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International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research

Innovation as a booster of rural artisan entrepreneurship: a case study of black


pottery
Carla Susana Marques, Gina Santos, Vanessa Ratten, Ana B. Barros,
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Carla Susana Marques, Gina Santos, Vanessa Ratten, Ana B. Barros, (2018) "Innovation as a
booster of rural artisan entrepreneurship: a case study of black pottery", International Journal of
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Rural artisan
Innovation as a booster of rural entrepreneurship
artisan entrepreneurship: a case
study of black pottery
Carla Susana Marques
CETRAD Unit Research, Escola de Ciencias Humanas e Sociais,
Received 28 February 2018
Universidade de Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal Revised 14 May 2018
Gina Santos 25 June 2018
Accepted 9 August 2018
CETRAD Unit Research,
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University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal


Vanessa Ratten
La Trobe University – Melbourne Campus, Melbourne, Australia, and
Ana B. Barros
Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract
Purpose – Rural entrepreneurship is an emergent field of study, with these start-ups becoming one of the most
noticeable ways to promote rural development, but the few studies concerning innovation among artisans have
thus far only been exploratory. The purpose of this paper is to examine the entrepreneurial artisan initiatives of
young innovators in a peripheral northern area of Portugal where black pottery is produced.
Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative data analysis was carried out on in-depth semi-structured
interviews with three young artisan innovators and entrepreneurs and one individual who functions as a
cultural booster. The content analysis was done using QSR International’s NVivo Version 11 software.
Findings – These young entrepreneurs have developed commercial activities and introduced innovations
(i.e. design and process) into black pottery production, while taking advantage of endogenous materials, local
culture and traditional knowledge. These individuals have sought not only to generate their own innovations
but also to keep their culture and local traditions alive, thereby contributing to rural development by
establishing networks with local young artisans.
Research limitations/implications – Some limitations are linked to the sample’s size and basis in a
specific geographic reality.
Practical implications – The findings provide a fuller understanding of why some rural artisan firms
grow, suggesting that artisans’ networks and innovative and entrepreneurial behaviours play a key role.
Originality/value – This research’s results contribute to the literature on the role that innovation can play
as a booster of rural artisanship through networks and entrepreneurship. This paper is among the first to
discuss black pottery as a form of artisan entrepreneurship. The results underline the value of innovations
and networks, which were found to be the core ingredients in rural artisan entrepreneurship.
Keywords Entrepreneurs, Innovation, Networking, Small firm/new venture strategy
Paper type Research paper

Introduction
Handicrafts were originally produced to meet local populations’ needs, and these products can
be defined as the result of artisans’ work using endogenous natural materials. As a result,
handicrafts characterise places, populations and cultures of which they are a part (Igwe et al.,
2018). Traditionally, handicraft businesses are family-owned, so artisans own all the means of
production and work with their relatives in all stages of the production process. These products
are usually sold within the region where they are produced or in surrounding regions as, International Journal of
traditionally, artisans do not seek to sell their products abroad (Ratten and Tajeddini, 2017). Entrepreneurial Behavior &
Research
Handicrafts have always played a central role in countries’ economic development and © Emerald Publishing Limited
1355-2554
protection of their heritage. The handicraft industry offers many advantages for local and DOI 10.1108/IJEBR-02-2018-0104
IJEBR regional economies, including, among others, boosting gross domestic products, foreign
exchange earnings and employment levels (Abisuga-Oyekunle and Fillis, 2017; Hassan et al.,
2017; Naidu et al., 2014). Several studies have examined the importance of this industry and
the ways its performance can be boosted in different geographical regions (e.g. Battisti et al.,
2013; Gupta and Mukherjee, 2006; Girón et al., 2007; Hassan et al., 2017; Hipp and Grupp, 2005;
Jakob and Thomas, 2017; Naidu et al., 2014; Prince, 2017; Rahman and Ramli, 2014).
According to Naidu et al. (2014, p. 318), “one of the core determinants of performance in
[the] handicraft industry is the level of innovation”. Innovation in handicraft businesses
refers to entrepreneurs’ ability to introduce unique products into the market. Naidu et al.
(2014, p. 318) state that “the uniqueness of handicraft products determines the talent of
artisans to achieve a competitive advantage in the market”. However, sometimes uniqueness
is not enough for handicraft production to remain a sustainable economic activity. In recent
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decades, various types of handicrafts have ceased to exist, and, with them, a part of regional
culture and history has also been lost. The question of what can be done to reverse this trend
needs to be answered.
Innovation combined with cultural traditions can be the driving force behind handicraft
revitalisation and internationalisation. In the present study, we chose to focus on a case that
is an example of this – the black pottery declared to be “Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO). The production of this pottery is a historical artisanal activity anchored in local
communities and an important factor shaping regional cultural identity. The existing
records indicate that black pottery has been produced at least since the sixteenth century.
Initially made in several locations around the city of Vila Real, in Portugal’s northeast, this
pottery’s production is now limited to two places: Bisalhães and Cumieira.
The techniques used to fire this pottery are what makes it so different from other pottery
because the process is done outdoors and it has remained similar throughout many
centuries. The kiln in which the pottery is fired is a pit excavated in the ground, and only the
entrance is not buried. This oven is filled with wood to produce the necessary heat, and on
the top of the kiln – on the ground level – is the chamber where the pottery is placed to bake.
When the pottery is fired, it is “muffled”, meaning, the potters pile tree branches and earth
over the pottery until it is covered. It must remain completely buried to prevent the entry of
oxygen. This muffling process gives the pottery its characteristic black colour. After the fire
is extinguished, the pottery is uncovered, cooled and cleaned before being sold.
Black pottery production consists mainly of kitchenware such as pots, vases and
pitchers, as well as decorative pottery such as tea services and coffee pots. These ceramic
pieces are sold in the city of Vila Real and several municipalities around the Douro region
throughout the year. In the middle of the last century, black pottery gradually began to be
replaced by kitchenware in aluminium and plastic, which was cheaper and more durable.
This factor caused a deep crisis in local pottery production.
Against this backdrop, in 2012, some young entrepreneurs came up with ideas that have
revolutionised the way black pottery is perceived. They introduced new designs in both
traditional kitchenware and decorative pottery. In order to do this, they also had to innovate
at the level of the production process, which became the driving force behind the
development of a new approach to traditional handcrafted black pottery. For the new
products to be in accordance with the expected version, these new design and process
elements of the value chain have been implemented through networks so that the cultural
identity of the pieces is always reflected in their design.
The present study explored this entrepreneurial artisan initiative developed by young
innovators in the peripheral northern area of Portugal where the black pottery is produced.
This research needed to be conducted for two major reasons. First, none of the existing
studies have examined the role of innovation as a booster in handcrafted black pottery.
Second, due to the small quantities produced and the black pottery businesses’ geographical Rural artisan
isolation, these products were seldom sold outside the region until these young entrepreneurship
entrepreneurs introduced their innovations.
This paper is structured as follows. The second section reviews the literature on
innovation in rural artisan entrepreneurship. The third section outlines the research
methodology, after which the fourth section presents the results. The sixth section discusses
the findings, while the seventh presents the conclusions, policy implications and limitations.

