The intercultural city - cultural diversity and the creation of

wealth

The benefits of diversity – conference Oslo 18.01.07

Benedicte BrøggerArbeidsforskningsinstituttet

Aims of the project

Explore factors critical for Oslo minorities’ contribution to growth:

• Employment, workplace development • Innovation, new workplaces, new companies, new

products, markets • Urban development, environment, social climate,

networks, arenas

The Intercultural city project

• The main focus: » Diversity as a resource, not a problem, interculturalism

• Organisation: » International project coordinated by COMEDIA, a

London based think-tank • Products:

» Thematic studies, key person studies, case studies of cities in Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Norway. National case studies are completed, comparison between the cities in progress. More information at www.interculturalcity.com.

» The case studies in Norway, in the cities of Drammen and Oslo, were done by Norconsult og Arbeidsforskningsinstituttet 2005/2006

• Financed by: » Drammen and Oslo with funding from the National

Directorate for Integration and Diversity (IMDI)

The immigrants

Place of origin of immigrant population of Oslo, 2006

0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000

Asia

Africa

Eastern Europe

Nordic countries

Western Europe

Northern-America

Southern/Latin Amerika

Oceania

Number of people

Series1

Source: SSB

Total population: 538 411

Born in Norway: 414 520

Immigrants: 123 891 (23%)

A ”colourful community”?

Place of origin of the population of Oslo, 2006

Norway

Asia

Africa

Eastern Europe

Nordic countries

Western Europe

Northern-America

Southern/Latin Amerika

Oceania

Source: SSB

Employment by sector

Innvandrede arbeidstakere av vestlig - ikke vestlig opprinnelse etter næring. FoB, 2001

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000

01-05, 11, 40-41Primærnæringer med mer.10, 12-37 Industri og bergverksdrift

45 Bygge- og anleggsarbeid50-52 Varehandel

55 Hotell- og restaurantdrift60-63 Transport

64 Post og telekommunikasjon65-67 Finansiell tjenesteyting

70-74 Forretningsmessig tjenesteyting, eiendomsdrift75 Offentlig administrasjon og forsvar, sosialforsikring

80 Undervisning85 Helse- og sosialtjenester91 Interesseorganisasjoner

92 Kulturell tjenesteyting og sport90, 93-99 Annen tjenesteyting

Uoppgitt næring

SysselsatteVestlige Ikke vestlige

•Unemployment rates are from 2-4 times higher among immigrants

•Rate of participation in the workforce is lower (considerably lower among women and some groups)

•Good jobs and relevant jobs are harder to get Source: SSB

Non-western immigrants as entrepreneurs

Bedriftsetableringer (ikke AS) i Oslo og Buskerud 2004 etter næring

- % ikke vestlige eiere i forhold til % alle eiere av nye firma.

-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

BergverkIndustri

Energi og vannforsyningBygg og anlegg

VarehandelHotell og restaurant

Transport & kommunikasjonFinansiell tjenesteyting

Forretn. tjenester & eiendomUndervisning

Helse og sosialtjenesterKulturelle & andre tjenesterLønnet arb.i priv. husholdn.

Oslo Buskerud

•More non-Western immigrants than Norwegians establish their own companies

Source: SSB

Is concentration in a few economic sectors positive or negative?

• Better possibilities for networks, credit, expertice, identity, belonging

• Inclusion reduces chances of negative lock-ins

• Sectors with desperate need for workers recruit immigrants too, and more so in the present economic

boom, now is a golden opportunity

Geographic concentration

• Housing prices are the most decisive factor

• Social relation within own group is important for establishing a platform for participation

• There are few tangets with Norwegian worklife and its formal and informal organisations/networks

•

Is geographic concentration of minorities positive or negative?

• Own home is an important source of capital for entrepreneurs

• Here there are networks and social relations that make minority groups more robust

• Relations with other groups and the Norwegian society may be weaker

Main conclusion from a literature survey

Social and institutional conditions favourable to the immigrants’ own possibilities to act are the most effective integration mechanisms

Important conclusion from the dialogue conference

We know what the problems are, we know solutions to them.

Now, please, may we get something done?

What more can be done?

• Oslo city has worked systematically and with many good results for years, and has been able to learn from failed attempts

• Civil and community organisations have worked systematically for years

• Collaboration with worklife stakeholders needs to be strengthened

• Finance for establishment of small companies, especially in the trade and service sector is needed

• Faster and more extensive acceptance of foreign qualifications from other countries is needed

• Define cultural competence (language, networks, international experience) as a requirement for employment