurship among Somalis in the United Kingdom and (b) through a field survey among Somali entrepreneurs in the UK assess if the prevailing image – derived from (a) – is valid or if some additional observations may alter the picture. Step (b) is accomplished through interviews with 36 Somalia-born entrepreneurs, most of them secondary migrants from other European countries and currently living in Birmingham, Leicester and London, about their lives and businesses. The results indicate that the prevailing image holds true in most respects. However, the view of Somali entrepreneurs as victims of intense competition should be modified. Many shopkeepers selling similar goods cooperate and reap advantages from sharing information and costs. Also, Somali entrepreneurship should be judged not only by its economic but also by its social achievements.}},
  author       = {{Carlson, Benny and Galvao Andersson, Gabriela}},
  keywords     = {{Somali entrepreneurship; UK; field study; competition; cooperation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Working Paper}},
  number       = {{9}},
  publisher    = {{Malmö Institute for Studies of Migration, Diversity and Welfare (MIM)}},
  series       = {{MIM Working Paper Series}},
  title        = {{Competition of cooperation? "Somalinomics" in the UK}},
  url          = {{https://www.mah.se/upload/Forskningscentrum/MIM/Publications/WPS%202017.9%20Benny%20Carlsson%20and%20Gabriela%20Galvao%20Andersson%20.pdf}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}