Literature review
Artisan entrepreneurship
Handicrafts can be defined as objects that are normally handmade products, with attention
given to using natural, original materials and local design and workmanship. Handicrafts
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often have decorative or wearable functions, and these products can provide beauty and
aesthetic value (Fernaeus et al., 2013). In terms of business operations, handicraft producers
(i.e. artisans) often run microenterprises with highly labour-intensive operations involving
customised, handmade or semi-mechanised systems (Abisuga-Oyekunle and Fillis, 2017).
According to The Oxford English Dictionary, the word “artisan” originally dates back to the
sixteenth century, coming from the Italian word artigiano or the Latin word artitus, which
translates to “art” in English. Tweneboah-Koduah and Adusei (2016) define artisans as
individuals who possess special skills in the manual production of products and who are usually
gifted in making products from simple materials. Most artisans go through an apprenticeship
before opening their own business, and few receive vocational training or formal education.
According to Runge (2014), entrepreneurship is the practice of starting new
organisations or revitalising mature organisations, especially those involving new
business generated in response to identified opportunities. Makhbul and Hasun (2011)
define an entrepreneur as someone who is able to identify opportunities, take risks and
develop new businesses that seek to make a profit. The literature provides different
definitions of an “artisan entrepreneur”. Ratten et al. (2017, p. 1) report that artisan
entrepreneurs “utilize their passion and creativity to sell products including organic locally
grown food, craft beers, and handmade clothes”. Artisan entrepreneurs have special skills,
talents, traditions and passions, and they believe in their ability to realise particular goals
(Glenn, 2016) and produce products in limited quantities (Baldacchino and Cutajar, 2011;
Bhaduri and Stanforth, 2017).
Artisan firms differ from industrial companies in the aesthetic value of their products,
namely, in terms of design, style, decoration and colour. Handicraft businesses also stand
out by the high degree of manual skill, creativity and design their products require and their
close link with the history and cultural traditions of specific countries (Storey, 2018).
The majority of artisan entrepreneurs work in rural areas, and their products reflect the
culture of the surrounding region (Gobattoni et al., 2015; Ratten, 2017).
Some studies reported in the literature have found that external factors, in particular,
contribute significantly to the performance of small rural artisan entrepreneurs’ firms.
For example, two influential factors often mentioned in the literature are government
assistance for entrepreneurial development (e.g. McKitterick et al., 2016) and social
and/or family networks (e.g. Bhagavatula et al., 2010; Kuhn and Galloway, 2013; Ramadani
et al., 2017). Nevertheless, internal factors such as personality traits, skills and motivations
have also been found to contribute to these firms’ performance (George et al., 2016).
Many studies have highlighted the importance of rural entrepreneurs’ social networks to
their start-up businesses’ growth. Family and friends are widely mentioned as sources of
resources, including financial capital (e.g. Bruton et al., 2015), labour (Abisuga-Oyekunle and
Fillis, 2017) and knowledge and/or skills (e.g. Bhagavatula et al., 2010; Ramadani et al., 2017).
Honig (1998) asserts that these entrepreneurs’ networks of extended family- and
IJEBR community-based relationships are likely to increase the successful establishment and
growth of microenterprises through the accumulation and utilisation of resources, especially
credit (Bird and Zellweger, 2017). In addition, some studies (Armanios et al., 2017) have
highlighted how rural entrepreneurs develop networks with intermediaries and other
entrepreneurs or organisations in their surrounding environments in order to identify better
market opportunities.
However, financial motives are mostly not as important to those starting artisan
businesses. Some studies of artisan entrepreneurs have found that non-financial motives are
significant, for example, personal happiness, independence (e.g. Alonso and Alexander, 2017;
Chatterjee et al., 2017), the valuation of craft traditions or a desire to reinforce the surrounding
region’s cultural identity (Ezeuduji, 2015; Vitasurya, 2016).
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Innovation in handicrafts
Innovation encompasses several components depending on the area in question.
Some components have already been identified in previous tourism studies but not
necessarily applied to handicrafts. Several components of innovation have, nonetheless,
been identified as promoters of rural handicraft entrepreneurship. The following
subsections briefly discuss some of these components.
Value-added products. Hipp and Grupp (2005) stated that the value added by innovation
can be defined as incremental improvements in products and services. The cited authors
found that the handicraft sector is one of the most innovative sectors specifically in the
German tourism industry. Until now, few studies have focussed on this subject, and most of
these have reported that the handicraft industry lacks differentiation and creative designs
that could add more value to these traditional products (e.g. Conti and Mancini, 2014;
Grobar, 2017; Nagori and Saxena, 2012).
New product development. This component refers to the process of designing, testing and
launching new products into the market (Pujari et al., 2003). Few previous studies have
examined how the development of new handicrafts can be used as a means to boost rural
artisan entrepreneurship (e.g. Ciftci and Walker, 2017; Girón et al., 2007; Naidu et al., 2014;
Rogerson and Sithole, 2001).
Design uniqueness. This component refers to businesses’ ability to differentiate their
products from those of competitors by developing innovative designs (Dhingra and
Dhingra, 2012; Wu et al., 2017). Some of the few studies of this topic have revealed that
countries need to be able to differentiate their products through unique designs (e.g. Hassan
et al., 2017; Hegarty and Przezborska, 2005). Underdeveloped regions can also develop
unique cultural products (e.g. Ezeuduji, 2015; Novelli et al., 2006), and the handicraft
industry can be one of the most important sectors leading to rural tourism development
(e.g. Gupta and Mukherjee, 2006; Hassan et al., 2017).
Artisans’ experience. In the handicraft industry, this component refers to the impact
owners’ experience can have on the design of handicrafts (Naidu et al., 2014; Rutashobya
and Jaensson, 2004). Several studies have examined the importance of owners’ prior
involvement in the handicraft industry and found that entrepreneurs’ experience in micro
and small businesses significantly boosts innovation. This knowhow also has an important
impact on the internationalisation of handicraft businesses (e.g. Ammar, 2017; Arte, 2017;
Hjalager, 2010; Naidu et al., 2014).
Artisans’ ability. This component includes artisans’ ability to adopt trends in the market.
Handicraft makers and sellers need to provide products based on actual consumer needs
and wants (Krasae-in, 2017; Nayak and Bhalla, 2016; Taylor and Owusu, 2012).
Cultural uniqueness. In the context of the handicraft industry, this component is defined as
the ability of handicraft designers to capture unique cultural aspects in their handicraft designs
(Dasgupta and Chandra, 2016; Hassan et al., 2017; Marwick, 2001). Locals should be engaged in Rural artisan
the handicraft industry so that designers can more easily capture cultural designs (e.g. Mitchell entrepreneurship
and Eagles, 2001; Pritchard and Morgan, 2001; Pudjihardjo and Nama, 2012; Torabian and Arai,
2016) using local natural and cultural resources (Lordkipandize et al., 2005; Vitasurya, 2016).

