Impact of Operational Constraints on Quality and Productivity of Handloom Products

Abstract

The handloom industry is India’s largest cottage industry representing and preserving the vibrant and beautiful Indian culture and traditions. Indian artists are now known worldwide for their spinning weaving and hand-printing techniques. The handicraft industry is the second-largest source of employment in the country after agriculture. It employs 12.5 million people and is the largest supplier to rural businesses outside of agriculture. The success or failure of the handloom industry largely depend on the quality in this competitive world. The quality and the quantity of the handloom products purely derive from operational constraints which were adopted. The present study aimed to identify the impact of operational constraints like raw material availability, credit facility, functioning, and welfare constraints on the quality and productivity of handlooms in the Kadapa district. The data were collected from a total of 120 weaver entrepreneurs operating in different locations of the Kadapa district. A stratified random sampling technique has been adopted for the sample responses collection. Suitable tools like multivariate multiple regression with structural analysis were carried out to analyze and interpret the data. The study results revealed that all the four operational constraints like raw material availability, credit facility, functioning, and welfare constraints were positively and significantly influencing the quality of the handloom products. These operational constraints also influence the productivity of handlooms positively and significantly. A total of eight hypotheses were formulated with the support of the literature and all are supported. The raw material was found as an important predictor of the quality and productivity of the handloom products as it captured the maximum level of influence than other parameters.