Entrepreneurship in India's Handicraft Industry with the Support of Digital Technology and Innovation During Natural Calamities

2.1 Entrepreneurship theory and history

The process of Indian entrepreneurship and handicraft skill is the provision of services and items with added imagination to satisfy the growing needs of the local society. The foundation of each entrepreneurial endeavour is the capability to exploit opportunities that result in the tertiary sector, commodities, and handicraft production technique [26]. The term "entrepreneurship" is commonly used to describe the process by which an individual learns, takes risks, and invests in new business opportunities. Consequently, it is seen to be an effective technique for addressing young dependency and unemployment, with the potential to spark artistic Innovation and economic growth in any nation [23, 27, 28].

Many theoretical viewpoints such as "user entrepreneurship," "effectuation," and "the creation perspective" along with entrepreneurial bricolage) have emerged over the past few decades to describe ideas and activities that promote small business expansion, as well as the differences between traditional and cutting-edge approaches to entrepreneurship [29]. Meanwhile, academics have been forced to change their thinking due to the recent COVID-19 predicament. to understand better and explain the consequences of the economy owing to COVID-19 on smaller sectors in low-income countries, the severity of the crisis, and company sizes [30] (such as catastrophe theory, resilience, dynamic capacities, and digitalization). Based on these speculations, we analyze the drivers and brakes of technological and business ingenuity in the handmade goods industry during the Pandemic. First, when faced with uncertainty, craft workers follow choices that deviate from what one may expect based on the rational entrepreneur model to the Effectuation Theory [31]. Research [32] suggests that companies' reactions to the second "wave" of the COVID-19 epidemic varied according to their level of uncertainty and the lessons they had learned from the first wave. The results also show that when managers are uncertain, they tend to focus on losses they can easily absorb, whereas when they are faced with a calamity, they are more willing to take risks. Potential buyers are individuals who do so despite the fact that the future is rife with danger. Rather than focusing on goals, businesspeople tend to take charge of the variety of available possibilities. Thus, effectuation can also mean starting a business after accumulating the necessary capital. New craft businesses are supplying the growing handcraft industry [26].

The theory of resilience, which focuses on how businesses handle crises and exogenous shocks, can also be applied to the study of business uncertainty [33]. Shocks are unanticipated or unforeseeable events that occur in a different business but have the potential to have a major impact on the markets in that area. Rebuilding individuals, organizations, and entire communities is an ongoing process that requires resilience [30]. Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic, the agility and resilience of emerging enterprises might help them seize opportunities presented by the economic disruption caused by the pandemic [34].

Other researchers have found that successful digital transformation and innovation management procedures necessitate an innovative culture in the handicraft industry that encourages employees to adopt new digital practices and tools to address the complex problems that today's businesses face that motivate entrepreneurship [27]. A company ecosystem has emerged as a direct result of innovation management and digital transformation [24]. Key to a company's success in both digital and conventional channels is the innovation process and the management of its initiatives [28].

Companies need to change their strategies to keep up with the current environment and encourage innovation. New digital channels and the digital ecosystem in unorganized industries are undeniably emerging as crucial strategies for propelling business transformation [31]. Privacy of user data, the malleability of digital channels like social media, and the role of digital marketing in propelling digital transformation and innovation management are all topics of conversation in today's digital ecosystems [35]. Digitalization in any industry provides a forum for research on the most effective advanced technologies and cultures in organizations, all of which have the potential to manage information better and make easy life of human beings depend on it, especially in small industries in which handmade product sari papered but not popular due to lack of digital awareness [30].

Four aspects can influence the stage of entrepreneurship, namely environmental, organizational, sociological, and personal aspects. The most important aspects in the process of entrepreneurship growth are organizational aspects, personal aspects, and environmental aspects. In the environmental aspect, there are elements including opportunity, role models, and creativity [19]. One of the elements in the environmental aspect that has the most influence on the process of entrepreneurship growth is opportunity. The digital analysis of the transformation of an institution into an innovation system in the development of the carpet industry [29]. Again, many studies [21, 25] have focused on and described the strategies for the development of the handicraft sector in India and also given a separate proposal about the global handicraft index for the promotion and digital handicraft index in India as well as the world [26]. This shows a good opportunity that an entrepreneur must take advantage of. The term business utilization through the Internet is known as Business digitization, namely the application of digitization to business processes [31, 32].

