Application of FDEMATEL Approach to Formulate and Prioritize the Handicrafts Development Strategies in Villages of Khuzestan Province of Iran

This study aimed at identifying and prioritizing the development strategies regarding handicrafts in the villages of Khuzestan province of Iran. It was mainly conducted with a developmental-applied approach in a combined method of Fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (FDEMATEL) and SWOT model through descriptive, analytical and survey techniques. The study results indicated the following as the most prioritized strategies in the development of handicrafts in villages of the province, respectively: conducting national and international handicraft exhibitions in the villages targeted as tourism and handicrafts; arranging complete insurance for handicrafts artists with licenses to work; establishing permanent handicrafts markets and bazaars in the ports of the province; introducing handicrafts of Khuzestan province through various educational media to government officials in charge of development expenditure; focusing on the development of e-commerce for handicrafts of the province; setting research priorities and coordination needed for timely reception of three percent of development credits; creating educational and promotional films and presentations in the markets for handicraft sales of the province; introducing active handicrafts cooperatives to government agencies of Khuzestan province for spending one percent of the construction budget of handicrafts purchase from these cooperatives; paying special attention to the educational dimension and facilities for the vulnerable economic centers of the province's handicrafts; and providing the experts with the specialist handicraft training by leading professors to prevent the obliteration of some indigenous branches of Khuzestan province.