The emergence of a South Asian business elite in the United Kingdom

This article explores the emergence of a South Asian business elite in Britain based on primary research. It suggests that today's South Asian business elites possess the initial socioeconomic resources that are advantageous for business expansion. In addition, they have broken out of the confines of their local ethnic community to expand their business operations. They no longer rely heavily on co-ethnic labour or exclusively serve their own community's needs. Even those who started out in small-scale retailing have now diversified into more profitable businesses. These findings suggest that British Asian business elites lose some of their “ethnic” features when they own big businesses. Many strive to be regarded as British rather than Asian or ethnic entrepreneurs because they believe that integration is necessary for business success in Britain. Nevertheless, they have forged international business links and use their knowledge of different countries and cultures as leverage.