Oct. 7 Presentation to Focus on Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses

September 14, 1999

MIDDLETOWN, Pa-Pennsylvania, as the nation, is becoming more diverse. Minority populations are growing as are

minority-owned and women-owned businesses. Understanding these populations is very beneficial. It reduces

bias and prejudice. From a business stand point, a better understanding of these markets and customers is needed

to successfully function in diverse and multi-cultured areas.

The Pennsylvania State Data Center is sponsoring a free noontime lecture to facilitate this discussion. Nancy

Chavez, Director of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Small Business Advocates, will be providing an analysis of

statistical data related to minority- and women-owned business in Pennsylvania and predicting what the new

millennium might bring for them.

Her presentation will be held Oct. 7 at the Penn State Downtown Center located at 234 North Third Street in

Harrisburg from noon to 1:00 p.m. All lectures sponsored by the State Capital Office of the Pennsylvania State

Data Center are free and open to the public. We do ask that you pre-register so we can ensure adequate seating.

To register, call (717) 948-6696 or email PaSDC-Reserve@psu.edu.

Background: There were 17.3 million businesses in the United States in 1992. Of this number, 11.4 percent (2 million)

were minority-owned and 34.1 percent (5.9 million) were women-owned. The nation saw increases in 1992 from 1987 of 61.9

percent in minority-owned and 43.1 percent in women-owned businesses.

The Pennsylvania State Data Center at Penn State Harrisburg reports that in 1992 the Commonwealth had a total

of 728,063 businesses of which 32,712 (4.5 percent) were minority-owned and 227,500 (31.3 percent) were women-owned.

This was an increase in total businesses in the state from 1987 of 22.2 percent. In this time period, the Commonwealth

recognized a 52.4 percent and 35.9 percent increase in minority-owned and women-owned businesses, respectively.

In 1992, businesses owned by blacks accounted for 3.6 percent of total U.S. businesses and 31.6 percent of total

minority-owned businesses in the nation. Hispanic business owners accounted for 4.5 percent of the total businesses

nationally and 39.3 percent of total minority-owned businesses while Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian and

Alaskan Native-owned businesses accounted for 3.5 percent of the national businesses and 30.9 percent of the total

minority-owned businesses in the nation.

Pennsylvania's black business owners in 1992 accounted for 2.2 percent of the total businesses in the Commonwealth

and 48.7 percent of the total minority-owned businesses in the state. Hispanic business owners in Pennsylvania

comprised 0.7 percent of total businesses and 15.9 percent of total minority-owned businesses in the Commonwealth.

Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and Alaskan Natives owned 1.7 percent and 36.9 percent of total businesses

and total minority-owned businesses in the state, respectively.

In the U.S., 27.4 million workers were employed by businesses in 1992. Of these employees, 6.3 million worked for

women-owned businesses and 1.9 million worked for minority-owned businesses. Businesses owned by blacks employed 345,193

workers in 1992. Hispanic-owned businesses employed 691,056 workers in that year and Asian, Pacific Islander, American

Indian and Alaskan Native-owned businesses employed 860,408 workers.

In 1992, Commonwealth businesses employed 1.3 million Pennsylvanians. Of these employees, 291,800 worked for

women-owned businesses and 39,893 worked for minority business owners. Black business owners employed 12,366

Pennsylvanians in 1992, while Hispanic-owned businesses employed 5,174 and Asian, Pacific Islander, American

Indian and Alaskan Native-owned businesses employed 22,540.

Wendy Sweigart of the Pennsylvania State Data Center notes "Pennsylvania, in general, tends to reflect national trends

as we see when comparing the state and national percentages of women-owned businesses to total businesses. Even though

the state's percentage is slightly lower than the national figure, there is not a significant difference. However, the

Commonwealth is notably lagging behind the nation in minority-owned businesses according to the data from the 1992

Economic Census. In particular, Hispanic-owned businesses account for 4.5 percent of total U.S. businesses while in

Pennsylvania the comparative figure is only 0.7 percent. Part of this can be attributed to the fact that Pennsylvania

has a smaller percentage Hispanics when compared to the nation as a whole."

The Pennsylvania State Data Center is the Commonwealth's official source of population and economic statistics and

services. It is based at Penn State Harrisburg's Institute of State and Regional Affairs. The Pennsylvania State Data

Center is part of the U.S. Census Bureau's national State Data Center Program.

Editors: For more information, contact Amy Jonas at the Data Center's State Capital Office, (717) 772-2710, or the Penn

State Harrisburg's Public Information Office, (717) 948-6029

PSDC Quote: For more information, contact Wendy Sweigart at the Pennsylvania State Data Center, (717) 948-6696.

Source of Information: U.S. Census Bureau, conomic
Censuses: 1992,1987

Accompany Table: Establishments and Sales in PA by Ownership by County, 1992

Accompany Table: Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses