Identifying the Problems of Handcrafts Cooperatives: A Qualitative Study in Isfahan City

Handcrafts cooperatives expand economic and cultural aspects of handcrafts. They not only maintain the prestige of the handcrafts in the society, but also help to increase its share in the whole economy of the country. It is supposed that handcrafts manufacturing through cooperatives can be more efficient, as cooperative economy is based on common needs, same understanding, and team work to satisfy the needs. But it seems handcrafts cooperatives in Isfahan City have failed to perform efficiently. In this paper, we intend to identify the problems and barriers that cooperatives have faced during their activity in recent years. To reach this goal, we have applied qualitative method and conducted 25 interviews with the members of the cooperatives and the staffs of related supporting organizations. Data were later analyzed by using thematic analysis. According to the research findings, we classify the cooperatives problems into 3 main categories: intra organizational problems (managerial issues, sub-managerial issues, lack of financial resources), inter organizational problems (inefficiency of the concerned organizations like The bureau of cooperatives, The chamber of cooperatives, The administration of handcrafts, and The government), and macro level problems concerning all the organizations (neglecting cooperative economy, economic recession, covid 19 pandemic, neglecting handcrafts). The findings of this paper have implications for the government, concerned organizations, cooperatives' members, and the citizens who concern about their cultural and national heritage.