Indian immigrants bought gas stations for several reasons. Getting loans was easier since stations needed little staff. Work ethic and customer service focus brought success. Today station revenues benefit state economies. Still, challenges remain due to market fluctuations. Overall, the trend shows immigrant determination and business savvy. Stations evolved into community hubs over time.
Why Indians Own Many Gas Stations
Why do Indians own so many businesses? Relatives shared community tips on running stations efficiently.
Expanding Family Businesses
Why do so many Indian-Americans go into the hotel or motel business? It’s because they’ve always been there.
Despite being widely acknowledged for fortitude and dexterity, the family-run businesses face other issues when they expand. Most family-owned businesses start out with a handful of family members and a loose operating structure. Managing the subtleties of this closely-knit composition poses a risk of its own. Without strict guidelines to govern decision making, families often struggle to agree on leadership choices and succession issues.
India’s Growing Economy and Business Culture
If it can maintain its momentum, India will overtake Germany as the world’s fourth largest economy in 2026 and knock Japan from the number three spot in 2032. India’s working-age population stands at more than 900 million. In the next few years, its workforce could be bigger than China’s.
Collectivism, as opposed to individualism, is a key aspect of the business culture in India. Understanding the Indian sense of belonging to a group can be extremely useful, whether the group is a caste, community, religion, family, or company.
Transport is key to Indian business culture, and the mobility of labour in India is relatively high. The new Indian generation is exploring the world without limits. India has more than 50% youth in its population. These youth have a more optimistic approach and are willing to take the risk of starting a new job in a new place.
In Andhra, the lines between politics and business have blurred so much that it is hard to tell. In such a landscape, the Rajya Sabha route to becoming an MP is better than the Lok Sabha one. It is cheaper and less uncertain.
Many of the cultural differences come from the beliefs and attitudes around hierarchy and social perception. In Indian culture, hierarchy is inescapable, and it drives how business interactions are displayed every day.