Socio-cultural factors, ethnic minority entrepreneurial orientation and firm growth: A comparative study of Turkish and Chinese small firms in the UK

This project aims to understand how the entrepreneur's socio-cultural background influences a firm's entrepreneurial orientation which in turn influences firm growth with reference to both Turkish and Chinese small firms in London, operating in a variety of sectors including manufacturing, retailing, and catering. The project will use both qualitative and quantitative data collected through structured interviews with 250 Turkish and Chinese entrepreneurs/managers in different boroughs of London. The project will provide a comprehensive and detailed analysis of which socio-cultural attributes may facilitate or inhibit ethnic minority entrepreneurship in the process of firm growth and survival in different industries. It will provide recommendations to ethnic minority firms on how to gain a competitive edge and sustain it during both the start-up and break-out stages of business development. This project will also promote knowledge and expertise and bring the community representatives and the ethnic minority entrepreneurs together to deepen ethnic minority entrepreneurs' knowledge and expertise in business development. In addition, the findings may be adopted by the government to effectively target and support firms with growth potential as well as develop training programmes according to the needs of ethnic minority firms.