- Email: [email protected]
Value Creation towards Sustainable Manufacturing using Non-Formal and Lifelong Learning Methods
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
ScienceDirect Procedia Manufacturing 8 (2017) 579 – 586
14th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, GCSM 3-5 October 2016, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Value Creation towards Sustainable Manufacturing using NonFormal and Lifelong Learning Methods H.D.P. Premarathnea, A.K. Kulatungab*, S.B.Ekanayakec, D.M.W.S.B Miyanadeniyab a Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka Department of Production Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka c Former Non-Formal Education Expert to UNESCO, UNHCR,Central Asia Sri Lanka
b
Abstract The traditional brass industry of Sri Lanka has survived over the centuries under socio-economic and cultural diversities and several issues pertaining to triple bottom lines of sustainability can be observed. This study intended to develop a methodology which enhances value creation within this industry through sustainable manufacturing concepts. This is achieved by improving the human and social capital through Non-Formal Education and Life-Long Learning methods. The initial survey revealed that lack of raw materials, inefficient manufacturing and marketing processes, labour intensiveness and turnover were identified as socio-economic problems. Further, the proposed programme for value creation has transformed sustainable manufacturing processes of the craftsmen and it has shown that the value creation should be initiated from the family level and the technological inputs are the primary requirements which lead rest of the chain of activities of manufacturing. Continues education and training are vital to maintaining the sustainability of their manufacturing. © Published by by Elsevier B.V.B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license 2016The TheAuthors. Authors.Published Elsevier ©2017 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility ofthe organizing committee of the 14th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing. Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the 14th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing Keywords:value creation; sustainable manufacturing; sustainable livelihood; social impacts; Tradtional brass industry; non-formal education; lifelong learning
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +94777611401; fax: +94812393655. E-mail address:[email protected]
2351-9789 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the 14th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing doi:10.1016/j.promfg.2017.02.074
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1. Introduction Sri Lankan metal industry has a long history starting from 600 BC. Technologies associated with this industry would have been influenced from the times of Aryans’ settlements in Sri Lanka [1]. Several historical evidences have been identified about the metal industry. For instance, the famous Damascus swords manufactured by Ceylon steel and research on “Monsoon Steel” carried out by Jill Juleff on wind-based steel smelting are some of the evidence [2]. According to Ananda Cumaraswamy’s publication [3] on “Medieval Sinhalese Art”, rich art and craft traditions were existed in late 18th century in Sri Lanka even though it was under the western colonial rule for several centuries. During this era, most of the industries were operated as cottage industries and played a significance role of meeting the utensil household requirements, socio-cultural and religious needs [3]. Historically, Sri Lankan art and craft industry continued with traditional linkages to religion, caste system and indigenous knowledge mastered by the inherited artisans[4]. Moreover, Ryan (1993) [4] stated that the high traditional knowledge relating to pottery, brass work, drum and jewelry making etc. in Sri Lankan society inherently associated with the lower castes in the hierarchy of the Sinhalese caste structure [6]. However, traditional industries were adversely influenced due to the rapid changes of socio- economic sectors occurred after western invasions and globalization [3]. According to the craft industry report (2012), the total employed population in craft industry is approximately 200,000 in Sri Lanka [5]. The Traditional Brass Industry (TBI) is one of the most significant cottage industries which have evolved over the centuries with inherent traditional aesthetic values in Sri Lankan society. This industry used to cater the local society with a wide range of products. Similar to other traditional industries, the brass industry also faces several problems especially after the introduction of the open economic policies in late the 70s [6]. This situation is mainly created by the severe competition from the cheap and alternative products flooded the local market. Conversely, these craftsmen have not been able to recognize the transitions in the market and changes of preferences of the customers etc. in an era where the global and local market has been shifted towards mass customization. However, if the current situation persists for long, this unique traditional industry will disappear from the Sri Lankan society since already new generations of the artisans’are engaged in different paid employment comes under white collar jobs and other businesses due to the lack of social acceptance and existing problems. The Brass manufacturers live in two districts of Sri Lanka and mainly they are catering different markets: Ornamental and religious requirements located in Pilimathalawa and Kalapuraya in Kandy district, known as cultural capital; Construction industry requirement located at Kiribathgoda in Gampaha district closer to the commercial capital Colombo. This industry provides direct and indirect employments for skilled and non-skilled artisans in both genders. Presently, there are about 60 families involved in this industry in Kandy district and another 30 families in Gampaha district. Approximately 600 workers are directly involved in the brass industry. However, this number changes with the seasonal variations and demands towards the brass products of the Sri Lankan society [1]. Currently, unavailability of raw materials (scrap brass) and marketing problems are the main problems that they encounter [1, 7, 8]. Moreover, lack of knowledge on efficient and appropriate technology, health and safety and poor environmental practices are influenced by the poor human capital of the craftsmen [8]. Except few basic power tools such as hand drill, grinder, and custom made lathe machines, vertical drilling machines etc. no significant improvements have taken place in the technological domain in the brass industry. Therefore, a gap can be seen between brass artisan and some manufacturers who engaged with other non-traditional small scale industries in the similar categories. Generally, brass artisans have involved in this industry when they were at teenage in order to support their family livelihoods. This situation has led to school dropouts at early stages of their life. Therefore, they do not possess adequate formal education in order to follow technical or vocational training which requires minimum educational qualifications. This phenomenon ultimately has an impact on the development of human capital in this sector. Moreover, changes of the aspirations and values towards employment and increasing the demand on the white collar and the decent work among the youths has influenced on the labour turnover of this industry. Therefore, it is imperative to introduce and make use of the modern manufacturing technologies to this industry in order to ensure its sustainability and to improve the product quality which will enable to compete in the