Microfirms’ innovation and culture


Micro firms have unique characteristics. These businesses’ owners and/or managers are the
firms’ central figures and key operational employees, who are mainly responsible for
ensuring their companies’ close proximity to the market (Greenbank, 2000). Micro firms are
embedded in local communities (Phillipson et al., 2004) and families (Wheelock and Baines,
1998), thereby establishing wider stakeholder ties (Phillipson et al., 2006). These businesses
have simple structures (Kelliher and Reinl, 2009), and decision-making processes are based
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on managers’ intuitive knowledge (Liberman-Yaconi et al., 2010).


Compared to bigger companies, micro firms have disadvantages in terms of innovation
such as a lack of financial capital, an absence of power to negotiate commercial transactions
and difficulty accessing distant markets (Fernández-Esquinas et al., 2017). Nevertheless, the
strength of these firms often lies in the owners and/or managers’ specialised knowledge and
organisational capacities. The values and skills of these individuals and their core
employees are normally their firms’ predominant assets (De Jong and Vermeulen, 2006).
Micro firms’ beliefs, motivations and shared meanings are especially important when
these companies’ define and develop innovative activities. These features also shape
interactions with external agents in regional and/or local contexts, as well as structuring the
firms’ strategies for learning and investing in new knowledge. Thus, cultural influences
become determining factors in these businesses’ ability to adapt to change and adopt new
productive processes (Fernández-Esquinas et al., 2017).
Culture is believed to be even more important to micro firms than to larger firms because
cultural patterns have a more direct impact on small businesses’ capacity to generate
knowledge and exchange resources with other actors in their environment (Vossen, 1998).
Several studies have confirmed the influence of cultural elements in micro firms’ innovation
(De Jong and Marsili, 2006). These internal factors influence small companies’ innovation
performance as this is related to the managers’ cultural characteristics, especially
motivations, flexibility and adaptation to change and new technologies (Vossen, 1998).
Regarding external factors, the main determinants of innovation are found in owners
and/or managers’ ability to detect and use external knowledge, especially through links with
others who function as knowledge providers (Gray, 2006). In this context, a cultural booster
is someone who is an enthusiastic supporter of traditions in the surrounding region. More
specifically for the present study, he or she is a strong advocate of keeping alive the
tradition of black pottery production in the north of Portugal.

Conceptual research model


Based on this research’s objectives and the above literature review, a conceptual research
model was proposed (see Figure 1). We thus sought to assess how relevant cultural boosters,
through their knowhow and networks, can mediate and boost entrepreneurship among
artisans and foster innovation in handicraft businesses.