In business digitization, the entrepreneurship processes that occur are enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, selling-chain management, supply chain management, enterprise application integration, and e-procurement, which are then used as indicators of measurement for research. Businesses that have experienced entrepreneurial growth (entrepreneurial growth) can be seen through the following dimensions: opportunity domain, execution, capabilities, organizational resources, and leadership.

"Making do by applying combinations of resources at hand to new difficulties and possibilities" is the essence of the Bricolage Theory of entrepreneurship [35]. The bricolage theory postulates that in areas of low economic development or scarcity of resources, entrepreneurs are more likely to create something new out of nothing by repurposing parts of existing businesses. As a result of the unpredictability of this epidemic, new ways of doing business have emerged. For instance, due to nationwide lockdowns and government restrictions during the outbreak, individuals' purchasing habits shifted to Internet venues [36]. As a result of the situation, new firms sprang out as people sought possibilities to start their own businesses, redirected the direction existing companies were headed in, and used a "bricolage" approach to address the problems they faced. The micro and unorganized firm's capability to construct, correlate, and external competencies and internal re-modification to handle rapidly changing conditions is defined by the Theory of Dynamic Capabilities [37, 38]. This notion has connections to the bricolage method of entrepreneurship. Absorptive capability [30] refers to the fundamental organizational and strategic procedures via which entrepreneurs shift their resource base (by incorporating new resources, discarding old ones, or recombining existing ones) to develop novel methods of producing value. To deal with the environmental shifts caused by the Pandemic, many small firms are pursuing the transformation in dynamic capacities linked with adopting digital skills and modern technologies [10]. By fusing these many schools of thought, we get the Theory of Digitization, which looks at how digital capabilities are employed to accept new business models, handle uncertainty, and fortify resilience.

2.2 Start-ups centred around handmade products that use a digital or online platform after COVID-19 spread worldwide

Digital entrepreneurship in the handicraft industry is the process of creating value through entrepreneurship by leveraging several socio-technical forces to optimize the gathering, processing, distribution, and consumption of digital information [3]. As technology progresses, businesses across all industries realize the importance of digital transformation to their continued success. This digital revolution [39, 40] affects many areas of business and marketing, from operations and sales to human resources and finances, from finance and customer service to R&D and even marketing. A rise in research funding from universities and other industries is a direct result of the financial impact of digital entrepreneurship. Conceptually, it bridges the gap between technological and ecological fields [41]. Beyond its zenith, digitalization has had a profound impact on how business owners manage their companies [42].

The use of digital and modern technologies has profoundly impacted how Handicrafts company owners manage their operations. Companies with access to digital technologies developed and launched innovative products and processes [40]. Due to the entrepreneur's initiative, backed by their extensive social network and management skills, the MSME sector has experienced rapid digital change as a result [43]. Some industries may have shut down or experienced financial losses during COVID-19, despite continuing to produce new commercial ideas. Entrepreneurship is heterogeneous because different business owners employ various tactics to ensure their continued success and viability. Entrepreneurship is iterative and integrative due to its reliance on external facilitators. Entrepreneurs are the Pandemic's hidden heroes because of their resilience in the face of the destruction they've caused [44]. The creation of new businesses that can gain from resolving environmental and social problems is crucial to the expansion of a sustainable economy, and this is where entrepreneurship comes in [45]. Customers' increasing anxiety over COVID-19 has highlighted the financial benefits of using an online store. More people were likely to shop online than use more conventional methods, such as shopping in stores, for ease and security. The rise of e-commerce and the reduction of consumers' paranoia about contracting the virus have boosted the economy [46]. Similar to past economic upheavals brought on by pandemics, wars, and financial crises on a global scale, the global and Indian handcraft industries were both affected by the recent COVID-19 outbreak. Many countries' economies were negatively impacted. There was certainly a rise in apprehension among entrepreneurs, many of whom feared that new ventures might fail owing to a lack of interest or financial support. The rise in demand for health-related products and services can be attributed to several factors, including the rise of remote work, e-commerce, virtual classrooms, the use of technological knowledge, the effects of web channels, technology solutions development in India for the handcraft sector like the handicraft app, and the emergence of a new digital skill for articles [47].

