Natureview Farm Case Study Essays

Natureview Farm Case Study Essays Natureview Farm Case Study Paper Natureview Farm Case Study Paper Founded in 1989, Natureview Farm, Inc. is a small yogurt manufacturer. The current management team consists of, Barry Landers, CEO, Jim Wagner, CFO, Christine Walker, VP of marketing, Walter Bellini, VP of sales, Jack Gottlieb, VP of operations, and Kelly Riley, assistant marketing director. In 1997, Natureview received equity from a venture capital firm to help fund strategic investments. With proper management and necessary strategic investments, Natureview was able to grow its revenue from less than $100,000 in 1989 to $13M in 1999. The problem the current management team is faced with now, in early 2000, is that the venture capital firm wants to cash out and Natureview needs to find another investor or position itself for acquisition. In order to do so, Natureview needs to increase its annual revenue from $13M to $20M, by the end of 2001. NaturevieWs success in the natural foods channel is as a result of its emphasis on natural ingredients and its strong reputation for high quality and great taste. The special process and natural ingredients used by Natureview results in a unique mooth, creamy texture and an average shelf life of 50 days versus its competitors products that have a 30 day shelf life. Additional contributors to its success were the expansion of additional flavors and cup sizes, strong relationships with leading natural food retailers, and gorilla marketing tactics. Natureview entered the market with 8-oz. and 32-oz. cup sizes of plain and vanilla yogurt. They now offer 12 flavors in 8-oz. cup size which represents 86% of revenue, and 4 flavors in 32-oz. up size ontributing 14% of revenue. Currently, NaturevieWs products are only available in natural food chain stores, and Natureview has strong relationships with the top two, Whole Foods and Wild Oats. Chartered with the difficult task of developing a strategy to achieve $20M in revenues by the end of 2001 , the management team developed three options for consideration. The first option, recommended by Walter Bell ini, is to expand into two select supermarket channel regions (eastern and western) with six SKUs of its 8-oz. roduct line. The conservative projections of sales for this option of 35 million units will result in an incremental $16. 1M of revenue (net manufacturers selling price after channels to market markup) resulting in approximately $29. 070M in annual revenues. The second option, recommended by Jack Gottlieb, is to expand four SKUs of the 32-oz. size nationally. The projections of sales for this option of 5. 5 million units will result in an incremental $9. 240M of revenue resulting in approximately $22. 214M in annual revenues. The third option recommended by Kelly Riley, is to xpand its presence in the natural food channel by introducing two SKUs of a new childrens multi-pack product line, which is a six pack of 4-oz. cups. The projections of sales for this option of 1. 8 million units will result in an incremental $3. 186M of revenue resulting in approximately $16. 317M in annual revenues. In both the first and second option, expansion into the supermarket channel may cause channel conflict for Natureview and risk to its 24% of yogurt sales through the natural food channel. Retail supermarket prices are generally 15% lower than the natural food hannel which may force NaturevieWs traditional channel to lower their prices or supermarket channel now could have longer term impact since supermarket retailers will likely authorize only one organic yogurt brand, giving the first brand to enter the channel a significant first-mover advantage. Additional advantages to the first and second option are that supermarkets sold 97% of all yogurts consumed with 46% of organic food consumers purchasing from a supermarket, compared to 29% at a natural food channel. Additional risks of entering the supermarket channel are the ayment of one-time slotting fees of $10,000 per SKU per retail chain, incremental SGA and advertising costs, heavy reliance on brokers knowledge of promotional and merchandising requirements and a concentrated market with four leading competitors where the top two represent over 50% of the market. Specific to option one, additional advantages are the 8-oz. yogurt cups represent 74% of total category supermarket sales in US dollars growing at a rate of 3% per year. Additional advantages of option two are in 32-oz. ogurt cups the most important purchase riteria were brand, expiration date, and price, giving Natureview an advantage with its 50 day average shelf life and the average gross profit margin of 43. 6% versus 36. 0% for 8-oz. line. Advantages to option three are lack of disruption to existing relationships; the multi-pack represented 9% of category sales and is growing by more than 12. 5%, and potential to yield stron gest profit contribution of all the strategies outlined. The disadvantage with option three is that the company will not hit its revenue goal. In my opinion, the company should pursue option one, because n order to attract an investor or get acquired, the annual revenue production of $20M is required. Despite some potential channel conflict and decline in existing natural channel sales, option one would still allow them to achieve this target. Other natural food brands including Silk Soymilk and Amys Organic Foods have had proven success in the supermarket channel, increasing revenues 200% within two years. Natureview may experience the same success by being the first organic yogurt product in supermarket retail locations.

13 Books to Read to Advance Your Career

13 Books to Read to Advance Your Career We have millions of resources available to us on the internet, any time of day. It’s obviously a fantastic tool, especially when you’re looking for ways to boost your career. But you know what also works? Good, old-fashioned books. (Okay, I’ll even stretch that to include ebooks.) From classic lit (no War and Peace, I promise) to ultramodern career advice, we’ve got a reading list that might not satisfy your high school English teacher, but just might help you move forward in your career. The Literary ClassicsFirst, let’s look at some of the books you might not think are career books, but provide great insight into human nature and how to cope with life.The Art of War, Sun TzuLove is a battlefield, sure, but so is the workplace. While it may not be the kind of literal warfare that ancient Chinese philosopher and military strategist Sun Tzu likely envisioned for his audience, it has lots of good advice for someone seeking to improve leadership skills , conquer office politics, or just plain survive the ins and outs of the workplace. Besides, a little extra discipline never hurts, professionally.Career takeaway: â€Å"Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.† One-liners like this can give you bite-size management tips that you can apply to any situation, whether the war zone is a literal one or one with a water cooler.Lord of the Flies, William GoldingIf The Art of War is your field guide to turning yourself into an A+ leader, this one is your cautionary tale for surviving office politics. This young adult novel follows a group of students who become stranded, and attempt to create their own new island society. (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t go great.)Career takeaway: Working together with a diverse group of people is an essential skill, especially amid chaos.The Alchemist, Paulo CoelhoIn this novel, an Andalusian shepherd travels to Egypt seeking riches after dreaming of finding wealth there. Whil e this is a literal tribute to chasing your dreams, it also contains many insightful lessons about seizing opportunities, overcoming fear of the unknown, and embracing the actions you can take in the present.Career takeaway: Focus on your journey, and the steps you can take now to achieve your goals.The Career ClassicsWhile you may not find these books on your English syllabus, these books have helped generations of readers grow professionally.Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon HillAny process that has 13 steps has to be successful, right? This 1937 self-help classic by author and lecturer Napoleon Hill offers the aforementioned steps to make more money and achieve personal goals, based on the successes of early 20th century entrepreneurs like Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie.Career Takeaway: Emulating successful people can help you break through in your own personal achievement and financial goals.The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. CoveyOne of the most important things yo u can do, career-wise, is to set yourself up for success by creating and maintaining good habits. This book has been a perennial bestseller since its publication in 1990, and provides a road map to making changes to your mindset and life to allow for success. While it does cover the aforementioned habits of successful people, this is more of a reset on how you see yourself and the world around you.Career Takeaway: Beloved by executives and other highly successful people, this book offers tools to push yourself up to the next level.How to Win Friends Influence People, Dale CarnegieAnother oldie-but-goodie, this is the original book about networking. Dale Carnegie’s insights into making and maintaining connections has become the basis for many generations of business leaders and highly successful schmoozers.Career Takeaway: You can’t go it alone, so it’s essential to work on your people skills alongside your professional skills, and make the right connections.The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success, Nicholas LoreOriginally published in 1998, this book has been a touchstone for recent grads, people looking for career changes, and those who just want to start plotting out a path to their goals. In it, career coach Nicholas Lore lays out how to figure out what you want to do and how to set your course to get to that point. Lore uses diagnostic tools and tests from the career and networking hub the Rockport Institute to guide readers through the first (or next steps) on their career paths. This one has also been revised and updated for the current realities of the job market (technology, economic shifts, etc.).Career Takeaway: Everyone needs a plan for their career, but not everyone knows how to create and execute that plan. Expert advice and self-diagnosis quizzes help you zero in on your strengths and your goals.The Modern ClassicsAnd now we have the more contemporary books, which may ver y well be the career books we pass along to our kids.Outliers: The Secret of Success, Malcolm GladwellLike Napoleon Hill and Dale Carnegie before him, writer Malcolm Gladwell understands the importance of learning from the best thinkers and achievers. Outliers takes a deep dive into what makes these achievers so successful, and what we regular schmoes can learn from them in order to grab some of that success for ourselves. This book also contains the now-famous conclusion, which you’ve likely heard, that the key to mastering any skill is to put in 10,000 of effort and practice.Career Takeaway: Success is a result of hard work and savvy planning, and we should be open others’ success stories to help determine what works for ourselves.The Up Side of Down: Why Failing Well Is the Key to Success, Megan McArdleNo one likes to fail, but it’s an inevitable part of everyone’s career at some point. The key is managing those failures, embracing the challenges that come with taking chances, and taking the necessary lessons forward into the rest of one’s career. This book takes real-world stories of failure to illustrate how to embrace and move on from setbacks.Career Takeaway: I fail, you fail, we all fail†¦sometimes. Learning to accept these failures gracefully and move on, wiser and stronger, is a major career skill everyone should have.Linchpin, Seth GodinIf you’ve heard of only one career coach in the past ten years, there’s a good chance that name is Seth Godin’s. Godin specializes in personal success and entrepreneurship, and here he focuses on how to make yourself an absolutely necessary part of the team by embracing innovation and positive change.Career Takeaway: An indispensable person is a person with job security.Lean In, Sheryl SandbergWomen have faced innumerable challenges in the workplace, including a shortage of managerial roles. In Lean In, Sandberg draws on her experience as Facebook’s COO to offer advice on how to cultivate leadership skills and achieve work-life balance. But while this book is aimed at professional women specifically, it also has advice that anyone of any gender can take and apply to their own career paths.Career Takeaway: If you’re not achieving your full professional, you’re putting yourself at a major professional disadvantage.Love Your Job: The New Rules for Career Happiness, Kerry Hannonâ€Å"Do what you love† is very common career advice. It’s also very vague- should you pursue passion projects at the expense of a paycheck? Should you learn to love the job you have? What’s the optimal way to find happiness in your career? Hannon walks you through making necessary changes to your habits, routines, and mindset so that you’re getting the most possible fulfillment out of your job.Career Takeaway: Whether you have your dream job or not, you should seek happiness and fulfillment from the job that takes u p so much of your life and mindspace.Moving the Needle: Get Clear, Get Free, and Get Going in Your Career, Business, and Life!, Joe Sweeney and Mike YorkeyIf you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, either in your job or in your industry, Moving the Needle is designed to help you shake up the status quo, and move forward in your career with a refreshed sense of purpose. If you have no idea what said refreshed purpose could be, this book gives you the tools you need to figure that out.Career Takeaway: Don’t let yourself get mired in a blah status quo- embrace ideas like risk and innovation that can help you move your career in a more fulfilling direction.Now more than ever, there are so many voices out there that can help us learn more about our professional selves, and tools to help us achieve our most cherished career goals. Happy reading!

