Immigrant are Successful Entrepreneurs too...

I recently read a very interesting article about immigrants being more entrepreneurial. According to the article immigrants are twice as more likely to be entrepreneurs that natives, this is because they share a very similar characteristic - cross-cultural experience, this means they have experienced interacting with those that are diverse and they have experienced a different way of approaching business. They have a drive with high motivation and learn practically rather than academically. Furthermore, the discrimination immigrants face in the business industry force them to become entrepreneurs.

Story Time

This article made me realise that it was related to my Grandad. This is because he was kicked out of his country in Uganda due to a new law which essentially was kicking out Indians, he was left with just £100 - I know, CRAZY. He built a boat for his family to go India and came to England to build a life for them. He already had knowledge on running businesses as he had a few factories back in Uganda, this meant he had a cross-cultured way of thinking. When coming to the UK, he encounter new products and services, a different culture, high level of discrimination and he learnt about customer preference. Him doing this resulted him to building over 10 of his own Premier Convenience Stores in Northamptonshire. He became the first self-made Indian millionaire in Northampton.

The photo below is an image of the first shop he bought - he named it after my Dad (Manish).

(nearer.com, 2020)

Impact of Cross-Cultural Experience

Cross-cultural experiences enhances opportunity recognition for not only entrepreneurs but businesses and policy makers. It allows them to seek experience from living internationally and nationally, they can compare the different markets and fill in the gaps. The articles explained that companies that do not believe in the positive effects of cross-cultural experience can be harmful. This is because it can lead to individuals leaving their job because of lack of promotion opportunities, expansion and status.

I am proud and honoured to have someone in my family that had experienced and learnt so much. He has shared his experience and knowledge with many people, this has allowed us to generate income for many generations. It is important that our economy has entrepreneurs like this, as it helps growth and have healthy competitions.

Reference:

Harvard Business Review. (2016). Why Are Immigrants More Entrepreneurial? [online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2016/10/why-are-immigrants-more-entrepreneurial [Accessed 23 Mar. 2021].

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Five reasons why immigrants make great entrepreneurs (2018). Five reasons why immigrants make great entrepreneurs. [online] Warwick Business School. Available at: https://www.wbs.ac.uk/news/five-reasons-why-immigrants-make-great-entrepreneurs/ [Accessed 23 Mar. 2021].

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