The contemporary business issues I would like to explore are
– Historical events ( Tulsa 1921, Rosewood, Florida 1923, Wilmington 1898) resulting in the demise of black success.
– Social inequality in the business work and workplace
– Bell hooks intersectionality race, gender, class and religion vs success
– CSR efforts stakeholder approach, feminism
– COVID and black loans
– Ability to survive and thrive
This dissertation is grounded with the breakdown of psychological and physical constraints which has been detrimental towards the success of black owned business, whilst analysing the barriers of success. Highlighting the discriminatory, and intersectionality as discussed by renowned author Bell Hooks would serve as a pillar in this dissertation as the topic aims to highlight social inequality in the working environment, corporate social responsibility, stakeholder approach and feminism. Moreover, whilst addressing contemporary unprecedented issues such as COVID, which has caused a global shift for every government; this in effect has ignited the over reliance for government lending initiatives and support. However, the intersectionality approach supports the notion of a lack of support and guidance for black owned business in comparison to Caucasian and other ethnic businesses.
Additionally, addressing the corporate social responsibility issues business owners and management could adopt to safeguard and facilitate the success of black workers and businesses. This could be addressing BAME numbers in higher management and initiatives to boost career prospects.
Moreover, I’ll be highlighting the correlation between education and success and how education isn’t accessible to majority of people in BAME nations. Additionally, addressing the impact of the exclusion of black students from the U.S higher education after the American Civil War (Anderson,2002).
Research Question/ Hypothesis
• This sets the direction of the research. The successful completion of the research and
write-up may well depend on the clarity of the stated questions/ hypothesis
Mental and physical reasons leading to black owned business demise?
Why it is harder to be more commercial in the business world as a black owned business?
Why mistakes are more costly as a black owned business?
Why black businesses fail at a higher rate than white, Hispanic and Asian businesses?
Structural, cultural and psychological reasons leading to business failure ?
How race, gender, class and religion contrast with business success?
Upon research, these are the surrounding questions emerging from factor relating to the success of black owned businesses. Taking an intersectional approach on the subject, the topic ranges in to race, gender, class and religion and how these forms of discrimination and injustice contrasts in relation to success.
Aims and Objectives
With consideration of the topic, the main objective we aim to achieve is researching the structural, cultural, psychological reasons detrimental to success and failure.
Sub-objectives:
To understand social inequality in relation to business
To demonstrate the historical and external factors inflicted on black owned business success
To explain how current issues, impact black loans and COVID rates /statistics)
To analyse the corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts using the stakeholder approach and feminism act
To explain the wider impacts on racism in business
To understand the difficulties of attaining board level membership as black woman / overcoming the barriers
To highlight the growth of black owned success
For my primary research I will be interviewing 10 people of diverse backgrounds, nationalities, class, gender, race and religion. The interviewees will have professions ranging from restaurant owners, drop shipping merchants, leather manufacture and investment bankers.
For my secondary research, I will be reviewing credible sources from newspapers such as The Guardian, Financial Times, daily mail, American Post. Additionally, I will be obtaining research from authors, academic journals and case studies.
The research constraints of my topic
– COVID 19 being a limitation under UK Second lockdown rules, flight limitations and reduced access and availability for research opportunities. Business operating from home, resulting in a lack of physical or emotional responses when interviewing.
– Busy period of the year, harder to schedule and organise interviews due to restricted availability