H.D.P. Premarathne et al. / Procedia Manufacturing 8 (2017) 579 – 586
global market. Though there are a number of government authorities and ministries at the national and provincial level, still several unsolved problems can be seen among this community [7]. Except the erudite writing of Cumaraswamy [3] over the century ago, it is seldom to find research literature in this industry, art, and craft. This was highlighted in the detailed study done by Kulatunga et al. [7] on traditional craft industries in Sri Lanka based on the triple bottom line of the sustainable development. Further, they have highlighted the importance of the Technology Need Assessment (TNA) of these industries since many of them have practice obsolete technology and drifted from sustainable practices when compared to other small and medium scale industries. Addressing the research gap a detailed study done by Chandrakumar et al. [8] on TNA has found that two main processes adapted in casting and sheet metal forming still use traditional and simple methodologies which are inefficient and less productive which has led to poor product quality. Further, it has revealed that raw material, energy and man hour’s wastages were significantly high and health, safety, and ergonomics were at the poor stage. Since these are operated as cottage industries, not only the craftsmen who involve in the manufacturing processors but also the family members and the neighbours are exposure to the excessive emissions of harmful gasses from furnaces. This has also been identified by Karunarathne et al. [9] and further reinforced by the study carried out by Jayawardhene et al [10] on health and safety of the workers involved in this industry for on a long term basis. Moreover, they have found that the brass workers have significantly higher risks of developing respiratory difficulties and also there is an urgency to concentrate on the preventive measures to be adopted in order to minimize the health hazards. In addition, a study carried out by Jayawickrama et al. [11] have identified that sustainable manufacturing concepts can be adapted to minimize material and energy wastages while enhancing the product quality without hampering its traditional artistic values. Another study done by Kulatunga et al. [7] discusses several issues pertaining to this community: lower level of education, lack of understanding on the volatility of the market, lack of social capital, reluctance to acquire new skills, technology and knowledge related to their professional practices and negative attitudes towards social status, caste based occupation have hindered the enhancing value creation of this industry. Further, they have identified several other process improvement hotspots through value stream mapping. Since poor practices of craftsmen cannot be rectified by formal learning environment due to the disturbance of the daily livelihood. Therefore, the adaptation of methods related to Life-long Learning (LL) and Non Formal Education (NFE) are vital enhancing the knowledge, skills, and practices of the brass workers. A study done by Daskon [12] on the roles of cultural traditions in sustaining rural livelihoods covers a wide range of social aspects of TBI. Further, it has discussed how culture and traditional values have strengthened livelihood resilience when external influences and alteration comes from within community itself, with specific to values of the people. Moreover, according to Thimpu and Arain [13] and Solymossy [14] craftsmen who can rely on broad and diverse networks tend to be more successful. As discussed above, human capital and social capital are important factors for the economic and social development of a country. Significantly, education is considered as the key factor to develop human capital. In addition, it improves the capacity of individuals to be trained for specific occupations and to acquire job-related skills and practices. These effects enable individuals to accumulate human capital, improve labour productivity and earnings. Therefore, this research focuses on proposing a framework based on LL and NFE concepts to enhance the value creation through development of the human and social capital among traditional brass craftsmen. Methodology The methodology of this research consists of several stages. Initially, an extensive survey was carried out in order to identify socio-economic problems of the craftsmen where previous studies [8, 11] already have done. In the next phase, sociological aspects were linked with the previously identified conclusions in TNA done by Chandrakumar et al [8] as well as the environmental LCA carried out by Karunarathne et al. [9]. Finally, this information and data have been used to identify key socio-cultural issues which act as barriers to adapt sustainable manufacturing practices of this community. In the final stage, a value creation model has been developed after taken
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into account required competencies identified in the socio-cultural issues, and previous studies [8, 9, 11]. The flow chart of the methodology is shown in Figure 1. The mix method approach was used in this study and it was conducted for one year starting from January 2015 to January 2016. The study settings were Udunuwara, Kundasale and Mahara-Kadawata Divisional Secretariats considering the spatial distribution of the brass industry in Sri Lanka. The purposive sampling method was employed to select the study sample. Forty-three respondents were selected purposively for the questionnaire-based survey. Moreover, from the above participants, 20 respondents were selected purposively for the in-depth interviews done by using a topic guide. Not only traditional brass artisans but also the entrepreneurs who are engaged directly with brass industry including middlemen in the study setting were selected with their consent.Both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were employed to gather primary data. The quantitative data was gathered including socio-demographic data by using a pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire. The qualitative data was gathered by using in-depth interviews.The quantitative data was analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20) and the thematic analysis method was employed for the qualitative data analysis. The privacy and the confidentiality of the data were maintained to ensure the ethical aspect of the study. The secondary data was gathered through the published and unpublished research work and the official databases.
