Artisan Entrepreneurs Research Articles

Autonomy, competence and relatedness: how and why do artisan entrepreneurs act as responsible leaders?

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to answer the question: What stimulates artisan entrepreneurs to act as responsible leaders?Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research method was employed and semi-structured interviews with 30 artisans working in four different artisanal activities were used to gather the data. Thematic analysis was subsequently applied to the interview transcripts.FindingsThe findings suggest that the main factors causing artisan entrepreneurs to act responsibly are as follows: autonomy (the authority artisans exercise in managing their businesses; preserving socio-cultural identity is an artisan’s main duty; proving an individual competency in implementing society-related priorities), competence (adhering to generally accepted business practices; simplicity of developing and maintaining the social agenda of artisan enterprises; meeting the clients’ desire in exercising a social awareness) and relatedness (returning social favours; necessitating involvement with different stakeholders; contributing to the common good).Originality/valueThis paper contributes by filling a gap in the literature on artisan entrepreneurship, responsible leadership and research in tourism and hospitality, in which empirical studies on the responsible practices of artisan entrepreneurs have been limited so far.

To digitalize or not digitalize: scaling up dilemma at Karan Handicraft

Research methodology The case study is based on field data including semi-structured interviews with the main protagonist and related stakeholders of Karan Handicraft, a leather craft artisan enterprise. After informed consent, the interviews with the craft artisan entrepreneurs of Karan Handicraft were conducted, transcribed and analysed verbatim in the respondents’ native language, Kutchi Gujarati. The authors also used archival data given by the company. In addition, secondary data from industry reports and business magazines was used to create the case. Case overview/synopsis The case investigates the impact of digital technologies on the small handicraft artisan entrepreneurs by focusing on a family-run business of a leather craft. It traces the evolution of Karan Handicraft, based in Kutch district of Gujarat, India from the year 2007 to 2023. The third-generation artisan entrepreneur Karan Marvada attempted exploring the new-age social media platforms to showcase the products, modified his product designs to attract a new customer-base and adapted to digital marketing. However, in the wake of the crowding in the handicraft cluster, the central business problem that Karan was grappling with was, if he should scale up his artisanal entrepreneurial stint using electronic commerce (e-commerce) as a medium. Another allied issue is in such a scale-up, should he use e-commerce, i.e. as a medium of communication only or as a medium of both communication and delivery. While the latter may lead to scale, it may raise the challenge of not being able to preserve the traditional values of his ancestral business. Complexity academic level This case involves various issues that arise in entrepreneurship management, such as decisions related to growth strategy (remain small and unique vs become large and mass scale), to maintain a physical presence vs digital presence and the form of digital presence, are dwelt upon. The case is aimed at graduate students in an entrepreneurship or family business course. It could also be taught in other courses that focus on innovation and social entrepreneurship.

A bibliometric and visualization analysis of Artisan entrepreneurship

ABSTRACT Artisan entrepreneurship is an important way to develop economic prosperity in cultural industry, but there is a lack of systematic and quantitative review guidance. With 818 SSCI documents from the Web of Science database from 1992 to 2022, this paper uses bibliometric and visualization analysis methods to review and sort out the research in the field of artisan entrepreneurship, reveal the knowledge base and research hotspots, and put forward suggestions and outlook. The study finds that the knowledge bases of artisan entrepreneurship research include cultural entrepreneurship theory, resources-based theory, social network theory, family entrepreneurship theory and micro-theory of tourism industry development. The research hotspots focus on six themes: artisan entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial drivers, factors influencing the entrepreneurial process of artisans, economic value, cultural values, and social values. Finally, the existing theoretical framework of artisan entrepreneurship is integrated and future research directions and perspectives are proposed from six perspectives.

Hurdles to handicraft marketing for artisan entrepreneurs in an emerging economy

PurposeCrafts embody the history and heritage of their country of origin and can play an essential role in the country's socioeconomic development by providing significant job opportunities for the rural population. This article investigates the significant challenges that artisan entrepreneurs face when creating, communicating and selling handcrafted goods to potential customers in emerging economies. This study attempted to rate the impediments based on their severity using the voices of artisan entrepreneurs.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-method approach combining qualitative and quantitative data analysis was followed to identify the leading causes of the artisans' pain points. In the first phase, empirical observations were gathered through focus group discussions with artisan entrepreneurs, and the identified factors were quantitatively ranked using the analytic hierarchy process in the second phase.FindingsThe mixed-method research assisted in identifying the primary constraints affecting the efficient and effective operation of the artisan-driven small handicraft business. This study identified six factors that were ranked based on the voices of artisan entrepreneurs during the survey, as barriers to effective handicraft marketing.Originality/valueFew studies on the handcraft industry have sought to explore the issues faced by artisan businesses holistically. The voices of artisan entrepreneurs were gathered for this study to identify and rate the present obstacles influencing the functioning of small handicraft firms in emerging nations. Handicraft marketing will become more effective and efficient if these barriers are removed.

