Asian Americans Small Business Participation - Essay Example

(Assignment) Asian Americans’ Small Business Participation Asian immigrants who own large number of small business in America contribute significantly to the economy of the nation. As compared to Native Americans, Asian immigrants including Indians, Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese own more small firms across the country. As Marger (261) states, among all US ethnic groups, Korean population is the most actively engaged group in small scale business. One of the significant factors that accounts for the involvement of Asian immigrants in small business is the enthusiastic and active participation of some or almost all members of the family in business.

The family loving nature and cultural traditions of Asian immigrants encourage them to engage in their own small sector businesses with the participation of family members and relatives. Business is one of the places where they share their cultural traditions and hard work. This practice of family-operated business helps them minimize the labor costs and capital. Furthermore, it enables them to set up profitable small business such as restaurants, retail, beauty services etc at low investments.

At the same time, as Marger (261-62) points out, the social nature and friendly relationships of Asian immigrants and their common ethnicity enable them to establish informal savings, required capital, and also loyal customers within their own ethnic group. Asian immigrants often confront with racial discrimination and are deprived of better opportunities in the corporate sector. These inequities as nonwhites and unfairness in opportunity compell Asian immigrants to set up small sector business where they tend prove their ability.

Eventually they manage to acquire attitudes that facilitate them to practice their business effectively with both Asian and non-Asian communities (Asian Small Businesses). Asian immigrants find it comfortable working in ethnic claves with no racial hostility between the employees. The difference in educational systems and the working qualifications between the home country and that of United States also account as constraints to enhanced opportunities in highly reputed US companies. In addition, the lack of fluency in English diminishes their confidence and thereby limits their chances in corporate sector.

On the other hand, the citizens of United States are often concerned about losing their opportunities and status due to the unrestricted arrival of Asian individuals. They consider it as a threat to their economic status and personal safety. This feeling tends them to discriminate immigrants and to limit their opportunities for betterment. US citizens suppress Asian immigrants to own lower status in commercial sectors. They are often singled out from the society and are forced to live in isolation.

All these influence Asian immigrants to initiate their own small business with cheap labor in their own ethnic claves. The changing economy of United States from manufacturing to services offers better business opportunities to Asian immigrants; and they are utilizing their abilities to prove their business skills through small business sectors. The commitment, excellence, and ambitious nature of Asian immigrants enable them to start up high skilled occupations and it is expected that they will soon establish their undeniable position in the mainstream business also.

Works Cited ‘Asian Small Businesses’. Asian, Nation: Asian American History, Demographics, & Issues. n.d., web 20 March 2011 Marger, Martin N. Race and Ethnic Relations: American and Global Perspectives. US: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=TXP78beGTpcC&pg=PA261&dq=Asian+American+immigrants+and+small+business+participation&hl=en&ei=0dGCTbKpB4_JrAepw_zVCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Asian%20American%20immigrants%20and%20small%20business%20participation&f=false