STRATEGIC ACCOUNTING & FINANCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

STRATEGIC ACCOUNTING & FINANCE - Essay Example In the late 1980s and early 1990s there were a series of scandalous collapse of several prominent UK companies. The reasons being weak control and governance over the working of the management board and the main reason was the power and authority vested in the hands of a single person. In December 1992, the Cadbury Committee published the Code of Best Practice(hereafter, the Code) which recommended that Boards of publicly-traded UK corporations include at least three outside directors and that the positions of the Chairman and Chief executive Officer not to be held by a single individual. The purpose of this kind of separation is to enhance corporate performance and to avoid misuse of power and authority. In this essay the author discusses the effects of the Cadbury Committee on Corporate Governance and whether the split in the roles of CEO and Chairman according the Committee recommendations has increased or decreased the efficiency of companies. 1. It is mentioned in various research reports that the Code has definitely increased the general awareness of good corporate governance and it has caused several changes in the governance of companies. Mainly, the presence of independent directors on the Board has definitely increased the performance of a company. 3. ... 3. Another effect is that it has induced the turnover of top level managers in companies after the recommendations were implemented. In a study by Jay Dahya and John J. McConnell, it is evident that the implementation of the recommendations of the committee has increased the turnover of top level executives in companies in UK. This turnover of top-level executives can be voluntary and forced. But the turnover of the executives and the performance of the company shows a direct correlation. This study is very significant to show how the composition of the Board of Directors can cause a change in the performance of a company. 4. Mostly the Code mentions only recommendations voluntary measures. It is upto the necessity and discretion of the companies to implement the recommendations. But the London Stock Exchange has made it mandatory for all the Companies to comply with the Code. This step by the London stock exchange is an evidence about the credibility of the recommendations in itself. These recommendations when implemented by all the listed companies will definitely have a change in corporate governance across UK. 5. Generally, the quality of corporate governance can be measured by the flow of information inside the company. When outsiders are more in the Board of management and the CEO and the Chairmen posts are held by two different people, then there are more chances that information will be available to the shareholders. This availability of information is a cyclic process in improving the efficiency of an organization. If information is available freely the shareholders will have better idea about what is happening inside the Board. This information can play

Essey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Essey - Essay Example Management is the dynamic, life-giving element in every business. Without it the resources of production remain resources and never become production." (Sharma, 2004 11) This definition emphasizes that the managers achieve organizational objectives getting things done through the employees. Human resource Management is very essential for successful running of an enterprise. It ensures proper use of physical and human resources by deriving the best results. It leads to efficient performance and higher productivity. Human Resource Management is very essential for every organization to make productive use of human physical and financial resources or the achievement of the organizational goals. It helps in determination of objectives. No organization can succeed in tits mission unless its objectives an identified and well denied. Management helps in achieving these objectives by the efficient use of resources. The entry of multinationals has also brought in fundamental changes in the work culture, work ethics and remunerating patterns in many countries, all of which have a clear bearing on the career growth path of individuals. Added to this are the rapid changes taking place on the technological front, flattening hierarchies and making people come together more than ever before. Amidst all this change, the high ethical standards of an individual, be it a workman on the shop floor or the Chief Executive Officer, matter more now than ever. The dual ethical standards often maintained by people front-often the exact opposite when it comes of the way they conduct business are counterproductive in the long run. The new authority is emerging and organizations are member led, officer driven, customer focused; a team environment where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts; a flat management structure where employees and managers are learning rather than blame; a clear since of direction and purpose. A firm commitment to delivering high quality public services through a combination of direct-provision and effective partnerships. 2. ROLE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Human Resource Management plays a very important role in managing the mode in business organizations, which are complex and complicated. The role of management is summarized below. 1. Role in success. Human Resource Management plays a very important role the success of an organization. It helps in achieving group goals. Human Resource Management assembles and organizes the available recourses for the accomplishment of the goals of enterprise. It adds effectiveness to the efforts of group persons organized to achieve the given objectives. 2. Role in efficiency. Human Resource Management utilizes the available physical and human resources productively. It eliminates all types of wastage and leads to efficiency in all business operations. Thus it results in effective running of business activities. To secure efficiency of operations, management is concerned with reducing the cost of production and increasing the output. Through better planning, organizing and control, and the use of various cost-reduction techniques, efficient management leads to reduced costs and increased output. (Sharma, 2004 13) 3. Role in soundness of organization. Human Resource Management lays down a pattern of authority- responsibility relationship. The structure so formed

Fall of Troy Essay Example for Free

Fall of Troy Essay Pride and self confidence are values often times convey in stories and books that chronicle tales about Greek Mythology. With the Gods and goddesses favoring a certain person and taking sides, mortals oftentimes grew more complacent and over confident about their own selves.   As the Greek word Hubris implies it is an exaggerated act and display of self confidence that many times it leads to downfall of actions taken. Decisions are blinded and corrupted by the display of over confidence, thus details of courses are taken for granted. The events that transpired in Homer’s Iliad exemplify a person and a group of persons act of hubris.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Iliad is divided into different sections. It is composed of twenty four different books, which narrate Achilles story and The Trojan War. Each story depicts how hubris plays an important role that leads to the result of the war and the downfall of a mighty city. It also narrates how disputes are born through hubris. The Trojan War was believed to be the greatest conflict in Greek History. The origin of the war was believed to have started, long before Achilles was born. It roots its origin in the conflict with the golden apple that happens among the three most powerful goddesses, Athena, Aphrodite and Hera. The event leads to Paris, a Trojan Prince running away with Helen, wife of Menelaus. Book I of Iliad, The Quarrel by the Ships verse 10 showcases a display of Agamemnon, King of Mycenae and brother of Menelaus, exceeding self confidence. Old man, dont let me catch you by our hollow ships, sneaking back here today or later on. Who cares about Apollos scarf and staff? Ill not release the girl to you, no, not before shes grown old with me in Argos, far from home,  working the loom, sharing my bed. Go away.  If you want to get home safely, dont anger me. (Homer The Quarrel by the Ships: Book 1 of the Iliad). Agamemnon’s pride and boastful antics were very evident that he even defies Apollo’s power. He has this belief that, since he is a very worthy ruler, he deserved all the great things as rewards. Also, we can see Agamemnon’s proud image on the same book verse 110 to 120: Prophet of evil,  when have you ever said good things to me? You love to predict the worst, always the worst! You never show good news.  Ã‚  Now, in prophecy to the Danaans,  you say archer Apollo brings us pain because I was unwilling to accept fine ransom for Chryses daughter, Chryseis. But I have a great desire to take her home in fact want her more than Clytaemnestra,  the wife I married Chryseis is just as good  Ã‚   in her shape, physique, intelligence, or work. Still, Im prepared to give her back, if thats best. I want the people safe, not all killed off. But then youll owe me another prize. I won’t be the only Argive left  without a gift.  That would be entirely unfair to me. You all can see my spoils are going elsewhere. (Homer The Quarrel by the Ships: Book 1 of the Iliad). He refused to set free the priest’s daughter and would only do so if a replacement would take her place. Agamemnon believed that what the oracle had foreseen is wrong and his decision could only be moved if the condition he had set is satisfied. What he wants, he should get. It also shows that Agamemnon did not want others to make fun of him if he would loose his concubine without a replacement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     To avoid the looming war a truce was agreed upon that Paris and Menelaus should fight and whoever won would have Helen as his wife. Paris lost but could not accept his defeat. His words to Helen from Book III Paris, Menelaus and Helen verse 440 were some kind of excuse for his failure. Wife, dont mock my courage with your insults. Yes, Menelaus has just defeated me, but with Athenas help. Next time Ill beat him for we have gods on our side, too.†(Homer Paris, Menelaus, and Helen: Book 3 of the Iliad)   He could have easily accepted the defeat and handed out Helen to Menelaus. But, he too was too proud to accept the defeat. Menelaus has clearly won their match but he could not bear loosing Helen, especially because of his own fault. Paris could have died right away if not for Aphrodite lending him the much needed help. Paris Hubris was in display.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The war then has become inevitable as Aphrodite persuaded Pandarus in breaking the Trojans oath. â€Å"Fiery hearted son of Lycaon, why not do as I suggest? Prepare yourself to shoot a swift arrow at Menelaus. Youd earn thanks and glory from all Trojans, most of all from Prince Alexander. Hed be the every first to bring fine gifts, if he could see warlike Menelaus, son of Atreus, mounted on his bier, his bitter funeral pyre, killed by your arrow.† (Homer The Armies Clash: Book Four of the Iliad).   