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Transnational family networks and ethnic minority business development: The case of Vietnamese nail-shops in the UK

This paper is based on research funded by the Nuffield Foundation and Business Link for London. The methodology involved interviews with eight nail (manicure)-shop owners, a former owner, and a supplier, as well as a Vietnamese business advisor and three key community informants. A grounded theory approach to analysis identified emergent themes.

This was one of the first studies of Vietnamese and transnational enterprises in the UK. It responded to policy interest in new refugee and migrant communities and the perceived potential for enterprise to offer a route out of social exclusion for such groups.

The research challenged the traditional “strong/weak” ties thesis (Granovetter, 1973) suggesting that in the context of groups from more collectivist societies and overseas family links, it is necessary to take account of the human and social capital resources of the extended family rather than just those of the individual entrepreneur. This provides a more nuanced understanding of networks, and how they can contribute to the development of more innovative business ideas and potentially assist entrepreneurs “break-out” from low value, highly competitive business sectors where ethnic minority businesses are often concentrated.

The paper was published in the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research and won the Emerald LiteratiNetwork 2009 Outstanding Paper Award.