Designing Innovative Craft Enterprises in India: A Framework for Change Makers

Abstract

Although artisanal crafts and craftsmanship are in high demand globally, the benefits artisans receive are often negligible. The rules of the open market also make it difficult for them to compete. A number of Indian enterprises have introduced innovative organization models to catalyze social change and support artisans’ wellbeing by involving them more directly in the organization. Based on a review of literature on social entrepreneurship and organization design using a design thinking lens, and three case studies on craft enterprises in India, we find that artisans cannot be empowered separately from their communities. Further, any design intervention seeking to bring about social change through artisan participation must be grounded in an in-depth understanding of local context, artisans’ needs, and market dynamics. We contribute new knowledge about the crucial role of the change maker in successfully transforming a design intervention into a sustainable enterprise, and propose an original framework for designing innovative organizations based on effective participation and empowerment of the artisans producing goods for sale.