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The Role of the Diaspora in the Growth and Internationalisation of Caribbean Enterprises

The Role of the Diaspora in the Growth and Internationalisation of Caribbean Enterprises

Dr. Indianna Minto-Coy
Faculty of Social Sciences
Mona School of Business and Management
Theme: 
Doing Business at Home and Abroad

Caribbean businesses face a number of challenges in growing and internationalising to foreign markets. This qualitative study adopts an ethnographic approach focused on the Jamaica National Bank Ltd,and its emergence and spread from Jamaica to global markets.

In so doing, the article demonstrates that the Caribbean Diaspora presents opportunities for growing and internationalising Caribbean businesses. The region's transnational populationalso helps to spur innovation, acting as a key informant in location choices, while offering a market, which redefines the traditional view of the “Caribbean Market place”.

The findings contribute to understanding the importance of the Diasporato the economic viability of the Caribbeanand other developing contexts with high rates of migration, but also hints atthe strategies that can be employed by diaspora businesses in growing and mainstreaming in global markets. In this way, the findings help to understand the innovative and entrepreneurial dynamics that have facilitated the growth and internationalisation of some of the region's most innovative and dynamic businesses, including GraceKennedy Ltd. and Jamaica National.

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