Pandarus shoots Menelaus. His arrogant attitude and greed for fame and appreciation broke the treaty. Believing that he would gain glory by killing Menelaus, he fired his arrow. Pandarus was hungry for the honor he would get if eventually he can kill Menelaus. It would be of great pride of him to be recognized in that way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The war has erupted, and many Trojan and Achaeans have died. Diomemedes, guided by Athena, have been pushing the Trojan Army back with his superb fighting skill. But as he pushes forward he was hit by Lycaon’s son. Come on, you brave horse-lashing Trojans, for the finest of Achaeans has been hurt.  Ã‚  I dont think hell long survive my arrows force.† (Homer Diomedes Goes to Battle: Book V of the Iliad). Lycaon’s son was bragging and shouting that he has killed Diomedes. For him, the best warrior has been killed so it would all be easy to take on the remaining enemy. He thinks of himself so highly and mighty. Little that he knows that Diomedes was alive and his boastful act only infuriates the fighting spirit of Diomedes. He was furious and attacked the Trojans more violently. So angry was Diomedes that he even tried killing Aphrodite. â€Å"Diomedes with his ruthless bronze had gone to run down Aphrodite, knowing she was not a god who could do much in battle not one of those who control mens wars.  She was no Athena,  no goddess Strife, who destroys whole cities.† (Homer Diomedes Goes to Battle: Book V of the Iliad). It was a display of hubris, as a mortal man attacked a goddess. Mortal men should respect Gods and recognized the vast difference between their abilities. Diomedes is powerful but he should know the limit of being human as Apollo stated from Book five verse 440 â€Å"Take care son of Tydeus. Go back. Dont think youre equal to the gods. The race of men who  walk upon the ground can never match the race of deathless gods. (Homer Diomedes Goes to Battle: Book V of the Iliad).  Ã‚  The God’s pride was injured, and Diomedes actions angered the Gods and resulted to more bloodshed. From verse 330 of book six, it would be obvious that Hector was feeling low. â€Å"Paris, youre a worthless man. Its quite wrong of you to nurse that anger in your heart, while men are being destroyed, fighting around the city its steep walls. Its because of you the sounds of warfare catch fire around our city  you would fight  Ã‚  Ã‚  any man you saw avoiding battle fleeing wars brutality.† (Homer Hector and Andromache: Book 6 of the Iliad).   This statement from Hector, commander in chief of Troy, shows how he has been hurt by the actions done by Paris. For him, branding his brother is a great insult. He knew he was fated to die in that war. Still, he chooses to fight for his people. Fully aware that it was his brother actions that shape the war, still, he together with their allies was duty bound in defending Troy. The Trojans are too proud especially Hector, the heir to the throne, to admit that Paris was wrong. They were too high and almighty to believe that a fellow Trojan would commit such misconduct. Hubris is again in display that blinded their actions. They could have easily handed out Helen when the Greeks asked for Helen’s return. Hector’s disappointment with Paris is again revealed to the following statement Brother, no one could justly criticize your work in battle, for you fight bravely. But you deliberately hold back and do not wish to fight.  It pains my heart, when I hear shameful things about you from Trojans, who are suffering much distress because of you.†Ã‚  (Homer Hector and Andromache: Book 6 of the Iliad). He just could not stand what his fellow Trojans would tell about his brother.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Achilles on the other hand resolved to retire from fighting. His retirement from battle also showed sign of hubris. In a display of his â€Å"exaggerated pride†, which was revealing in verse 70 of Book 16, Achilles would not return to battle even if his comrades are slowly being killed and wounded. â€Å"Dreadful pain came in my heart and spirit when that man wished to cheat someone his equal and steal away that prize,  and just because hes got more power. That really hurt, given that Ive suffered  in this war so many pains here in my chest. Achaeas sons chose that girl as my prize. I won her with my spear, once Id destroyed her strong-walled city. Lord Agamemnon took her back, out of my hands, as if were some stranger without honor.† (Homer Patroclus Fights and Dies:Book 16 of the Iliad). His lost of drive for fighting happens when Agamemnon took Achilles concubine in replaced of the priest’s daughter who was set free. Achilles pride was hurt so he left the line of battle. He was one of the Greek’s mighty warriors and he believed that even Agamemnon should recognize that. Although, Agamemnon promised gold and the return of his concubine, to bring Achilles back to the lines of battle, Achilles injured pride was not persuaded. Instead he allowed his companion Patroclus to use his armor and fight in his place. He was proud enough not to work under the command of Agamemnon, who he believed is not a worthy commander in chief. His pride would not allow him to join the fighting, and his hubris had caused him the life of his friend.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Achilles returns to actions, from verse 20 of Book 19, was filled with power;   Mother, this armor the god has given me is a work fit for the immortals, something no living human could create† (Homer Achilles and Agamemnon :Book 19 of the Iliad). Upon hearing this Achilles was filled with fearless power. With Thetis by his side, he led his army. The overwhelming confidence brought by the armor and the rage he was feeling, was proof of his anxiousness to return fighting. â€Å"Though you’re e a brave man, godlike Achilles, dont encourage Achaeas sons to fight against the Trojan on empty stomachs. If so, the fight wont last for long if troops engage right now, once some god in fuses strength in to both sides.  No.  Instruct Achaeans to have some food and wine by their swift ships for they give strength and courage.  No soldier can fight the enemy all day till sunset without some food.† (Homer Achilles and Agamemnon :Book 19 of the Iliad). This was a major display of hubris of Achilless, promising he will not waiver, rest and eat until he has avenged the death of his friend. The Death of Patroclus forced Achilles to return to the battlefield. He was enveloped of the idea of revenge. He was so angry that he even attacked Apollo, from verse 10 of Book 22. â€Å"Son of Peleus, why are you, a mere human, running so hard in an attempt to catch me,  an immortal god?  Youre still ignorant it seems, of the fact that Im a god. You keep coming at me with such anger.† (Homer The Death of Hector:   Book 22 of the Iliad). Achilles was so enraged that he was fighting fiercely even in the face of God. He blames himself for the death of his friend. He was too weak to bear the his pride. The fall of Troy was destined to happen. With the consent from the Gods, Troy was fated to fall. However, hubris played an important role to its downfall. From the moment, the Trojan War broke out it was the hubris not only by my mortals but by Gods, which made the events more chaotic. With the Gods by taking up sides to show their power the outcome of the war and the course of history itself, was shaped and reshaped. Treaties could have been signed and bloodshed could have been avoided if not because of the over exaggerated pride and confidence every man possess. When the Trojans celebrated their apparent victory, it leads to their downfall. They have underestimated their foe. They taught that the Gods had ruled in their favor, when the horse was found. They also believed that the time a sea monster ate those who opposed the entry of the horse to the city was a sign from the Gods. They grew more complacent and failed to act and think rationally. They deduced that in fact they are greater warriors and men compared to the Greeks. They admired themselves too well. The admiration was overwhelming that they failed to size up their opponents that eventually it leads to a tragic end. The belief that the City could not be conquered made a difference. Necessary precautions were not done. (Homer The Iliad) Homer. Achilles and Agamemnon :Book 19 of the Iliad. 800 B. C. E. . The Armies Clash: Book Four of the Iliad. 800 B. C. E. . The Death of Hector:   Book 22 of the Iliad.   (800 B. C. E). . Diomedes Goes to Battle: Book V of the Iliad.   (800 B. C. E). . Hector and Andromache: Book 6 of the Iliad.   (800 B. C. E). . The Iliad. 800 B.C.E. . Paris, Menelaus, and Helen: Book 3 of the Iliad.   (800 B. C. E). . Patroclus Fights and Dies:Book 16 of the Iliad. 800 B. C. E. . The Quarrel by the Ships: Book 1 of the Iliad. 800 B. C. E.

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Cody Harris World History – 3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  March 24, 2002 Chapter 21 Vocabulary 1. Philip II- son of Charles V, he inherited Spain, and Spanish Netherlands, and the American colonies. He was shy, serious and deeply religious. When the king of Portugal died without an heir, he gained the empire by being a nephew. His empire provided him with a enormous wealth. He also helped to drive the Muslims out of Spain. 1588, he launched the Spanish Armada but was defeated. 2. El Greco- real name Domenikos Theotokopoulos but called by the Greeks as El Greco meaning â€Å"the Greek†. His art often puzzled the people of his time. He used brilliant colors, sometimes clashing. His paintings showed deep Catholic faith of Spain, painting saints and martyrs as huge long-limbed figures that have a supernatural air. 3. Divine Right- the idea that God created the monarchy and that the monarch acted as God’s representative on earth 4. Absolute monarch- kings or queens who believed that all power within their state’s boundaries rested in their hands. 5. Edict of Nantes- a declaration that the Huguenots could live in peace in France and set up their own houses of worship in some cities. 6. Cardinal Richelieu- the ruler, in effect, of France under Louis XIII (1624), he had been a hard-working leader of the Catholic Church in France. He tried sincerely to lead according to moral principles, he was also ambitious and enjoyed exercising authority. He moved against the Huguenots, believing that Protestantism often served as an excuse for political conspiracies. He also sought to weaken the nobles’ power. He ordered nobles to take down their fortified castles. He increased the power of government agents who came from the middle class. He also wanted to make France the strongest state in Europe, and in order to do this he involved France in the Thirty Years’ War. 7. Skepticism- the idea that nothing can ever be know for certain 8. Descartes- a brilliant thinker wrote Meditations of First Philosophy. Later became an important role in the Enlightenment. 9. Louis XIV- the most powerful ruler in French history. His reign began as a 5-year-old boy. He became king in 1643, with the true ruler of France being Cardinal Mazarin, since Louis was so young. Mazarin’s greatest triumph was ending the Thirty Years’ War in 1648. Louis gained control at the age of 23 when the cardinal died. He made it a point to be surrounded by nobles for two reasons, it made the nobility totally dependent on Louis.

