Embeddedness in the startup and growth of black women entrepreneurs in the West Midlands (UK)

Black women-owned businesses exhibit one of the highest rates of start-up activity, yet they also face the highest rates of failure. Despite this, there is a notable scarcity of research specifically addressing the entrepreneurial activities of black women. Existing literature predominantly focuses on women entrepreneurship and ethnic minority entrepreneurship, often overlooking the unique challenges encountered by black women in establishing and scaling their businesses. It is crucial to examine this demographic to uncover the multifaceted barriers they face throughout their entrepreneurial journey and to explore potential strategies for overcoming these obstacles. This research aims to investigate the role of embeddedness in accessing essential resources for business growth, while also highlighting the lived experiences of black women entrepreneurs. To achieve this aim, the research employs a mixed methodology, using both secondary data from the Longitudinal Small Business Survey (LSBS) and semi-structured in-depth interviews with 24 black women entrepreneurs operating their businesses in the West Midlands. This study also draws on institutional theory to explore their experiences and mixed embeddedness theory to illustrate the significance of embeddedness in overcoming barriers and accessing growth resources. The data indicates that factors influencing startup and growth of these businesses are both internal and external. Additionally, black women entrepreneurs continue to face institutional barriers rooted in historical contexts, which impede the growth of their entrepreneurial activities. On the other hand, the data indicates that embeddedness facilitates access to valuable resources, including up-to-date information, free training opportunities, financial support, mentorship programs, increased visibility, cost reduction and expand market share through referrals. This research advances theory by applying mixed embeddedness frameworks, including a new technological dimension to explain black women’s entrepreneurship. It highlights how structural and cultural factors shape their ventures and reveals internal and external barriers to growth, including limited community support and cultural perceptions within the black community.

Citation

Ebot, B.T. (2025) Embeddedness in the startup and growth of black women entrepreneurs in the West Midlands (UK). University of Wolverhampton. https://wlv.openrepository.com/handle/2436/626143

Publisher

University of Wolverhampton

URI

https://wlv.openrepository.com/handle/2436/626143

Type

Thesis or dissertation

Language

en

Description

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Collections

Theses and Dissertations