ABSTRACT
Maintaining a strong focus on the interdependent role of minority ethnic groups and their ethnic networks on the development of ethnic entrepreneurship (hence ethnic marketing practice), the discussion explores growth of ethnic minority business through expansion to alternative markets, whether minority, mainstream, international, transnational or even global.
Dependence on social and ethnic networks can be fundamental in the uptake of expansion opportunities. Discussion of the interactive model, social embeddedness and mixed embeddedness theories recognize that ethnic entrepreneurs and their co-ethnic groups are enveloped in the wider environment determined by government regulation of markets. Different markets may involve distinct environments.
Beyond important implications for ethnic marketing practice, when making the business decision to extend operations to different markets one needs to be cognizant of potential challenges arising from a lack of access to those market’s networks, as well as to be assured that it has appropriate sets of skills and competencies for each market, a requirement that can be a major inhibitor to the uptake of potential expansion opportunities. That is, the strengths that justify successful performance in the co-ethnic market can become weaknesses when attempting to break out from that market.