Methodology
This study’s primary objective was to explore the entrepreneurial initiatives of young
innovators in a peripheral northern area of Portugal where black pottery is produced.
The research thus used qualitative methods to conduct a case study of artisan
entrepreneurship in black pottery production. In the specific case of this handicraft, we
IJEBR

Artisan
entrepreneurship
(potter)

Cultural booster
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Innovation in handicraft

Figure 1.
Conceptual
research model

could only identify one company, Bisarro, that had introduced innovations in the designs
and materials used to make these products. A young craftsperson had also introduced
innovations in the process of firing the black pottery, with both forms of innovation having
been promoted by a cultural booster.
The five artisans still involved in this handicraft who continue to work in a traditional
way had an average age of above 60 years old. At the time of this study, most of them had
not introduced any innovations, and they were not concerned about renewing their
business, thus contributing to the loss of a handicraft that is listed as intangible heritage by
UNESCO. Taking into account this reality, we chose to study the only case of
entrepreneurship and innovation in black pottery fostered by a cultural booster, which
would allow us to develop a theoretical framework through an in-depth examination of this
phenomenon (Eisenhardt and Graebner, 2007).
The present study used in-depth interviews to gather the opinions and perceptions of
youthful artisan entrepreneurs (i.e. two innovative entrepreneurs from Bisarro and a young
craftsperson) and a cultural booster about the following questions:
• What is the role of innovation as a booster of rural artisan entrepreneurship?
• What is the role of families and networks in the start-up process and sustainability of
black pottery artisans’ businesses?
• What is the role of artisans’ ability, knowledge and experience in developing ceramic
pieces with innovative designs?
• Are these innovative artisan initiatives sustainable?
As mentioned by Ritchie et al. (2013), in-depth interviews allow a freer flow of data shared
by respondents due to the interviews’ flexible structure. In addition, this method allows the
introduction of probing questions, which can be used to develop a deeper understanding of Rural artisan
the topic under study (Padgett, 2016). entrepreneurship
Qualitative data analysis is a continuous, inductive process that involves immersion into
interview transcripts and the application of coding categories. This process is thus based on
data reduction and presentation and the extraction and verification of conclusions (Miles
et al., 2014). In the present study, the first phase of coding was used to reduce the raw data
into generic categories based on the research objectives, existing literature and recurrent
themes. The data were then analysed further in order to identify patterns and relationships
among the coding categories.
The main method applied was discourse analysis, which used QSR International’s NVivo
Version 11 software to conduct qualitative analysis and build a theoretical framework. This
method facilitated a close examination of the transcripts for linguistic patterns, while NVivo
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provided a means of storing, retrieving, categorising and encoding the text (Gibbs et al., 2002;
Wetherell et al., 2001). The analysis focussed on the interviewees’ words and actions, as well
as documentation about these individuals’ activities, to gain an in-depth understanding
of the research topic.
The relevant literature recommends the use of tools that facilitate computer-assisted
analysis of qualitative data because of the benefits in terms of accuracy and validity, which
can be difficult to achieve with manual methods (Lindsay, 2004). Excerpts from the data are
presented in the results and discussion sections below to allow these human actors to speak
for themselves whenever possible (Maykut and Morehouse, 1994).

Results
Characterisation of sample
The four interviewees (i.e. two young innovative entrepreneurs from Bisarro, the young
potter and the cultural booster) are all men, with an average age of 37 years old. Regarding
education, we verified that two have a master’s degree, one has a bachelor’s degree and one
completed a vocational course. Notably, the cultural booster is significantly older than the
other interviewees (i.e. 61 years old), as shown in Table I.
An important objective of the interviews was to identify the motivations of the two
young innovative entrepreneurs, who left jobs in a large company in which they were well
paid to create a microenterprise that focusses on reviving black pottery production. They
realised that this handicraft would disappear – just as so many others around the world
already had – if no one introduced differentiation (i.e. innovation) and an international
business vision. As a result of the cultural booster’s motivation, passion, persistence,
innovation and network, the micro firm’s goal has already been achieved in that the local
firing process is now on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list. This handicraft has come to be
seen as a valued decorative object even on an international level.
The passion and resolve to keep the black pottery production “alive” is reflected in the
testimonies of the Bisarro entrepreneurs:
Bisarro was actually born out of Renato’s academic project. He got a master’s degree in graphic
design [in] Caldas da Rainha, and the project was born as Bisarro. The essence of the project was

Sample group Age Gender Education

D Bisarro 32 Male Bachelor’s


R Bisarro 27 Male Master’s Table I.
AT Cultural Booster 61 Male Master’s Characterisation of
MT Potter 28 Male Vocational sample
IJEBR already to focus on this concern – to create here something that would generate impetus – but, at
the time, it had nothing to do with it [Bisarro]. At the time, it was a graphic design project in which
Renato illustrated [and] created characters out of the traditional [pottery] pieces. The name Bisarro
was born there. […] We give lots of talks, and we like to tell this story because it also turns out to be
inspiring to students – how a project was born in an academic context [and] then stayed in a
drawer – […] but he [Renato] has always had this bug [about black pottery] (D Bisarro).

Analysis of interviews
The proposed conceptual map was defined based on the analysis of the interviews. The
following subsections present the results obtained in detail, thus providing an exploratory
approach to the topic under study. The findings based on the interviews are structured into
two main categories. The first includes material associated with artisan entrepreneurship
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with a focus on some aspects that we consider pertinent, such as the motivations and family
and cultural influences associated with this type of activity, as well as the cultural context,
knowledge and associated networks. The second category focusses on innovation in
handicrafts. Last, we examine how this black pottery initiative ended up having an impact
in the form of an expansion to national and international markets, promoting the renewal
and sustainability of this handicraft and, consequently, a new vision of an ancient tradition.

