The role of enterprise in addressing the problems of deprived urban areas has been an area of emphasis within recent British urban policy. Yet the potential for such policies among increasingly diverse and often highly deprived populations remains poorly understood. This issue is particularly pertinent with respect to refugees where self-employment and enterprise creation is a route pursued by some, yet there remains limited understanding of the role and impact of enterprise within refugee communities and the constraints they face. Drawing upon original primary data, this paper presents findings related to the local impacts of refugee enterprises, the constraints refugees face in starting and running enterprises, and the adequacy of existing business support infrastructure to their needs. The paper concludes with a consideration of the challenges for the future development of business support policy and services for refugees.
This paper critically examines the increasing use of population diversity as a source of competitive advantage and distinctiveness within policies promoting urban economic development. Rising levels of population diversity are a characteristic feature of many urban areas and this has led to increased policy attempts to realise a so-called "diversity dividend". Yet much of this policy thinking demonstrates a restricted understanding of the nature of the relationships between diverse populations and urban economic change. Through a comprehensive review of existing theoretical and policy practice in relation to population diversity, this paper identifies an often narrow focus upon higher skilled and income populations and their needs within much urban economic policy thinking. It is argued that a more critical and wide-ranging approach to the complex relationship between population diversity and city development is required if a more just form of urban economic development is to be achieved.
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