Data Collection Techniques
Secondary data
Primary data
Quantitative
Qualitative
Structured questionnaire
Focus Group Discussions
Guidelines ISO 14044 (2006) on E - LCA Factory ordinance of Sri Lanka, ILO Ergonomics check list UNEP Social LCA guidelines LCC
Evaluation Phase Quantitative measurement
Thematic Analysis
Technical Gap
Technical & Skills need Assessment, Environment LCA, LCCA
Interpretations Factors associate with the Human Capital Identify the nature of the Human Capital Factors Associate with Sustainable Livelihood
Figure 01: Methodology of the research Since the main intention of this research was to develop a framework to enhance the value creation among traditional brass craftsmen through sustainable manufacturing concepts a conceptual model was developed to show the link between sustainable manufacturing, value creation, human and social capital against the three awareness transfer tools: NFE, LL and Social Cohesion (CS). These concepts have been used as the ingredients of the foundation layer of the value creation model have shown in the Figure 2. The left side figure shows the present status of the value creation level as well as the human and social capitals of the craftsmen and the right side shows the expected level of value creation, socialand human capital is shown. Under the umbrella of sustainable manufacturing, technical, financial and social knowhow have been included along with community integration and empowerment. The environmental management and health and safety related issues also categories under the technical inputs in this model.
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Value creation
ueaadajkaajd Value Creation Value creation Human Capital Social Capital
Sustainable Manufacturing Concepts Enhance Technical, Financial and Social Knowhow Community integration & empowerment
Human Capital Social Capital
Non-Formal Education + Lifelong Learning + Social Cohesion
Figure 2: The proposed model for the value creation through human and social capital 2. Results and Discussion The study population consists of 43, 21- 67 years old artisans who were living in the Kandy District in Sri Lanka. The total study population belonged to the Sinhalese ethnicity and Buddhist religion. In terms of gender, the majority was male. When considering the age, 42% were in the age category 37-52 years and the majority was married (86%). In the study population, 35% of the artisans had passed their GCE O/L examination and 28% had educated up to GCE A/L. In the total sample, 35% of the artisans engaged with the casting and sheet metal work while 21% of the total sample engaged with businesses related to brass work. When considering the monthly income of the study population, 39% earn on or below Rs.50,000 per month. Eighty-six percent were employers while 14% of them were employees and 60% of the sample had between 10 – 60 years of experiences in the brass industry either employee or employer. Fourteen percent of the artisans have engaged this livelihood since from their childhood with the influence of their tradition and inheritance. Seventy seven percent of the workers had received the knowledge and skills traditionally (inherently) from generation. Almost all the members admitted that they have freedom for creativity and most of the work covers from the family members and these groups of artisans were connected through the kinship. Since this tradition and skills passing from generation to generations, NFE and LLL methods are suitable for their value creation process.
Human Capital
Figure 3: Fish Borne diagram of the key problematic areas relevant to poor Human Capital
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The fish-born diagram (Figure 3) visualizes the key issues identified in relation to human capital from the initial survey and the previous literature. This diagram consists of four problematic key areas recognized namely: education, socio-cultural, marketing, government and institutional support including research and development. Under education branch three sub branches: lack of technical education in school curricular, lack of opportunities for vocational education and non-availability of technical reading materials in Sinhala language (native). Lack of social acceptance and the prestige due to the traditional caste based livelihood was one of the key issues that identified under the socio-cultural aspect. Further, reluctance to use new technology and lack of social compatibility due to the lower level social status are also identified as factors associated with social and human capital. Even though there are some government and non-governmental institutional mechanisms/policy least supports are given to the brass artisans in relation to research, training, marketing, health and quality of life improvements. Table 01: Current and expected level of competencies of the craftsmen Required Competencies Technical
Current Status x
Relay on traditional obsolete technology
Future Status x x x
Economical
Environmental
x x x x x x
Lack of knowledge on product costing, cash flow issues Unaware of different marketing avenues Not customer focused Limited to few product ranges Lack of usage of family labour productively Lack of engagement with the micro credit programmes in community level
x x
Lack of awareness on pollution Could not identify waste streams
x x x x x x x x x x x x
Social
x x x
Concerning on caste issue and social labelling Negative attitudes on modern /technical production concepts Lack of will power to change
x x x x x
Adapt CAD, CAM based developments Use resource efficient high quality processes Enhance the efficiency of the traditional processing activities Be innovative Basic awareness of product costing Passes basic knowledge on cash flow issues Focus on different marketing strategies Train females on soft operations Train children on computer based craft designs Empower community level micro-credit programmes and participation Acquire knowledge on pollution Recognize waste streams Use Energy efficient furnaces Incorporate proper chimney for exhaust gases from furnace Minimize noise and dust coming from machines. Understating ‘fittest will survive’ Be positive minded Think out of the box Get rid of caste based mind set Enhance Collective bargaining and empower community rights/advocacy groups
Based on the key problematic areas relevant to social and human capital represented in the fish-borne diagram, key competency levels required for each area: technical, economic, social and environmental were identified by a multidisciplinary team of experts with community consultations. The identified current and expected level of competencies is given in Table 01. Different modes of educational and awareness programmes were developed in relation to each competency requirements. Since there is a strong interrelationship between technical, environmental practices and health and safety issues [technical and SHE (S: Safety, H: Health, E: Environment)] they were group together in the competency mapping table (Table 02). The Table 02 denotes the developed programmes which are required for each competency groups in relation to sustainable value creation.
