Eric Fong

Question 1

What does Eric Fong write about?

Answer 1

the types and dynamics of immigrant businesses and how they are related to immigrant communities. He reviews the concepts of immigration and ethnic economy.

Question 2

According to Fong, why is there an important proportion of immigrant entrepreneurs ?

Answer 2

High proportion of immigrant entrepreneurs is based on the government selecting immigrants with business background.

Question 3

How does Fong define ethnic business ?

Answer 3

A business owned by ethnic employer and operated by co-ethnic employees. Most commonly the classification is based on ethnic onwership.

Question 4

According to Fong, what are common characteristics of ethnic businesses?

Answer 4

1) they cater to the need of co-ethnic members
2) usually small
3) finite number of customers

Question 5

According to Fong, should immigrants work in an ethnic enclave?

Answer 5

There is considerable debate about whether the earnings of individuals who participate in an ethnic enclave economy are higher or lower than if they had found work elsewhere. Some scholars argue that ethnic enclaves are beneficial to employers but not employees, and for males but not females.

Question 6

According to Fong, does Burgess’ process of succession/invasion in the concentric zone model apply to ethnic enclaves ?

Answer 6

NO: Burgess’s succession model appears to be less useful in describing the emergence of ethnic enclaves in contemporary multi-ethnic cities. A study of Koreans in Toronto revealed that they usually purchased businesses in an area from other non-majority immigrant groups, such as Greeks and Chinese