Artisan entrepreneurship
Motivations. Regarding the interviewees’ motivations, the answers were varied. The
respondents mentioned that the project was a way of using the knowledge they had
previously acquired in the private handicraft sector in the immediate area, reporting that
they “wanted to use this knowledge, this knowhow, [and] bring it to Bisarro, to this pottery”
(D Bisarro). The entrepreneurs were also concerned about the region’s development as they
stated that “the essence of the project was already […] to address this concern [and] to
develop something here that would create some momentum” (D Bisarro).
The Bisarro founders alluded to how they intended to “spread a bit of this tradition all over
the world” (D Bisarro). The potter mentioned that one of his motivations for becoming a black
pottery craftsperson was that this type of handicraft had always been part of his everyday life
as he “had heard about it for years” (MT Potter). Thus, what enabled these young
entrepreneurs to embark on their artisan entrepreneurship project was their previously
acquired knowledge and passion for the production of black pottery, which led them to stay
with or return to their cultural roots and develop a craft until then only continued by older
men. These young people then expanded the scope of the production not only locally but also
internationally through their determination to promote this traditional handicraft.
Family influence. Family influence was referred to primarily as one of the reasons for the
current shortage of artisans skilled in this type of handicraft. The potter pointed out that
“neither children nor grandchildren of the present potters have become involved in making
black pottery because, by the time they were teenagers, being a potter was not very well
regarded. […] The potters themselves, now in their 70s and 80s, almost tried to discourage
their children from joining them in this activity” (MT Potter). The cultural booster reiterated
that “it was not a socially valued profession”. Women also had some influence in the
decision not to continue this form of handicraft since they “knew they were going to have to
work hard all their lives” (MT Potter). According to the cultural booster interviewed,
“women do the hardest work, and usually nobody talks about them. [It’s the women who
have to go] get wood from the hills”.
However, in the case of the potter, his father (i.e. the cultural booster interviewed in this
study) had an extremely positive, incisive influence on his decision to join this profession,
among other reasons because both men had verified that “here too there was a business
opportunity” (MT Potter). Although nobody in his family was making black pottery, he had
the opportunity to receive training in plastic and traditional arts. Bisarro’s entrepreneurs Rural artisan
revealed that only one of them has an entrepreneur among his relatives, but they both entrepreneurship
reported having had their family’s full support when they decided to become entrepreneurs.
Cultural influence. Bisarro’s founders also reported that some cultural influences guided
their choice of this pottery and not another type because one of them is from the region and
the other, although he was not born there, says his entire family was. This entrepreneur
recalled family experiences in which this handicraft was included. For instance, his
“grandfather always drank wine in a Bisalhães pottery mug” (D Bisarro). The founders
revealed, however, that among the main difficulties encountered in the project’s
development was defining “the traditional, cultural aspects because this project is closely
linked to culture and traditions and, at the same time, to the mentality of the people who
work in this group [production. It involves] other ages [and] different generations”
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(D Bisarro). These company founders thus verified the existence of some generational
conflict throughout the entrepreneurial process.
The most notable cultural influence was mentioned by the cultural booster when he
explained that the reason he had decided to study and write about this type of craft was
intrinsically linked to its cultural identity:
[It has] to do with [my] origins. I was born in a village that is above the village of Bisalhães, but we
did not see Bisalhães as we only saw the pillars of smoke. From when I was a child onwards, I could
only see columns of smoke rising behind a hill, and people quickly remarked in the vernacular
language of my village that black pottery was being fired. And so, in my memory, the pots were
fired every day. I was always seeing smoke and fumes. […] And then the women passed by in the
villages. All these mountain villages around here, in this district and the Douro [region], were filled
with women who sold [the pots], carried large baskets on their head and marketed them door to
door, either for cash or in exchange for goods (AT Cultural Booster).
After having done his research, he said:
[I]gained another perspective from what I had already acquired from my experience and the
observations of my fellow Portuguese when we met up with the potters at mass on Sunday or at the
dances that were held in the old days. […] [T]hese were the places where friendly interactions
within the community of Bisalhães took place (AT Cultural Booster).
However, this interviewee also stressed that:
Around Vila Real, there were at least seven places that produced pottery, not only Bisalhães.
Bisalhães is the last one. Curiously, it is a granite area. Note the contradiction, […] but it was the place
where the population grew in the [nineteenth] century. […] [That] century, the population practically
doubled. And this has to do with the demarcated [wine] region of Douro (AT Cultural Booster).
He added, “thus, the survival and expansion of the pottery production always was
connected to the Douro […] vineyards […] [which] allowed it [this handicraft centre]
to establish itself, to develop and grow, [and] not to languish like others around”
(AT Cultural Booster).
He argued that all these experiences contributed to the entrepreneurs’ passion for
black pottery:
The reason for liking it, for its magic, is that black pottery is different from other similar
handicrafts. It has a certain fascination, a magic, [that makes it] completely different. It has nothing
to do with the pottery of Barcelos or Caldas da Rainha. No, it is a completely different thing. It is a
mystery. […] It appears to be a mystery in everyone’s eyes because of its powerful alchemy. We put
the pots in an oven made of mud, dry them, then smother that [with branches and earth, and], after
being fired, they [the pots] then come out black. It is a miracle that happens there hidden under the
earth, so it touches us. When people see this for the first time, it really messes with […] [their mind].
They get a little confused (AT Cultural Booster).
IJEBR As can be deduced from the interviewees’ responses, culture in the form of beliefs and
ideologies is seen as an assumed series of hypotheses or a formal system of rules. Culture
also prescribes these actors’ strategies when pursuing their own interests.
Acquired knowledge. Acquired knowledge was the predominant cause for the success of
this entrepreneurial activity, and the interviewees emphasised the knowledge they gathered
of how the older potters handled the pottery. More precisely, their answers mentioned the
transfer of knowledge between generations, as was evident in the relationship between the
oldest and newest potters. Bisarro’s founders highlighted that:
The story is even more beautiful because Manuel, […] who is from a younger generation, and Mr C.,
who is from the oldest generation of potters, […] are very close friends. They have a very close
relationship. […] It was Mr C. who taught Manuel everything. It’s Mr C. who comes to the house to
help us fire our pieces (D Bisarro).
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The cultural booster confirmed that the younger craftsperson relies on this older potter. “The
real instruction takes place at home and with Mr C., who is a potter from Bisalhães. […] [He] is
the one who has always helped us both in firing up the kiln [and] in the council [meeting]s”.
As far as the Bisarro entrepreneurs are concerned, the knowledge previously acquired
was fundamental to the introduction of innovation (i.e. design and process) into the ancient
tradition of making black pottery. One interviewee revealed that:
We know the market – our background is in ceramics. I worked four years for SPAL [an
international ceramics firm that exports pottery to over 45 countries]. Renato worked there for two
years. I was the creative director of the Design Department, and I had a very direct connection with
the marketing […] and commercial operations. That is to say, our background in ceramics also
helped us to start this project. We know what the market likes (D Bisarro).