It has been pointed out that multiple internal and external factors affect the degree to which micro and small businesses apply digital and ICT to innovate by modernizing their craft industries [48]. These factors include digital strategy, employee skills, financial capacity, and information technology to convert the business to digital. Consumer demand patterns, market competition, and the accessibility of digital technologies are examples of external effects. Other economic and ecological disasters, like the COVID-19 Pandemic, also trigger unexpected developments in the digital business. A large body of work has been devoted to studying how COVID-19 has impacted the handicraft industry, particularly as it relates to micro and small-scale enterprises and the transition to electric or AI platforms. For instance, the impact of the Pandemic (COVID-19) on company prospects while focusing on how to go forward with optimism [36]. The research included a review of related literature and multiple regression analyses of the impact of relevant variables on the prospects of new business ventures. According to the results, businesses can benefit from the Pandemic in several ways, including through digitalization and by adapting to digital and sophisticated market structures.

The authors of a recent study [6] used quantitative methods and the existing literature to analyze the interconnections among digitalization, Innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation, as well as their practical ramifications. Findings suggest that the epidemic has prompted businesses to innovate, digitally alter, and change their customers' preferences in a way that favours stable and environmentally friendly expansion. It was also discovered that COVID-19 hampered corporations' ability to expand over the long run and altered people's relationships with corporations, society, and one another.

DSA, also known as (digital social entrepreneurship), results from collaboration across a wide range of players. Its development was studied as a response to the inability of policymakers to meet stakeholder satisfaction and needed in response to an exogenous event [49, 50]. They analyzed 130 pandemic-related apps available on Google Play and the App Store using a partial least squares structural equation to identify associations between factors and direct and indirect impacts. When governments cannot meet their people's requirements, The research concluded that DSE could catalyze Innovation and a medium for transferring skills and knowledge to the advantage of various parties.

2.3 How the pandemic affects entrepreneurship in India's handicraft industry

The 600 million people who call India's numerous islands home are spread over Southeast Asia. The population's 2.4% annual growth rate and rapid development of the economy have led to an increase in demand for goods and services. Its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is $360 billion, and it grew at an annual rate of 8% in the five years before the Pandemic. Sixty-one percent of the gross domestic product comes from services, whereas just twenty-nine percent comes from manufacturing [51].

According to data submitted by the Department of Industry Innovation Programs (DIIP) in 2020, there are 13,57,620 businesses officially recognized as being in operation across the country. Of these, 80.51 percent are classified as Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), while 19.49 percent are classified as large businesses. The breakdown of these medium-sized firms (MSMEs) is as follows [51]: 10.25% are tiny businesses, 88.71% are microbusinesses and 0.49% are medium-sized businesses. About 83.77% of all MSMEs, which includes the Indian handicraft sector, are engaged in the following five industries: (1) Heavy industry including Manufacturing, Wholesale (120,916); (2) Retail Trade; (3) Service Activities (100,386); (4) Motor industry (98,376); (5) Food Service and Accommodation Activities (89,046); and (6) Banking, insurance, (103,558) along with and Financial Activities. Approximately half of the nation's workforce, or 44.38 million people as of COVID-19, were employed in the handcraft industry as unorganized artisans. Market share was divided as 20.38% among unorganized or micro-organizations, 25.78% among small and medium-sized enterprises, and 7.50% among large enterprises [51]. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered the business climate in India's handcraft sectors. Losses have been especially severe in the handmade goods sector of the micro Industry, which is more vulnerable than larger manufacturing firms in times like these. Researchers and academics in the sector looked at the impact of Pandemic restrictions on the handcraft industry and the methods used to revive it. Examples of works that are considered part of the academic literature are:

Graduates of the DIIP's programme for micro Businesses, focusing on the handicraft industry in the province of Uttar Pradesh MP, Bihar, were surveyed to assess the impact and current status of COVID-19. Using a semi-structured online survey and a descriptive approach, we were able to learn about the demographics of the graduates and the wider effects of the epidemic, particularly during the period of community quarantine. According to the findings, operations continued normally at their company despite the Pandemic. They emphasized the importance of government initiatives for the maintenance of MSMEs. Participants were optimistic because they had been trained in business continuity and had made efficiency improvements in preparation for economic downturns. Using a phenomenological approach, a study looked at the real-world experiment that Indian professionals went through when transitioning from 9-to-5 office work to freelancing online gigs [21]. Eleven of the interviewees discussed the difficulties they had encountered, such as interruptions at home and a lack of respect, in-depth. Multiple groups of advantages have been identified, such as liberty, professional options, and increased family time. The research concluded that freelance employment has more upsides than drawbacks and has opened up numerous new career paths. Researchers in these publications examined how to quarantine rules prevented certain small businesses from going digital. This Study illustrates the challenges that young digital entrepreneurs face by employing bricolage, resilience, the concept of effectuation, and dynamic skills.

The primary objective of this research is to analyze how economic downturns encourage MSMEs in the handicraft industry to adopt and innovate with digital technologies in the workplace.

2.4 Rationale of the study and an action strategy

The theoretical underpinnings of the Study's preposition (Pr) and research framework may be seen in Figure 1; they are based on the aforementioned debates of entrepreneurial and the digitalization of craft businesses in the midst of economic upheavals, which are depicted in Table 1.

Table 1. The six prepositions

Source: Authors’ compilation

Young business owners would either be encouraged to keep going despite the economic disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic, or they would be forced to shut down their operations. The handicraft industry /or micro industry (Pr4/Pr5) will be forced to go digital / online to avoid the spread of Pandemic infection and to quickly recover from the losses caused by disruptions in the business of handicraft products with correct operations. This is especially true if the human resources at craft companies allow for such a shift. The tenacity of today's youthful business owners means that this technological advancement will boost the efficiency of business practices (Pr6). However, if business owners cannot adjust and thrive, they will be forced to close their doors due to the problems caused by economic upheavals (Pr3). The methodology developed for this research allows for a deeper dive into the prepositions, yielding more substantial findings.

pi_zhu_2023-11-08_173540.png

Figure 1. Prepositions and research structure of the study

Source: Authors' compilation

4.1 Research approach

In this article, we looked at the actual situations that young online entrepreneurs faced throughout the Pandemic. Instead of focusing on generalizations or graphical representations, it aimed to gain a thorough understanding of a single topic. We employed the qualitative method [52, 53] to learn about the history, sketch out the participants' attitudes and behaviours, identify the procedures, and look into their actual lives. This means that it seeks to explain and understand the intangible components of reality and the complex dynamics of interpersonal relationships [54]. Participants in this Study were called "participants" because they provided detailed answers to the researcher's questions during a virtual interview. A small population size enabled more in-depth comprehension rather than statistically significant. Researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges by conducting online interviews with individuals [55]. In light of the current scenario, this is the safest and most appropriate method in the case country during COVID-19 [56].

4.2 Data collection

For context, we did the research in India in the fourth quarter of 2021, well than a year after various group quarantine measures had been implemented across the country. The participants in this Study were 46 young people involved in the handicraft industry; the ages of the participants ranged from 15 to 50, with a median age of 30. The young business owners I spoke with had diverse professional backgrounds, including voice-over work (5%), writing/editing (8%), YouTube, LinkedIn, Lox, Facebook, Hangout, etc., sales and resale on the Internet (63%), social media management (13%), and online coaching and instruction (7%). Sixty-one percent are self-employed, while twenty percent work for enterprises with five to ten employees, primarily in the handmade goods industry. Small enterprises are employing 10 to 49 craftsmen or workers in the handicraft sector (11%), and large-scale industries employ 50 to 100 regular' workers (2%) in the United States.

