Interviews
The interviews have been chosen after careful consideration following the path of the master’s journey. Most of the interviewees and case studies requested full anonymity and no pictures taken of their work. This is due to the culture of lack of trust in people, the society and the government. This is part of the post-communist heritage and embedded in the experience of never knowing who is a member of the secret police and who might uses their power to bring someone down. It is important for the reader in question to try and understand the necessity to detach from the practices, heritage and culture of their own country to be able to fully embrace the cultural differences of this study. Many parts of this research is based on the writers full understanding of the culture even though it also created barriers with people to the extent of finding it almost impossible to understand why a western university would approve a research based in Hungary. Also it was a challenge for people approached for interviews to understand that whilst the Hungarian masters system gives set research themes for their students London College of Fashion encourages students to explore new research areas. The low number of practical implementation of innovative research at the Hungarian higher education is further discussed under the Innovation Management.
Stage I.
Looking for transferable experience from Africa to set up social enterprise in Hungary.
· Tom Sanderson, the UK Director of Five Talents trying to unfold the steps of realisation in the organisation`s success in Africa. At this stage the research was mainly focused on looking for a new exciting model for social enterprise in Hungary to be able to provide sustainable solution for women to generate income through fashion related artisan projects for local customers.
· Dr Laszlo Szerb, associate professor at University of Pécs Faculty of Business and Economics, whose expertise in SME and entrepreneurship in Hungary has given a fundamental insight to the writer between the importance of Business and Innovation, Opportunity entrepreneurship and necessity self-employed.
Stage II.
Identifying local skills, materials and markets in Hungarian local development.
· During the process of looking for local skills, materials and markets the research started off by investigating what local skills are available and potential consumers the writer conducted a series of interview with three artisans working in the field of fashion by using the criteria of village and town tailoring, being in full-time employment and necessity self-employment.
· During analysing these interviews the focus shifted onto the criteria of necessity self-employed and a basket weaver, a ceramist and a jewellery maker was interviewed. The basket weaver runs a successful business, the ceramist and the jewellery maker are not in a position to start an enterprise.
· The outcome of these interviews raised the question when how and why necessity self-employment was created and to be able to follow the journey of this phenomenon two interviews were conducted based on the criteria of looking at a there generational village tailoring family and a carpenter with 50 years of experience.
· Additionally an interview was conducted with Andrea Barcsai the head of Ibsen Craft College at Bekescsaba to gain knowledge about the future of potential artisans.
Case Studies
Stage I.
What holds back microenterprises in Hungary?
Three of the interviews had been revisited, studied and analysed more in depth to understand what were the main obstacles in starting up as self-employed to practice craft based skills. The main criteria for these case studies were that during the initial interviews all of them said the reason they could not start a microenterprise because they cannot afford to start up and pay the monthly high entrepreneurial monthly fees to the government.
Stage II.
What is the historical evidence of this hold back?
A detailed case study follows through the writer`s three generational village tailor family history. This case study has been chosen in reflection of the writer’s aspiration to start a fashion microenterprise in 2004 in Hungary. Due to the high entrepreneurial monthly fees and the bureaucracy burden this aspiration was put on hold until 2010 and became a reality in England. By examining family documents, tax papers and an in-depth interview with the second generation made it possible to the writer to get a full understanding of several local and historical changes of demand, the shift of availability in products and the change of taxation due to going into a the transition economy from a centralised government.
Low carbon Footprint Considerate Design
Inspired by the experience gained in Southern Africa in 2007 and 2008 to design and make products by using local skills, materials and markets gave the writer a unique insight about the advantages of localism and its positive effects on the community. This interest was recaptured during a Considerate Design workshop at London College of Fashion looking at the possibilities of low Carbon Footprint during the design, making and retail process.
Traditional felt making and natural dying
During summer 2009 the writer spent a week learning traditional Hungarian felt making and natural dying at the Folk Art Association of Bekes County’s Artisan Camp at Bekescsaba. The reason for choosing felt making was that out of the craft skills thought there that was the one where sheep wool was available locally in the village.
Soap making
Learning the process of felt making and traditional Hungarian felt pattern design from the time of the settlement of Magyars into Hungary raised questions in the writer about traditional wool cleaning processes, which does not use pesticides. During researching into what environmentally friendly substance was available in the village to possibly clean wool with the writer came across the traditional home made soap. Based on an old recipe as part of the practical journey, the soap-making process was undertaken.
Wool washing
The process of wool cleaning is one requiring considerate amount of water and strong cleaning detergents. By researching different methods of wool washing the writer decided to follow the cold water soak hand wash using home-made soap.
Felt-making
The experiment with felt making started on a basic idea and took the first steps to realisations. As the theoretic research progressed the product design and development part of the realisation was held back and the main emphasis was put on the effects of policy making on the decreasing number of Hungarian artisans instead. The practicality of this thesis is based on the theory that could potentially bring a positive change, rather than creating products from Hungarian materials in Hungary for customers in Hungary and not having the opportunity to start a micro enterprise around it due to the high entrepreneurial taxes and the bureaucracy burden. This consideration takes on a long-term approach.
Supplementary Reading
During the theoretical research process several areas has been looked at to gain full understanding of the complexity the subject requires. At an early stage after conducting the Sanderson report, several areas were looked at:
· The role of the church in entrepreneurship
· The role of the civil sector in supporting job creation
· Fundraising for social enterprise
· Microfinance in Hungary
· The level of distrust and the lack of team work due to the 40 years communism.
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