Determinants of Minority Business Formation and Survival: An Empirical Assessment
通过问卷调查少数族裔企业家，分析影响企业形成、成长和生存的因素，并探讨这些因素与企业存活率的关系，为立法者和行政人员制定援助政策提供依据。
Much has been written during the last two decades about the problems of minority small businesses. Within this growing literature a consensus is emerging that minority entrepreneurs face greater risks of failure and lower chances of success than other entrepreneurs, and that public assistance is necessary to ensure their continued participation in business. Two main arguments support this viewpoint. First, because the clientele of most minority businesses is primarily minorities, continued viability of these businesses is crucial to the economic development of some minority communities. Second, a healthy minority business sector is socially desirable for the nation. The purpose of this article is (1) to examine the factors associated with the formation, growth, and survival of minority businesses and (2) to explore the link between these developmental factors and the survival rate of minority firms. Such information should assist legislators and administrators in determining the types of assistance that should be given to minority business, the timing of that assistance, and the individuals or firms that should receive it. RESEARCH DESIGN The Sample Data for this study were obtained through a mail questionnaire administered to a random sample of minority entrepreneurs. The then current directory of minority businesses published by the U.S. Department of Commerce was used as the sampling frame. This directory contained the names and addresses of more than forty thousand registered minority businesses throughout the United States. A stratified random sampling plan based on ethnic classification was used to select a proportionate number of minority firms from each broadly defined racial or ethnic group (viz., Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and others). A questionnaire addressed to the Chief Executive was mailed to each firm in this sample. As a means of inducing participation in the study, a cover letter from Parren Mitchel, a black ex-Congressman and former Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, was enclosed. Additionally, respondents were promised a copy of the study results. The Questionnaire The questionnaire was designed to collect several different types of information relating to minority business formation and growth or survival rates. In the first section, general information was sought concerning the operations of the firm, including date of registration, number of product lines, sales for the past five years, and ethnic and institutional characteristics of customers and vendors. In the second part, respondents were asked to evaluate market opportunities in high-technology and other highgrowth industries. They were also asked to evaluate public assistance programs for minorities and their relevance to minority business survival and growth. A five-point scale (with descriptive anchors) was employed for evaluation purposes, with the possible ratings ranging from 5 for very to 1 for least important. The third part of the questionnarire elicited personal information about the respondents, including position or title, years of experience in current position and industry, formal educational background, and the perceived importance of selected factors on the decision to start a business. The last-mentioned piece of information was elicited on a Eve-point scale ranging from 5 for very important to 1 for of no influence at all. A more detailed discussion of the instrument and data collection is provided in a separate report by the authors. Data Collection Data collection occurred during the fall of 1985 and winter of 1985-86. Because of budgetary constraints, the target (gross) sample was limited to one thousand individuals. Of the thousand questionnaires mailed, 380 did not reach the intended respondent because of recent address changes without forwarding addresses, thus reducing the effective or net sample to 620. …