Abstract:
The primary focus of this study was to get a snug look at batik and tie-dye as a small scale industry in Ghana with a critical look at the production and merchandising
challenges. The purpose of the study was to investigate the operations/activities of
small-scale batik and tie-dye production and merchandising, identify and examine the
challenges confronting the industry, analyse factors contributing to the challenges and
examine the impacts of production and merchandising challenges on the local batik
and tie-dye industries in Ghana. The research is based on qualitative research
approach which employs interviews and observation for data collection. In all sixteen
(16) participants were sampled through purposive techniques. The population studied
comprises one technical institution, one tertiary institution, six small scale industries,
six retail shops and two government institutions which have direct dealings with batik
and tie-dye industry within Western, Central and Greater Accra regions of Ghana.
Data collected were transcribed, classified and analysed through thematic and
descriptive analysis. The principal findings of this study revealed that, access to
finance, smuggling and importation of clothes, pirating of Ghanaian symbols,
multiple taxation, access to international market, products standardisation, packaging
and labelling are the challenges of production and merchandising. It is therefore
concluded that, small businesses are sole proprietorship which do not adhere to
managerial structures and proper book-keeping which make them collapse within the
first five years of operations and the government not making enough effort to promote
small-scale enterprises. It is therefore, recommended that producers and
merchandisers should be given basic book-keeping and business management courses
and need of the government to support SMEs to revamp the collapsing industry.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Music Education,
School of Creative Arts, submitted to the School of Graduate
Studies in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
(Arts and Culture)
in the University of Education, Winneba