Networks
The networks established by the Bisarro founders have been a decisive factor in the firm’s
success as these links play a key role in expanding the market for this type of handicraft.
The interviewees emphasised that their positive experience comes from their previous
professional activities, enabling them to bring to bear on the project “a very important thing,
which was to have [already] gained experience and contacts. […] Yes, when we went to the
Frankfurt fair, a lot of people knew us from SPAL” (R Bisarro).
These artisan entrepreneurs’ network ties have proved to be a key ingredient of their
entrepreneurial process, as they pointed out when they went to one of the most international
handicraft fairs in Germany. One interviewee said:
When we prepared for the fair, we created a business card online, and I sent my business card to all
the contacts I had made at SPAL. […] It was more important to make these people aware of the
project because of their contacts in department stores. I sent [the card] to all my contacts. And we
were really surprised that people took some of [their time at] the fair, where they can network, to
pass by the stand just to meet us. It was awesome. […] There you never know [what will happen,]
[…] [but] the fair was spectacular for us. We were not expecting anything like that (D Bisarro).
The Bisarro entrepreneurs also pointed out that the cultural booster has a network of
significant ties that proved to have an important role in their start-up and its growth.
An interviewee specifically mentioned the cultural booster’s contacts “in many restaurants
and in hotels, and, therefore, the associations that he has also opened many doors [for us] in
terms of clients” (D Bisarro).

Innovation in handicraft
Regarding innovation in handicrafts, all the interviewees agreed that black pottery
production needs innovations. This was evident in one Bisarro founder’s perception of the
young potter, stating that “he himself also likes to innovate. He has the idea that he has to Rural artisan
innovate so that the tradition does not die” (D Bisarro). Innovation in this particular case is entrepreneurship
visible in various ways, for example, in the process through the introduction of new or
significantly improved methods of manufacturing to produce black pottery. The same
interviewee said:
When we talk about innovation, people think of technological things, but Mr C. [the oldest potter]
himself innovated because, in the past, the raw material was stored in bags, and the tradition was
that it was the role of the women to break up the packets. What Mr. C. does today is that he spreads
the raw material on the ground and drives his truck back and forth [to pulverise the material] with
the tires. This is already an innovation (D Bisarro).
As for the type of process innovation and the time when it occurs, this interviewee
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intimated that:
[The] innovation is at the beginning and at the end [of the process]. […] At the end, it is the
question of moulds. We introduced [this innovation] because the issue of the type of mould is
crucial for us and Bisarro, to ensure the type of products that we want to present to the
market, which we already had evidence [would be successful]. That is, this is what the target
audience we want to reach is looking for based on the feedback we brought back from the
[international] fair (D Bisarro).
This Bisarro entrepreneur further stressed the importance of the moulds by saying:
The [right] moulds are essential […] [especially] for us since we are not experts in this process. […]
What we hear a lot is’ah, moulds are not a handicraft’, but, yes, it is also a type of handicraft.
Moulds are a handicraft [because] moulds are handmade. The industry itself – the manual part of
the industry – involves the making of moulds, and, fortunately, our potter Manuel, before meeting
us, had already been trained in mould making. He was already making moulds, and, for us, this is
essential to ensure a smooth production line. Reducing breakage, too, makes perfect sense to us. It
does not mean that other people use moulds. […] Introducing the [new] moulds was good for us,
[and] it was good for the potter, too (D Bisarro).
However, the innovation process involved more than just the moulds. Innovation was also
verified at the kiln level:
Although the firing process is not 100% optimised yet, we came up with this idea ourselves.
And it requires a lot of innovation because the kiln now has shelves, although the pots are fired the
same way with wood, but the pieces are all […] not on top of each other as was once customary
(MT Potter).
The type of innovation observed is not limited to process innovation and is also
visible in relation to the products’ design. One of Bisarro’s founders mentioned that this
kind of innovation occurs “at the beginning and end of the process – at the beginning, in
the design element and the shaping of the pieces” (D Bisarro). The interviewee also
reported that:
[This involves] the execution of technical drawings. Never in the history of this pottery were any
technical drawings made. This [innovation] was something that was not meant to be restrictive and
that is also good for the potter. He thus sees the guidelines have to respected and expects them,
which is good (D Bisarro).
In this respect, this entrepreneur shared the following hopes:
The investment in this new collection of decorative pieces will reflect this [innovation] a lot. And for
us, it’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be a collection showing that we are more focused and
more connected, as much to the [traditional] design as to the author’s design. […] Notably, after this
collection, we will invite designers who already have a name in the market to draw pieces for
Bisarro (D Bisarro).
IJEBR The same Bisarro entrepreneur emphasised, however, that the core black pottery traditions
have been maintained:
[We have kept] the firing process that was classified by UNESCO [as intangible heritage]. […]
UNESCO classified only the firing process, not the raw material. The listed heritage is not the
shaping method nor the final product. […] We have kept the firing process because it is so unique
and so special (D Bisarro).
Innovation in this handicraft has also taken place through the materials introduced, such as
cork or tin, “which is also another tradition here, coming from Vila Real” (R Bisarro).
Another type of innovation has occurred at the marketing level:
[W]e then also developed the marketing of the [individual] handcrafted pieces. You may
have noticed that the handicrafts still made today are designed handicraft items. These
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can sell anywhere as a tourist souvenir. That is why we have different types of packaging to sell
products in Lisbon, Oporto and Douro. The Douro is where there are strong regional landmarks,
which are always present on the lids of our boxes because this is the origin [of the pottery]
(AT Cultural Booster).
These narratives confirm that innovation has played a fundamental role in the revitalisation
of this type of handicraft, acting as a catalyser for the renewed production of traditional
black pottery.