This Study used a purposive sample strategy based on three primary survey instructions and questions to collect data from new handicraft entrepreneurs in India who were launching online and new handicraft start-ups or enterprises for production and marketing during COVID-19. When deciding on the sample size, we considered the concept of "data saturation," which characterizes the point at which responses become repetitive and further data collection provides no new insights. Therefore, the researchers performed data collection and analysis simultaneously to avoid information overload. Data was collected via an online survey conducted by the researchers. The questionnaires included (a) background information regarding the study, such as its purpose, participants' anonymity, and the confidentiality of their responses, and (b) the respondents' own suggestions for improving the questionnaire, (d) three primary questions, all of which encourage free-form responses, and (c) participant-specific information. Based on the study's hypotheses and methodology, the following questions have been formulated: (1) What happened to you during the Pandemic that made you decide to start a business selling handmade goods or go sailing? (2) When selling your handmade goods online during COVID-19? (3) What kinds of problems or obstacles did you face? (4) What kinds of lessons did you take away from those situations? (5) What kinds of government support for new and existing handicraft businesses should be in place for young people during and after COVID-19? The ICMR, Tata Institute of Social Science (staffed by experts in the field), and the Department of Skill Development on Small-Scale Industries (which includes the Handmade Industry) together assessed the reliability of the Industry's comprehensive surveys. The experts rated the items on their clarity, presentation, suitability, adequacy, and ability to accomplish their goals. After then, changes were made to the surveys based on the feedback they provided.

Codes were used in the survey questionnaire to protect the anonymity of the respondents, and the coded data was sent back to the respondents so they could double-check their responses. The research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was reviewed and authorized by the micro, small, and medium enterprises department, the Tata Institute of Social Science (staffed by experts in the field), and the ICMR Ethics Committee. Researchers assured participants that their involvement in the study was entirely voluntary and that they could stop participating at any time if they so desired. Researchers also ensured the confidentiality of responses because only academics and social scientists had access to the data.

4.3 Data evaluation

The qualitative research in this study used inductive content analysis, which is suitable for studies with an inductive beginning or with topics that are only weakly connected after employing open data collection methods. In qualitative analysis, themes and hypotheses are developed and identified through an inductive content analysis of written and spoken sources. This technique is advantageous since it is content-aware, flexible in its application, and capable of evaluating different kinds of qualitative data [57]. Unlike other qualitative research studies, content analysis allows researchers to deliberately and objectively characterize study procedures at the core parts that may be used in a wide variety of research papers. Approaches, themes, and clusters of related ideas can be generated, and from these, more elaborate models, maps, and frameworks can be constructed to characterize the subject of the study [58]. Since (deductive content analysis), commonly known as DCA, is typically employed for either an unconstrained or confined vector of assessment depending on the study objective, in this case, an assessment of inductive content was utilized to generate categories, themes, and concepts from the data.

The steps of qualitative inductive content analysis are shown in Figure 2. In other words, it's all about the three Ps: preparation, execution, and reporting. One step in getting ready was deciding how to gather data or what method to use for sampling. Researchers reviewed the data several times before diving into the analysis. After then, the researchers developed the Q-IA 'unit' on their own. Figure 2 is included for your perusal.

The second stage of data organization involved sorting, abstracting, and analyzing the information, as well as determining whether or not the data collected was truly representative. In the second stage, open codes were used to express the raw data using phrases that were either literal translations or radically altered copies of the original codes. When deciding whether or not the various programmes might be categorized together, researchers looked at their shared features and unique distinctions. The open codes were analyzed to generate subcategories, which were then incorporated into generic categories and primary categories as part of the data abstraction procedure. Scientists created groups based on shared data characteristics to determine if the summarising process should be continued.

Scholars conducting studies on digital handicraft entrepreneurship should double-check the raw data to ensure that the problems contained in the identified open codes have been investigated. Researchers could properly name the underlying and overarching notions once they had been defined.

It was only once the analysis was complete that the reporting phase began, and the results were presented in a well-organized fashion. However, the researchers who conducted the study cited sources reliably, making it possible to follow the trail of evidence from the study's findings to the facts on which those findings are based. The selected quotations should present a range of perspectives from the various analysts involved in the study.

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Figure 2. Procedure for conducting a qualitative inductive research content analysis

Source: Authors' compilation

This research analyzed how young business owners made the switch to online channels during the Pandemic. Three interesting debate points emerge from the findings. In the first bullet point, we list the most important findings and highlight how novel they are compared to previous studies. In the second part, suggestions are made for how the research of digital progress could influence policy in the midst of economic turbulence. The corporate world and potential managerial applications are covered in the final section.