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Table 02: Knowledge and Competence Transfer Mapping Educational & Awareness Programmes WS&S OJT IAT ITP CM
Technical & SHE Innovation & Process Product Improvement Designs NFE NFE, LLL NFE NFE NFE, LLL LLL
SHE Management NFE NFE LLL,NFE NFE
Economics Marketing & Financial PPC Management NFE
NFE
LLL LLL NFE, LLL
LLL LLL
Social WLB & QOL NFE
NFE
Abbreviations: SHE WS&S OJT IAT ITP PPC
: Environmental Management Systems : Workshops and seminars : On-Job training : Interactive tools : Illustrative technical publications : Production Planning & Control
WLB : Work Life Balance QOL : Quality of Life CM : Community mapping NFE : non-Formal Education LLL : Lifelong Learning
The ongoing programme for value creation revealed that the value creation should be initiated from the family level leading to the national level (Figure 04). Further, the technological inputs are the primary requirements which lead rest of the chain of activities: enhance economic performances of craftsmen, develop market performances, and improve quality of life and social well-being of the craftsmen towards sustainable livelihoods. As we expected from the proposed framework for value creation, the introduced technical inputs helped to increase the economic benefits and it has influenced on the social and material well-being of the brass workers. Further, it has revealed that enhancing collective bargaining power and collective consciousness on market behaviour is important aspects that need to develop through the proposed programme.
Figure 4: Domain expansions toward value creation
Figure 5: Sustainable Livelihood through value creation
Already necessary technical developments (eco- innovations) have been introduced to the consented participants in the proposed programme. Currently, they are in the process of converting some of the process from conventional processors into newly acquired technologies. In addition, the awareness and the knowledge on quality of life, health and safety, work-life balance were transferred to the local communities through LL and NFE methods. Materials and resources based on the non-formal education principles which will be used to educate brass artisans on technological knowledge and marketing strategies are being developing currently. Since this proposed programme is at the initial level, it is premature to measure sustainable value creation. Further, a scale is being developed to
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measure this transformation with respect to four main domains highlighted in the Table 02. One year subsequent to the implementation of the proposed programme for value creation the outcomes will be measured using the scale developed by the multidisciplinary experts. 4. Conclusion The traditional brass industry has existed for centuries as a caste base livelihood with many changes. It has contributed immensely to the local culture and religions. Due to various socio-economic-cultural and political transitions, this industry has hampered and it has threatened the sustainability of the livelihoods of this community. This research has identified the human and social capital of these traditional craftsmen is not adequate enough to sustain with these changes. Therefore, a sustainable value creation framework based on LL and NFE has been developed and currently being implemented in two villages in Kandy district. The initial findings revealed that value creation can be achieved through inculcating sustainable manufacturing concepts among the craftsmen through NFE, LL and SC successfully. However, still formal measurements of value creation have not been done due to ongoing transformations. Acknowledgement We would like to acknowledge the research funding of Peradeniya University Research Grant: 2014/24 E. References [1] Daskon C.D. Cultural Resilience—The Roles of Cultural Traditions in Sustaining Rural Livelihoods: A Case Study from Rural Kandyan Villages in Central Sri Lanka. Sustainability 2010, 2, 1080-1100 [2] Juleff G. An ancient wind powered iron smelting in Sri Lanka The Nature, vol 379, January 4, 1996, pp 60-62 [3] Cumaraswamy A. Mediaeval Sinhalese Art: Being a Monograph on Mediaeval Sinhalese Arts & Crafts, Mainly As Surviving in the Eighteenth Century, With an Account of the Structure of Society, 1908. [4] Ryan B.Caste in Modern Ceylon. New Delhi: Navrang. 1993 [5] Industry capability report, EDB, (2012), http://www.srilankabusiness.com/pdf/industry_capability_report_craft.pdf (Last visited 16/05/2016) [6] Silva, K.T. Caste, Craft and Traditional Knowledge in Sri Lanka, SAARC Regional seminar on Traditional knowledge and traditional cultural Expressions of South Asia. SAARC Culture Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 2013 [7] Kulaunga A.K., Jayatilaka P. R., Jayawickrama M.. Drivers and Barrier to Implement Sustainable Manufacturing Concept in Sri Lankan Manufacturing Sector.11th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing. Berlin, Germany, 2013 [8] Chandrakumar C., Herath S.A, Jayasinghe R., Gowrynathan J. , Kulatunga A.K., Dharmawardhana M., Ekanayake R.A. Technological Needs Assessment of Traditional Brass Industry to Enhance the Productivity, 5th International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operation Management. Dubai, UAE, 2015. [9] Karunarathna K.G.S.P., Jayawickrama H.M.M.M, DharmawardanaM. and Kulatunga A.K. Decision support framework for development of traditional brass industry - A case study. Proceedings of the 2016 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 8-10, 2016 [10] Jayawardana P.L., AlwisW.R.de,.Fernando M.A, Ventilatory function in brass workers of Gadaladeniya, SriLanka, Rapid Science Publishers for SOM, vol.47, No.7, 1997, pp.411-416. [11] Jayawickrama H.M.M.M, Dharmawardana M., Kulatunga A.K, Karunarathna K.G.S.P, Osadith S.A.U.Enhancement of productivity of traditional brass manufacturing industry using sustainable manufacturing concept.13th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, Vietnam, 2015. [12] Daskon C.D. Significance of cultural values in securing asset portfolios of rural communities. Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences 2015 38(1): 31-50 [13] TipuS. A. A. and Arain M. F., Managing success factors in entrepreneurial ventures: A behavioural approach.International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour& Research, vol. 17, pp. 534–560, 2011 [14] Solymossy E., Entrepreneurial dimensions: the relationship of individual, venture and environment factors to success: PhD thesis. Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USA, 1998 [15] Ekanayake S.B. , Lifelong Education ' The Mega Changes in the New World Order', Coalition for Education Development Sri Lanka, 2009, ISBN978-955-0277-03-2
ScienceDirect Procedia Manufacturing 8 (2017) 579 – 586