Weaving together social capital to empower women artisan entrepreneurs

PurposeThis research paper aims to explore the impact artisan cooperatives have upon women employed in Sub-Saharan Africa. Impacts were detailed using the theoretical framework of social capital theory to demonstrate the networks within artisan cooperatives that connect to greater opportunities for social and economic benefits.Design/methodology/approachA phenomenological approach was used for this study based upon the shared experiences of women who were leading artisan cooperatives in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study included semi-structured interviews over Zoom with Chief Entrepreneur Founders of artisan cooperatives located in Sub-Saharan Africa. Documents from the cooperatives were analyzed to triangulate the cooperatives’ current projects and efforts.FindingsThree prevalent themes emerged: (1) key partnerships, (2) benefits of the cooperative and (3) change and growth among the women and communities. Empowerment was felt through both economic and social impacts upon the women.Research limitations/implicationsThis article captures the perspective of the Chief Entrepreneur Founders and their observations and experiences the women shared with them. Emic perspectives from the women who participate in the artisan cooperatives is the focus of future research.Practical implicationsThese social enterprises serve as exemplary models for other cooperatives to provide dignified and sustainable work to impact the lives of women serving in these communities.Originality/valueThis study contributes research on social entrepreneurship within artisan cooperatives. It provides a baseline for further research on the artisan sector specifically for the sustainable development goals of gender equality, decent work and economic growth.

The Ripple Effect of Artisan Entrepreneurship for Women: Conceptual Model and Research Agenda

This paper shines a light on women artisan entrepreneurs and examines the often-overlooked role they play in establishing and maintaining resilient communities in developing countries. While women’s empowerment and opportunities through entrepreneurship has received significant attention through the lens of sustainable development and poverty alleviation, little scholarship has examined the unique attributes of the artisan sector, the second largest employer in developing countries. Artisan craft work not only meets women’s economic needs as necessity entrepreneurs, but also creates significant social, environmental, and cultural impacts locally, nationally, and globally. Thus, we utilize a three level research framework established to explore the ripple effect of artisan entrepreneurship in the craft sector, we highlight the importance of this work for women through targeted vignettes which illustrate the impact of artisan enterprises, and present critical areas for future research exploration of this important sector.

Entrepreneurial internationalisation of Nepalese artisanal firms: a dynamic capabilities perspective

PurposeThis research explores the role of entrepreneurs' dynamic capabilities in small artisanal firms' entrepreneurial internationalisation.Design/methodology/approachThe paper applies an inductive, exploratory multiple case study approach to the empirical context of the Nepalese artisanal sector. Primary data were collected through interviews and observations and triangulated by secondary data, such as firms' websites and social media profiles.FindingsThe findings suggest that entrepreneurs' network utilisation, network-building and marketing capabilities are crucial to enabling small artisanal firms' entrepreneurial internationalisation. Entrepreneurs' network-retaining, market-oriented learning and innovative capabilities become more important as firms mature. Accordingly, the paper theorises that artisan entrepreneurs in a developing economy should build and apply different dynamic capabilities based on firms' internationalisation phase.Originality/valueThe fine-grained discussion of the findings and the six propositions from this study advance the current understanding of dynamic capabilities, entrepreneurial internationalisation and artisan entrepreneurship literature.

Crochet microentrepreneurs and technology: A collective case study

Artisan entrepreneurship has been increasing in developed economies in the past decade. In order for artisan enterprises to thrive, these businesses would benefit from using technology to access global marketplaces, add value to their consumers and market beyond their local area. Unless operating as a collective, most artisan entrepreneurs manage microbusinesses with ten or fewer employees. Microbusiness owners face challenges to adopting technology including limited financial resources, lack of technological expertise and owner’s attitudes about technology. Extant research has not examined why and how artisan entrepreneurs introduce technology into their businesses. Crochet is an artisanal craft that can only be produced by hand without requiring any contemporary technological solutions. This collective case study explored how five women crochet artisan microentrepreneurs navigated the process of introducing new technologies into their businesses. Findings indicate that crochet artisan microentrepreneurs have diverse income sources, which are enabled by technology adoption. The communitarian nature of the artisan entrepreneur ‘ecosystem’ provides a supportive environment that facilitates the process of identifying, selecting and learning new technologies. Cost and perceived lack of self-efficacy are significant obstacles to technology adoption for crochet artisan microentrepreneurs. This study adds to the existing research on artisan entrepreneurship by exploring technology adoption in this context and sharing the perceived benefits and challenges experienced with other artisan microentrepreneurs.