6.1 Factors pushing and pulling against digital innovation in small and medium-sized businesses

Using qualitative inductive content analysis on real-world data from young company owners led to two surprising findings. At a time when the economy is in crisis, digital innovation is being driven by both internal and external factors. Psychologists use the term "external impulses" to describe the motivation to act in response to an external demand (such as a rule or a reward) [61]. Survey participants attributed these limits to the community's shutdown, marketing and consumer demand shifts, and the unexpected change in household financial conditions due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Recent studies [62, 63] reveal that micro, small, and medium-sized firms (MSMEs) were hit especially hard by the financial crisis caused by the Pandemic. These companies have problems with funding, supply chain interruptions, dwindling demand, declining sales, and declining profits. A person's access to finance, their capacity to think creatively about problems, and their network are all examples of the types of entrepreneur qualities and talents that can be used to characterize what motivates people to start businesses during times of economic uncertainty [64].

Meanwhile, Lopes et al. [65] found that throughout the epidemic, students' career preferences changed as they learned to value the freedom that comes with being their own boss. This shows that after the COVID-19 epidemic, people began to place a higher importance on entrepreneurialism as a career option due to the increased need for individuals with unique skill sets. Many different types of entrepreneurial theories, bricolage, resilience, and dynamic capacities, such as effectuation, can be seen in the responses of young entrepreneurs to the external factors pushing digital advances. When people are driven more by internal rewards and incentives than by external pressures or rewards, they are said to be intrinsically motivated.

Conversely, when people are intrinsically motivated, they perform an action because they enjoy it. Participants in this study cited personal growth as an emerging entrepreneur, the opportunity to help others, especially those who were hardest hit by the Pandemic, and an intrinsic desire to engage in virtual commerce as the primary motives for their participation. Our research disproved the conclusions drawn by previous studies [62-64], which focused solely on external aims as the primary motivation for digital innovation in India's handicraft industry [66].

This demonstrates the uniqueness of findings about the internal and external factors influencing digital entrepreneurship. The limitations of the quantitative technique, such as its reliance on closed-ended surveys, are highlighted here as reasons to choose the qualitative approach instead [67, 68]. Corruption and inadequate institutional support (in the form of policies and regulations, start-up funding, skilled labourers, and digital infrastructure), as well as these factors, are found to be impediments to the success of new business owners [6, 69]. One's ability to be an entrepreneur can be hampered by several factors, including fear of failure, a lack of financial security, a lack of job security, and an uncertain environment or income stream [64]. Internal restrictions (digital literacy toward digital implementation and lack of awareness) and environmental reasons were identified by Costa and Castro [70] as the two main barriers to the digitization of MSMEs. This research provided an extra buffer against catastrophic monetary events like the COVID-19 blackout. Mobility concerns, health risks associated with delivering online orders of goods and services, reduced hours for conducting business transactions and banking, and increased operational costs due to stricter motor vehicle restrictions are just some of the challenges young entrepreneurs face today face. During the epidemic, people stayed home from work out of fear of spreading the disease or out of necessity [52]. This has resulted in a dramatic increase in online sales of both consumer goods and a wide variety of services provided by individuals, putting pressure on traditionally offline businesses to adapt to the online marketplace [71]. Government restrictions also make it challenging for business owners to help society by enlisting the aid of their peers, advisors, and consultants [72]. The theoretical foundation for digital entrepreneurship emphasizes efficacy, dynamic capacities, flexible capacity, and resilience in times of economic crisis, all of which young entrepreneurs will need to overcome these obstacles.

Three major barriers to digital entrepreneurship were recognized by COVID-19 attendees (stakeholders), confirming findings from previous research on the difficulties of digital artisanship: a lack of entrepreneurial skills, a declining business climate, and insufficient digital platforms. Regarding digital innovation, one might look at the study of Xing et al. [73], which describes the challenges and limitations faced by the handicraft sector (a subset of small-scale enterprises) regarding business, information, skills, supply-chain management, and innovation. The unorganized industry's organizational framework, shifting markets, IT infrastructure, unforeseen risks, novel business models, and technical ambiguity (like Google or Facebook) are also mentioned in previous research as barriers to digital entrepreneurship in India's MSMEs.

