Eliciting a profile of handicraft entrepreneurs in Maboneng

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore and articulate the profile of handicraft entrepreneurs operating in the Maboneng precinct of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is qualitative in nature – implementing a phenomenology through which cases of four handicraft entrepreneurs are developed.

Findings

Handicraft entrepreneurs in Maboneng possess a spiritually motivated profile that does not allow them to be neatly characterised in the profiles of the literature.

Originality/value

This study contributes to addressing the dearth of knowledge in the literature on the profile of entrepreneurs in Africa. It provides insights on the spiritual motivation of artisanal entrepreneurs in particular who represent a part of the largest proportion of African small-scale entrepreneurial activity.