ETHNIC ENTREPRENEURS are making their mark on the Irish business map. More than 12 per cent of foreign nationals living here claim ownership or part-ownership of a business, a report has found.
These enterprises are largely involved in importing and exporting goods to and from the owner's native country, and are predominantly based in locally traded services sectors.
The survey of more than 1,100 people from immigrant backgrounds, conducted by researchers at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), found that these individuals are 1.5 times more likely to be involved in their own business than an Irish person.
However, many of the enterprises, which are largely in their infancy and aimed at small communities, are facing a challenging future with the difficulties brought about by the credit crunch.
In spite of these challenges, the co-author of the report, Mapping Ethnic Entrepreneurship in Ireland, believes that, with the right advice and some State support, many of these businesses could survive and contribute to a wider community on both economic and social levels.
"Fostering enhanced linkages between Irish business representative bodies and the ethnic business communities could be a massive help," Dr Thomas Cooney of the DIT Institute for Minority Entrepreneurship said.
"Enterprise agencies are willing to support people who come to Ireland looking to set up a business, but in many countries they don't have this level of support, so many of these people are unaware these aids exist.
"Representative organisations like Isme or Chambers Ireland could help if they had a special interest group for ethnic entrepreneurs and Irish people with an interest, which would encourage more people to become involved."
Dr Cooney said making these businesses more appealing to people from outside the particular ethnic community's members would be a relatively simple exercise, which would help to promote inclusion, and increase turnover and employment.
Many such businesses employ fewer than five people, and more than 60 per cent have a turnover of €50,000 or less.
"This is a simple marketing and promotional activity. Shop fronts aimed at ethnic people do not entice Irish shoppers to come in. Having food stores with tasting sessions, for example, would be a great way of getting people in to try things out."
Dr Cooney was speaking ahead of a conference titled Growing Ethnic Businesses in Ireland, which takes place in DIT on Aungier Street tomorrow.
Further information is available from www.ime.ie.