The economic situation caused by the Pandemic pushed business owners of MSMEs to adopt new technologies, and the rate of digitalization in these companies increased as a result. Numerous studies on entrepreneurship have been conducted, each using a slightly different theoretical lens. This study examined the notions of adaptation, endurance, open Innovation, and dynamic skills related to Innovation during economic downturns. This study employed an inductive qualitative research analysis [59] to investigate the factors that motivate and hinder online entrepreneurial Innovation in the handicraft industries following COVID-19. According to the research, the current economic crisis was caused by factors both internal (professional development, individual, and societal factors) and external (market demand, supply constraints). Because of its relative lack of capital, management, and technology compared to larger corporations, India's handicraft industry was hit particularly hard by the Pandemic restrictions.

The industry was also unprepared for the disruption, which lasted longer than expected and was more severe than expected. With the rise of digital technology and the increased online demand for services, lodging, and supply of commodities during the state-wide shutdowns, new and incoming entrepreneurs in the handicraft sector have found a way to grow in industry innovation despite little government assistance for MSMEs. These technical advancements represent effectuation, resilience, bricolage, and dynamic capacities, all of which are crucial during times of economic volatility and disruption. The use of specific crafts apps, Olx, Facebook, q app, mobility constraints, and the availability of the infrastructure for high-quality Internet presented difficulties for new business owners.

8.1 Contribution and consequences

There were two major advancements made possible by the study's findings. To begin, both external and internal forces motivate the development of new digital tools for artisans in the handmade goods sector. To elaborate on the second point, it will be impossible for the transition to go smoothly if the traditional and online market, communications economy, other stakeholders, and businesses are not ready for the changes. Disruption in the economy can be seen as both an internal barrier to Innovation through digitalization and an external enabler of this trend.

To help new handicraft entrepreneurs succeed, the government should (a) provide fiscal incentives and economic assistance in the form of monetary support or an easy loan; (b) promote public-private partnerships to assist micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in running more efficiently and at lower costs; (c) start educating and make people aware among new handicraft entrepreneurs to help them gain good financial literacy and technical knowledge; and (d) supply them with the resources they need to get started.

8.2 Limitation and future scope of the article

During the period of COVID-19, this study analyzed the thoughts and feelings of up-and-coming handmade business owners on the growth of digital commerce. This results in a wide range of study limitations. To begin, we use qualitative data analysis, which relies on respondents' first-hand accounts but yields no numeric data useful for supplementary statistical examination. The results cannot be generalized to a large population with the same degree of precision as is possible with the quantitative research approach. In this qualitative Study, a semi-structured questionnaire was used to encourage open discussion among participants. This information is not obtainable via quantitative methods, like questionnaires with predetermined questions and answers, and qualitative methods, such as focus groups and in-depth interviews. Potentially, in the future, researchers will blend qualitative and quantitative approaches to research to reap both benefits and minimize the negatives of each.

Forty-six young entrepreneurs in the handmade goods industry responded to our online poll for this research. Online qualitative surveys have several advantages over traditional survey methods, such as the lower risk for researchers due to a lack of direct participant contact, shorter data collection and analysis times, more convenient interview scheduling for participants, and more time for researchers to focus on analysis [87-89]. Online surveys have many advantages, but they also have several drawbacks, such as low response rates, unrepresentative samples, internet restrictions, and a lack of follow-up data. Due to the constraints of limited face-to-face contact, the researchers' and participants' safety were prioritized throughout this study. Importantly, this study's findings, based solely on the participants' viewpoints and personal experiences during the Pandemic, cannot be extrapolated to all entrepreneurs in the case country because of the limited sample size. Future research might expand to include young entrepreneurs from other industries, such as business process outsourcing, digital solutions, online event management, microfinancing, and so on. In addition, the opinions of young business owners were sought out in this poll. Studies have shown that a more thorough examination of various stakeholders' perspectives is required before making policy decisions. In the future, researchers may look into additional stakeholders in digital entrepreneurship, such as local government units, support units, politicians, and consumers, to make more well-rounded decisions for programmes that benefit the economy at large and young entrepreneurs in particular conventional business owners who rely on the Internet [90, 91].

The participants' individual reactions to the Pandemic were also explored in this Study. It's important to note that several humanitarian issues compounded the Pandemic's consequences in several countries, including the Philippines. Terrorist attacks, wars, and other armed conflicts, as well as natural and man-made disasters, all fall under this category. More study is needed into the frequency with which disasters strike businesses, especially in the digital economy, and how young business owners cope with the ensuing setbacks.