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Focusing on the development of the craft sector seems to be a good alternative to compensate for the effects of economic crises. Indeed, the handicraft sector is characterised by considerable growth in job creation and wealth production, bringing together ancestral know-how and adaptation to new technologies. Only not all innovations are necessarily adopted. The insertion of technological innovations in the artisanal cluster may face resistance from some artisans or rejection from all of them. This work aims to measure and understand the impacts that the individualistic or collectivist culture could have on the communication and the willingness of the artisans to share their knowledge and, therefore, the capacity of the cluster to disseminate the innovation. The methodology adopted in this research is analytical, materialised by quantitative-qualitative field surveys. This will allow us a better understanding of our research object.

In this book chapter, we analyse social entrepreneurship (SE) development in the Western Balkans and present a regional overview. SE has become a globally known contributor to alleviating societal, economic, social, and environmental concerns. Its influence on increasing people’s quality of life has put the concept on a pedestal, and the Balkans are no different. The new advances have increased the efforts from the third sector in advocating for increased visibility, recognition, and support for social enterprises (SEs) as contributors to the development of resilient communities and facilitating the countries’ recovery from economic, social, and environmental crises. To provide a regional development overview, we use the institutional perspective. We base the analysis on data by applying qualitative methods, including document analysis, conference speeches, round tables, consultations, and other impactful events conducted over the last decade. The evidence suggests that the Western Balkan countries are similar in their development and lack a clear vision, a strategic pathway, and sustainable solutions to accelerate the sector’s growth. The awareness of the SEs’ contributions is still low, hindering their impact and potential scalability. Raising awareness campaigns is much needed to increase SEs’ visibility, recognition, revenues, and financial sustainability. Intersectoral collaboration is not at a suitable level, and the coordination and partnerships between the SE actors are lacking. The region needs to make a significant and consistent effort to facilitate the sector’s development and support SEs to provide the expected societal impact.

The design of a job is deeply consequential for employees’ psychological experiences at work. Jobs are collections of tasks and relationships that are grouped together and assigned to an individual (Ilgen & Hollenbeck, 1992), and scholars have long been interested in the way these elements come together to constitute the experience of a job (Griffin, 1987; Hackman & Oldham, 1980). Research in this area has traditionally built on a core assumption that managers design jobs in a top-down fashion for employees, which places employees in the relatively passive role of being the recipients of the jobs they hold.

The handicraft industry has been contracting in recent times because of external competition and a preference for foreign-made crafts by consumers. Kiliim, ¹ an Egyptian social enterprise and lifestyle brand, has initiated the process of revival needed in the industry with modern designs of the traditional crafts (local bed covers, curtains, bedding, rugs, bathmats, cushion, throw pillows dining and living cloths). This case provides an analysis of the company, beginning with how the idea of the kilim product was conceived and the dilemma they are currently facing. Although Kiliim, with various kilim product offerings, has made significant inroads in the consumer market, it must continue to adopt innovative strategies to sustain its survival in the market. With globalisation rapidly changing the dynamics of market entry and penetration, indigenous organisations must be innovative with their product and service offerings. Suggestions are made for the sustainability of the indigenous craft industry in Egypt and Africa.

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the creation and maintenance of entrepreneurial identity during the establishment of a high-tech university spin-out (USO) company in the United Kingdom. The chapter is based on a case study of a mature PhD student working initially in a research team, and later in a spin-out company, in a UK university; he then founds his own company. The study tracks his understanding and development of different aspects of his professional identity as he works towards shifting career goals in different formal and informal learning settings. The chapter commences with a discussion of the career tensions that might arise during the spin-out process. The next section argues that purposeful construction of entrepreneurial identity may be a significant element in supporting successful career transformation. The third section presents the case in detail. Following a discussion, conclusions are presented. The practical implications of the study are that better understanding of these processes can be used by educators and support staff in classroom settings and in incubators. Theoretically, the chapter adds specifically to the growing literature on entrepreneurial identity, extending it to the realm of science and engineering; the importance of the dynamic between engineering identity and entrepreneurial identity during the transition from engineer to entrepreneur is examined in depth. Most significantly, the case demonstrates how a complex reworking of what it means to be an entrepreneur and what it means to be an engineer takes place that is enormously significant in the crafting of a personal career trajectory.

This chapter examines the dynamics of occupational segregation by gender in the German vocational training system (VET) and explores the validity of two hypotheses regarding the causes of changes in the sex composition of occupations. According to the first, the ‘job growth hypothesis’, feminisation of occupations occurs when women increasingly enter growing employment sectors that are experiencing a shortage of (preferred) male candidates. According to the second, the ‘exit hypothesis’, the movement of men out of selected occupations is the main mechanism driving the changes. Using official data from enrolment into the VET of skilled crafts for the period of 1997–2013, we find a very high level of occupational segregation, a very modest trend toward desegregation and a substantial increase of female representation in a group of selected training occupations. Our analysis implies that the rising share of female apprentices within these fields cannot be explained by an increased entry of young women into growing employment sectors, but that it mainly results from a disproportionate reduction of male participation in select occupations.

The objective of this work is to determine the relationship between human capital and artisanal innovation. Nowadays, in Tonalá Jalisco, artisanal pieces are produced in an innovative way, either by using ceramic or any variant of the mud technique, but a substantial part of the business is what makes innovative business thinking possible. The Intellectus Model, created by Eduardo Bueno in 2011, is used as a reference, distinguishing intellectual capital in three types of capital. But for the purpose of this study, we have only analyzed the relationship of human capital with respect to artisanal innovation. The study was conducted in 2018 on 73 craft economic units. Using the Pearson chi-square technique and applying the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program, the qualitative relationship between innovation and human capital was analyzed. The result shows a positive relationship between human capital and innovation.

Few published studies have examined which values and motives might encourage the purchase of craft beer (CB) over the Internet by Millennials. This study aims to investigate the motivations behind CB online buying habits among Millennials, and the chosen context is Italy. Adopting a revised model of the Alphabet Theory, a questionnaire-based consumer survey was designed. The data were collected in Italy, between January and April 2020, from a convenience sample composed of 273 interviewees aged 25–39. A structural equations model was estimated using a three-stage least squares regression. The interviewees were segmented into two groups based on their habits of purchasing CB online, using a triadic split procedure. The findings confirm the significant role played in Millennials’ attitudes towards CB online purchasing habits. Specifically, within the whole sample, our concern was with the essential role played by online product availability. The impulsive desire to discover a moment of pleasure is the principal aspect influencing Millennials’ attitudes (among those who are more inclined to purchase CB online). Whereas, for consumers less inclined, sensorial aspects, self-identity and local identity remain relevant. Given the lack of research on Millennials in this purchasing context for CB, this study breaks new ground to better understand this group and the CB consumer culture in this evolving sector. These findings shed new light on making and selling CB, as well as on the interests of beer consuming communities. The findings may help marketing managers develop appropriate marketing strategies based on a better understanding of Millennial-specific needs.

The early-stage venture capital (VC) industry has long been dominated by small firms comprising senior venture capitalists and few junior staff. However, during the late 1990s, a group of firms changed their internal structures, adopting pyramidal structures and redesigning internal processes to leverage the efforts of junior staff. In doing so, they followed first-movers in other professional services industries that transitioned to pyramidal models in the 20th century. Has the recent industry downturn terminated the transition, or simply delayed it? This chapter analyzes the events that led the VC firms to transition, the barriers to doing so, and related issues affecting the industry's future.