Analysis on Business Marketing

â€Å"Everything is worth what its purchaser will pay for it. † This phrase was said many centuries ago and is still worth today. Any time customer, in fact these customers whose costs are driven by what they purchase, increasingly look to purchasing as a way to increase profits and thus pressure suppliers to reduce prices. A good example beside the one in the article is when you are going to buy a car and you start searching about what car dealer is the best for you to buy yours. How can you decide which of the dealers it's the best for you, it is a good question. A growing number of suppliers have created a customer value models, that is no more than data-driven representations, of the worth in monetary terms, of what the suppliers are going to could do for its customers. I have been talking about values, but what they are and what values are in business is what I'm going to explain right now. In business market values are the worth in monetary form of the technical, economic, service and social benefits any customer receives in exchange for the price it pays for a market offering. An example of value in monetary term is dollars per unit, guilders per liter, or kroner per hour. On the other hand, benefits are no more than in which any costs a customer incurs in obtaining the desire benefits, except for purchase price, are included. And finally value is what a customer gets in exchange for the price it pays. In fact, value is one of the two elemental characteristics of marketing offer; the other one is price. Field value assessments that is the most commonly and accurate method used to build customer value models. This value is used to collect data about customer value models. However, if the field value does not work suppliers use direct and indirect survey question and focus groups. As everything in our life, the first time you do something is the most difficult. To get started with the customer value model the first thing a supplier need to do is to put together the right kind of value research team. In this team should be included the people with the product, engineers in the specified field, and people with marketing experience. This last option is very important because it is really important to have people who know the customer way of thinking. The next step is to know the right market segment. Knowing this, the suppliers create a base with at least twelve customers to build an initial value model. Then it is a good time to generate a comprehensive list of value elements. These elements will be the one that affects the costs and benefits of the offering in the customer's business. The elements could be technical, economic, service or social in nature and will vary in their tangibility. But suppliers have to be very carefully on checking which elements left out, especially those that might make the suppliers' market offering look unfavorable next to the next-best-alternative offering will undermine the projects credibility. By knowing as many elements as possible the team will be able to determine more accurately the difference in functionality and performance its offers provides relative to the next-best-alternative. Most of the time the customers do not know that they have the data information that the suppliers are looking for. Some time the only way to find this data is for the team members to ask around until they come across the person who knows where to find the information. These teams also need to be creative in finding other sources of information. Independent industry consultants or knowledgeable personnel in the supplier company can be good sources of initial estimates. The comfort with which team can establish monetary estimates for its value elements will vary. Actually, most suppliers do not even attempts to assign monetary amounts to social elements. Instead, they put those elements and discuss them with the customer in a qualitative way after presenting quantitative results. An example of this is the Qualcomm Company, that not assign monetary amounts to many less-tangible elements but still includes them in its analysis as â€Å"value placeholders. † In any field value assessments, the suppliers will find that some assumptions must be made in order to complete an analysis. It is critical to suppliers to be explicit about any assumptions it makes. If a customer does not know how or why the team assigned a certain value to an element, the supplier's credibility will be compromised. After building the initial value model the suppliers should validate it, by conducting additional assessments with other customers in the market segment. Doing this the supplier will also learn how the value its offering provide varies across kinds of customers. The supplier will also need to create value-based sale tools. One common sale tool is a value case history, which is no more than written accounts that document the costs savings or added value that a customer receive from its uses of a supplier market offering. Now it is a good time to put an understanding of value to use. A good way to do this is using the supplier knowledge to tailor supplementary service, programs and systems in its current market offering and to guide the development of new offerings. A company's ability to manage flexible markets offerings successfully rest on its understanding of the value each component of an offering creates as well as its associates cost. Identifying and eliminating value drains result in better allocation of resources and improved profitability. Gaining customer is another of the steps of this project. Knowing of how the market offers specifically deliver value to customer enables suppliers to craft persuasive propositions. By providing evidence to customers of the company's accomplishments, suppliers demonstrate their trustworthiness and commitment to customers. In this way customers feel more self-confident with the company they are doing business with. Understanding value in business is the essence of customer value management. It is also good for delivering superior values and obtain an equitable return for it. Now are you ready to choose your car's vendor.

Crafting a Livelihood in India

building sustainability for indian artisans CRAFTINGALIVELIHOOD/ JANUARY2013 Tableof Contents Foreword Executive Summary 1 2 I. Craftspeople – The Backbone of India's Non-Farm Rural Economy Sector Overview, profile of indian artisans, crafts value chain and key challenges 4 In Sanskrit, Dasra means Enlightened Giving. Dasra is India’s leading strategic philanthropy foundation. Dasra works with philanthropists and successful social entrepreneurs to bring together knowledge, funding and people as a catalyst for social change.We ensure that strategic funding and capacity building skills reach non profit organizations and social businesses to have the greatest impact on the lives of people living in poverty. www. dasra. org II. Government, Private Sector and Non Profit Initiatives Role of key stakeholders in enhancing artisans’ sustainability 15 III. Harnessing the Potential of India's Crafts Sector Four cornerstones of artisans’ sustainability and recommended interventions for philanthropic support 26 IV. Mapping Non Profits and High Impact Interventions AIACA Avani 43 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55The Edmond de Rothschild Foundations continue developing a modern view of philanthropy through which they defend the dignity and empowerment of each individual. The Foundations’ primary focus is on education, with projects in a range of areas: arts and culture, social entrepreneurship, intercultural dialogue, health and research and philanthropic education. Through their geographic locations and range of projects, the Foundations represent a rich, multicultural network. They endeavor to identify local initiatives and provide close monitoring of their numerous stakeholders while sharing this experience internationally.By applying an entrepreneurial method to the universe of philanthropy, the Edmond de Rothschild Foundations contribute to the growing professionalism of the social sector. They moreover work towards the recognition of th e pluralism inherent to all societies and the respect for their citizen’s many identities. www. edrfoundations. org Craft Revival Trust Dastakar Earthy Goods Foundation Gramshree Kala Raksha Khamir ORUPA SAHAJ Shrujan Concluding Thoughts Appendices A. Methodology and Selection Criteria B. End Notes C. Bibliography D. Acknowledgments and Organization Database 6 58 60 61 62 Report published in: January 2013 Cover Photo Credit: KHAMIR Foreword One of the biggest issues in India is that our markets do not recognize the true value of craft. When this value is recognized, and if people are willing to pay a higher price for craft-based products, this should translate into higher wages for weavers and craftspeople and act as a boost to millions of rural-based livelihood opportunities associated with this sector. The economics however is not as simple, as finally it comes down to the conflict between pricing and sales.If you out-price goods, you sell only a limited number. If you don' t give crafts people enough work, it kills the craft. Sustainable livelihoods will ultimately depend on finding a fine balance between the two. Fabindia follows an inclusive model of capitalism, placing craft at the center of the quest for profitability and growth. I grew up watching my father build this company. I was also very idealistic so I started a co-operative in 1989 and ran it till 1991. While I soon realized this was not the answer, this experience helped me understand what I wanted to do with my role at FabIndia.If you look at business, success is generally defined by measurable outcomes, financial profit and the material impact. We are taught to squeeze each and every opportunity as hard as we can to maximize profit. In a conventional way, all of this makes a lot of sense. But my experience in business has been different. I operate a business, which is one of the most profitable businesses in the retail space in India. Yet, it is also one in which the central theme is to enable all our producers to become stakeholders and beneficiaries of the larger wealth creation process.When we created this idea, every business analyst who saw it said it would not be viable. But instead it has opened up new avenues for business, which are collaborative. It has connected people in new ways, allowing them to give very differently of themselves. The business operates from the principle that people are not just instruments. When people feel they are valued, respected, a part of something bigger than their own immediate interest, the nature of their contribution changes. And this is at the heart of interdependence that Fabindia recognizes.We are building a very transformative model, and we need to take that to scale. Our greatest motivation has come from the 100,000 artisans that we see affiliated to it – that’s the big picture, needle moving idea that uses mainstream retail to give relevance to this sector. There are several very successful small scale stories in the crafts space. Taking these to the next level necessitates investment and resources which recognize the value of craft and the socioeconomic returns it generates for craftspeople. This is the perspective that this Report and its authors bring to the fore-front.And I wish this initiative every success. WilliamBissel ManagingDirector,Fabindia 1 Executive Summary India's industrialization and participation in the modern world economy is decades old. Nevertheless, millions of Indians still depend on indigenous modes of production, traditional skills and techniques to make a living based on handmade products. These craftspeople or artisans are the backbone of the non-farm rural economy, with an estimated 7 million artisans according to official figures (and upto 200 million artisans according to unofficial sources) engaged in craft production to earn a livelihood. Despite some instances of well-known design houses using handmade products and successful crafts-based busines ses such as FabIndia and Anokhi, the majority of craft production remains unorganized and informal with its full market potential untapped, especially by the artisan, who more often than not struggles for sustenance. Propelled by loss of markets, declining skills and difficulty catering to new markets, a large number of artisans have moved to urban centers in search of low, unskilled employment in industry.According to the United Nations, over the past 30 years, the number of Indian artisans has decreased by 30%, indicating the need to re-invest in artisans to safeguard history, culture and an important source of livelihood. 2 The Indian Government, the private sector and the non profits are each involved in the sector but their roles have evolved in silos, with little specialization and much duplication. On a policy level a cohesive and concerted effort is required to overcome the challenges faced by the crafts ecosystem through funding and programs.Simultaneously, the private sect or has a significant role to play in uplifting artisans through different market-led efforts made by retail chains, high end-fashion designers and a relatively more recent wave of social businesses. Non profits have been particularly active in the crafts space since the early 1960s and have evolved numerous models to support artisans in earning better livelihoods. To realize the full potential of the crafts sector, the gaps, overlaps and challenges in the value chain must be overcome to create an ecosystem that enables crafts to thrive.The different stakeholders involved need to come together to build what we call the four cornerstones of artisans’ sustainability. Philanthropy has a key role to play in supporting the creation of such an ecosystem. Harnessing the potential of this sector requires different types of investments to preserve traditional crafts, strengthen the sector, and improve the incomes of artisans. Investment should focus on building the four cornerstones of artisans’ sustainability: 1. 