Management strategies and sustainable and competitive management model in crafts

Based on the definition of Iran’s handicrafts, Iranian handicrafts are a wide collection of innovative disciplines and industries, which are produced with the focus on art and aesthetic taste, the creativity of Iranian peoples, and are used in people’s lives, and are as old as the ancient history of Iran.

Handicrafts, whether in the international or domestic definition, have two aspects of beauty and practicality, which satisfy the spiritual and material needs of people and are responsible for preserving the cultural and social heritage of societies. However, unlike the past, handicrafts have lost their position and role in the market and daily life to some extent, which can be considered as a result of its one-dimensionality and in other words, only attention to beauty (Rahmanpour, 2015). .

There are three categories of artistic crafts, consumer art crafts, consumer crafts:

1. Artistic handicrafts: refers to that group of products that have artistic and decorative aspects and in most cases do not have much use, such as painting, gold plating and turquoise plating.
2. Consumable artistic handicrafts: refers to that group of products that, while having artistic values, also have a consumption aspect; Such as carpets, rugs and glass containers.
3. Consumable handicrafts: It is usually referred to those products that have very little artistic value, but have consumer aspects; Such as all kinds of rattan products, local clothes and knife making.

Strategic decision theory

Strategic decision theory (SDT), in turn, focuses on the analysis of individuals and emphasizes that organizational performance is related to individual performance as a manager. However, SDT perspectives applied to craft activities are scarce. Mainly, such theories are used to emphasize the importance of public policies aimed at local community cooperation. Strategic decision-making is associated with a set of dynamic actions and factors and begins with the identification of a primary driver, i.e. a problem. It ends with a commitment to the actions that will be taken in relation to the initial identified stimulus (Hayashi, 2017). A strategic decision for an organization includes decisions on which resources are committed. It is an unstructured process (Battaglia, 2009).

Aspects that limit strategic decision making are knowledge and resources. Related to risk, which is an inseparable part of any strategic decision. Risk is associated with opportunity cost and leaving untraveled paths.

According to the United States Agency for International Development’s Creative Economy report, crafts are one of the most important economic profit-generating activities in the world’s creative industries. Handicraft is characterized by the mobilization of the local economy as a strong driver of work and income, and today the activity has been formed in a capitalist and competitive world. On the other hand, handicraft activity is generally considered as a cultural field in which the conditions of social exclusion and less economic achievements, as well as a reduction in the level of education and informality prevail in it. Freeman (2011) states in his research that the problem in commercialization is mainly because sales in stores and on the Internet are done directly by artisans. It is up to the industrialists to develop strategies to better manage the activity and make it more attractive, sustainable and competitive.

In this environment, collaborative strategies incorporate an organizational format that forms different types of alliances that combine productivity, spontaneity, and results from both managerial and market perspectives (Bortolaso ​​et al., 2012).

Collaboration as a strategy is studied and practiced worldwide. Brenner (2018) points out that in a dynamic global economy, with ever-increasing technological advances, cooperative business models create shared value for the company, its stakeholders, and society as a whole. Relevant Management Strategy Recently, they conducted a study on the importance of cooperation strategies for the performance of Chinese ports. The authors highlight cooperation as a dynamic mechanism for the recent development of China’s port sector and emphasize the role of the Chinese government in developing initiatives to encourage port cooperation (Hu et al., 2018).

Cooperation requires agreement and unity. Complex forms of cooperation are necessary to promote competition, few other actors can successfully proceed alone. To be successful, organizations must build linkages upstream and downstream, laterally and horizontally.

Sustainable management in handicrafts

In the current sensitive situation, where a significant part of the world is involved in the widespread crisis of environmental destruction and economic disorder, it is necessary to examine solutions to support those spiritual and social factors that support the life and health of the society. In this regard, supporting handicrafts is a priority along with other solutions. Handicrafts and artists active in this field are of special importance in the social life of our era due to their active connection and harmony with nature.

In addition, the spread of poverty, along with the increasing destruction of resources, is an important economic and cultural challenge for many developing countries. Economic growth and development and achieving its goals are in the planning and activities of many of these countries, such as paying attention to increasing production and national income, increasing employment and reducing the unemployment rate, developing exports and increasing foreign exchange earnings, and establishing economic and social justice in society. . Nevertheless, it is recommended to further investigate the relationship between cooperation and improvement strategies in handicraft management and the relationship between market strategies and the sustainable and competitive management model.

In the theory of sustainable development, due to the failure of other theories and the resulting experiences, a better and deeper understanding of the environment is emphasized and given great attention. This deeper understanding includes not only people, but also the body of decision-making and policy-making. In this theory, people have a special place. Sustainable development will be the result of mainly local activities and the awareness of each person about the situation and the environment. Therefore, the role and influence of people and their way of thinking and in fact their culture and understanding of development and environment issues should be the basis of a sustainable development. In many countries and in the implementation of development programs and projects, people often remain mere spectators at the beginning. In this sense, the theory of sustainable development considers the direct and active presence of people as the main condition of development, considering the failure of most common development theories.

Imported theories of development, in addition to nature, have severely threatened and destroyed native cultures. Because on the one hand, the permission to use the culture is lost or weakened, which becomes a factor for the culture to be forgotten and the impossibility of its timely transformation. On the other hand, cultural issues that have their roots in another place are replaced, which are not able to establish a relationship between man and his environment. Man, whose main ability is to interpret and interpret the world based on his culture, is thus practically prevented from direct and natural communication with his surrounding environment and cannot adopt appropriate behavior. The relationship between man and the environment, when culture does not have its natural role, is an unnatural, illogical and unstable relationship.

