The History and Characteristics of Small Business

The History and Characteristics of Small Business

Koreans or (and) Korean Americans have been known to dominate in the area of small business. This is because restrictions on immigration by ethnic groups were eliminated after 1965, and the United States experienced a large migration of exceedingly educated Koreans (Norton 1). However, not all of these Koreans were able to transfer their credentials and occupy the same occupations they had in Korea. Therefore, in order to satisfy their American Dream and to earn (secure) a stable life, or anjong, they began to venture in small businesses (Park 3). By 1990, Korean Americans were ranked the highest (most successful) minority group in self-employment in the country.

It is the characteristics of Korean Americans that allow them to thrive in small businesses. These business owners are usually middle class, highly educated, and determined. When asked why Korean Americans were so successful in entrepreneurial small businesses, Dami Seo, a University of California: Irvine international studies major, responded that it is "ethics of integrity and the [will] to continue for his or her life" that allow Korean Americans to thrive. They are willing to work hard with long hours. For example, the hours of a Korean American business owner can be as long as sixteen hours a day, starting from 4:00 A.M to 8:00 P.M. (Park 49). They are also willing to venture out and do business in non-Korean communities. Many of Korean American businesses lie in the most disheartening locations, such as the slums of Los Angeles and New York City, which is (are) heavily populated with African Americans and Mexican Americans.

The majority of Korean American businesses are groceries and supermarkets, green grocery, fish markets, and dry cleaners. Korean business owners are usually helped out by fellow family members that are willing to work with no pay. However, not all employees are related family members. A survey averaged that Korean American businesses had an average of six paid employees (Park 46).

Korean American small business' affect on the community (title capitalization)

Korean American businesses are(,) in a sense(,) the backbone of the Korean American community. It helps the Korean-American community grow by helping establish connections within the community. These connections result in the creation, growth, and strengthening of the Korean-American community. With large amounts of Korean-Americans taking up small businesses, they are bound to have an affect on their local community. Small businesses run by Korean-Americans are important to the community because they offer Korean customers a variety of benefits that are normally not offered by other businesses. Korean-American businesses provide products from Korea and service in Korean which are both desired and sometimes necessary for many Korean Americans to function in society and go about their daily lives (Pak). These added services are immeasurably important to Korean Americans because it helps first generation immigrants ease into life in America.

The establishment of small businesses can also aid the Korean-American community maintain their cultural roots by setting up enclaves within American society. With a large Korean-American community and numerous business establishments, enclaves can be formed which assist in preserving Korean, "culture, identity, and internal solidarity" (Park. 45). Our interviews have showed that the preservation of Korean culture is valued and preserved. This trend can be attributed to the general tendency for Korean-Americans to acculturate into American society as opposed to being completely assimilated into American culture. (Lecture 5/1/06).

Korean-American entrepreneurship also has affects on the non-co ethnic community. One instance of Korean-American small business affecting the local community non-co ethnic community can be seen through the events of the Los Angeles Riots of 1992. A major underlying cause of the Los Angeles riots was created by the racial tension between Korean-Americans and African-Americans highlighted by the trial of Latasha Harlins' death (Kim, Elaine). Part of the tension between the two ethnic groups was due to numerous Korean-American own(ing) small businesses. Some African-American leaders felt Koreans were, "deliberately trying to stifle African American economic development" by setting up their businesses in area(s) populated mostly by African-American(s) (Kim, Elaine). However, according to our interview of Alex Pak, whose family owned a small business in downtown Los Angeles, Koreans were simply setting up businesses close to their own community of Koreatown (Pak). This tension ended up with the destruction, burning, and looting of Korean-American businesses ultimately resulting in an estimated $385 million dollars worth of damages (Kim, Elaine).

Korean American Success and Failures and Goals and Expectations

For years, many researchers have been observing, studying and analyzing minority groups as they slowly assimilate(d) into the wider American culture. There have been, though, obstacles preventing the success of these minorities. As far as (As for) Korean Americans and their communities, their measure for success relies on small business. In Kyeyoung Park's The Korean American Dream, Park defines Anjong (stability, establishment, security) under many different situations. For the common family man, anjong means operating a business(,) having children and parents and siblings come to join them in America, buying a good house in a suburban neighborhood, getting children to go to good universities, getting them trained as professionals and marrying them to fellow Korean Americans.

To many, this sole view distinguishes only a one-way view. It relies on positivity and hope. However, researchers such as Edna Bonacich would care to argue and insist that the American Dream is an ideal thrust upon the Koreans who are struggling. She insists that capitalism at large has developed a mechanism to use Koreans as cheap labor to fuel their franchises. Thus Korean Americans are forced to struggle through poverty, overwork, racism and stress. Through examples she puts together a grand scheme but just because the pieces of the puzzle fit does not mean they are correct matches. Pyong Min Gap counter argues and states that Bonacich misses the nuances of the values of Korean culture.

In an interview with the father of student, E. Kim, the pieces of the puzzle began to correlate in some areas and twist at others. Mr. Kim, E. Kim's father, came to America in 1996, while having visited once a year prior to moving. This places Mr. Kim as the latter part of the wave