Business bridging ethnicity : how business transactions in Trinidad build trust and friendship but don't reduce prejudice

Abstract

Do business transactions between individuals of different ethnicities lead to social spillovers, in terms of building trust, friendship, and reducing prejudice? In this dissertation I interrogate that research question through a study of business transactions in four industries in Trinidad-print & packaging, food & beverages, construction, and consumer retail. I employ a mixed methods research design, which places emphasis on qualitative analysis of interview data, supplemented with quantitative analysis of that data-obtained from approximately 200 interviews plus 180 surveys. I find that business transactions do build trust and friendship between individuals, but tend not to lead to changes in individuals' wider social attitudes, particularly in terms of ethnic prejudices and opposition to intermarriage.