14th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, GCSM 3-5 October 2016, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Value Creation towards Sustainable Manufacturing using NonFormal and Lifelong Learning Methods H.D.P. Premarathnea, A.K. Kulatungab*, S.B.Ekanayakec, D.M.W.S.B Miyanadeniyab a Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka Department of Production Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka c Former Non-Formal Education Expert to UNESCO, UNHCR,Central Asia Sri Lanka
b
Abstract The traditional brass industry of Sri Lanka has survived over the centuries under socio-economic and cultural diversities and several issues pertaining to triple bottom lines of sustainability can be observed. This study intended to develop a methodology which enhances value creation within this industry through sustainable manufacturing concepts. This is achieved by improving the human and social capital through Non-Formal Education and Life-Long Learning methods. The initial survey revealed that lack of raw materials, inefficient manufacturing and marketing processes, labour intensiveness and turnover were identified as socio-economic problems. Further, the proposed programme for value creation has transformed sustainable manufacturing processes of the craftsmen and it has shown that the value creation should be initiated from the family level and the technological inputs are the primary requirements which lead rest of the chain of activities of manufacturing. Continues education and training are vital to maintaining the sustainability of their manufacturing. © Published by by Elsevier B.V.B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license 2016The TheAuthors. Authors.Published Elsevier ©2017 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility ofthe organizing committee of the 14th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing. Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the 14th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing Keywords:value creation; sustainable manufacturing; sustainable livelihood; social impacts; Tradtional brass industry; non-formal education; lifelong learning
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +94777611401; fax: +94812393655. E-mail address:[email protected]
2351-9789 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the 14th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing doi:10.1016/j.promfg.2017.02.074
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H.D.P. Premarathne et al. / Procedia Manufacturing 8 (2017) 579 – 586
1. Introduction Sri Lankan metal industry has a long history starting from 600 BC. Technologies associated with this industry would have been influenced from the times of Aryans’ settlements in Sri Lanka [1]. Several historical evidences have been identified about the metal industry. For instance, the famous Damascus swords manufactured by Ceylon steel and research on “Monsoon Steel” carried out by Jill Juleff on wind-based steel smelting are some of the evidence [2]. According to Ananda Cumaraswamy’s publication [3] on “Medieval Sinhalese Art”, rich art and craft traditions were existed in late 18th century in Sri Lanka even though it was under the western colonial rule for several centuries. During this era, most of the industries were operated as cottage industries and played a significance role of meeting the utensil household requirements, socio-cultural and religious needs [3]. Historically, Sri Lankan art and craft industry continued with traditional linkages to religion, caste system and indigenous knowledge mastered by the inherited artisans[4]. Moreover, Ryan (1993) [4] stated that the high traditional knowledge relating to pottery, brass work, drum and jewelry making etc. in Sri Lankan society inherently associated with the lower castes in the hierarchy of the Sinhalese caste structure [6]. However, traditional industries were adversely influenced due to the rapid changes of socio- economic sectors occurred after western invasions and globalization [3]. According to the craft industry report (2012), the total employed population in craft industry is approximately 200,000 in Sri Lanka [5]. The Traditional Brass Industry (TBI) is one of the most significant cottage industries which have evolved over the centuries with inherent traditional aesthetic values in Sri Lankan society. This industry used to cater the local society with a wide range of products. Similar to other traditional industries, the brass industry also faces several problems especially after the introduction of the open economic policies in late the 70s [6]. This situation is mainly created by the severe competition from the cheap and alternative products flooded the local market. Conversely, these craftsmen have not been able to recognize the transitions in the market and changes of preferences of the customers etc. in an era where the global and local market has been shifted towards mass customization. However, if the current situation persists for long, this unique traditional industry will disappear from the Sri Lankan society since already new generations of the artisans’are engaged in different paid employment comes under white collar jobs and other businesses due to the lack of social acceptance and existing problems. The Brass manufacturers live in two districts of Sri Lanka and mainly they are catering different markets: Ornamental and religious requirements located in Pilimathalawa and Kalapuraya in Kandy district, known as cultural capital; Construction industry requirement located at Kiribathgoda in Gampaha district closer to the commercial capital Colombo. This industry provides direct and indirect employments for skilled and non-skilled artisans in both genders. Presently, there are about 60 families involved in this industry in Kandy district and another 30 families in Gampaha district. Approximately 600 workers are directly involved in the brass industry. However, this number changes with the seasonal variations and demands towards the brass products of the Sri Lankan society [1]. Currently, unavailability of raw materials (scrap brass) and marketing problems are the main problems that they encounter [1, 7, 8]. Moreover, lack of knowledge on efficient and appropriate technology, health and safety and poor environmental practices are influenced by the poor human capital of the craftsmen [8]. Except few basic power tools such as hand drill, grinder, and custom made lathe machines, vertical drilling machines etc. no significant improvements have taken place in the technological domain in the brass industry. Therefore, a gap can be seen between brass artisan and some manufacturers who engaged with other non-traditional small scale industries in the similar categories. Generally, brass artisans have involved in this industry when they were at teenage in order to support their family livelihoods. This situation has led to school dropouts at early stages of their life. Therefore, they do not possess adequate formal education in order to follow technical or vocational training which requires minimum educational qualifications. This phenomenon ultimately has an impact on the development of human capital in this sector. Moreover, changes of the aspirations and values towards employment and increasing the demand on the white collar and the decent work among the youths has influenced on the labour turnover of this industry. Therefore, it is imperative to introduce and make use of the modern manufacturing technologies to this industry in order to ensure its sustainability and to improve the product quality which will enable to compete in the
