Globalization, Transnationalism and Trade

Abstract

Investigating the relationship between immigration, middleman minority status, transnationalism and US foreign trade, the author assembled a census-based data file that contains aggregate-level variables for 88 foreign born groups by national-origin between 1980 and 1990. Immigrant characteristics and immigration volume were regressed upon time-lagged import/export statistics from the same 88 nations between 1985 and 1995. Results show the independent influence on exports of immigrant entrepreneurship, transnationalism and middleman minority status. But these variables had no effect on US imports; they only affected exports. The discrepancy between imports and exports arises because of the dominance of English as a world business language, itself a product of globalization. Foreigners need no help from immigrants when they export to the United States, but native-born, monolingual Americans need the help of bilingual immigrants when they export. Globalization has eventuated in the worldwide dominance of English, which causes this situation to arise.