African American Women & Entrepreneurship Research Study: Are African American Women Entrepreneurs Over-Invested In the Service Sector
A recent online survey was conducted as part of a doctoral dissertation research study of African American Women & Entrepreneurship and their thoughts and opinions to if there is an over-investment of African-American women business owners in the Service sector when compared to other business sectors.
Arlington, TX (PRWEB) December 23, 2005
Arlington, TX - (PRWEB)- December 23, 2005 – Dr. Tamara Johnson, PhD, the founder and owner of Proverbs Consulting recently completed a research project as part of academic requirements for a doctorate in Business Administration from Kennedy Western University. Dr. Johnson's dissertation topic was African-American Women & Entrepreneurship: Are African American Women Over-Invested In the Service Sector.
The research included an online survey that was conducted between April and August 2005, that targeted 2,494 African-American women small business owners from across the United States. The research study was designed to obtain feedback, attitudes and opinions towards small-business ownership and their thoughts of the future for African-American Women small-business ownership.
Some of the key findings of the research indicate that 44% of the African American women business owners who participated in the online survey have advanced educational levels (MBA, MPA, PhD). 72% of the participants indicated that the greatest influence in their decision to start their business was that they, “wanted more control over their own destiny.” More than two-thirds (67.4%) of the survey participants had five employees or less.
As business diversification and expansion are key issues for African American women entrepreneurs, the survey inquired to what industries did they expect to see the most significant business increases, respondents indicated Business Services (80%), Computer & Data Processing Services (54.6%), Real Estate (51.4%) and Engineering & Management Services (42.7%) as the top four areas the respondents expected business opportunity increases.
The findings of this research indicate that the survey participants in this research clearly point out that they do not feel there is an over-investment of African American women business owners in the Service sector even though the most current literature reflects that there is a significant percentage of African American women business owners with in the Service sector industry when compared to other industries. The research findings also reflect that survey participants are clear in their suggestions and opinions to why the current research data reflects an over-investment in the Service sector has occurred as related to the overall workplace and business challenges that many minority entrepreneurs face as they attempt to access capital, financing, resources, and the societal, governmental and political obstacles that they incur as they pursue entrepreneurialism.
The final conclusions of this research indicated that the 256 survey respondents who participated in this study, do not feel there is an over-investment of African American business women in the Service sector. Thus, proving that additional research and reporting must be conducted in the area of African American women entrepreneurship—who they are, what businesses are they in, and how do they intend to further expand their business efforts are a few of the key areas of opportunity for additional research and study. Results of the online survey are available at http://www. surveymonkey. com/Report. asp? U=97225392585 (http://www. surveymonkey. com/Report. asp? U=97225392585).
The Abstract and Data Analysis of the study, African American Women & Entrepreneurship: Are African American Women Over-Invested In the Service Sector, is available for download as an Adobe PDF file from Proverbs Consulting for $100. For further information, contact – Dr. Tamara Johnson, Proverbs Consulting at info@proverbsconsulting. com or at the website, http://proverbsconsulting. com (http://proverbsconsulting. com) or by calling 817-466-1456.
About Proverbs Consulting
Arlington, TX based Proverbs Consulting offers a diversity of professional business consulting strategies and services to small-business owners, faith-based and non-profit organizations. Dr. Tamara Johnson, PhD, is the founder and owner of Proverbs Consulting has a BS in Health Care Administration and a Masters of Public Administration both from Wichita State University.
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