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global market. Though there are a number of government authorities and ministries at the national and provincial level, still several unsolved problems can be seen among this community [7]. Except the erudite writing of Cumaraswamy [3] over the century ago, it is seldom to find research literature in this industry, art, and craft. This was highlighted in the detailed study done by Kulatunga et al. [7] on traditional craft industries in Sri Lanka based on the triple bottom line of the sustainable development. Further, they have highlighted the importance of the Technology Need Assessment (TNA) of these industries since many of them have practice obsolete technology and drifted from sustainable practices when compared to other small and medium scale industries. Addressing the research gap a detailed study done by Chandrakumar et al. [8] on TNA has found that two main processes adapted in casting and sheet metal forming still use traditional and simple methodologies which are inefficient and less productive which has led to poor product quality. Further, it has revealed that raw material, energy and man hour’s wastages were significantly high and health, safety, and ergonomics were at the poor stage. Since these are operated as cottage industries, not only the craftsmen who involve in the manufacturing processors but also the family members and the neighbours are exposure to the excessive emissions of harmful gasses from furnaces. This has also been identified by Karunarathne et al. [9] and further reinforced by the study carried out by Jayawardhene et al [10] on health and safety of the workers involved in this industry for on a long term basis. Moreover, they have found that the brass workers have significantly higher risks of developing respiratory difficulties and also there is an urgency to concentrate on the preventive measures to be adopted in order to minimize the health hazards. In addition, a study carried out by Jayawickrama et al. [11] have identified that sustainable manufacturing concepts can be adapted to minimize material and energy wastages while enhancing the product quality without hampering its traditional artistic values. Another study done by Kulatunga et al. [7] discusses several issues pertaining to this community: lower level of education, lack of understanding on the volatility of the market, lack of social capital, reluctance to acquire new skills, technology and knowledge related to their professional practices and negative attitudes towards social status, caste based occupation have hindered the enhancing value creation of this industry. Further, they have identified several other process improvement hotspots through value stream mapping. Since poor practices of craftsmen cannot be rectified by formal learning environment due to the disturbance of the daily livelihood. Therefore, the adaptation of methods related to Life-long Learning (LL) and Non Formal Education (NFE) are vital enhancing the knowledge, skills, and practices of the brass workers. A study done by Daskon [12] on the roles of cultural traditions in sustaining rural livelihoods covers a wide range of social aspects of TBI. Further, it has discussed how culture and traditional values have strengthened livelihood resilience when external influences and alteration comes from within community itself, with specific to values of the people. Moreover, according to Thimpu and Arain [13] and Solymossy [14] craftsmen who can rely on broad and diverse networks tend to be more successful. As discussed above, human capital and social capital are important factors for the economic and social development of a country. Significantly, education is considered as the key factor to develop human capital. In addition, it improves the capacity of individuals to be trained for specific occupations and to acquire job-related skills and practices. These effects enable individuals to accumulate human capital, improve labour productivity and earnings. Therefore, this research focuses on proposing a framework based on LL and NFE concepts to enhance the value creation through development of the human and social capital among traditional brass craftsmen. Methodology The methodology of this research consists of several stages. Initially, an extensive survey was carried out in order to identify socio-economic problems of the craftsmen where previous studies [8, 11] already have done. In the next phase, sociological aspects were linked with the previously identified conclusions in TNA done by Chandrakumar et al [8] as well as the environmental LCA carried out by Karunarathne et al. [9]. Finally, this information and data have been used to identify key socio-cultural issues which act as barriers to adapt sustainable manufacturing practices of this community. In the final stage, a value creation model has been developed after taken
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into account required competencies identified in the socio-cultural issues, and previous studies [8, 9, 11]. The flow chart of the methodology is shown in Figure 1. The mix method approach was used in this study and it was conducted for one year starting from January 2015 to January 2016. The study settings were Udunuwara, Kundasale and Mahara-Kadawata Divisional Secretariats considering the spatial distribution of the brass industry in Sri Lanka. The purposive sampling method was employed to select the study sample. Forty-three respondents were selected purposively for the questionnaire-based survey. Moreover, from the above participants, 20 respondents were selected purposively for the in-depth interviews done by using a topic guide. Not only traditional brass artisans but also the entrepreneurs who are engaged directly with brass industry including middlemen in the study setting were selected with their consent.Both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were employed to gather primary data. The quantitative data was gathered including socio-demographic data by using a pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire. The qualitative data was gathered by using in-depth interviews.The quantitative data was analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20) and the thematic analysis method was employed for the qualitative data analysis. The privacy and the confidentiality of the data were maintained to ensure the ethical aspect of the study. The secondary data was gathered through the published and unpublished research work and the official databases.
