A comparison of marketing practices: perspectives from first and second generation UK South Asians

This paper highlights not only the differences and similarities in marketing activities between first and second generation South Asian entrepreneurs; but the extent to which such activities lead to convergence with the mainstream small business population also. Therefore, differences are found in the fact that first generation respondents consider organic growth, thus differentiation via expansion initiatives and related diversification, as a way to access new co-ethnic and non-ethnic customer markets. This contrasts with that of the second generation. Here these particular respondents prefer to adopt a more transparent and open approach to marketing via knowledge skills advantage, and technological expertise. A feature common to both sets of respondents, and again one which this paper argues may be indicative of any small business, finds respondents following some form of selfdirected informal customer care/customer centric philosophies. Interestingly, there is no evidence to support differences in customer care and practice between the various business sectors or generation, given that such practices appear even in the absence of any formal procedures and written policies also.