An Exploration into Home-Based Businesses: Data from Textile Artists

There was a time in history when artists and craftsmen of all types made a living by producing and selling their customized products or services. The Industrial Revolution dramatically changed this way of life for the artist when products and services became available at reduced prices to the masses. However, mass production, modern technology, and the rise of large corporations have led to the feeling of isolation and impersonalization for many employees. As people feel the need to be more in control of their lives in both their work and leisure activities, they are turning to home-based businesses (HBBs) as a means of providing a living for themselves and their families. Home-based workers (HBWs) either work for an outside employer by performing some or all of their job-related activities at home or operate their own businesses from the home. Working from home is becoming more desirable and feasible for millions of Americans. For a multitude of reasons, the number of HBWs is rising at an ever-increasing rate. According to LINK Resources' National Work-at-Home survey, the number of Americans working full or part-time from home grew from 23 million in 1988 to 41.1 million in 1993, with 12.2 million of these being self-employed individuals (Brabec 1994). The majority of HBWs have some college education and are in service businesses. Wholesale and retail trades and manufacturing follow service trades with the second and third largest shares of homeworkers (Ambry 1988). Home-based workers seem to be filling a niche in today's marketplace for personal products and services that cannot be provided through mass production and marketing methods. The number of HBWs includes not only those who are self-employed, but a growing population of company employees who, through today's technology, can perform a job at home more cost effectively for both the employer and employee. Other factors contributing to the increasing numbers of HBWs are the attractions of operating from home for the disabled, retirees, hobbyists, and families with small children. Women represent the fastest growing group of HBWs and enter business at a rate five times that of men (Pusey 1990; Waymon 1986). Personal skills such as sewing, photography, or catering can be used to develop a business from home that may not be marketable to an outside company. Financing the start-up costs of a HBB are now within reach of more individuals due to low overhead and the tax advantages of working in one's home. In addition, for both the employed and self-employed, working from home results in an average increase in productivity of 20 percent (Bacon 1989; Edwards and Edwards 1990). Reasons cited include being able to work during an individual's peak hours of productivity due to a flexible work schedule, a sense of pride and accomplishment in one's work, and fewer distractions associated with working outside an office setting. However, home-based businesses also have disadvantages that cannot be overlooked (Furry and Lino 1992; Loker et al. 1990; and Waymon 1986). Isolation can be a major disadvantage, as is the tendency for home-based workers to spend too much time working. They find it difficult to separate work from family life. An additional disadvantage for some may be the potential exploitation of HBWs since monitoring for compliance with wage and hour laws is unrealistic. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine which factors contribute to the success of HBBs. The study focused on a single industry, that of textile artists with HBBs, to control for possible industry differences. Textile Artists Arts and artistic expression have been part of people's lives for many centuries (Summer and Schrank 1979). Research studies show that many people are involved with craftwork, either for a leisure time activity or as a means of earning a living. Those individuals who have invested in their own training are interested in factors which contribute to their success (Summer and Schrank 1979). …