Data Collection Techniques
Secondary data
Primary data
Quantitative
Qualitative
Structured questionnaire
Focus Group Discussions
Guidelines ISO 14044 (2006) on E - LCA Factory ordinance of Sri Lanka, ILO Ergonomics check list UNEP Social LCA guidelines LCC
Evaluation Phase Quantitative measurement
Thematic Analysis
Technical Gap
Technical & Skills need Assessment, Environment LCA, LCCA
Interpretations Factors associate with the Human Capital Identify the nature of the Human Capital Factors Associate with Sustainable Livelihood
Figure 01: Methodology of the research Since the main intention of this research was to develop a framework to enhance the value creation among traditional brass craftsmen through sustainable manufacturing concepts a conceptual model was developed to show the link between sustainable manufacturing, value creation, human and social capital against the three awareness transfer tools: NFE, LL and Social Cohesion (CS). These concepts have been used as the ingredients of the foundation layer of the value creation model have shown in the Figure 2. The left side figure shows the present status of the value creation level as well as the human and social capitals of the craftsmen and the right side shows the expected level of value creation, socialand human capital is shown. Under the umbrella of sustainable manufacturing, technical, financial and social knowhow have been included along with community integration and empowerment. The environmental management and health and safety related issues also categories under the technical inputs in this model.
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Value creation
ueaadajkaajd Value Creation Value creation Human Capital Social Capital
Sustainable Manufacturing Concepts Enhance Technical, Financial and Social Knowhow Community integration & empowerment
Human Capital Social Capital
Non-Formal Education + Lifelong Learning + Social Cohesion
Figure 2: The proposed model for the value creation through human and social capital 2. Results and Discussion The study population consists of 43, 21- 67 years old artisans who were living in the Kandy District in Sri Lanka. The total study population belonged to the Sinhalese ethnicity and Buddhist religion. In terms of gender, the majority was male. When considering the age, 42% were in the age category 37-52 years and the majority was married (86%). In the study population, 35% of the artisans had passed their GCE O/L examination and 28% had educated up to GCE A/L. In the total sample, 35% of the artisans engaged with the casting and sheet metal work while 21% of the total sample engaged with businesses related to brass work. When considering the monthly income of the study population, 39% earn on or below Rs.50,000 per month. Eighty-six percent were employers while 14% of them were employees and 60% of the sample had between 10 – 60 years of experiences in the brass industry either employee or employer. Fourteen percent of the artisans have engaged this livelihood since from their childhood with the influence of their tradition and inheritance. Seventy seven percent of the workers had received the knowledge and skills traditionally (inherently) from generation. Almost all the members admitted that they have freedom for creativity and most of the work covers from the family members and these groups of artisans were connected through the kinship. Since this tradition and skills passing from generation to generations, NFE and LLL methods are suitable for their value creation process.
Human Capital
Figure 3: Fish Borne diagram of the key problematic areas relevant to poor Human Capital
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The fish-born diagram (Figure 3) visualizes the key issues identified in relation to human capital from the initial survey and the previous literature. This diagram consists of four problematic key areas recognized namely: education, socio-cultural, marketing, government and institutional support including research and development. Under education branch three sub branches: lack of technical education in school curricular, lack of opportunities for vocational education and non-availability of technical reading materials in Sinhala language (native). Lack of social acceptance and the prestige due to the traditional caste based livelihood was one of the key issues that identified under the socio-cultural aspect. Further, reluctance to use new technology and lack of social compatibility due to the lower level social status are also identified as factors associated with social and human capital. Even though there are some government and non-governmental institutional mechanisms/policy least supports are given to the brass artisans in relation to research, training, marketing, health and quality of life improvements. Table 01: Current and expected level of competencies of the craftsmen Required Competencies Technical
Current Status x
Relay on traditional obsolete technology
Future Status x x x
Economical
Environmental
x x x x x x
Lack of knowledge on product costing, cash flow issues Unaware of different marketing avenues Not customer focused Limited to few product ranges Lack of usage of family labour productively Lack of engagement with the micro credit programmes in community level
x x
Lack of awareness on pollution Could not identify waste streams
x x x x x x x x x x x x
Social
x x x
Concerning on caste issue and social labelling Negative attitudes on modern /technical production concepts Lack of will power to change
x x x x x
Adapt CAD, CAM based developments Use resource efficient high quality processes Enhance the efficiency of the traditional processing activities Be innovative Basic awareness of product costing Passes basic knowledge on cash flow issues Focus on different marketing strategies Train females on soft operations Train children on computer based craft designs Empower community level micro-credit programmes and participation Acquire knowledge on pollution Recognize waste streams Use Energy efficient furnaces Incorporate proper chimney for exhaust gases from furnace Minimize noise and dust coming from machines. Understating ‘fittest will survive’ Be positive minded Think out of the box Get rid of caste based mind set Enhance Collective bargaining and empower community rights/advocacy groups
Based on the key problematic areas relevant to social and human capital represented in the fish-borne diagram, key competency levels required for each area: technical, economic, social and environmental were identified by a multidisciplinary team of experts with community consultations. The identified current and expected level of competencies is given in Table 01. Different modes of educational and awareness programmes were developed in relation to each competency requirements. Since there is a strong interrelationship between technical, environmental practices and health and safety issues [technical and SHE (S: Safety, H: Health, E: Environment)] they were group together in the competency mapping table (Table 02). The Table 02 denotes the developed programmes which are required for each competency groups in relation to sustainable value creation.
