The Incas have no end: women artisans in Peru and the continuity of their entrepreneurial activity

Purpose: Through focusing on the Peruvian context, this paper aims to identify the main determinants of the continuity of entrepreneurial activity among women artisans. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical sample comprises semi-structured interviews with 28 women artisans in Peru during their participation in a fair organized by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture in Lima (Peru). Thematic analysis was subsequently used to determine the main ideas in the transcripts from the interviews conducted. Findings: The findings empirically identified the following job-related (number of work hours, perceived income, future of artisanal jobs), functional (availability and relevance of workstations, the necessity to travel) and socio-cultural determinants (government support, perceived recognition, level of affiliation with Peruvian traditions) as the main drivers of the continuity of entrepreneurial activities among women artisans. Originality/value: This paper contributes by filling a gap in the literature on women entrepreneurship and artisan entrepreneurship in which empirical studies of Latin American women artisans continuing with their entrepreneurial activities have been limited so far.