Market expansion
Regarding the connotations of handicrafts for the region in question, one interviewee said:
People will buy […] the handicraft items that identify and reflect a region. [Black pottery]
is an icon, something symbolic that represents us. We are from here, but then [the pottery]
also represents a region and represents a country. If this [handicraft] is restored [and] if four
boxes are used altogether, the [traditional] design is continued. Therefore, this becomes an
important regional landmark, [and] this handicraft can contribute to affirming the area’s
identity. This is a source of happiness, which I believe is due to the research done [and] the
handicraft produced, […] [based on which] we can then develop [related] tourism activities
(AT Cultural Booster).
The cultural booster also noted that:
The problem currently with old traditions is that this is a time of [cultural]upheaval or
reconversion, in which tourism is always an alternative way to make it [preservation] viable. And
when you study the phenomenon of handicrafts worldwide, you can always see that […] changes
are made because of tourists. There are also modifications involved – reduced sizes [and] prices
made more reasonable to be more easily marketable. […] But when they [artisans] stop selling door
to door and get on the national highway, this is a tremendous leap because that’s what makes them
[their handicrafts] known all over the world (AT Cultural Booster).

This interviewee and a Bisarro entrepreneur highlighted the importance of developing


commercial channels. The latter stated that, in “the end, […] we also innovated in the final
part [of the process], which involves all the questions about making all this pottery
accessible […] [through] the creation of commercial channels” (D Bisarro). The same
entrepreneur emphasised that “this was the innovation that obviously never existed.
The potters sold [their wares] […] on the street, […] [but] we created these commercial
channels” (D Bisarro). This interviewee added that:
One [innovation] that we will create now with the second collection is online […] sales, and we will
build bridges [to clients] outside of Portugal. This was one of our goals – to take Bisalhães pottery
out of Portugal. At the fair, we achieved this. We came back from the fair with a portfolio of clients
representing 15 countries (D Bisarro).
With regard to the internationalisation process, the same entrepreneur reported: Rural artisan
We have people from Dubai, Canada [and] Japan interested in the black pottery of Bisalhães, who
entrepreneurship
discovered [its] […] long history. And that for us was spectacular. Koreans have made videos
about us, which we found out about despite our [non-existent] Korean. We did not realize
anything was going on, but for us it was spectacular. […] [A]ll of a sudden, this [process] is not
[just] about Bisarro, but suddenly they are showing images of Bisalhães [and] of the firing
process (D Bisarro).

In order to achieve the renewal and sustainability of this handicraft’s production, the
Bisarro founders are focusing on eco-friendly aspects:
[We are] also betting on [pottery] pieces focused on the ecological [market] segment – for
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home gardens and those creating gardens. […] [Our products] will also be very much along these
lines. I think it [this market segment] has much to do with us. For all intents and purposes, it
[black pottery] is a natural brand. We do not use chemicals, even the pieces made with cork wood.
We do not use any type of varnish. It’s all natural, […] [so] it makes sense also to [help clients]
pick up on this natural aspect and […] reflect on this essential feature of the brand and collection
(D Bisarro).

Finally, the cultural booster considers the appearance of Bisarro to have been
extremely important. The potter interviewed also said, “I always think that – [even
though] I never commented on this to anyone – Bisarro, for us, was the true accelerator
of [contacts with client] companies, which started to appear with orders and we had to
respond. However, the cultural booster mentioned the presence of ‘destructive stages
and resistance. We ourselves also had fears.’ ” In summary, through these actors’
joint efforts, the visibility of this entrepreneurial black pottery project has increased,
including the expansion of this handicraft’s national and international market and the
producers’ networks.

Discussion
The interview analysis verified family and cultural influences that were passed to the
younger potter from the cultural booster – son and father, respectively – leveraging the
potter’s innovations in the process used to produce black pottery. The cultural booster
was aware of the cultural and historical context of this type of handicraft, and he resorted
to using his existing network, thereby serving as a cultural transmitter and agent for the
Bisarro design company. This firm’s founders were strongly motivated, and they
possessed extensive knowledge and previous experience in the ceramics industry. Based
on these entrepreneurs’ solid, well-defined networks, the company was able to establish
partnerships with local agents, namely, with a younger potter, and to innovate in the
design of this handicraft. This then resulted in the expansion, renewal and greater
sustainability of black pottery production and, consequently, in a new vision of an
extremely old tradition (see Figure 2).

