شناسایی زمینه‌ها و عوامل موثر بر توسعه پایدار صنایع دستی

Handicrafts indicate the relationship between humans and their environment and manifest the identity, culture, skills, and attitudes of individuals in a region during different periods. A historical look at handicrafts in various eras reveals that this component has been adaptable to the conditions and requirements of each era. In other words, handicrafts, by being present in people's lives, have addressed the essential needs of societies and preserved and adapted themselves accordingly. This art industry, in the past, primarily aimed to fulfill needs and later became a means of income generation by utilizing raw materials from the surrounding environment. However, it appears that in current circumstances, the nature of handicrafts has transformed, and various factors influence its presence and continuity. Nowadays, in the modern world, societies consider handicrafts not only as economically influential but also as a creative cultural phenomenon, a social factor, and an important environmental component. Additionally, handicrafts are recognized as a significant part of indigenous culture and identity.
The mentioned factors indicate that handicrafts have high importance from various aspects and now require attention and focus for their continuity and development. In other words, in the current conditions, handicrafts need certain measures, the formulation of principles, and standards to adapt to the current cultural, social, economic, and environmental conditions.
According to the mentioned evidence, multiple factors play a role in the sustainable development of handicrafts. It seems necessary to identify and analyze the backgrounds and influential factors in the sustainable development and operation of handicrafts in current conditions through in-depth research. Therefore, this research aims to identify and analyze the factors and backgrounds emphasized in various sources and studies. In this regard, the research question is: What are the influential factors in the sustainable development of handicrafts?
This study is a qualitative research and, from an objective perspective, falls under applied developmental research. It has utilized qualitative content analysis to identify the key variables and influential factors in the sustainable development of handicrafts. In other words, this research strives to extract the fundamental concepts and topics related to the sustainable development of handicrafts from credible scientific data. To achieve this, in the first step, reliable research sources in this field were collected from internet databases using relevant keywords. Then, with the aim of categorization and thematic analysis, qualitative content analysis of the data was conducted through stages including data management and organization, refinement and concept extraction, and thematic classification. Finally, relying on logical reasoning, each of the topics was scrutinized, explained, and comprehended. In the categorization and analysis of the topics, the concepts that had the highest applicability and thematic recurrence in most studies were given attention. Furthermore, in the thematic classification, efforts were made to maximize the similarity and resemblance of each issue, and ultimately a comprehensive theme was obtained by combining two or more concepts in that area. Based on this, the findings of the research were categorized and analyzed in topics such as "higher education," "emerging markets," "production methods," "handicraft capture and design," and "co-creation."
According to findings, the foundation of handicraft industry development should be considered in the components of education, technology, emerging markets, and effective communication between industry owners and designers. As mentioned, attention to each of these factors forms the basis for transformation in others. In other words, the outcomes and results of each of these components have a common connection with other fields, and the importance of each lies in the attention it receives from others. Higher education nurtures specialized individuals who contribute to the artisan community through co-creation and collaborative efforts. Additionally, higher education provides a foundation for understanding theories and the needs of emerging markets. The emerging market necessitates the effective role of technology and industry in handicraft production. Consequently, the central role of higher education can act as a catalyst and essential requirement for the development of handicrafts. In general, innovative educational systems, by providing action-based teaching methods and processes, innovation, and creativity, will yield the following positive results: 1- Providing management and business training to enhance the performance and prosperity of handicraft industries. 2- Transferring innovative production methods and strategies, acquainting with new tools and technologies to create new products and services in the craft industry. 3- Familiarity with current and future market needs. 4- Establishing connections with society and industry to exchange and acquire new knowledge and technologies, as well as developing collaborative projects and research. 5- Enhancing technical knowledge and expertise in the application of materials and tools used in handicrafts. 6- Understanding other related sciences that have an impact on the handicraft industry.
It seems that a change in the approach to education and research in handicrafts and the establishment of a common infrastructure for research and education are necessary to connect and strengthen various academic disciplines and create "Craft Sciences" as an approach in the educational system.
According to findings, new technologies and production methods also play a significant role in the development of handicrafts. Synchronizing handicraft production methods with advancements in this field in itself contributes to achieving the goals of handicraft development. Innovative technology, advanced industry, and high-quality raw materials increase the capability of producing handicrafts according to international standards, leading to effective and independent performance of handicrafts and improving productivity while reducing resource waste. This component improves supply chain management and control in stages such as raw material extraction, production, distribution, and overall performance and profitability of handicraft products. Reduction in labor, raw material, and energy costs are among the benefits of new technology, which increases the competitiveness and profitability of handicraft businesses. Utilizing media and communication technologies can facilitate the introduction of indigenous products to new communities and markets and improve and deepen business and communication relationships between the industry, business owners, and customers in this field. In general, the use of innovative production methods, advanced machinery, and tools can contribute to innovation, efficiency, quality, and diversity in the production of handicraft products, making these industries stronger in competition with others.
Co-creation is also considered an effective solution for the development of handicrafts. The importance of co-creation and collaborative efforts in handicraft development is justified based on several key factors: 1- Improvement of quality: Co-creation can lead to improvement and facilitation in the transfer of knowledge and experience between handicraft producers and various related fields. As a result, the quality of handicraft products will also improve. 2- Diversity and innovation: By integrating different knowledge, experiences, and ideas, new products with new designs and forms can be introduced to the market, positively competing with other countries and contributing to export development. 3- Local economic development: Attracting talents and technical knowledge in rural areas and proper marketing of the produced goods increases the potential for establishing and developing handicraft enterprises in these regions. Consequently, employment, income generation, and a reduction in rural-to-urban migration can be improved. 4- Preservation of culture and identity: When a society loses some of its traditional skills, its culture and identity are also at risk. Co-creation provides an opportunity to preserve and continue these skills and helps the community maintain its cultural identity. Based on this, the practical process of co-creation can act as a solution for the sustainable development of handicrafts.