Path Analysis Model of the Development of Handicraft Industries in Kelantan, Malaysia

Marsland Press Journal of American Science, 2010;6(1) Path Analysis Model of the Development of Handicraft Industries in Kelantan, Malaysia 1Ma’rof Redzuan & 2Fariborz Aref 1Dept. of Social and Development Sciences, Faculty of Human Ecology Putra University, Malaysia 2School of Management and Economics, Science and Research Branch Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran [email protected] Abstract: This study identify factors that contribute to the development of handicrat industries. The focus is on batik industries. The study was carried out in the District of Kota Bharu in the State of Kelantan, Malaysia, and targeted the entrepreneurs in the batik handicraft enterprises. The study is based upon both quantitative and qualitative analysis of material derived from field-work in several villages in the study area. The analysis of data employed path-analysis model in order to determine the factors that contribute to the explanation of the dependent variable – the development of the industries. The finding show that the selected factors have contributed significantly in the explanation of the development of the industries. The findings imply that it is imperative to consider and understand the local resources, skills, attitudes and aspirations in any government efforts to foster the development of these handicraft industries. Journal of American Science 2010;6(1):129-136]. (ISSN: 1545-1003). Keywords: handicraft , batik,rural development, rural industries 1. Introduction It is widely recognised that rural On the hand, rural development starts development in most developing countries is with people and their education, organisation, unlikely to be achieved by the development of and discipline. Without these three, all resources one sector alone, such as agriculture. Although remain latent, untapped potential" (Schumacher, the agricultural sector is of prime importance in 1975, p. 168). Meanwhile, Wellisz writes the development of rural areas, other fields of that,"Technological progress is the prime mover social and economic development must be of economic development, but unfortunately, it included in a truly integrated approach (Austin, is not a miracle drug. To develop, the 1981, p 1). It has been postulated that economically backward countries must industrialisation can make a significant modernize, but a simple injection of contribution to rural development through modernization does not cure poverty. It is clear, increased rural production and productivity, the first of all, that modernization is not a substitute provision of employment opportunities and the for investment. Obsolete equipment must be satisfaction of basic needs, and the replaced, new factories built, and new machines establishment of linkages with other sectors of installed to embody the new techniques. the economy (Hogg, 1978, p. 19). In relation to Investment in human beings is also needed if a this, interest in rural non-agricultural country is to modernize."(Wellisz, 1966, p. development has been growing in many 234). Human factors or "human resources" developing countries as a result, inter alia, of constitute some of the main factors that can severe limitations on the capacity of the either constrain or hold the key to future agricultural sector to absorb the existing supply development and change. However, besides of rural labour and to satisfy even minimum those factors, the physical resources such as subsistence requirements for a large proportion capital for investment in new technology are of the rural population (Sand, 1983, p 1). Given also clearly important. Thus, this paper attempts agriculture's limited capacity to absorb labour, to explain a path-analysis model which depict rural non-farm activity assumes increased the factors that contribute to the development of importance as an alternative or supplementary handicraft industries. source of rural employment and income. Thus, the promotion of the small enterprise sector 2. Litrature Review (e.g. handicrafts, cottage industries, small-scale General background of the development of rural industries) could play an important role in batik industries the implementation of a development strategy. We attempt to illustrate the general overview of the development of the batik http://www.americanscience.org/journals 129 [email protected]. Marsland Press Journal of American Science, 2010;6(1) industries, particularly in the state of Kelantan. semi-industrial basis. There were several factors The word “batik” is originally a Javanese term, that contributed to the development of the denoting a resist technique for producing industry during the time. Among others were (i) designs on fabrics (Krevitsky, 1964, p. 7). The the importation of raw materials such as dye exact origin of batik is uncertain. It is so old a stuff from Germany, and cotton cloth from craft that its true origin has never been India; (ii) the availability of a market; (iii) the determined, but it can safely be presumed to be small amount of capital needed for the 2,000 years old. It is in Java, Indonesia, that establishment of the industry; and (iv) the many batik was most extensively developed and has workers who had obtained experience and had been continually practised on a large scale. opened their own businesses. The demand for From Java batik was introduced to Europe by batik products is increasing. Some of the Dutch traders, who first imported it to the Malaysian batiks have been exported to the Netherlands in the middle of the seventeenth overseas market, among others to the United century (Hitchcock, 1991). Today, batik is still States, Japan, Europe, Australia and Africa. In identified throughout the world with Java or the country the wearing of batiks has been Indonesia. The development of batik-making in encouraged by the government in order to Malaysia can be traced from the making of preserve a national identity. Batik shirts traditional pelangi batik, in which the pelangi (especially hand-drawn) are considered an technique preceded efforts to adopt batik appropriate formal attire for Malaysian men. In locally. This method (tie-resist) of decorating women's attire, batik provides a Malaysian cloth was practised by Malays during the flavour for high fashion western style dresses. eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is Batik has been recognised as a national dress, believed that pelangi batik was available during worn by all ethnic groups and is no longer the reign of the third ruler of Trengganu, Sultan associated with the Malays (Arney, 1987). Our Zainal Abidin II (1773-1808), where Minah study also illustrate the dynamic aspects of the Pelangi was the most famous producer of batik industries, in terms of whether they have during the time. The "modern" way of batik improved, have declined within the past ten making began with the canting method, years, or have experienced no change believed to be a Javanese invention which dates ("stagnation"). The development of the aspects back to the seventeenth century. A rather new or elements of the industries could indicate the method of batiking which was introduced in the process of their development: for instance, middle of the nineteenth century was called the where an enterprise has started well but is now chop (or cap) or "printing block", which was gradually shrinking, while others are developing also invented by the Javanese. The invention and enlarging. Table 1 reveals the development rapidly enabled the far-sighted batik process of the study enterprises within the last manufacturers to place their production on a ten years. Table 1: The development of aspects of the silverware and batik industries during the past ten years (N=140) Aspect of Development Improved Stagnant Declined Design 84 - - Quality 63 21 - Productivity 51 24 9 Size 42 24 18 Numbers of workers 36 21 27 Quantity of product 18 57 9 Market 12 60 12 Technology 3 75 6 The heuristic model of development of based on the number of workers, capital, and handicraf industries production); and not the level of "modernity" of In this study, for the purpose of the the industries (level of technology, and so on), analysis and for convenience of discussion, we since all of the batik industries employ attempt to put the variables into a simple traditional technology and management in heuristic framework as follows. The state of production. Modern small industry is development of the industries employed in this characterised by appropriate use of efficient study is specifically indicated by the size (i.e. machines, good plant layout, precise control of http://www.americanscience.org/journals 130 [email protected]. Marsland Press Journal of American Science, 2010;6(1) production processes; appropriate use of terms of location the industries tend to be business planning and budgeting, market clustered in certain areas where they are easily analysis, cost accounting and so on (Staley and reachable. The state of Kelantan is located in Morse, 1965, p. 4). the northern part of the east coast of Peninsular Although there are conceivably an Malaysia, and covers an areas of 14,943 square infinite variety of factors (such as the kilometres (see Appendix, Figure 2). personality of entrepreneurs, socio- psychological aspects, physical resources, 4. The Research Methodology family histories, economic background, etc) In order to achieve the goals of the study associated with the development of the we utilised a combination of research methods. industries, we employed the above-mentioned Thus, this study

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