Conclusion
This study explored an entrepreneurial artisan initiative developed by young innovators
in a peripheral northern area of Portugal where black pottery is produced. The research
was conducted through in-depth semi-structured interviews with three young artisan
innovators and entrepreneurs and a cultural booster with family ties with one of the
younger artisans. The results of the discourse analysis suggest that the young
entrepreneurs’ project involved introducing design and process innovation into the
production of black pottery pieces. The Bisarro firm sought to introduce innovative
designs and, to produce these new pieces, they made use of an artisan who uses an
IJEBR Family
Cultural
influence influence

Process Potter leverages Cultural


innovation Booster

encorages transmits culture Knowledge

Design
innovation
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Bisarro

expansion Networks

Marketing
innovation
National/
International

Figure 2.
Conceptual map of
New vision of
Bisarro artisan an ancestral
entrepreneurship tradition

innovative process of black pottery production. Thus, these individuals developed


innovations in the use of moulds and improvements in the kilns in which the pieces are
fired. Both Bisarro’s founders and the young artisan have also made use of endogenous
raw materials. These artisan entrepreneurs have been inspired by the cultural booster
interviewed, as he is extremely knowledgeable about local culture and traditions.
Bisarro’s founders have sought not only to develop their own innovative procedures
but also to keep the surrounding region’s culture and traditions alive. These entrepreneurs
have contributed to rural development by establishing networks in tandem with
a young artisan. The new pieces now produced are more decorative and less for
utilitarian purposes than traditional black pottery, some of which is now being sold in
airport shops and tourism offices. These innovative pieces were designed to establish a
connection with local, regional and national tourism and thus expand the black
pottery market beyond the borders of Portugal. Everyone who now buys a piece of black
pottery knows that this is a cultural artefact and a part of intangible heritage
certified by UNESCO.
There are a number of theoretical contributions of this study due to the infancy of the
artisan entrepreneurship literature and its linkage to the development of tourism
networks. Current literature on artisan entrepreneurship has focussed at the regional level
without taking into account personality differences amongst artisan entrepreneurs
(Hoyte, 2018). Therefore, this study has extended the literature by suggesting that
networks form the basis of artisan entrepreneurship and are important determinants of
tourism marketing. In addition, prior literature has tended to focus on food artisan
products without taking into consideration handicrafts (Arias and Cruz, 2018). Thus,
this study has contributed to the literature by suggesting that there are sub-types of
artisan entrepreneurs that need to be distinguished based on tourism competitiveness
(Teixeira and Ferreira, 2018). This will help to extend the literature on artisan Rural artisan
entrepreneurship to focus more on distinguishing regional factors that drive tourism and entrepreneurship
influence the growth of local economies. Moreover, this study has contributed to
developing more of a theoretical linkage between cultural, artisan and tourism
entrepreneurship, which is lacking in the current literature. This will help future
studies to incorporate more emphasis on the role cultural specialities play in fostering
tourism development.
The findings of this study have implications for policymakers. First, local
governments’ role in development of micro, small and medium enterprises needs to be
strengthened. Local authorities should administer and facilitate activities for both youths
and adults focussed on how to produce regional handicrafts. This will not only boost local
entrepreneurship related to creative industries but also ensure that local communities can
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preserve their culture and produce handicrafts to supplement their income. Second,
UNESCO’s certification of the authenticity of Bisalhães black pottery must be extended to
include all locals who have traditionally produced this pottery because this handicraft was
not restricted to Bisalhães. UNESCO’s recognition of Bisalhães’s pottery alone does not
reflect the full history of this type of ceramics, thereby discouraging the development of
new artisan entrepreneurs.
This study had some limitations. First, these involve the issues of reliability, validity and
generalisability, including a lack of representativeness and the presence of subjectivity in
the collection, construction and analysis of the materials gathered. Second, generalisations
cannot be made from the present results to other artisan entrepreneurship projects since
this was a qualitative study based on only four interviewees. Qualitative research is open-
ended, and the respondents have control over the subject matter, so researchers cannot
verify the results objectively against the scenarios described by the respondents. These
studies are unique and, therefore, almost impossible to replicate. Last, three young
innovators and entrepreneurs were interviewed, as well as a cultural booster or mentor,
who make up one part of a handicraft supply chain (i.e. artisans, designers and cultural
boosters) and network. However, we did not focus on clients (i.e. individuals and firms)
and local policymakers’ opinions of the handicraft project in question. To improve the
robustness of the research findings, all stakeholders in the handicraft supply chain need
to be interviewed.
This study revealed that innovation, network relationships and artisans’ goals and/or
motivations have a significant influence on the development and performance of small-
scale rural artisan entrepreneurship. Nevertheless, much is still unknown about the nature
of these influences, which highlights various opportunities for future research. For
example, further studies could include the relative importance of each factor or the extent
to which any of them has an impact at different levels or stages of handicraft
commercialisation.
Another possible focus can be how family and friends might be the main sources of
support during the initial start-up stage, whereas local government agencies and
intermediaries might become more important sources of information and market
opportunities as handicraft firms mature or grow. A further important opportunity is for
future research to investigate the relationship between innovation, entrepreneurship and
the growth of rural artisans’ activities (e.g. choices of specific handicrafts). These studies
need to use a larger sample of firms and cover a broader geographical area in order to
analyse the impact of specific regions on innovation, entrepreneurship and growth.
This would allow researchers to make comparisons both within specific countries
(e.g. between regions) and between countries, thus producing more significant results.
Finally, future studies should address the financial viability and impact on local
economies of artisan entrepreneurship.
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Carla Susana Marques can be contacted at: [email protected]

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