WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS' MOTIVATION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL PROBLEMS IN THE HANDICRAFT INDUSTRY (WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO JODHPUR)

Abstract

Economic progress is centred on entrepreneurship. It is a multifaceted task that primarily involves creativity. An emerging reality of women's entrepreneurship, more specifically in the realm of handcraft industry coming from Jodhpur comes with its own set of arduous challenges The handicraft industry in Rajasthan provides ample opportunities for women entrepreneurs to display their creativity and play a role in the economic development of the region. This study aims to explore a unique form of entrepreneurship practiced by women operating handicraft businesses. This research paper aims to explore the challenges, and motivational factor faced by women entrepreneurs in the handicraft industry in Rajasthan. It is a case study of the Jodhpur which are culturally rich city in Rajasthan, India. A sample of 50 women entrepreneurs engaged in handicraft units was surveyed using a structured questionnaire. The results of this investigatory, based on descriptive statistics, revealed a number of opportunities for these female entrepreneurs such as increase international demand and government providing a number of schemes and programmes to promote handicrafts, besides some of the problems faced by these female entrepreneurs like lack of technological knowledge, lack of knowledge of marketing trends, and financial assistance. Furthermore, the research revealed a rank order of factors affecting them based on the opinions of respondents. Family, self and societal, financial and economic, political and environmental, marketing and mobility. This study is going to explore these challenges so as to provide more support and make it easy for women entrepreneurs in handicraft sector.