Diagnostic SWOT appraisal of the wicker handicraft entrepreneurship development in Kashmir, India

Abstract

Critical analyses of the perceptions on SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) have become a fundamental element of multi-criteria decision making for developing wicker handicraft entrepreneurship. The study examined the effectiveness and prioritization of entrepreneur's perceptions towards SWOT categories and factors and provided insights for developing wicker handicraft entrepreneurship in Pulwama district of Kashmir. Data were collected through structured interviews and focus group discussions of 100 wicker handicraft entrepreneurs of 20 villages selected by multi-stage random sampling. Simple descriptive statistics were used for the data analysis. Results showed that the factors like income generation (19.30%) and employment generation (19.00%) were viewed as most important strengths while labour intensive and less remunerative livelihood (18.80%) and seasonal subsistence (18.70%) were identified as main weaknesses. Further, poverty alleviation (20.70%), preservation of traditional art craft (19.00%) and improvement in public-private relations (17.50%) were adjudged as strong opportunities whereas limited marketing facilities (20.70%), lack of co-operative societies (18.90%) and harassment by officials in withies collection (16.50%) were seen as chief threats. The challenges (weaknesses and threats) (50.40%) for wicker handicraft entrepreneurship outweighed the prospects (strengths and opportunities) (49.60%) while the internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) (54.80%) prevailed over the external factors (opportunities and threats) (54.20%). F statistics (p<0.05) indicated significant differences between the internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats). The results projected the basis to the policymakers to prioritize and address the prominent challenges and reinforce the prospects for conceptualizing, formulating and implementing the strategies for strengthening the wicker handicraft entrepreneurship.

Assessment of Training Needs on Entrepreneurship Development for NTFR Stakeholders in Gurez Valley of Kashmir

“…The findings on the preference in the training methods perceived by the NTFR stakeholders revealed that all the training methods including short duration trainings (1-7 days), medium duration trainings (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)…”

“…"Entrepreneurship in non-timber forest resources (NTFR) is a well-known traditional small-scale forest-based enterprises of rural communities in rural Kashmir" [12]. "Undoubtedly, it is the most widespread and admired entrepreneurship transferred from time immemorial and intensely rooted in local socio-culture" [13]. "The NTFR entrepreneurship on herbal medicines, essential oils, spices and condiments, wild foods (fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, etc.…”

Indonesian New Exporter (INE) as a Training and Development Model Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in The Field of Handicrafts

“…The export potential of handicrafts from Indonesia has good prospects. The prospect of craft entrepreneurship has a dominant power in developing handicraft businesses (Islam et al, 2020). Entrepreneurship in the form of small and medium enterprises, there are many MSMEs in handicrafts scattered throughout Indonesia.…”

Economic Contribution and Inequality Mitigation of Wicker Handicraft Entrepreneurship in Rural Kashmir, India

“…the wicker handicraft entrepreneurship occupy an important ndustrial sector playing a vital role in the economic well-being of the Although, the wicker handicraft entrepreneurship has been recognized as an important option in state's industrial and economic planning but still some instant and sensible policy implications is required to uplift this industry [15,16]. While existing studies by earlier workers [5,[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] have widened our knowledge on various aspects of wicker handicraft, the empirical researches on the economic dependence on wicker handicraft entrepreneurship, impacts on income inequality mitigation and determinant factors of entrepreneurship are still essential areas of research to be addressed. Since, the wicker handicraft entrepreneurship remained an integral component of livelihood strategies among the forest fringe communities of Pulwama, J&K, such aforesaid research is urgent.…”