Lessons from sustainable community-based enterprise: harmonizing values, intent and purpose

Gunjan Joshi and Sharda Nandram

Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 2026, vol. 20, issue 5, 1496-1517

Abstract: PurposeThis study aims to investigate how inner values, community relationships and place-based practices contribute to the long-term viability and environmental connectedness of community-based enterprises (CBEs), focusing on a rural handicraft cooperative in India. It explores how value-driven leadership and rootedness in local contexts can offer pathways to sustainable and inclusive development.Design/methodology/approachUsing a qualitative case study approach, the research examines Earthcraft Cooperative, a community enterprise built by and with rural artisans. Guided by an ecofeminist lens, the study investigates how ethics of care, non-extractive relationships with nature and shared purpose shape organizational practices.FindingsFindings show that the enterprise thrives not only through economic activity, but by cultivating a deeper sense of collective purpose and well-being. The care-centered intent of the leadership, often informed by relational and reflective values, plays a key role in sustaining the enterprise. The study highlights how embodied craftsmanship and rooted community participation serve as counterpoints to technology-dominated, growth-centric models of work.Practical implicationsThe study provides insights for policymakers, social entrepreneurs and development actors seeking to support inclusive, values-led rural enterprises that align economic goals with ecological and human flourishing.Originality/valueThis research offers a nuanced understanding of CBEs by foregrounding the ethical, relational and quietly spiritual dimensions of enterprise. It adds to emerging scholarship on alternative economies by showing how inner values and community-rooted care can drive sustainable transformation.

Keywords: Handicraft; Sustainability; Ecofeminism; Spirituality; Community-based enterprise (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:jecpps:jec-04-2025-0099

DOI: 10.1108/JEC-04-2025-0099

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