In Iran, it seems that in order to achieve sustainable development, before taking special measures and creating facilities, we must remove the obstacles that have been put in its way. Therefore, we have to revive the culture and values ​​that we have had before and have forgotten and abandoned with the influx of imported theories, and find a way to use it in today’s circumstances. The situation caused by neglect and disbelief in the ability of local culture to follow universal ideas in the matter of creating changes in the environment and its development has made the situation in Iran very complicated. That man is not dependent on nature or in front of it, but is a part of it, has always been one of the characteristics of our culture and intellectual system in Iran. A matter that has been raised again as a definite and undeniable scientific matter in the theories of development and environment, after many decades of investigation and testing.

In our country, handicrafts are one of the fields that can provide suitable grounds for the formation of sustainable development in the country due to its inherent capabilities and diversity. The industries and disciplines that are formed based on the mental skills and individual creativity of artists attract a large audience due to their cultural nature. With a little reflection, we can see that the characteristics of Iranian handicrafts have a great affinity with the components and goals of sustainable development, and many indicators of sustainable development can be seen in its functions.

Management strategies and sustainable and competitive management model in handicrafts

Cooperation between artisans is a relevant strategy, as it has a positive effect on market achievements, opportunities for commercialization of production and opening new spaces for the exhibition and dissemination of handicraft products. At the same time, investing in craft management strategies will help sell more products. Therefore, the professionalization of management is necessary to expand the market. While professionalizing management, it helps to consolidate activities and makes it more competitive and sustainable. This shows that the cooperation of handicraft management strategies and sustainable and competitive management models are closely related and can be considered strategic factors for the success and sustainability of handicrafts.

We need a new solution for handicrafts to come out of stagnation and isolation in such a way that it can have an active presence in the economic and social life as before, to eliminate the gap that has been created between handicrafts and its consumer side after the industrial revolution. . These solutions must have the following features:

Economic approach

Innovation and creativity

Social and cultural compatibility

Not only promoting and improving handicrafts based on sustainable development goals is an achievable goal, but it is also necessary to realize and benefit from the results of these goals. It is certain that the necessity of this type of attitude in the field of handicrafts is to adopt an economic approach to the problem. But due to the distance between developing countries and the flow of industry and production methods in advanced countries, it is no longer possible to use traditional attitudes in the production and supply of handicraft products. Considering the conditions of the post-industrial societies, especially the developing countries, new and creative solutions are needed so that they can use the capacities of handicrafts by using the existing facilities and knowledge.

Among the proposals and solutions that help the growth and development of handicrafts, the following can be mentioned:

1. At first glance, the term “handicrafts” brings to mind a very basic and unscientific association of traditional arts and most people think that the purpose of this discipline is to teach common traditional handicrafts such as sewing, embroidery, knitting and flower making. Therefore, it can be made more precise and scientific by explaining the academic field of handicrafts to traditional arts, and as a result, more literate people can participate in the process of designing and planning handicrafts and design new types of handicrafts according to real conditions.
2. Considering that art and application are together in handicrafts, it is suggested that the country’s investors and planners provide job arrangements for the students of this field.
3. Tough demand conditions, competitive conditions, developed production factors, related industries and supporting industries are the main reasons for the development of the handicraft industry. Therefore, the government’s public policies and social prosperity should provide the necessary assistance, including social conditions, for its sustainable and competitive development.
4. Product production should be based on consumers, therefore, traditional handicraft products should have the ability of traditional cultural heritage and meet people’s spiritual and material needs.
5. For the growth of handicrafts in danger of extinction, the government should adopt supportive policies, including by creating special funds, guaranteeing the quality of life and working environment of employees from an economic aspect, a strong guarantor for the sustainable development of traditional handicrafts, and formulating precise and highly operational protection measures with regard to Industrial features.
6. Considering that today’s people generally do not understand traditional culture and handicrafts, the government, planners and officials should work with the media to improve the promotion of traditional culture and handicrafts, increase people’s willingness to buy, increase people’s awareness and support initiative, create a good social atmosphere, improve The management system and protection of intellectual property rights of traditional artisans should cooperate to expand the sales channels of the traditional handicrafts market.
7. In addition, the government may help the traditional craft industry to gain international popularity, thereby expanding the global market for Chinese traditional culture.
8. Considering the current social climate, the government and officials should increase the content of arts and crafts education in primary and secondary education, also strengthen the cooperation between the traditional crafts industry and universities, and cultivate innovative talents using university resources.
9. Considering that demand conditions are an important factor for the strong and sustainable development of any industry, and since consumers have the greatest influence on the sustainable development of an industry, the current traditional craft industry must first solve the demand problem for development to flourish. Therefore, the most fundamental way to provide support is to increase the viability of handicrafts and increase the vitality of the handicraft industry.
10. Since people’s aesthetics constantly change with the progress of society, while traditional handicrafts always remain as a variation with the same traditional themes. This makes artisans unable to meet the aesthetic characteristics of modern people and thus resonate with people. Therefore, with the development of productivity, the nature of crafts should be highlighted more. In order to integrate into the modern market, the added value of traditional handicraft products such as their cultural nature should be emphasized, as well as new entry points and value points for consumption demand should be provided to satisfy diverse consumer demands.