The adoption of ecopreneurship practices in Indonesian craft SMEs: value-based motivations and intersections of identities

Abstract

PurposeThis article explores value-based motivations to adopt ecological entrepreneurship (ecopreneurship) practices and investigates how intersections of social identities such as gender, religion and ethnicity influence these motivations.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses primary data from field observations, social media analysis and semistructured in-depth interviews with 16 owner-managers of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Indonesian craft sector.FindingsThe findings show that self-enhancement, conservation and self-transcendence values motivated the entrepreneurs to adopt ecopreneurship practices. Furthermore, the intersections of identities also tended to influence the entrepreneurs' motivations to adopt ecopreneurship practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample was limited to the Indonesian craft sector. However, the study has furthered one’s understanding of how values motivate ecopreneurship behavior. Conservation values were added to the values known to influence proenvironmental behavior. Furthermore, Schwartz's value theory, strongly associated with Western, individualistic, culture is suggested to be adapted. In Asian – collectivist – cultures, the values driving the entrepreneur are often more community-oriented than individualistic.Practical implicationsThis study recommends policymakers to create more inclusive policies to foster the acceleration of sustainable development by equitably including both genders and encourages them to promote local culture, which motivates entrepreneurs in the craft sector to adopt ecopreneurship practices.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the entrepreneurship literature, particularly to the fields of gender and ecopreneurship, by considering the intersections of identities of the ecopreneurs. A research agenda for ecological entrepreneurship and family business researchers is provided.

Institutional Barriers and Facilitators of Sustainability for Indonesian Batik SMEs: A Policy Agenda

“…Other researchers identified cultural barriers at the institutional level, mostly related to the current norms and legislation in the industry, public policies, and the boundaries of what is considered acceptable behavior [36]. Similarly, as shown by [3], when reflecting on the entrepreneurial practices in MENA countries, in Indonesia, entrepreneurship still seems to be influenced by what society considers acceptable and desirable for different genders [2]. This implies that women not only have less access to entrepreneurial networks, capital, and knowledge but also have to conduct their businesses within the culturally ascribed boundaries of what is deemed acceptable for women entrepreneurs.…”

“…Looking at the participation of women in entrepreneurship, it is interesting to note that Indonesia and MENA countries, i.e., countries in the Middle East and North Africa, on the one hand, show similarities in terms of religious beliefs and patriarchal systems, which might also ultimately affect the ways in which entrepreneurship is conducted [2]. On the other hand, interestingly enough, unlike MENA countries, as reported by [3], according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), Indonesia and Kazakhstan are the only middle-income countries with an average TEA of women higher than that of men [1].…”

“…Based on insights from an earlier pilot study concerning ecopreneurs' motivations towards (ecological) sustainability, this exploratory study seeks to understand the institutional barriers and facilitators with respect to implementing sustainability-oriented practices as experienced by sustainable entrepreneurs. Previous studies have found that facilitators of sustainability in SMEs are often related to socio-cultural factors and ecological factors [2,[21][22][23]. Researchers have categorized the factors influencing sustainability in SMEs into individual, organizational, and institutional factors [24,25].…”

Motivation for Ecopreneurial Behavior (MEB): Scale Development and Validation

“…In another study, Gunawan, Essers, and van Riel (2021) studied the confluence of value-based motives and social identities such as gender, religion, and ethnicity. For various reasons, the degree of masculinity and femininity plays a vital role.…”

Challenges, Open Innovation, and Engagement Theory at Craft SMEs: Evidence from Indonesian Batik

“…Production centers are located in places close to the batik maker house or the workers given the flexibility to work from home. This is one of the characteristics of Asian business, which is always more community-oriented than individualistic [87]. Community-based entrepreneurship has been shown to support sustainability-oriented business innovation in the craft industry [34].…”