Class, Ethnicity, Gender and Latino Entrepreneurship

Verdaguer, currently working on a Fulbright grant, notes in her introduction that a panethnic view of Latinos obscures differences in ethnicity, social status, gender and education. In this study of small business owners in the Washington DC area from Peru and El Salvador, she uses surveys and interviews to differentiate the experiences of each group and of subsets within the groups. She chose these two nationalities because there are sizable concentrations of each in the survey area and because they represent very different backgrounds. Most of the Peruvians are from socially established families, educated and with financial resources. They tend to assimilate more quickly and do not form tight alliances with others from their country. The Salvadorans generally are poorer, less educated and with fewer resources for navigating the intricacies of business. They make up for the last with a strong solidarity within the group in which entrepreneurs are given financial and emotional support. Verdeguer contrasts the business methods by gender, as well. Her conclusions on male and female practices in operating a small business might well be applied in other cases. She concludes by suggesting methods for aiding in the success of these businesses, including bilingual credit unions and Spanish language classes in financial and business practices. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Maria Eugenia Verdaguer is Branch Chief for Fulbright Academic Exchanges across Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.