Abstract:

This qualitative study contributes to literature by examining and the multi-level growth challenges faced by artisanal firms in Chiniot furniture cluster which carries great economic potential but has been neglected by the concerned policy circles in Pakistan - a county context which remains under-researched despite having rich presence of artisanal firms. An equally important contribution is the offering of a pragmatic policy framework that can help address the barriers to the growth of handcrafted furniture making small scale businesses which can support the development of local economy through serving both the local and international markets. The key growth barriers range from micro level (such as lack of access to finance) to meso (such as lack of wood market in the cluster, road and other basic infrastructure issues raw materials prices), and macro-level (such as institutional challenges including limited support for technical and vocational training, lack of political support leading to limited interest of provincial and federal governments in the development of the clusters and complex taxation system). The study suggest that these challenges can be addressed through collective and collaborative policy interventions engaging multilevel stakeholders.

Please choose your submission type: Full Paper

Primary Track: Entrepreneurship

Keywords: International Entrepreneurship,Entrepreneurship in emerging markets

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Dr. Aqueel Wahga