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This study aims to examine issues affecting the growth and survival of traditional handicraft enterprising community in Pakistan, and analyzes their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as develops strategic solutions to overcome the problems identified for their revival.

This exploratory study is based on a descriptive approach because it attempts to investigate the critical issues faced by traditional handicraft enterprising community. To operationalize the theoretical approach, this paper used a SWOT analysis of craft enterprising community. After thoroughly reviewing relevant literature, this study put forward strategic solutions for the revival of the traditional enterprising community. Moreover, secondary data on employment and gender wage gap were used to provide empirical evidence of the issues identified and emphasize the importance of strategic solutions.

This study found that traditional handicraft producers are facing many problems that hinder their survival and growth. This paper, therefore, makes some essential strategic recommendations on how to overcome these issues. The current research argues that Pakistan’s handicraft industry must be revived; else, centuries-old traditional culture and patrimonial knowledge will vanish. Moreover, there is a need to attract foreign investment to overcome resource limitations and improve the competitive capability of the enterprising community. Notably, government intervention is necessary for the revival of the traditional handicraft industry.

This study provides in-depth knowledge of issues faced by the Pakistani traditional handicraft enterprising community and suggests possible strategic solutions for the problems identified. Unlike previous studies, this research also discusses the essential characteristics of traditional handicrafts that differentiate them from identical mechanized products.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the role of women in rural communities of South‐Western Nigeria in entrepreneurial engagement through craft practice.

Literatures were reviewed on crafts practice and appreciation in Nigeria. This enabled the contemplation of the place of craft practice as occupational engagement before, during and post colonial periods. The process of data gathering consists of field work, interviews, observation and photographing; through this, the technical production of mat and indigo dyed fabric were explored.

Women of rural communities in Western Nigeria have been actively been involved in crafts production to make ends meet in a male dominated economy. They form professional guilds to revive craft production/patronage, to network among members, and to seek help from the government and relevant organizations. The study found out that the potentials of the rural women can be fully developed if the method of making their products is given a facelift through partial mechanization.

An average Nigerian wants to be employed in white collar job and people are no longer interested in craft practice. The apprenticeship system of learning in the traditional system whereby skill is transferred from parents to their children is almost becoming a history. Thus, craft production is in the hand of few people among which the rural women are very spectacular.

This paper considers the women of rural communities in Southwestern Nigeria as a factor in the revilitalization of traditional crafts through occupational engagement in craft practice.

Entrepreneurship.

This case is intended for teaching entrepreneurship in any tertiary institution including graduate business schools where the case study method is used. It can also add value to groups interested in creating social value such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It can be taught in a 60-90 minute class depending on the size of the class and type of audience.

The case highlights features of indigenous entrepreneurship in a traditional African setting and showcases the merits of traditional training methods. An intriguing case of a social enterprise, inspired by the difficult experiences of an entrepreneur, who grew up in dire poverty. The polygamous family situation she was in led to establishing an enterprise that ensured her livelihood and a means to lift others from poverty. The case provides a unique model of a hybrid family business and social enterprise and illustrates that businesses can do good and still do well financially.

Learning points include: appreciation of the socio-cultural and economic context of indigenous entrepreneurs; entrepreneurial motivations and their impact on society; how traditional societies transmit entrepreneurial skills; illustration of how theoretical frameworks like network theory and effectuation impact on entrepreneurial ventures; and how challenges of family businesses such as leadership and succession may be overcome through timely planning.

Teaching notes are available, consult your librarian for access.

This study aims to explore social entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) in the craft sector in the state of Gujarat, India. With liberalization, India witnessed the growth of social entrepreneurship and is considered one of the pioneering countries in social innovation. The objective of the research was to answer the research question: what role do various stakeholder groups play in creating and promoting craft sector social EEs.

The study is based on a qualitative case study approach of methodological triangulation combining analysing documents, a participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Two case studies – one of the Ajrakh craft cluster from Ajrakhpur and the other of Kala Cotton from Aadeshar, Bhuj are studied to explore the symbiotic linkages of social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Kutch district of Gujarat, India. A total of 24 in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders of the EE.

The study concludes that the role of like-minded individuals/social entrepreneurs, social enterprises, design networks and educational institutions is vital towards revival and sustainability of craft as economic commodities geared for scalability. Furthermore, the engagement of the systemic condition agents such as various local and national level institutions, the communities play an important role to revitalize, redeem and commercialize craft infrastructure based on active engagement, innovation and services.

This paper fulfils an identified need to study how traditional craft-based enterprises can be enabled, revived, grown and sustained.

