Lifestyle motivations, contextual changes and their effects on the Craft Entrepreneurs

Abstract: This study sets out to contribute to the research of entrepreneurial motivations of craft entrepreneurs from a lifestyle perspective. It contributes to the research fields of both crafting and lifestyle. In addition the purpose of this thesis is to attempt to provide valuable information to the research field and uncover data for future research. The geographical location of the research is the southern region of Skåne, Sweden, the research setting thus namely being the city of Malmö. The research design is qualitative and findings are made through in-depth interviews which include both craft entrepreneurs as well as professionals working within the crafting industry. The craft companies have been established between 2001 and early 2015 and represent a variety of materials and techniques to produce their craft products. By evaluating the motivations of the crafters this research attempts to facilitate a better understanding of the creative entrepreneurship of crafting. Research limitations of this research include the complexities of crafting and a lack of existing literature on crafts entrepreneurs as well as the personal nature of the creative crafts industry: the level of involvement of each crafter is distinct and may have affected the results of the research. Furthermore the qualitative approach of this study leads to an increased amount of data, intertwined factors and limitations of distinguishing and connecting mentioned factors. The research is also limited to the geographical area of Malmö, which may present limitations of applying this study within a different context or geographical location. The paper makes use of existing research on entrepreneurial lifestyle motivation to determine what has motivated local crafters in Malmö to embark in entrepreneurial activities. A brief overview into the current context, in which these entrepreneurs operate in, will facilitate towards a better understanding of their circumstances. By presenting this brief overview of crafting itself, the institutional and societal changes this paper aims to form an understanding of current events and their effects on crafting. The framework presented makes use of multiple lifestyle researches for an overall picture of lifestyle entrepreneurship. Hornday’s theory of three types of business owner provides an exemplary model of entrepreneurial motivations which serves as a comparison for the empirical data. The research findings indicate that crafters are motivated by lifestyle reasons of enjoying their occupation, wanting to be their own boss, designing their own working hours as well as making customers happy. In addition exceptions were noted as some crafters were highly motivated by the additional income and the challenge of making a successful sale. Further research is suggested within the area of craft entrepreneurship, their motivations and background as well as the contextual effects on their entrepreneurial ventures. Keywords – crafting, lifestyle entrepreneurship, craft entrepreneurship, creative occupation, surge of crafting.