Change and continuity in family business: Looking at the craft of bone carving in Post-colonial India

By Astha Mishra, Sougata Ray

Citation

Mishra, Astha., Ray, Sougata. (2025). Change and continuity in family business: Looking at the craft of bone carving in Post-colonial India .

2025

Abstract

In this paper we re-examine artisanal family enterprises within the changing historical and sociological milieu, and reflect on the adaptational strategies of small scale, artisanal entities in the context of globalization induced rapid socio-economic and cultural changes. More specifically, we re-examine the lived experiences of artisans who have traditionally been involved in the ancient craft of bone carving, within the grand theoretical debates of social change such as tradition and modernity, past and future, change and continuity (De Massis et al. 2016; Erdogan et. al. 2020; Sasaki et. al. 2020; Suddaby and Jaskiewicz 2020). Through a rich, unique, and historical context located in India, we bring forward a new understanding of artisanal family enterprise as a historically sustained form of socio-economic organization that continues to remain embedded in traditional institutions, and practices, but does not shy from embracing creativity, innovation, and technology (Ganzin et. Al., 2024). Our empirical study shows distinct patterns in the long life of an artisan family, which may be classified as ‘traditional’ or ‘modern’, but rather than prescribing to the discrete dichotomies of change and continuity, and the theoretical binaries of tradition and modernity, we suggest a rather fluid, and dynamic relationship between craft enterprises, their long-held but equally dynamic traditions which not only determine the organization of craft, but also of the family, and globalization induced social and cultural changes which the family frequently navigates with, in order to survive.

Sougata Ray is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship (Practice), Thomas Schmidheiny Chair Professor, and Executive Director of the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise, at the Indian School of Business (ISB). Earlier, he served at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta for over two decades as a Professor of Strategic Management, a member of the Board of Governors, and Dean. He was also a senior-level executive at Infosys Technologies Limited for two years in a strategic role as Head of innovation Lab. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and the Indian Institute of Engineering, Science and Technology, Shibpur.

Professor Ray’s research interests have evolved over the years in understanding various facets of strategic management, entrepreneurship, innovation and the governance of firms and business groups in high-growth economies. Given the ubiquity of family firms in India and observing how family owners and leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the future of enterprises, he was gradually drawn into family business research. In recent years, under the aegis of the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise, he has been spearheading a mega programme towards developing a solid research-based understanding of family firms and business groups in India and South Asia. He has also been leading a research programme in the areas of social entrepreneurship, corporate sustainability strategy and practices, bottom-of-the-pyramid initiatives, and involvement of corporations in inclusive and sustainable development.

Professor Ray is one of the most prolific and cited home-grown strategy scholars in India. He has been publishing regularly in reputed scholarly journals and presenting in leading peer-reviewed international conferences. He has received over half a million dollars in research grants, several prestigious research and teaching awards, and numerous award nominations.

He blends over three decades of experiences in diverse roles – as an international-quality academic, research, and institution builder, alongside hands-on corporate managerial and governance roles as an executive, member of the Board of Directors, and co-founder of startups.. He has been an advisor to numerous medium and large corporations, family businesses, and startups, and he has served as Principal Consultant to leading international development agencies. He currently sits on the governing and advisory boards of several listed and unlisted companies, startups, and social enterprises.

Professor Ray has taught in numerous executive education programmes and has designed and conducted many workshops exclusively for owner-managers, entrepreneurs, and C-level executives of companies in India, Asia, Middle East, Nordic and Scandinavian countries. Over the years, he has led over thirty C- level executive delegations to countries on every continent for high-level meetings with the ministers, high-ranking officials, multilateral agencies such as the WTO and ILO, Chambers of Commerce, MNCs, industrial organisations, research labs, and academic institutions.

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