Syrian-owned businesses and impacts on the city: the case of Beirut

Lebanon is hosting more than 1 million Syrian refugees. For a country of its size, and a population of around 4 million, this influx of Syrians into Lebanon has exposed many of its already established ailments. A prevailing perception is that Syrians are establishing businesses and competing with the Lebanese, leading to violent reactions on the part of host communities. In this research, I investigate the experience of Syrian business owners who were able to establish micro, small and medium businesses focusing on their impacts on the city. I am keen on debunking the reductionist framing of ‘the Syrian refugee’ as a burden and research the contribution that some Syrians have been making to different neighborhoods of Beirut. Building on Kloosterman et al.’s (1999) framework, my thesis explores the barriers that face Syrian-owned businesses amidst the Lebanese institutional framework and societal environment, as well as the human capital and social networks that enable their entrepreneurial experience, in addition to briefly examining their impact on the city. The thesis argues that i) the lack of information regarding market regulations creates a major barrier, as well as the ambiguous sets of regulations governing Syrian businesses’ access to work and residency permits, ii) successful businesses owners’ use their previously acquired skills and services-products, particularly in the food industry, and rely on strong social networks with both Syrians and Lebanese people; iii) Syrian-owned businesses are mostly found in mixed-use and-or working-class neighborhoods in the city, developing a new trend in the city, revolving around the food sector. The thesis also provides policy guidelines and recommendations towards regulating, enabling and empowering the establishment of micro, small and medium businesses as a key tool to facilitate the process of integration of displaced Syrians, and to enhance local economic development.