"Immigrants are statistically more likely to start up businesses than native-born people and political initiatives must therefore be taken to strengthen entrepreneurship within this group" writes Maroun Aoun, CEO of International Entrepreneur Association in Sweden (Internationella Företagarföreningen i Sverige, IFS).

• Sweden's unemployment drops as GDP rises
• Swedes getting more positive to immigrants

The campaign for the 2010 national elections is in full swing with one of the main issues being labour market policy. But new thinking about employment and business issues, are unfortunately remarkable only by their absence. It is time to think again, take advantage of existing knowledge and skills and to recognise that immigrant owned business means a lot more than just self-sufficiency. Mentoring, generational changes and public procurement are three areas where the various parties need to concentrate policy sooner rather than later.

Small business’ significance as part of the overall economy is increasing, in terms of both employment and growth. Within business policy thinking there is a consensus about the need to encourage smaller companies to develop and grow further, but the concrete ideas in play need to be supplemented in order to have real impact. The sooner and more clearly the decisions the parties and political alliances make in these matters, the better it is for voters, business leaders and Sweden.

Sweden has the opportunity to gain an edge internationally by more consistently and purposefully exploiting, and building on the fact that we have a relatively high proportion of individuals from other countries and from other markets. Annually, approximately 10,000 new businesses are established in which the entrepreneur is an immigrant or is born in Sweden to foreign-born parents. This not only contributes to personal development but also to economic growth and integration into Swedish society.

The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket) and the IFS are already working determinedly to highlight good working examples of small business in order to inspire and engage even more entrepreneurs with foreign backgrounds.

Immigrant entrepreneurship should be a key area of focus for economic policy.

Sweden lags behind in comparison with comparable countries regarding economic development, while large companies are consolidating and moving abroad. The foreign-born population's unique skills are needed to create more jobs and businesses in Sweden, and thus produce higher growth. By better utilising the knowledge of business culture, politics and religion, and the languages of people originating from other countries or regions, Sweden would be well placed to exploit new trade links and thus increase our international trade.

One way to involve more people possessing this unique skill set is to highlight good examples. For example, the award Settler of the Year is given annually by its Patron: His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. A ‘settler’ here harks back to ‘the frontier’ and is thus a person of foreign origin who has chosen to start their own business. This award shows the world how many talented and enterprising people of immigrant origin there are in Sweden, who in turn change our country for the better. This despite the special difficulties these entrepreneurs often face.

Together with The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth the IFS is planning information material and seminars to be held around the country to highlight good examples from the business world.

But there are other ways to inspire and build an even stronger future for Swedish industry. The remaining part of the election campaign must be devoted to discuss politically how, for instance, generational change, and public procurement, but in particular, how mentoring can be used to produce even more good examples in the future.

Various forms of mentoring can be used to allow established immigrant entrepreneurs to share their experiences with their newly arrived countrymen who wish to also become entrepreneurs and / or have native Swedish entrepreneurs guide New Swedes in becoming successful entrepreneurs. A mentoring program that focuses both on terms and conditions, to operate effectively in these export markets, as well as on practical management should therefore be established to strengthen the relationship between Swedish suppliers, and people and entrepreneurs with foreign backgrounds.

This would help increase trade skills of various groups of small business entrepreneurs. Our business delegation trip to Lebanon, together with Minister for Trade Ewa Björling - from which we have just arrived back in Sweden - is another example of how new contacts can be tied to develop and enhance Swedish exports.

Clarity and drive are required to get more good examples of Swedish business. Immigrants are statistically more likely to start up businesses than native-born people and therefore political initiatives must be taken to strengthen entrepreneurship within this group. Fine words are not enough. It is now high time for the political parties to reveal specific proposals, actions and initiatives which will harness the potential of people with foreign backgrounds, and thus strengthen the entire Swedish business environment.

Maroun Aoun
CEO, IFS - International Entrepreneur Association in Sweden (Internationella Företagarföreningen i Sverige)

IFS is the organization which protects and promotes migrant entrepreneurs through methods such as skill development and the shaping of public opinion.