n the construction industry of New York City. It is important to note that many blacks who were entering the construction industry as entrepreneurs were doing so as a result of lost opportunity elsewhere.19 In the favorable political environment of the 1960s, minorities generally, and blacks specifically, increased their access to jobs in New Yorks construction industry. . .By 1980, most blacks working in construction were in the skilled occupations. This pattern was altered in the 1980s: while new construction boomed in New York, blacks share of the resultant skilled jobs and earnings declined. Among those seeking to go out on their own, access to work was a major stumbling block and successful small business creation was often aborted.20 (Table 3.1) One factor in examining this decline is the relationship of discrimination and entrepreneurial success. What has been found is that, Construction is unique in that the conventional barriers do not apply. . .Advanced educational credentials are not a barrier to entry in construction; large financial capital investment is not a barrier to entry in construction.21 Therefore, the traditional models of loss of opportunity do not apply to construction because the industry is not suseptable to them. As a result there must be another reason for the decline of minority representation in the construction industry. The construction industry is ruled by small firms positioning themselves for contracts. In New York, although there are regulatory measures in place22, most skilled labor contracts are given through already existing networks. In other words, The crux of the matter appears to be discriminatory access to skills training, and to work. Even skills acquisition, when possible, does not solve the problem of old-boy networks, where work is parceled out to in-group members. . .23 Mostly all of the members in this in-group are whites. Although it would seem that African-Americans cou...