Institutional Demands in the Context of Artisan Entrepreneurship

This paper explores how artisan entrepreneurs respond to conflicting institutional demands. Specifically, we focus attention on the conditions under which institutional conflict lead to the adoption of specific response behaviours. Prior research has highlighted the importance of artisan entrepreneurship in facilitating socio-economic, rural and regional development, with significant attention paid to strengthening the formal institutional environment, supporting organisations and government regulations. However, there has been limited focus on the negative consequences of conflicting institutional support and the demands they make on artisan entrepreneurs. The empirical setting for this paper is a full population analysis of the Irish artisan cheese sector. Our findings demonstrate that in the face of competing institutional demands entrepreneurs have three primary response behaviours, ‘navigate’, ‘bridge’ or ‘drown’.

The Artisan Economy and the New Spirit of Capitalism

Against the backdrop of deindustrialization and the rise of the service economy, small artisan businesses have been promoted as a liberatory alternative to large-scale enterprise and mass production in the wake of the 2007 global financial crisis. We analyze advice manuals for aspiring artisan entrepreneurs by adapting Boltanski and Chiapello’s (2005) framework and analysis of management textbooks to investigate books for would-be artisan business owners. These texts are “manuals of moral instruction” (58) that offer the reader the promise of a more fulfilling and ethical life through self-employment. We reveal that the artisan economy promoted by these advice manuals represents a further evolution in capitalism’s co-optation of the artistic critique via the oppositional strata of punk and indie youth subcultures—and their style.

Spotlight on UK artisan entrepreneurs' situated collaborations: through the lens of entrepreneurial capitals and their conversion

PurposeThe article's purpose is to demonstrate how UK artisan entrepreneurs organise entrepreneurial activities within the context of a creative industry organisation. The research asks how artisan entrepreneurs draw on contexts to manage entrepreneurial activities. The article investigates how these entrepreneurs organise collaborative business solutions through the lens of entrepreneurial capitals and their conversion.Design/methodology/approachThe research study employed a phenomenological approach to analyse the situated entrepreneurial activities of artisan entrepreneurs. Ethnographic methods assisted in capturing these activities.FindingsThe findings demonstrated the context-dependent collaborative business solutions by artisan entrepreneurs. Such solutions emerge from the interplay of the materiality of buildings, social relations management and personal resources. This materiality facilitates creative forms of social relations management for entrepreneurial activities between artisan entrepreneurs.Practical implicationsThe discussed entrepreneurial collaborative solutions are beneficial for many entrepreneurs in fragmented working conditions.Originality/valueThe detailed discussion of how artisan entrepreneurs organise entrepreneurial activities individually and collaboratively sheds light on dynamic microprocesses in context. The lens of entrepreneurial capitals and their conversion for these microprocesses integrates the literature on capital conversions with context as the main contribution to theory. This lens allows to home in on social relations and material environment management adding more fine-grained insights into how these micro-exchange processes work. These insights contribute to the literature on artisan entrepreneurship in the creative industries and entrepreneurship and context.

Commodifying skills for survival among artisan entrepreneurs in Pakistan

This article explores how artisan entrepreneurs learn to commodify their creative skills into an entrepreneurial business. The purpose of this paper is to highlight specific types of entrepreneurial learning, artisan entrepreneurs with small businesses are using to run their business. This study explores the experiences of 12 artisan entrepreneurs. Qualitative research was carried out with in-depth semi structured interviews with four different categories of artisan entrepreneurs. GIOIA methodology have been used to analyse and present the data. This study reveals that entrepreneurial learning is a natural process, with findings highlighting the different forms of learning used by the entrepreneurs. This study also uncovers the utilization of existing resources and demonstrate the learning process. Furthermore, findings reveal that artisan entrepreneurs scan the environment, create demand, and then transform their craft and skill into a profitable business. The present informational capital brings positive outcomes for the business. Entrepreneurs heavily rely on relational learning by employing strong alliance in work and support group. Informal learning is also an important aspect in artisan entrepreneur’s life to run a successful business. This study’s results contribute to deeper understanding of the importance of entrepreneurial learning among artisan entrepreneurs in emerging economies. The research questions the unique and creative ways of learning by artisan entrepreneurs who have zero knowledge of business. This paper fills a gap in literature i.e. how the potential artisan entrepreneurs utilize their creative social, economic, and personal capital and experience a profitable business from their craft.