2. 3. 4.Handholding the Artisan through the Value Chain Increasing Demand for Crafts and Strengthening Market Linkages Strengthening the Decentralized Production Model Building a Multi-Stakeholder Approach This would realize the tremendous opportunities the crafts sector in India provides to improve economic, environmental and social conditions of rural communities. These include: Economic Opportunities : Employment and income: The crafts sector has the potential to provide stable employment and income generation to diverse communities and to those with different levels of education. ? ? Migration: Promoting hand production in rural areas can effectively check migration of rural labor to urban centers and prevent loss of skills Economic growth: The global market for handicrafts is USD400 billion, of which India's share is below 2%, representing a tremendous growth opportunity. 3 Competitive advantage: Artisans can serve as key drivers of speci alization and competence in precision manufacturing, similar to Japan and Korea. Economic Opportunities Environmental Benefits: Low energy requirement: Production processes used in crafts typically ave a low carbon footprint and promote the use of locally available materials as well as natural and organic materials where possible. Environmental Benefits Social Empowerment: ? Women's empowerment: Crafts production represents an opportunity to provide a source of earning and employment for otherwise low skilled, home-based women, improving their status within the household. Return for future generations: Investing in artisans leads to a trickle-down effect of improving the health and education outcomes for future generations of the most marginalized populations. Handicrafts embody India's history and diversity: Over many centuries, an extraordinary legacy has nourished Indians crafts across religious, ethnic and communal boundaries. They highlight the country's unique cultural mosa ic and offer a powerful tool for pluralism and co-existence. There is an urgent need for philanthropy to realize the economic potential of the crafts sector by investing in high impact scalable models that have the potential to strengthen livelihoods in a sustainable manner. Social Empowerment 2 3 major categories in craft hadi (cloth that is woven from handspun yarn) cotton handlooms processing of cotton textile by hand silk handlooms processing of silk textiles by hand zari (silver and gold threadwork) and embroidery carpets miscellaneous products made of wood, bamboo, cane and grass leather manufacture earthenware plating/polishing/ engraving metals jewelry and related products making of musical instruments I. CHAPTER Craftspeople: The Backbone of India's Non-Farm Rural Economy 4 â€Å"To write about Indian handicrafts is almost like writing about the country itself.So vast, complex and colorful, and yet with a simplicity and charm, difficult to attain under comparable condition s† – Upadhyay, M. N. : Handicrafts of India. 4 India has one of the most diverse and ancient traditions of handmade products, and its handicrafts industry is an important economic and cultural asset. According to the Twelfth Five Year Plan, handicrafts production is expected to double between 2012 and 2017 and exports are projected to grow at the compounded annual rate of 18% during the same period. As a result, the craft sector will employ an additional 10% of individuals per year up to that time. 6 The crafts value chain encompasses the full range of activities required to bring a handicraft product from conception through production to delivery to consumers. The Government, the private sector and non profits have played and continue to play an important role in the sector's development, although their efforts remain isolated and thus limited in their impact.From Vishwakarma's Children to Poverty: A Socio-economic Profile of Artisans Chart1: The story of Indian crafts is deeply embedded in mythology, history and culture as can be seen in Chart 1. Artisans are considered to be the descendants of Vishwakarma the presiding deity of crafts and architecture. During the Vedic Age craftspeople enjoyed a high social standing and were part of the landed gentry, responsible for the creation of temples and palaces. In the caste hierarchy that evolved during the post Vedic period, craftspeople were associated with Shudras or the lowest caste due to the manual nature of their work.While Hindu artisans occupied the lower echelons of the caste system, due to the menial nature of their work, artisans from other non Hindu religious communities were equally stigmatized. This adverse status led to a deeply rooted stigma which persists today long after the abolition of the caste system. Nevertheless, in subsequent eras when India was inhabited by princely kingdoms, crafts continued to flourish because of their utilitarian nature, royal patronage and the organizatio n of artisans into guilds. Until the second half of the 17th century, crafts enjoyed a steady market.With the decline of princely states, the entry of the East India Company and colonization, employment in crafts especially handloom declined due to trade between India and the UK which was organized and regulated largely by colonial powers. The result was the fragmentation of the artisan community, marked by inequality between those that could produce for British markets, traders and those that were only exposed to local markets. Subsequent industrialization marked the steady decline in crafts markets and livelihood potential for artisans.Despite the central role played by crafts in the freedom movement, where Mahatma Gandhi incited the nation to produce by hand, and subsequent welfare measures implemented by the Indian Government, artisans (with the exceptions of traders, and extremely specialized master craftspeople) never regained the social status and sustainable income they once possessed. The uniqueness of India's craftspeople has been their ability to work across religious, caste and cultural divides. Such a meeting of distinctive traditions has fostered dialogue, social inclusion and an extraordinary creativity.ROYALPATRONAGE Craftsusedtoreceiveroyalpatronage, whichhasnowdisappeared. Further,folk craftsnolongerfitintoeverydayusageas theyoncedidduetoincreasing urbanization. Thehandicraftand handloomsectorsarea `24,300crore (USD4. 48bn) industrycontributing `10,000crore (USD1. 85bn) toIndia'sexportearnings of`1. 62lakhcrore (USD300bn). 8 An important economic and cultural asset India's myriad crafts traditions and living crafts skills are vehicles of its cultural identity, passed on from generation to generation and a means of sustenance for numerous communities engaged in production.Crafts constitute one of the primary sub-sectors within Creative and Cultural Industries, defined by UNESCO as â€Å"industries which produce tangible or intangible artistic and creative outputs, and which have a potential for wealth creation and income generation through the fostering of cultural assets and the production of knowledge-based goods and services. â€Å"7 The crafts sector encompasses diverse activities ranging from embroidery and painting to leatherwork and pottery, with variations and regional specificities within each group.There are thousands of living crafts in India. For simplicity, these can broadly be understood as handlooms and handicrafts. Together handicrafts and handlooms play an important role in the Indian economy. Handicrafts typically refer to artifacts made by hand for decorative, religious or functional purposes. These products are often found in diverse markets from runways in Paris, and highend designer stores to domestic retail outlets and tourist emporiums. SWADESHIMOVEMENT Handproductionwasstronglyrootedinthe independencemovementandGandhi’sprinciples.However,themovementlostsignificanceinthe public’spe rceptionafterthe50sand60s. INDUSTRIALIZATION Thefactorysectorhas inherenteconomiesof scaleandgreater bargainingpowerfor cheaperhigherquality rawmaterials,whichhas adverselyaffectedthe craftssector. Further, thissectorhasbeen divertinglaboraway fromskill-based occupations. GLOBALIZATION Challenge:Lackof consumerawareness abouttheimportance ofcrafts Opportunity:Crafts providecompetitive edgeandunique identitytoIndiaina globalmarketplace 5 6Broadly, artisans are divided into the following categories with a rigid hierarchical division of labor between more and less skilled artisans in a particular craft : ? Skilled master craftsman ? Wage-worker ? Fully self-employed artisan ? Part-time artisan An estimated 63% of artisans are self-employed while 37% are wage earners. 9 Traditional knowledge and craft skills are passed down from one generation to another, so that whole families and communities are engaged in production. An estimated 71% of artisans work as family units and 76% attribute their profession to the fact that they have learnt family skills. 0 It is important to note that most official figures count only the head of the production unit and wage earners in official figures, leaving out the 5-6 family members who are also dependent on crafts for sustenance, thus creating an incomplete understanding of the sector's size and importance. The vast majority of artisans operate in informal work settings. In fact, according to one study, Vishwakarma's Children in 2001 only 9% of craftspeople benefited from formalized employment, while 42% worked out of their homes. 11 Most artisan production units tend to be micro enterprises.In fact, 39% of artisans incur production expenditures of less than INR 12,000/ USD 215 a year and only 19% spend above INR 50,000/ USD 900 a year. 12 Typically artisans sell their products to diverse markets including local markets, city outlets, private agents, wholesalers or retail traders and exporters. A meaningful analysis of the secto r requires focusing on particular geographies and crafts. For this report, we focused on the crafts sector in the states Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Odisha. These have among the largest number of artisans, as shown in the chart 2.In addition, Dasra's mapping of non profits involved in the sector, revealed the highest concentration of non profits working at scale in these states. The Crafts Value Chain is Fragmented For a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the crafts sector, as well as areas that need improvement, it is important to understand the crafts value chain. The crafts value chain shown in Chart 3 has been created based on our observations on the ground as well as inputs from sector experts. It aims to demonstrate the different stages in craft production from producers to markets and inputs required at each stage.It must be noted, however, that each craft will have a slightly different set of processes. The stages explained below have therefore bee n simplified to a certain degree to provide a general understanding of how the crafts sector functions. Chart3:TheCraftsValueChain PROCESS INPUTSREQUIRED Organization Human Resources ? LegalEntities ? Procuring and Processsing RawMaterials ? ? ? Credits Facilities Technology Chart2: DistributionofIndianArtisans 40% 29% 13% Production ? ? ? ? Design Technology Skills Enterprise Development Aggregation and Intermediary Trade Transport toMarkets ? Quality Checks ? Storage ? ?ODISHA UTTARPRADESH GUJARAT-RAJASTHAN Markets Marketing and Promotion 7 Source:ExportPromotionCouncilforHandicraftsand CouncilofHandicraftCorporationsandDevelopmentCommissioner(GovernmentofIndia) 8 1. Organization Artisans are usually structured into groups through informal contracts between traders, master artisans and low-skilled artisans. More formal systems of artisans’ organization involve four main types of entities:13 ? Self Help Groups (SHGs) are set up with the help of external technical intermediar ies such as non profits or through Government schemes, and typically comprise 10-20 artisans, usually women.SHGs serve as a form of social collateral, enabling artisans to establish linkages with input providers such as raw material suppliers, microfinance institutions and banks, and downstream players such as aggregators and retailers. Organization are often forced to rely on local traders who provide them with raw materials against orders, albeit at high prices, or switch to non-traditional raw materials. 3. Production Although techniques and processes vary widely from one craft to the next, crafts production generally takes place in households, with multiple family members engaged in different aspects of the process.Even where organized artisan structures exist, artisans typically produce within community settings. Production is generally seasonal, with crafts activity being suspended during harvest season, as most artisans are also engaged in agriculture to supplement their live lihoods. 