A RESOURCE-BASED APPROACH TO ETHNIC BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP - A CONSIDERATION OF ISMAILI-PAKISTANI IMMIGRANTS

This article analyzes the phenomenon of ethnic entrepreneurship using a resource-based approach focusing on community sponsorship as a susta ined competitive advantage. The primary research questions are whether there is a distinct ethnic business creation process in which sponsor ship plays a significant role and whether there are lessons to be lear ned about a more general process of business creation and growth. Usin g a framework consisting of the components of sustained competitive ad vantage, an analysis is shown of the business creation process for bot h ethnic communities in general as well as for a particular ethnic com munity in the Southwest. The importance of providing labor, capital, a nd business advice through ethnic networks is considered. The difficul ties of generalizing the competitive advantages of the ethnic communit y to businesses outside a community are discussed.