Hospitality artisan entrepreneurs’ perspectives of sustainability

Artisan entrepreneurs are argued to be creative disruptors of business norms influencing societal, political and economic change. Yet, studies of small- and medium-sized hospitality artisan enterprises are few, especially studies of their sustainability practice. This interpretive study used qualitative in-depth interviews with eight New Zealand hospitality operators who are deemed artisan entrepreneurs to glean exploratory insights into their perspectives of sustainability in their enterprises. Thematic analysis revealed four overarching conceptual themes that captured the artisans’ journeys against the tide of conventional business mores towards sustainable practice. The themes were the backstory, a road less travelled, tribe of journey-makers and rewards of the journey. The findings highlight that the sustainable hospitality business model demands much more than the conventional equivalent. As such, the findings reveal a sustainability consciousness as the driving motive and important starting point. The study also provides some evidence to confirm hospitality artisan entrepreneurs as creative disruptors in the global sustainable business agenda.

The artisans' dilemma: Artisan entrepreneurship and the challenge of firm growth

An increasing number of entrepreneurial ventures are growing at exponential rates despite their founders' professed intentions not to grow their firms. We refer to these individuals as artisan entrepreneurs. Through an inductive, phenomenon-based research approach, we explore how artisan entrepreneurs subscribe to a counter-institutional identity yet engage in a divergent set of behaviors. We discover that artisans' counter-institutional identity contains two sides—promoting the exclusion of ‘who we are not’ (oppositional identity) or providing support for ‘who we are’ (relational identity). We theorize that artisan entrepreneurs' differing views regarding their independence led to very different approaches to growth. When artisans either do not see forms of external control as impinging on their independence or sense that serving stakeholders is a means to perform relational identity work, they embrace growth. Thus, artisans may find that growth serves stakeholders, but funding growth brings about financial pressures, which may force the artisan down a path of growth.

Antecedents of well-being for artisan entrepreneurship: a first exploratory study

Studies examining the well-being of artisan entrepreneurs have not been widely developed. Some scholars have studied the entrepreneurial phenomena in the field of handicraft in general, focusing on the motivations, goals and perceptions of success of artisan entrepreneurs. However, studies regarding artisan entrepreneurs and, specifically, their quality of life and well-being have not been sufficiently discussed in this entrepreneurship literature. For that reason, this paper explores the well-being of artisan entrepreneurs and seeks to identify the antecedents of this well-being. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study through which we highlighted some important characteristics of artisan entrepreneurs' well-being, such as passion, personality, creativity, culture and heritage. On the basis of these findings, we propose and discuss a first model of the antecedents of well-being for artisan entrepreneurs.

Antecedents of well-being for artisan entrepreneurship: a first exploratory study

Studies examining the well-being of artisan entrepreneurs have not been widely developed. Some scholars have studied the entrepreneurial phenomena in the field of handicraft in general, focusing on the motivations, goals and perceptions of success of artisan entrepreneurs. However, studies regarding artisan entrepreneurs and, specifically, their quality of life and well-being have not been sufficiently discussed in this entrepreneurship literature. For that reason, this paper explores the well-being of artisan entrepreneurs and seeks to identify the antecedents of this well-being. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study through which we highlighted some important characteristics of artisan entrepreneurs' well-being, such as passion, personality, creativity, culture and heritage. On the basis of these findings, we propose and discuss a first model of the antecedents of well-being for artisan entrepreneurs.

Encouraging the subsistence artisan entrepreneurship in handicraft and creative contexts

PurposeThis study aims to establish a relationship between creative tourism and experiences in the traditional handicrafts of Barcelos (Portugal). Based on a qualitative approach, it also aims at analyzing the failures and absences from the tourist market by creating new proposals and responses to the demand. The conceptual framework of this study develops three proposals: first, to present new concepts and opportunities for the tourism market; second, to establish a direct relationship between the local traditional handicrafts, creative tourism and experiences; and finally, to promote traditions that add value to the local development.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses an ethnographic case analysis research design to investigate the propositions (ten in-depth interviews with technicians and artisans in Barcelos, Portugal). The key constructs are drawn from empirical research among handicraftsmen in which data analysis was carried out based on a qualitative analysis.FindingsThe results suggest the experience, knowledge and importance of learning this dynamic in an entrepreneurship tourism perspective. Creative tourism and experiences are growing and strengthening the territories and consumer satisfaction in specific artisan, cultural and tourism entrepreneurship contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThis study fills a large gap in the territorial market, associating the knowledge of new concepts with the success of the tourism entrepreneurship. The findings provide solutions for helping handicraftsmen to improve their decision-making logic and increase the speed of market growth. There has been an increased emphasis on local and handmade goods that are linked to the culture and tourism of specific destinations.Originality/valueTourism managers and artisan entrepreneurs can use the outcome of this study to gain in-depth understanding of customer experiences (i.e. consumers of local handicrafts) and develop effective marketing strategies and further stage the operational environment that can maximize customers’ perceived experiential value.