4. Aggregation and Intermediary Trade ? Mutually Aided Co-operatives (MACs) are created to provide artisans with a platform for equitable participation. Legislated at the state Government level, MACs enable artisans to pool funds as equity and own their production units.However, due to strong Government influence, this structure has failed to gain popularity in most states other than Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. ` ProcuringandProcessing RawMaterials ? Producer Companies were created as a for-profit legal entity in the Companies Bill in 2002 to enable primary producers to participate in ownership and contribute equity. ? Private Limited Companies are for-profit legal entities that allow artisans to participate in ownership as shareholders, while enabling external funders to invest capital.Aggregation involves bringing together products from decentralized production units to enable economies of scale in transportation, storage and retail. Due to the dismal status of infrastruct ure and communication in India, aggregating products is a challenging task, and leads to many of the bottlenecks in the crafts supply chain today. Buyers and retailers lack incentives to overcome upstream, supply-side issues, which results in a loss of opportunities for artisans to access markets. Aggregationand IntermediaryTrade Markets 5. MarketsThe markets for the craft products can be broadly understood as local, retail shops – high-end as well as mainstream, exhibitions and exports. Among these, local markets are still the common markets for many artisans. 14 The contemporary markets, domestically as well as internationally, have grown with an expanding demand for ethnic products that have a story linked to them. However, these products are in low supply due to supply chain inefficiencies. However, most artisans continue to work independently as there is a widespread lack of awareness about the advantages of being organized into the above forms. ProductionDemand 2. Procu ring and Processing Raw Materials Traditionally, raw materials used by artisans were widely available due to the close linkages between evolution of crafts and locally available materials. Further, the jajmani system, which consisted of a reciprocal relationship between artisanal castes and the wider village community for the supply of goods and services, provided artisans with access to community resources. However, with the breakdown of these traditional structures, along with competition from organized industry, artisans find it challenging to buy quality raw materials at affordable prices.In the absence of raw material banks, they 6. Demand With the advent of globalization and the availability of cheaper and more varied products, crafts face severe competition in contemporary markets. They are typically perceived as traditional, old-fashioned and antithetical to modern tastes. There have been limited efforts to reposition the image of crafts and build consumer appreciation of th e history and cultural identity associated with handmade products. In addition, there are few instances of traditional crafts being â€Å"contemporized† to fit with changing consumption patterns. 10 India's Crafts Sector is in Disarray While crafts received royal and aristocratic patronage during pre-Independence days and played a central role in Gandhi's independence struggle, they have slowly lost relevance with the advent of industrialization. Currently, the sector carries the stigma of inferiority and backwardness, and is viewed as decorative, peripheral and elitist. This is compounded by the Government's treatment of crafts as a sunset industry, which has resulted in a lack of well-developed policies and programs to protect and strengthen the ecosystem for artisans.Traditional crafts have largely been marginalized by massproduced consumer goods, which tend to be cheaper due to the economies of scale associated with mechanization. The nature of the crafts sector and chall enges faced by artisans reduces their ability to compete with machine-made products. Catering to the mainstream market often necessitates a decline in quality and/or workmanship, leading to the eventual loss of skills over a few generations. There are very few instances like pashmina shawls where a traditional craft has successfully â€Å"contemporized† itself for Indian or overseas markets.Artisans were traditionally an essential part of the village economy, producing everyday utilitarian objects catered towards local markets, using designs and motifs that were of significance to their communities. However, with the advent of industrialization and increasing urbanization of markets for crafts, the historical artisan-consumer relationship has broken down, and largely been replaced by traders. This has rendered artisans' knowledge and skill, acquired over generations, virtually useless and made crafts an unsustainable source of livelihood.The five main challenges facing artisa ns in creating sustainable livelihoods in today's economy can be described as follows: low education levels for the family overall. The lack of education makes it difficult to manage inventory, access Government schemes and market information and bargain with traders and middlemen. It is estimated that in 2003 around 50% of household heads of crafts producing families had no education whatsoever, and more shockingly, around 90% of the women in these households were completely uneducated. 5 Outdated Production Methods- Artisans may also lack the financial capability to upgrade technology in production, or undergo necessary training on a regular basis, as would be available to them in a formal work setting. This compromises the quality of their products and raises the cost of production. 2. Inadequate Inputs Inadequate Inputs There are three main issues: Lack of Quality Raw Materials- Rural artisans often lack access to quality raw materials. Due to the low volumes required, they have low bargaining power and are forced to buy substandard materials at a higher price.In crafts such as weaving, handloom weavers have to compete with the power loom industry for high quality raw materials, which are more easily accessible to the power loom industry as a result of Government subsidies. Further, many raw materials used commonly by craftspeople such as wood, cane, silk, scrap and virgin metal are become increasingly difficult to acquire. The costs of some of these materials are rising faster than the wholesale price index. Lack of Funding- Craft producers suffer greatly from lack of working capital and access to credit and loan facilities.Often, producers are unable to fulfill bulk orders because they lack the capital to purchase raw materials, and simultaneously support their family's living needs while the order is being executed. While there are several Government schemes intended to fill this gap for artisans through institutions such as National Bank for Agricultur e and Rural Development (NABARD) and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), it is difficult for the uneducated artisans to access these programs and manage the necessary collateral or funds for bribes.Banks cite poor recovery rates, wrong utilization of funds, lack of marketing facilities for finished products and lack of education on part of the borrowers as reasons for the low proportion of loans made to artisans. In general, this forces artisans to borrow from their local moneylender or trader at high interest rates. The All India Debt and Investment Survey (2002) showed that the proportion of money borrowed by rural households from money lenders rose by over 10% from 17. 5% in 1991 to 29. 6% in 2002. 16 1.Low Productivity The sector's informal nature and the low education of most artisans create issues such as: Unorganized Production- As a largely unorganized sector, handicrafts faces problems such as a paucity of professional infrastructure such as work sheds, stor age space, shipping and packing facilities. Low Education- Many crafts require the entire household to participate in production in some capacity. For example, in weaver households, women and girls traditionally undertake warping of the yarn, winding the thread onto bobbins, and share with men the task of starching the thread.In many cases, crafts also serve as a seasonal source of income for agricultural households. This means that children miss school, resulting in LowProductivity 11 12 Artisans' financial weakness also hampers their ability to sell they have low bargaining power at the marketing point and are forced to sell to buyers at a low price in order to recover costs and support themselves. Design Inputs- In most traditional societies, design evolved in the interaction between the artisan and the consumer.Further, the artisan was aware of the sociocultural context of the consumer, and could thus design products that suited their needs and tastes. Due to the breakdown of th e historic artisanconsumer relationship, and the increasing urbanization and globalization of markets for crafts, artisans have difficulty understanding how to tailor their products to changing demands. The artisan may not speak the same language as the consumer, both literally as well as metaphorically. An example of this includes women in SEWA's craft cooperatives who design block printed table napkins and mats, but may have never used these products themselves. f this, retailers have to directly source from select producers, which is often not viable in the long run, resulting in the loss of a large percentage of the market for artisans. 5. Lack of an Enabling Environment Information Asymmetry 3. Information Asymmetry Neglect by Central and State Governments- Rural artisans are neglected by both Central as well as State Governments, as is evident in the lack of available records regarding their numbers and socioeconomic status. The Government views the sector as a sunset industry , no longer relevant in India's technologydriven economic growth.Thus, schemes designed for artisans tend to have low priority in terms of execution and assessment. Within crafts, the Government's priorities are skewed towards the export market, with 70% of its crafts budget going towards development of environments to enable export. 17 Further, the fact that the crafts sector falls under the purview of 17 different Government ministries, ranging from the Ministry of Textiles to the Ministry of Women and Children, results in confusion and inaction. Lack of Interest by Second Generation- Rural youth are increasingly disinterested in continuing their family craft traditions, for three main reasons.First, having seen their parents struggle to find markets and fair prices for their products, they are inclined to pursue other trades. Second, the school system today does not integrate lessons regarding the importance of crafts into the school curriculum, and instead students are pushed to wards white collar office jobs, even if they are lower paying. Finally, crafts are strongly associated with a family's religion. In many cases, such as leatherwork, artisans are ostracized for being from the lowest caste, which further dissuades rural youth from joining the family trade.Reducing the obstacles faced by the sector can provide employment for millions of citizens especially those traditionally excluded from the mainstream, while restoring one of India's key cultural and economic strengths, a diverse and rich handicrafts industry. At the same time, it will provide the economy with key drivers of specialization and competence in global manufacturing. Lackofan EnablingEnvironment Due to their low education, artisans often cannot identify potential new markets for their products, nor do they understand the requirements for interacting with these markets.This reduces their understanding of the market potential of their goods, the prices of their products in different markets , Government schemes instituted for their welfare and diversification opportunities. 