Phenomenological Study on the Underrepresentation of Entrepreneurial African American Male Small Business Owners in Houston, TX
Loading...
Files
Authors
King, Freddie
Issue Date
2026-02
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Business, Engineering, Science, & Technological Innovation , Workforce Development Needs & Industry Alignment , African American entrepreneurship , phenomenological study , Houston small business
Alternative Title
Abstract
This qualitative phenomenological study examined the underrepresentation of African American male entrepreneurial small business owners in Houston, Texas, within a diverse urban entrepreneurial ecosystem. The problem addressed was the disparity between population representation and business ownership, which limits economic participation, wealth creation, and equitable access to entrepreneurship. The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of African American male entrepreneurs to understand how cultural influences, business practices, resource access, and systemic conditions shaped entrepreneurial engagement and to inform culturally responsive entrepreneurship support models, equitable capital access strategies, and inclusive ecosystem policies aimed at increasing participation and sustainability among underrepresented entrepreneurs. The guiding framework integrated anthropological, contemporary, minority, and resource-based perspectives on entrepreneurship to examine identity, historical context, and resource dynamics. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively selected African American male business owners in Houston. Open-ended questions aligned with four research questions addressing cultural traditions, adaptive strategies, socioeconomic constraints, and minority-specific barriers. Data analysis followed a modified phenomenological approach using horizontalization, identification of invariant themes, and synthesis of shared experiential descriptions. Results indicated that entrepreneurial participation was shaped by cultural resilience, adaptive strategies, structural barriers, and unequal access to financial and social resources. Participants described leveraging networks and innovation to navigate systemic constraints, including funding barriers and fragmented support systems. Findings suggested that underrepresentation was primarily linked to structural and environmental conditions rather than individual capability and demonstrated how culturally embedded strategies interact with systemic constraints to shape entrepreneurial participation. Conclusions indicate that strengthening culturally responsive entrepreneurial ecosystems and expanding equitable access to capital may enhance participation and sustainability; future research is recommended to examine evolving entrepreneurial pathways longitudinally.