Abstract

The data on the characteristics of the small business(2001) reports that there are approximately 264,700 small businesses in Queensland and women comprise 96,400 of these operators. There is anecdotal evidence of ethnic women being engaged in small business in a range of operations including food, tourism and retail. They contribute significantly to the economy through their business operations and make use of their cultural skills to promote their business whether it is in restaurants or in clothing. The Commonwealth and State Governments have introduced the notion of “productive diversity” which is concerned with capitalising on the cultural assets of our nation to promote economic growth- through a diverse workforce, niche markets, specialist small business and exporting. This paper is based on a research project aiming at identifying the diversity of the businesses managed by women from diverse cultural backgrounds. It will also outline and identify the barriers and challenges experienced by migrant women in particular the presence of racism and its negative impacts.