Small Business, Risk, and the Mythology of Ownership
Drawing on Erik Olin Wright’s theory of contradictory class locations, Arne Kalleberg’s work on precarity, and David Weil’s account of the fissured workplace, this essay examines small-business owners who are celebrated as independent entrepreneurs yet control remarkably little. Through two immigrant proprietors, it asks whether ownership offers freedom—or simply gives precarity a more flattering title.
The essay extends my broader work on organizational power and managerial decision-making and complements my analysis of leadership narratives in employee selection.
Unsplash image credit: Khachik Simonian.
