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- Title of Abstract:
New craft policy in Finland (Ref #112)
- Date:
- 26-09-2006 10:03:28
- Status:
-
Accepted with revisions
- Rating:
- 6
-
Details:
- The purpose of this study is to investigate crafts policy in Finland. I analyse the crafts policy within the framework of cultural, social and economic dimensions. Cultural dimension I divide in cultural diversity, crafts and design and innovation and training, social dimension in livelihood, self-confidence and fair and ethical trade and economic in quality of life for producers, trading partners and small businesses.
The main source material of the study is the strategic plan, which Ministry of Trade and Industry have prepared for craft sector: ?Craft entrepreneurship in Finland. Draft for a development strategy for craft entrepreneurship 2006-2013?. Second source are interviews and survey made when preparing the strategic plan. My intention was to understand artisans work and the meaning of craft policy and development work. Two inquiries were made and theme discussions arranged jointly with the representatives of the Finnish Association of Designers Ornamo and The Finnish Crafts Organization. The survey (open questionnaire via internet) contains artisans and enterprise counsellors attitudes about craft policy and development work. The material was analyzed by content analysis and the close-reading method.
Crafts represent one sector of the Finnish micro-sized-enterprise and account for estimated 9000?10,000 businesses employing directly nearly 14,000 people. Craft entrepreneurship basically means the ability to convert personal artistic input into a commercial, innovative product and then market and sell it. Crafts refers to a production process performed with the hands or with manually-operated tools, and also to work produced in such fashion. The products tend to be items for interior decoration, garments or accessories.
Problems can be divided in enterprising environment and enterprisers qualities. I summarise findings, enterprising environment: critical study of development actions and employer contributions, domestic and international competition, and enterpriser?s qualities: better client-oriented products, more cooperation, accessibility and visibility, artisan?s insufficient skills as entrepreneur.
Vision in strategic plan 2006-2013 tells that the goal is profitable growth of enterprises and internationally known visibility craft sector, well-designed client-oriented products and services. Artisans often experience craft more as way of life or art as work. The core of craft entrepreneurs? skills generally lies in the design and manufacture of products, but this is not sufficient for operating profitably as a business. Many entrepreneurs remain rather incompetent in information technology and the like. Crafts seem to get higher place when people like and have possibility to bay unique products, especially clouding and decoration.
Reviewer Comments: