The international success of small artisanal production units of Cameroonian art
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In this study, we seek to better understand the practices of small artisanal art production units in Cameroon enabling them to be successful internationally despite the difficulties they face. Semi-structured individual interviews with artisans and leaders of artisanal organizations helped identify their mode of entry into international trade, the key factors behind their success, and the obstacles to their international expansion. The results revealed the value of networking, which is crucial both in accessing foreign markets and in consolidating competitive advantage, but also in defining the types of artworks to be produced. At the organizational level, a directive and participative management style, as well as a corporate culture strengthened by tradition, are the two pillars of competitive advantage. Finally, as far as the production process is concerned, the competitiveness of these small production units is based on specializing in certain types of objects, low-volume production with a certain level of quality, as well as a particular know-how and creativity allowing them to renew the type of products sold. However, the strong asymmetry of information between artisans and intermediaries, the complexity of the intermediaries’ work, and the lack of financial means slow down the artisans’ international expansion.
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