Rescaling terroir through virtual identity work and impression management

ABSTRACTA powerful cultural concept not easily translated into English, terroir both contains and communicates valuable associations about place. Because terroir is an important way to communicate with US consumers, food producers work to draw upon valuable associations between food products and their particular places of origin. In this paper, I put forward a notion of terroir as a conceptual terrain on which artisan food entrepreneurs negotiate with the potentially fraught relationship between the place where their food products originate and the associations that US consumers might have about those particular places. This in-depth case study analysis examines the complete collection of a transnational gourmet food company’s commercial Facebook posts (N = 1485) in order to illustrate how a food-producing firm both creates and revises its virtual identity online through strategic attention to terroir. Because few studies have examined the virtual strategies of artisan food producers with regard to the emplacement of terroir, this project undertakes a richly descriptive case study design by focusing on a transnational specialty food firm based in Indonesia. Its analysis suggests that artisan entrepreneurs can strategically rescale terroir in order to create positive (and therefore, valuable) associations in the face of potentially negative ones.

Rethinking artisan entrepreneurship in a small island

Purpose There is a growing interest in artisan entrepreneurs around the world. Scholars are increasingly interested in how artisan enterprises use tourism in a resource-constrained resources. Based on the concept of artisan chocolate entrepreneur, the purpose of this paper is to examine the phenomenon of artisanal chocolate making in a small island with limited resources yet influenced by increased tourism. Design/methodology/approach Artisan enterprises are considered relevant in developing countries and their creation merits further attention. This study examines artisan enterprises using in-depth interviews, case studies, and an interpretative approach. The approach enables examining how artisan chocolate enterprises use tourism to develop their businesses in a context characterized by limited resources. Findings The findings show that artisan entrepreneurs are encouraged to start and develop enterprises due to lifestyle choices. The findings reveal a connection between artisan chocolatiers developing place-bound features to address a growing demand of tourists’ expectation for authentic and local products. The approach of artisan entrepreneurs in such conditions can be explained through entrepreneurial bricolage. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on the initial stages of artisan enterprises particularly in resource-constrained environments influenced by tourism. More specifically, the study provides evidence of the relevance of tourism for artisanal enterprise emergence, which is a relatively overlooked area in tourism and artisanal studies in developing countries. The study highlights the key place bound features that artisanal chocolate entrepreneurs associate to their products based on tourists’ demand for authentic and local products.

Artisan entrepreneurship: a question of personality structure?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the role of culture in artisan entrepreneurship. It is argued that culture plays a critical role in entrepreneurial behaviour as culture is a key determinant of what it means to be a person. The concept of culture is explored from a micro level of analysis therefore, conceptualising culture from the perspective of the individual entrepreneur’s personality. The main research question being investigated within this paper is: whether artisan entrepreneurs share common personality traits with other entrepreneur groups, using the five factor model (FFM) of personality as the basis of the conceptual model presented herein.Design/methodology/approachA literature review on the emerging field of artisan entrepreneurship, followed by a review of the literature on personality theory and entrepreneurship. Then, drawing upon the FFM of personality, a conceptual framework is introduced which proposes a relationship between the Big Five personality traits and four dimensions of artisan entrepreneurship such as cultural heritage, community entrepreneurship, craftsmanship and innovation, developed from concepts derived from extant literature.FindingsThe theoretical contribution is in the form of propositions. Four propositions have been formulated around the entrepreneurial personality of artisan business owners for each of the four dimensions: cultural heritage, community entrepreneurship, craftsmanship and innovation.Originality/valueThe paper is the first to propose a relationship between the Big Five personality dimensions and the likelihood of starting and/or running a business among an entrepreneur group rather than explaining personality differences among entrepreneur and non-entrepreneur groups. The focus of the paper is specifically on artisan entrepreneurs and it has been proposed that the personality trait of agreeableness is important in the decision to start a cultural-based business. It has also been proposed that artisan entrepreneurs possess personal characteristics of openness to newness and openness to innovation that are integral to regional development.