4. Fragmented value chain Lack of Market Linkages- While consumers of crafts products are increasingly becoming urbanized, crafts continue to be sold through local markets; artisans have few opportunities to reach new consumers through relevant retail platforms such as department stores and shopping malls.Further, due to their rural orientation, artisans are often unable to access training and technology to supply their products to online markets. Dominance of Middlemen- Although middlemen are necessary to enable effective market linkages, they often, if not always, exploit artisans by paying them a fraction of their fair wages. This may be due to lack of information on the part of middlemen about true manufacturing costs, or merely due to their ability to coerce artisans, who often lack bargaining power.Lack of Aggregation- Crafts production typically takes places in scattered clusters in rural are as, while markets are usually in urban centers. Currently, there is a lack of organized systems to efficiently aggregate goods from small producers, carry out quality checks, store approved goods in warehouses, and supply them to wholesalers and retailers in urban areas. In lieu Chart4: OverviewofKeyChallenges FacedbytheArtisans Fragmented ValueChain LackofMarket Linkages Lackofan enabling environmentNeglectby CentralandState Governments LackofInterest bySecond Generation LowProductivity Unorganized Production LowEducation Inadequate Inputs LackofQuality RawMaterials LackofFunding Fragmented ValueChain Information Asymmetry Dominanceof Middlemen Lackof Aggregation OutdatedProduction Methods 13 14 II. CHAPTER Government, Private Sector and Non Profit Initiatives Photo Credit: Sahaj 15 The Indian Government, the private sector and the non profits are each involved in the sector but their roles have evolved in silos, with little specialization and much duplication.Since independence, t he Indian Government has created a number of institutions, schemes and welfare programs for the crafts sector. However, on a policy level there has been no concerted and cohesive effort to address the challenges faced by the crafts ecosystem, with most governmental offerings mired in bureaucracy and inefficiencies. Simultaneously, the private sector has contributed to uplifting artisans through different market-led efforts made by retail chains, high end-fashion designers and a relatively more recent wave of social businesses.Non profits have been particularly active in the crafts space since the early 1960s and have evolved numerous models to improve artisan livelihoods. The chart below provides an overview of the evolution of crafts policy and programs in India. Government Program Although Government-led initiatives are often criticized, it cannot be denied that India is in a much more fortunate situation today in the preservation of its crafts than most other nations because of G overnment efforts immediately following Independence.During this period, the Government placed great emphasis on rural artisans, setting up the All India Handicrafts Board in 1952 to study the technical, organizational, marketing and financial aspects of crafts and design measures for improvement and development of crafts. The impetus for these efforts came in part from Mahatma Gandhi's legacy of the swadeshi movement and preserving cottage industries as a symbol of India's diversity and unity as a nation-state. Pioneering efforts were made to provide marketing support to artisans, and make regional crafts available at a national level through state-run emporiums.With industrialization becoming a foremost national priority in the 1960s and 1970s, the Government came to view crafts as more of a â€Å"sunset industry† and began to focus mainly on welfare schemes rather than approaching it as a sector capable of contributing to India's economic growth. Several divisions were mad e between State and Central Government responsibilities, and separate administrative bodies were set up for Khadi, Handloom, Handicrafts, Silk, and so on, all of which contribute to inefficiencies and inertia in policymaking for the sector today.At present, crafts are almost artificially bifurcated into Handicrafts and Handlooms, with two separate Development Commissioners in charge of each under the ministry of Textiles. In addition, 16 other ministries have crafts within their purview, including the Ministry of Agro and Rural Industries, Ministry of Tribal Development, Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Women and Child Development.These bodies have often been pitted against each other on issues such as power loom versus handloom production, anti-dumping duty on foreign silk yarn to protect the interest of silk rearers versus removal of duty for handlooms and power looms and interest of petty traders versus greater control for home-based producers, leading to ineffic iencies and policy juggernauts. 19 Governmentefforts havechanneled anestimated `752crore intothecraftssector duringtheEleventh FiveYearPlan(200718 2011). Anumberofinstitutions havebeeninvolvedin fundingandimplementing developmentworkfor artisansthroughdifferent schemes.Suchas: 1. Councilforthe AdvancementofPeople's ActionandRuralTechnology (CAPART) 2. KhadiandVillage IndustriesCommission (KVIC) 3. SmallIndustries DevelopmentBankofIndia (SIDBI) 4. NationalBankfor AgricultureandRural Development(NABARD) Chart4:StakeholdersintheCraftsValueChain PROCESS Procuring and Processsing RawMaterials Aggregation and Intermediary Trade STAKEHOLDERS Organization InputSuppliers Production Markets LocalTraders IndependentArtisan SHG’sCo-operatives, Producercompanies NonProfits SocialBusinesses Government Exporters Retailers 16 17Despite these challenges, the majority of Government funds have been utilized in the following areas, largely with the support of non profits working in the sector: ? Welfare- Government efforts in the crafts sector are often designed with the intention of large-scale poverty alleviation. Schemes such as the Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojana and the Janshree Bima Yojana for Handicrafts Artisans, under which artisans in the age group of 18-60 receive health and life insurance in association with the Life Insurance Corporation of India for themselves and three dependents, provide some social security.Market Linkages- One of the most widely lauded efforts of the Government in the crafts sector has been the establishment of Dilli Haat, an open-air crafts bazaar in the national capital modeled on a traditional village market where artisans from around the country can rent space and display their wares for two weeks at a time. Set up in cooperation with Dastkari Haat Samiti, a non profit organization that works with artisans across the country, Dilli Haat has provided artisans with much-needed market linkages and access to consumers.In addition , the Development Commissioners for Handicrafts and for Handlooms run a number of emporiums across the country, which are retail outlets for crafts from different regions. Capacity Building- In recent years, the Government has moved its focus towards sustainable development of crafts through the participation of artisans. Capacity building efforts such as the Artisan Credit Card scheme and the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana scheme are generally led by the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts.Efforts include skills development, technological intervention, design and marketing support and reviving languishing crafts. The Development Commissioner for Handlooms runs Weavers Centers in many parts of the country along with the National Center for Textile Design to provide marketbased design input for handloom weavers. Awards- Each year, the Ministry of Textiles recognizes the work of several master craftspeople through the distribution of national awards. These are highly c oveted accolades that enhance the reputation enjoyed by master craftsmen and function as a quality approval of sorts. Private Sector InitiativesThe private sector has been the main conduit for crafts with over 95% of crafts production taking place through some form of private enterprise. Broadly, private involvement in the crafts sector is of four types: ? ? Traditional Intermediaries: Historically, private involvement in the crafts sector has been dominated by master craftsmen, traders and exporters who aggregated production, provided market linkages and offered financing mechanisms to artisans. Although not always the case, these relationships have often been exploitative to the artisan, who realized little of the value of his products.Design Entrepreneurs: These include high-end fashion houses that have imbedded traditional crafts in their collections. Designers such as Ritu Kumar, Tarun Tahiliani and Manish Malhotra have worked closely with master craftsmen to create product off erings for high-end domestic and international markets. However, none of these efforts have placed crafts distinctly at the center of their enterprises but rather integrated crafts into their work. Their impact on promoting crafts has therefore been largely indirect. Other fashion designers such as Anita Dongre have created a istinct crafts-based collection, Grassroots, that aims at marketing clothing that promotes the skills and knowledge of traditional artisans, and has been made using organic materials and eco-friendly processes. Mainstream Retail: There have been a few successful examples of crafts-based businesses, which have not only contributed to improving numerous artisans' livelihoods but have also provided unique blueprints for future market-based endeavors. However those that exist are success stories that need to be more systematically replicated.Social Businesses: These are a more recent wave of businesses that have originated out of non profits or hybrid models that c ombine social and commercial goals. ? ? ? ? ? ? Photo Credit: Sahaj Photo Credit: Sahaj ? ? ? The Role of Mainstream Retail While relatively few, a handful of retailers such as FabIndia, Anokhi and Contemporary Arts and Crafts have played a pivotal role in keeping crafts relevant and linked to contemporary consumers. These companies have developed 18 For Government efforts to have the maximum impact, Government bodies mplementing programs need to be reformed and a policy environment more conducive to greater participation and specialization by different stakeholders needs to be created. 19 socially conscious business models wherein they work closely with artisans and ensure that they are equal stakeholders in the business. Due to their relatively well-organized supply chains and focus on profitability, they are able to provide consumers with quality products better suited to urban tastes as compared to subsidized crafts available at Government-run emporiums.The success of these mode ls has been built on the zeal of their founding members, who have overcome challenges in the crafts value chain through innovative strategies that not only ensure bottom-line growth for businesses but also fair and consistent wages to artisans. These models include: ? Fabindia, founded by John and Bissell in 1960, India's largest private crafts business that has taken tradition techniques, skills and hand-based processes to global markets. The company has been recognized worldwide for its socially responsible business model that links over 80,000 craft producers to markets.This has been achieved through its innovations in supply chain management through Community Owned Companies (COC), which serve as intermediaries and are owned by communities. Artisans form a significant part of the shareholding of these companies. Fabindia's supply chain (in the chart below) consists of numerous backward and forward linkages in a multi-layered supply chain from suppliers or artisans to Fabindia st ores. These linkages ensure that products sold cater to consumer tastes, a quality standard and timely delivery. The multi-layered supply chain ensures that each group's strengths are leveraged efficiently. Anokhi, founded by Faith Singh, is a clothing chain well known as an alternative role model for good business practices, and the ongoing revival of traditional textile skills. The company works closely with the Jaipur Virasat Foundation that provides capacity building inputs to artisan suppliers on design, techniques, quality control and enterprise development. In addition, the foundation works in other areas of Rajasthan's cultural industries such as folk art, music and dance to promote livelihoods and preserve heritages.Contemporary Arts and Crafts (CAC), founded by Vina Mody and run in partnership with Feroza Mody, is a boutique retail outlet that provides unique and rare craft products to urban consumers. CAC's success is based on its strong relationships with artisan communi ties in Gujarat and Rajasthan from where products are sourced. The CAC team invests significant time in understanding craft products and working with artisans to create outputs that will be appreciated in urban markets.In addition to these efforts, stores such as Shopper's Stop and Lifestyle have expanded their selections of handmade products and ethnic wear, providing much needed market opportunities for the crafts. However, for a deep and sustainable impact on the artisan, retailers and mainstream businesses need to leverage their business acumen in tackling supply chain issues and creating a larger demand for these products. ? 