Sources of enterprise success in Amish communities

Purpose – This research project aims to investigate Amish small businesses in North America to determine their success rate and the factors that explain their vitality. Amish entrepreneurs have developed some 10,000 small businesses despite taboos on motor vehicles, electricity, computers, the internet, and education. A theoretical model consisting of five types of sociocultural capital (human, cultural, social, religious, and symbolic) was conceptualized to explain and interpret the success of Amish enterprises. The model includes capital deficits that identify the hurdles that successful enterprises must overcome. Design/methodology/approach – The research employed qualitative ethnographic methods that included participant observation, facetoface interviews with business owners in eight states, and document analysis. Findings – The paper finds that Amish businesses have a success rate above 90 percent, which is much higher than that of other American small businesses. Five types of sociocultural capital (human, cultural, social, religious, and symbolic) account for the high success rate of Amish enterprises. Research limitations/implications – The qualitative methods do not permit quantitative analysis or tracking the performance of businesses over an extended period of time. Practical implications Understanding the importance of sociocultural capital assets and deficits for business success is critical for entrepreneurs, consultants, and scholars. Originality/value – The five concepts of sociocultural capital assets and deficits are a significant expansion of traditional social capital theory. These concepts offer a rich resource for understanding small business failure and success and merit inclusion in future research. Religious and symbolic capitals are especially pertinent for understanding enterprise building in religious and ethnic communities. © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limite

Amish enterprise: The collective power of ethnic entrepreneurship

This paper examines how Amish communities build and sustain enterprises that produce and/or sell goods to both ethnic and non-ethnic markets. Based on qualitative research including interviews with 161 Amish entrepreneurs in 23 communities in the USA, the authors develop a transformative model of ethnic community entrepreneurship. The analytical model conceptualises the dynamic interaction between three forces/agents - cultural constraints, cultural resources, entrepreneurs - and shows how they shape the character of small businesses, which, in turn, transform the ethnic community that conceived them. The results demonstrate how culture, community, and ethnic context mediate the nature, size, and function of ethnic enterprises.©2010 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd

Sources of enterprise success in Amish communities

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to disseminate the success of enterprise development activities initiated by a voluntary organization working in Kanyakumari District of India. Design/methodology/approach – The paper was prepared in discussion with rural artisans and staff of voluntary organization. Findings – It was found that the indigenous palm candy production gave better livelihood for the Nadar community whose prime occupation is harvesting of palm products. Even though the community was in the lowest ebb of the society, proper enterprise capacity building, value addition to palm product like palm candy, marketing and access to credit have paved way for the development of the community. The institutions promoted by Palmyrah Workers Development Society catered to the enterprise intervention of the community thereby increasing the income level of the families. Even though globalization is a threat for rural artisan products, the concept of green and fair trade is providing avenues for rural enterprise. Research limitations/implications – The study was restricted within a particular community and within a given geographical area. Practical implications – Even though palm candy is having good market at international market, quality control and eco-certification is a problem at field level. Originality/value – The paper illustrates how a backward community has developed enterprise skills and achieved better livelihood options.Business enterprise, Entrepreneurs, North America, Social capital