Are we aware of the values of craft? In this edited volume, cultural economists, researchers and professionals provide an interdisciplinary discussion of the relevance and contribution of the craft sector to the economy, as well as to society at large. Mignosa and Kotipalli bring together contributors to compare the craft sector across countries, analysing the role of institutions, educational bodies, organisations and market structure in its evolution and perception. The Western approach to craft and its subordinate position to the arts is contrasted with the prestige of craftmanship in Eastern countries, while the differing ways that craft has attracted the attention of policy agencies, museums, designers and private institutions across regions is also analysed. This volume is vital reading to those interested in the economic features of craft and craftsmanship around the world, as well as for those interested in the importance of policy in bringing about effective sustainable development.

Craft practice has experienced a sharp rise in popularity since the late 2000s, partly through the ‘aura of the analogue’ and the desire for authentic, handmade products in an increasingly fast paced, digitalised world (Luckman, 2015) but also because of digital platforms such as Etsy and social media enabling ‘anyone’ to become a craft entrepreneur. This book brings together historical, policy and individual narratives to inform a broad understanding of craft entrepreneurship. Drawing on case studies from around the world, Craft Entrepreneurship considers questions of identity, community, and the digital in craft entrepreneurship. In doing so, it finds craft activities to be positioned between or across the arts, heritage, notions of a bohemian lifestyle and the challenges of micro-entrepreneurship. By engaging with the contradictions and fragility of sustaining a craft practice, the chapters in this book contribute to different perspectives for entrepreneurship studies. The contributions to this volume illustrate the craft entrepreneurs’ identity, motivation and sense of creative purpose through their craft, as these collide with the tensions brought about through entrepreneurship.

Traditional crafts have been an essential part of Indian history, culture and life. This handbook looks at craft as both a cultural artefact that reflects people’s worldviews, indigenous practices and traditions, as well as a source of income generation and development that is inclusive. India’s rapid development has meant a breakdown of traditional economies, and including craft production-to-consumption systems. Meanwhile, there is a call to action from different factions to protect, revive and reinvent craft, because the inherent sustainability of the systems that underpin it are essential for the sustainability of India and her people. Against this backdrop, this book examines the current landscape of craft in India—its production and marketing in different parts of India, the incorporation of innovation and technology, the push for sustainability and equitability in the handicraft ecosystem and promising government policies that have proved beneficial for craftspeople. It also discusses various challenges that artisans, micro-entrepreneurs, and marketers face working in the space. With contributions from leading experts in the field of design, activism, policy, education, cultural heritage and entrepreneurship, this volume provides a comprehensive and in-depth picture of the history, economics and future of craft and its relationship with sustainability. An authoritative resource on Indian craft, this handbook will be useful for scholars and researchers of sustainable development, development studies, architecture, design, heritage studies, cultural studies, political economy and public policy.

This is a handbook for the cultural entrepreneur, offering some of the best examples on practice, franchises, research, innovation and business opportunities in the cultural sector. The key theme is the contribution and possibilities of the cultural economy as a business, with a strong supporting subtext on innovative practice. The book illustrates the theme by providing multiple practice-based and empirical examples from an international panel of experts. Each contribution provides an accessible and easily accessed bank of knowledge on which existing practice can be grown and new projects undertaken. It provides an eclectic mix of possibilities that reinforce and underscore the full innovative and complex potential of the cultural economy. Topics include a review of the global and regional economic benefits of the cultural economy, evidence-based analysis of the culture industries, and an outline of the top ten cultural opportunities for business. This collection transcends the space between theory and practice to combine culture and innovation and understand their importance to a wider economy. This is essential reading for researchers and practitioners interested in entrepreneurship, non-profit management, art and visual culture, and public finance.

This book contains seven chapters written by leading experts in the areas and discusses means to revive some of the cultures that are on the verge of closing/shutting down. This second of the three book series highlights the intricate relationship in the handloom industry between its culture and the various areas of sustainability. While there have been major disruptions in this age old industry, this book presents the craftsmanship/artisanship and its value addition to keep the industry moving ahead.

Critical Methods in Political and Cultural Economy offers students and scholars the first methods book for the critical school of International Political Economy (IPE). What does it mean to ‘do’ critical research? How do we write about the evidence we present? This volume explores our shared critical ethic to demonstrate how methods are transformative and reimagines research strategies as both an embodied practice and a social process. By presenting methodologically informed ways of researching, enriched by real-life accounts from academics doing empirical research, the volume seeks to forge a new collaborative path that builds a critical ethic and modes of inquiry within International Political Economy. Substantive chapters advance the pluralism of the critical school of cultural political economy and seek to articulate its nascent research ethic. Short autobiographical vignettes articulate the professional journeys of contributors who ‘do’ critical political economy. There is practical advice on how to develop evidence from an iterative reflexive research strategy. Using this innovative format offers a guide to methods in critical political economy by engaging directly with the people doing research, not only as technical practice but also as lived experience. The combination of research and practice presented throughout the book offers an extensive and authoritative framework for evaluating how methods are part of critical research and will be essential reading for all students and scholars of IPE.

This contributed volume discusses how consumer awareness of textile sustainability can lead to a more sustainable textile supply chain. From the initial purchase of a textile to its care and longevity, consumer behaviors are at the core of consumption associated with the textile industry. Making consumers aware of the environmental impacts of the clothing products they buy help them to choose the best alternative which has the lowers footprints and also enable them to help the entire textile sector to become sustainable. In addition, making them aware of environmental footprints of textile products from cradle to grave, make them aware of how best they can take care of their products during use and disposal phases and how they can help to preserve the planet with their earnest efforts to reduce the environmental impacts in their boundary, i.e. the use and disposal phases.

As more women achieve management positions across the world, it is essential to understand women’s roles in management in different countries and economies as well as their relationships to the global market and the gender effect on management. Women’s leadership and the challenges that they face look very different globally. It is important to research the role of women in management in order to strengthen equality and efficiency. Perspectives on Women in Management and the Global Labor Market provides a clear idea of the effect of gender on the management decision-making process and the respective consequences, showing similarities and striking differences in the practices of different countries and economies. This book serves as a compilation of ideas in the new trends associated with the presence of women in management and the global labor market. Covering topics such as firm debt maturity, change management, and wage inequality, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for business managers and leaders, human resource managers, entrepreneurs, government officials, sociologists, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.

Made in Italy holds a highly significant position in the global luxury market, as an economic, cultural, and social phenomenon, and the textbook example of the country-of-origin effect. Whilst in the past luxury was conceptualized as an exclusive benefit of the few, it is now a highly diversified ecosystem with disruptive challenges to its identity and authenticity, led by new customer segments. This book – through an analysis of diverse cases – answers the key issues in the industry of the new Made in Italy luxury, with a particular focus on sustainability. The book provides an in-depth view into luxury Made in Italy, from historical roots, heritage, and tradition to major forces of change and innovative, entrepreneurial adaptations in the 21st century. It situates Made in Italy in the broader global context of change, with regards to the call for sustainable manufacturing and consumption. Written by an international pool of academics and experts in luxury brand management, the book presents a series of case studies to explore how the industry is responding to new consumer expectations and demand to maintain competitive advantage. This unique collection will be of interest for academics, scholars, and upper-level students across the fields of luxury management and marketing, brand management, consumer behavior as well as sustainability.