The purpose of this study is to assess the attitudes and practices of students and practitioners in the dyeing studio. Empirical evidence shows that synthetic dyes are the most commonly used dyestuff because of their colour fastness as compared with natural dyes. However, it is proven scientifically that synthetic dyes and their auxiliaries are carcinogenic and allergenic, which pose as health risks to users.

The study used analytical observational study design, where observation, questionnaire and interview were the instruments for data collection.

A survey conducted at selected dyeing studios in Ghana revealed the excessive use of vat dyes by students and practitioners because of its availability and accessibility on the local market. Adversely, the study found non-use of personal protective equipment by students and practitioners for protection against hazardous effects of dye chemicals. Again, poor studio set up with limited space and lack of proper waste drainage systems at the various dyeing studios results in inappropriate disposal of dyes, leading to environmental pollution.

Dyeing throughout history has been practiced to colour a fabric or yarn for specific use in the environment, which brings in some revenue. This practice however employs the use of dyes coupled with its auxiliaries, which poses some health problems in the short, medium and long term because of certain attitudes and practices exhibited by students and practitioners in the studio. It is therefore imperative for effective compliance to safety rules and practices by students and practitioners to ensure their safety. It is also critical that educational institutions and practitioners build modern dyeing studios which are spacious, well ventilated and efficient in limiting environmental pollution in compliance with eco-friendly practices. The study further recommends collaboration between Academia, local dyers’ association , Ghana Health Service and the Environmental Protection Agency to organize workshops to ensure best safety practices to save lives and the environment.

This study examines consumer online purchase behaviour in the Nigerian fashion industry.

A cross-sectional study was conducted with a total useable sample size of 241 respondents contacted through on-site visitation. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to test the influence of customer value on online purchase behaviour in the fashion industry.

Consumer values are categorised into terminal (happiness, love and satisfaction) and instrumental (time-saving, price-saving discount, service convenience and merchandise assortment) values. The findings show that both values have significant influence on online consumer purchase behaviour, while fashion consciousness moderates the relationship between consumer values and online purchase behaviour.

Online fashion retailers should focus on increasing the terminal and instrumental values of their products and making available goods that meet the needs of different generational cohorts in society.

Studies have examined various factors, for example, consumer values that are determinants of consumer online purchase in the fashion industry; however, there has been limited focus on the nature of fashion and online purchasing in emerging markets, particularly those in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether consumers differ in their online or offline purchase intention, depending on which channel with price promotion information they are first exposed to, and to analyse the moderating role of brand trust.

Overall, 174 responses were obtained via an online survey using two contact channels (online/offline) by two levels of brand trust (high/low) between-subject designs.

Spillover effects were found across channels when a consistent price promotion is executed in both online and offline channels, purchase intentions for cross-channel and contact channel increase simultaneously. Although there was a similar effect in the discrepancy of purchase intentions towards the cross-channel according to contact channels, it varied depending on brand trust. When brand trust is high, having contact with offline price-discount information has a large online spillover effect. When brand trust is low, the spillover effect from online to offline is large.

This study expands the multi-channel research by proving the spillover effects between channels and confirming the difference according to brand trust.

Increasing promotion information for online contact is effective in driving offline visits for new brands, and the effective use of promotion information at offline stores can have a positive impact on online channels for well-known brands.

This study explores the cross-channel spillover effect of price promotion and proves that these effects depend on brand trust.

Creating our built environment is largely the responsibility of the dynamic and complex construction industry. This business is made up of a wide range of people who work together to construct buildings and infrastructure projects, from contractors and labourers to architects and engineers. Aside from its observable results, the construction sector has a particular culture and atmosphere that are formed by a special fusion of history, creativity and teamwork. The culture and environment in which the construction industry functions are the main topics of this section of the book.

The purpose of this study is to explore the indigenous business incubators with special emphasis on the Kente weaving industry. The study highlights the formation, incubation, challenges, opportunities and strategies for success based on the Kente indigenous business model. The Kente subsector is in the clothing industry and accommodates small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana. The study adopts a qualitative and descriptive case study design with five SME Kente shop owners as respondents. Findings reveal that some owners inherited their business, whilst others established them themselves. Owners incubate their business via shared services, ad hoc business advice, financial management, family support, employee relationship management and prayers. The challenges often encountered were inadequate financial backing, lack of government support and business competition. The opportunities harnessed were technology, growing market demand and innovation.

Finally, in respect of the knowledge of Kente weaving, it was found that the weavers learnt from their elders that weaving is the skill of a spider, a prestige to Asantes. The chapter concludes that Kente business has the potential to contribute to the socio-economic development of Ghana and Ghanaians. It is recommended that SME owners invest in individual, team and organisational learning and build capacity for technology implementation. The study also provides recommendations for business actors in the textile industry to engage in collaboration with owners of SME Kente businesses to address the challenges.