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Table 02: Knowledge and Competence Transfer Mapping Educational & Awareness Programmes WS&S OJT IAT ITP CM
Technical & SHE Innovation & Process Product Improvement Designs NFE NFE, LLL NFE NFE NFE, LLL LLL
SHE Management NFE NFE LLL,NFE NFE
Economics Marketing & Financial PPC Management NFE
NFE
LLL LLL NFE, LLL
LLL LLL
Social WLB & QOL NFE
NFE
Abbreviations: SHE WS&S OJT IAT ITP PPC
: Environmental Management Systems : Workshops and seminars : On-Job training : Interactive tools : Illustrative technical publications : Production Planning & Control
WLB : Work Life Balance QOL : Quality of Life CM : Community mapping NFE : non-Formal Education LLL : Lifelong Learning
The ongoing programme for value creation revealed that the value creation should be initiated from the family level leading to the national level (Figure 04). Further, the technological inputs are the primary requirements which lead rest of the chain of activities: enhance economic performances of craftsmen, develop market performances, and improve quality of life and social well-being of the craftsmen towards sustainable livelihoods. As we expected from the proposed framework for value creation, the introduced technical inputs helped to increase the economic benefits and it has influenced on the social and material well-being of the brass workers. Further, it has revealed that enhancing collective bargaining power and collective consciousness on market behaviour is important aspects that need to develop through the proposed programme.
Figure 4: Domain expansions toward value creation
Figure 5: Sustainable Livelihood through value creation
Already necessary technical developments (eco- innovations) have been introduced to the consented participants in the proposed programme. Currently, they are in the process of converting some of the process from conventional processors into newly acquired technologies. In addition, the awareness and the knowledge on quality of life, health and safety, work-life balance were transferred to the local communities through LL and NFE methods. Materials and resources based on the non-formal education principles which will be used to educate brass artisans on technological knowledge and marketing strategies are being developing currently. Since this proposed programme is at the initial level, it is premature to measure sustainable value creation. Further, a scale is being developed to
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measure this transformation with respect to four main domains highlighted in the Table 02. One year subsequent to the implementation of the proposed programme for value creation the outcomes will be measured using the scale developed by the multidisciplinary experts. 4. Conclusion The traditional brass industry has existed for centuries as a caste base livelihood with many changes. It has contributed immensely to the local culture and religions. Due to various socio-economic-cultural and political transitions, this industry has hampered and it has threatened the sustainability of the livelihoods of this community. This research has identified the human and social capital of these traditional craftsmen is not adequate enough to sustain with these changes. Therefore, a sustainable value creation framework based on LL and NFE has been developed and currently being implemented in two villages in Kandy district. The initial findings revealed that value creation can be achieved through inculcating sustainable manufacturing concepts among the craftsmen through NFE, LL and SC successfully. However, still formal measurements of value creation have not been done due to ongoing transformations. Acknowledgement We would like to acknowledge the research funding of Peradeniya University Research Grant: 2014/24 E. References [1] Daskon C.D. Cultural Resilience—The Roles of Cultural Traditions in Sustaining Rural Livelihoods: A Case Study from Rural Kandyan Villages in Central Sri Lanka. Sustainability 2010, 2, 1080-1100 [2] Juleff G. An ancient wind powered iron smelting in Sri Lanka The Nature, vol 379, January 4, 1996, pp 60-62 [3] Cumaraswamy A. Mediaeval Sinhalese Art: Being a Monograph on Mediaeval Sinhalese Arts & Crafts, Mainly As Surviving in the Eighteenth Century, With an Account of the Structure of Society, 1908. [4] Ryan B.Caste in Modern Ceylon. New Delhi: Navrang. 1993 [5] Industry capability report, EDB, (2012), http://www.srilankabusiness.com/pdf/industry_capability_report_craft.pdf (Last visited 16/05/2016) [6] Silva, K.T. Caste, Craft and Traditional Knowledge in Sri Lanka, SAARC Regional seminar on Traditional knowledge and traditional cultural Expressions of South Asia. SAARC Culture Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 2013 [7] Kulaunga A.K., Jayatilaka P. R., Jayawickrama M.. Drivers and Barrier to Implement Sustainable Manufacturing Concept in Sri Lankan Manufacturing Sector.11th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing. Berlin, Germany, 2013 [8] Chandrakumar C., Herath S.A, Jayasinghe R., Gowrynathan J. , Kulatunga A.K., Dharmawardhana M., Ekanayake R.A. Technological Needs Assessment of Traditional Brass Industry to Enhance the Productivity, 5th International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operation Management. Dubai, UAE, 2015. [9] Karunarathna K.G.S.P., Jayawickrama H.M.M.M, DharmawardanaM. and Kulatunga A.K. Decision support framework for development of traditional brass industry - A case study. Proceedings of the 2016 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 8-10, 2016 [10] Jayawardana P.L., AlwisW.R.de,.Fernando M.A, Ventilatory function in brass workers of Gadaladeniya, SriLanka, Rapid Science Publishers for SOM, vol.47, No.7, 1997, pp.411-416. [11] Jayawickrama H.M.M.M, Dharmawardana M., Kulatunga A.K, Karunarathna K.G.S.P, Osadith S.A.U.Enhancement of productivity of traditional brass manufacturing industry using sustainable manufacturing concept.13th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, Vietnam, 2015. [12] Daskon C.D. Significance of cultural values in securing asset portfolios of rural communities. Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences 2015 38(1): 31-50 [13] TipuS. A. A. and Arain M. F., Managing success factors in entrepreneurial ventures: A behavioural approach.International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour& Research, vol. 17, pp. 534–560, 2011 [14] Solymossy E., Entrepreneurial dimensions: the relationship of individual, venture and environment factors to success: PhD thesis. Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USA, 1998 [15] Ekanayake S.B. , Lifelong Education ' The Mega Changes in the New World Order', Coalition for Education Development Sri Lanka, 2009, ISBN978-955-0277-03-2