Evolving an ICT platform for a traditional industry: Transforming artisans into entrepreneurs
B. Bowonder, S. Sadhulla and Akshay Jain
In India, the leather industry is a traditional industry. Kolhapuri is a traditional chappal manufactured through a manual process. The paper presents a case study of the manner in which the design process, manufacturing process and marketing of Kolhapuri industry was reengineered using ICT interventions. Use of ICT helped this industry to reposition itself. The main reason for the early adoption and rapid diffusion of the new technology has been the systematic training carried out by Central Leather Research Institute for imparting skills in the local craftsman using two people from the same community. The paper documents that the income of craftsman increased considerably after the adoption of ICT for designing and market access. The change process was navigated and implemented in an evolutionary manner, which helped the change process to occur rapidly. (Adapated from authors)