Photo: A five-year, comprehensive research project will explore the status of Black businesses in Alabama, with the goal of pinpointing specific challenges they face and identifying strategies to help them thrive.
The first study of its kind in the state, the project will tap resources from three universities as well as a host of other organizations in Alabama and beyond. It will take a deep dive into identifying hurdles encountered by urban and rural Black businesses in Alabama, and how they differ from those encountered by other businesses, said lead researcher Lou Marino, professor of entrepreneurship and strategic management, chair of the Department of Management and Frank Mason Faculty Fellow in Family Business at the University of Alabama (UA) Culverhouse College of Business.
“At the highest level, we’re trying to understand the challenges faced by all entrepreneurs in Alabama and, especially, the unique challenges faced by Black businesses in Alabama, and the factors that lead to their success and their failure, their resilience and their growth,” Marino said.
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