6 The SRC repleshnishes the stock by getting more of the fabric from the weaver Fabindia’sSupply ChainStructure The weaver weaves some yardage and shows it to a regional supplier region company (SRC) HOWTHEFABRIC REACHESTHESHELVES Fabindia’s Supply Chain is split into 17 regional supply companies The Role of Social Businesses The emergence of the social business model has provided a new opportunity to revive the sector. With their emphasis on the end consumer, social businesses have a greater incentive to bring in efficiencies in quality control and production management, which are often lacking in non profit organizations.Pre-production, social businesses may offer access to quality inputs, equipment, financing and training. Post-production, they improve market linkages through procurement, storage, transport and retail. Social businesses achieve this by focusing on three main areas, which essentially sets them apart from non profits: ? Supply Chain Efficiencies: Given the scattered and homebased nature of crafts production, enterprises often face challenges in ensuring a regular supply chain for their products. Social businesses have focused on fixing the rural supply chain for crafts, either by filling in missing or Through an order booking system, the store manager books the quantity needed. From the SRC warehouse st ock moves to the Fabindia regional warehouse Around 40,000 artisans supply goods for Fabindia It now has 144 stores in 35 top towns 2 The SRC calls the designers; they approve the fabric, work with the weaver to develop some samples. Photo Credit: Top – Anokhi Bottom – CAC 4 20 The weaver brings the completed order to SRC warehouse 3 Designers show samples to Fabindia's product selection committee, the price is finalised and an order is placed with the weaver 21 eak links in the value chain through their own operations, or by establishing creative partnerships with non profits, Government bodies, corporations and community groups. ? Artisans’ Ownership: The advantage of functioning as a business rather than a non profit in the crafts space is the ability to involve artisans as owners by giving them shares in the company. This ownership brings with it an increased sense of responsibility and efficiency, which is sometimes difficult to achieve in a non profit. In this way artisans are not only vested in the company's growth but also financially benefit from it through issue of dividends.Market Linkages: Due to their focus on standardization and supply chain management, social businesses are in a better position than non profits to create and maintain links between artisans and markets – domestic as well as international. Corporates typically prefer to partner with social businesses to bring crafts products to market due to more efficient processes in the company. This ownership brings with it an increased sense of responsibility and efficiency, which is sometimes difficult to achieve in a znon profit.Further, in this way artisans are not only vested in the company's growth but also financially benefit from it through issue of dividends. The biggest advantage faced by social businesses is their ability to raise capital from artisans in the form of shares, as well as external investors such as venture capital funds and corporates. In re cent years, businesses in the crafts sector have attracted funding from impact investors such as Avishkaar, Grassroots Business Fund and Villgro, who invest in social enterprises with the dual expectation of social impact and financial returns. Industree- Linking Artisans to Mainstream Markets: Industree, a social enterprise that connects rural producers to urban markets has been able to rapidly scale up operations through equity investment by Kishore Biyani's Future Group. This has enabled them to set up a retail brand called Mother Earth, and increase the number of clusters from whom they source crafts as well as provide artisans an opportunity to link to mainstream urban markets. ? Support from Multi-lateral Agencies and FoundationsThe international development community and private foundations have been pivotal in providing support to many non profits working in the crafts sector. United Nations agencies such as UNESCO have provided platforms for sharing best practices, research and documentation such as the Jodhpur Symposium. These initiatives have typically focused on project design and building frameworks to build a movement that strengthens creative and cultural industries. Others such as the World Bank channel funding to crafts organizations.A number of private foundations such as Aid to Artisans, Sir Dorab Tata Trust and the Ford Foundation provided long term grants to crafts non profits to scale their impact. Innovative approaches include Friends of Women World Banking’s funding strategy of credit provision to artisans through non profits. Together these efforts have helped sustain non profits’ work and strengthened models creating an impact on artisans incomes. Thecooperativemovement spearheadedbyElaBhatt, founderofSelf-Employed Women'sAssociation (SEWA),inthe1970s alsohadapositiveimpacton thelivesofself-employed womenartisansthroughthe formationofcraft cooperatives.Thesemembership structuresallowedthemto workwithinequitable structure sandreceivecredit, designandmarketinginputs, withoutfearofexploitation bymiddlemen. The Evolution and Role of Non Profit Interventions Non profit organizations have been the strongest supporters of the craft industry, both in terms of livelihoods promotion as well as cultural preservation. Following post-independence industrialization, the crafts industry was no longer viewed as an economic priority by the Government, which created a void in terms of support and finance available for the sector.A number of non profits were established in the 1970s and 1980s to fill this void and enhance the sustainability of artisans livelihoods. Many of these were run with the help of volunteers and were able to grow and thrive under a strong, charismatic leader with a clear vision for the sector. Examples of successful social businesses in the crafts sector include: ? Rangsutra- Enabling Artisans to Own a Share of their Crafts: Rangsutra was set up as a company of artisans, all of them shareholder s, from remote parts of the country.It seeks to be a bridge between â€Å"artisans and customers, tradition and contemporary, and change and continuity† and ensures a fair price to the producer and quality products for customers. It currently has 1,100 shareholders and has attracted investments from Avishkaar and Artisan Microfinance Private Limited (AMFPL), a subsidiary of Fabindia. Photo Credit: Sahaj 22 23 Most non profits functioning in the crafts space today are registered as trusts, societies or Section 25 companies. They are broadly of two types, based on their scope of work: ?Producer Groups: A majority of non profits in this space ? work directly at the grassroots level, organizing crafts producers into collectives to realize various economies of scale in financing, marketing and product development. Examples are URMUL, Kala Raksha and SEWA Ahmedabad. ? Apex Organizations: These focus on enhancing the sector ? by providing services ranging from design interventions t o market linkages to groups of producers, who typically serve as part of their membership base.They vary in scale and level of outreach from national to state to local levels. Many apex organizations are well-positioned to act as a bridge between producer groups and Government bodies, both by channeling information regarding relevant Government schemes as well as by influencing Government spending. Prominent examples are Dastkar, AIACA, Dastkari Haat Samiti and Sasha. Non profit approaches have evolved significantly in two main areas: focus of the model and financial sustainability.Most non profit groups have focused on all parts of the value chain from organizing artisans to marketing products, largely due to a lack of other players specializing in certain areas. This has resulted in limited capacity to scale their operations. Fresher non profit approaches focus on one or two parts of the value chain such as aggregation or working closely with artisans’ groups. Further, ther e has been a realization in recent years that traditional grant funded projects for creating crafts production structures have not succeeded in establishing commercially sustainable structures.Newer non profits have attempted to embrace this change in perspective by incorporating fee-based enterprise development projects into their scope of work, others have spun off business models that target aggregation and marketing, while the non profit focuses on building artisan capacity. The different stakeholders described above have each made significant contributions to the crafts sector. However, since they act in isolation from each other, their impact remains limited and they have not been able to halt the downward slide of India's crafts sector. 24 25 III. CHAPTERHarnessing the Potential of India's Crafts Sector Photo Credit: Jaipur Rugs Foundation 26 The crafts sector in India has vast potential to improve livelihood opportunities, generate additional income and strengthen the purcha sing power of rural communities. For this potential to be fully realized, the gaps, overlaps and challenges in the value chain must be overcome to create an ecosystem that enables crafts to thrive. The different stakeholders involved need to come together to build what we call the four cornerstones of artisan sustainability. Non profits have a particularly important role in such a program.Based on Dasra’s research, interviews with experts in the crafts sector and advisory committee discussions, Crafting a Livelihood suggests four key actions with the potential to transform artisans’ livelihood in India. The four cornerstones are: 1. Handholding the Artisan through the Value Chain Any investment in improving the craft ecosystem as a whole must pay particular attention to strengthening the individual artisans and enterprises engaged in production. Since challenges faced by artisans are pushing them into other dailywage earning jobs, concerted efforts are needed to upgrad e the current piecemeal nature of production.Crafts promotion efforts should focus on making artisans aware of the value of their skill, which would make them take greater pride in their work and encourage the second generation to enter the sector. Further, it is essential to help artisans continuously upgrade their skills and product offerings. This requires design inputs and skills development efforts. 2. Increasing Demand for Crafts and Strengthening Market Linkages There is an urgent need to revive consumers’ interest in crafts and make crafts relevant to increasingly urban lifestyles.Efforts are needed to sensitize the emerging middle class consumer to the history and value of crafts in India to ensure a robust domestic market. Strengthening branding efforts and introducing geographical indicators such as a â€Å"Handmade in India† classification, will enable Indian crafts to compete in increasingly global markets. Crafts can be branded on the national, regional o r local, and enterprise level. On the national or regional level, some countries are known or even famous for their excellence in handicrafts, or in specific crafts.The branding of a country's handicraft image depends on the public perception of that country's culture and handicraft skills. Countries that, for different reasons, de-emphasize their indigenous culture and traditions and focus on their modernism create a much tougher environment for the promotion and export of their indigenous handicrafts. 21 Crafts lies well within the informal sector, bringing with it challenges of taking a completed product to market. Most artisans produce at relatively low volumes and at irregular intervals, creating few opportunities to market products at scale.New business models are needed that blend social and commercial goals to provide value added services to artisans particularly in aggregation of products and intermediary trade. As artisans are scattered across geographies, there is a need for players who can source products from them in a centralized fashion and introduce economies of scale into the supply chain. These intermediaries will provide the essential bridging Asartisansareoftenproducing formarketsthatarealiento them,theyneedsupport servicessuchastechnicaland designskillbuildingtohelp reachtheincreasinglyurban consumer.Theseinputswill increasetheirbargaining powerandbuildtheircapacity tosupplydifferentmarkets. Dasra'sfieldresearchhas shownthatbuildingthe capacityofartisansinthis mannercanresultinuptoa ten-foldincreasein incomes. 1. Handholding the Artisan through the Value Chain 2. Increasing Demand for Crafts and Strengthening Market Linkages AconsumersurveyinEurope revealedthat40%of consumerssurveyedwere willingtopayapremiumof 10%fororigin-guaranteed products. SalesofIndian craftsstandtoincrease 20 fromsuchefforts. 3. Strengthening the Decentralized Production Model 4. Building a Multi-Stakeholder Approach 7 28 services between small producers and the diff erent markets where products can be sold and thereby smoothen seasonality of production. Creativeclustershavebeen identifiedasanimportant meansformicroandsmall enterprisestogrowstrongly throughmutualstimulation andleveragingofcommon knowledgeandmarkets. Typicallytheybenefitfrom lowerVAT,tariffsandexcise dutiesonhandmadeproducts. Creativeclustershavethe potentialtonotonlycreate productionefficienciesbut alsoprovideaplatformfor artisanstoaccesslocaland domesticmarkets. 3. Strengthening the Decentralized Production ModelThe fragmented supply chain, lack of organization and seasonal production characteristic of the craft sector need to be overcome to maximize production potential. Geographically scattered production, which is typical of the crafts sector, requires services at artisan's doorsteps. Leveraging technology for information as well as for innovations in process will infuse efficiencies in craft production and enable artisans to produce more. Limited education and low exposure to the skills essential to running a business prevent artisans from scaling up their operations.Providing business support in areas such as quality control, standardized processes, inventory management, cashflow management and securing credit would help them create strong enterprises. To this effect, capacity building cooperatives and producer owned companies would ensure standardized systems and processes, quality control, and professionally run businesses that can access capital and enable them to compete in markets. Dasra's field research has demonstrated a potential three- to five-fold increase in individual income through these efforts.Moreover, fragmentation in the value chain can be overcome with clusters such as Special Economic Zones (SEZs) for crafts. These are defined as a combination of production and distribution activities operating within a common structure, capable of promoting creativity, research applications and distribution systems. Historically, clusters in Indi a have been created for production and bureaucratic efficiencies, ignoring their function as a sales platform. While the sales focus has been tried at Bhujodi in Kutch, creative clusters are generally the exception in India. ensitizes them to crafts, deepens their understanding of tradition in a way that they can implement in the mainstream. This fosters the perseveration of culture by continuously adapting it to modernity. Setting up academies for