Over the past years, it has become obvious to several craftsmen (and non-craftsmen) that some specific crafts and know-hows have been disappearing, especially in various industries such as fashion, glove-making, shoe-making… . These know-hows belong to the cultural heritage of nations, it is a part of their history, in the same way than a prestigious building or an object is. This is why, in response to the growing need for recognition of these know-hows, the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (hereinafter referred to as UNESCO) decided to qualify properly these knowhows in order for them to be clearly defined and recognized as the part of a cultural heritage.
This qualification allows these know-hows to have a place among all cultural heritages that need to be preserved and cherished. The Convention For The Safeguarding Of The Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) is the result of the Conference which took place in Paris from 29 September to 17 October 2003 and defines “intangible cultural heritage” as “the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. This intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity. [Consideration is] given solely to such intangible cultural heritage as is compatible with existing international human rights instruments, as well as with the requirements of mutual respect among communities, groups and individuals, and of sustainable development.
Table of Contents
1. Intangible Cultural Heritage
2. Métiers d’Art and Know-Hows
3. Causes of decline of Metiers d’Art in the Luxury industry
3.1 Lack of succession
3.2 Initial formations
3.3 Lack of information
3.4 Lack of consideration
4. Person-Environment Fit Theory
4.1 Person-Organization fit (P-O)
4.2 Person-Job fit (P-J)
4.3 Person-Group fit (P-G)
4.4 Person-Person fit (P-P)
5. Job stress
6. Turnover
Research Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this research is to apply Person-Environment fit theories to the context of French Luxury Jewelry craftsmanship to identify the underlying reasons for the decline of intangible cultural heritage in this specific sector.
- Preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Métiers d’Art)
- Analysis of factors contributing to the decline of traditional crafts
- Application of Person-Environment (P-E) Fit Theory in an organizational context
- Investigation of Job Stress and Turnover impacts within the luxury industry
Excerpt from the Book
Causes of decline of Metiers d’Art in the Luxury industry
These Métiers d’Arts in Luxury Jewelry are the roots of all creations that come out of the workshops. It includes model makers, jewellers, gem setters, polishers and many others. Even though no literature has addressed the decline of such crafts in the Luxury Jewelry industry, the article of Bouton X., Dereux H., Hollocou A. (2015) focuses on several causes of the disappearance of craftsmanship in the French luxury industry as a whole.
According to Bouton X., Dereux H., Hollocou A. (2015), the main reason for the disappearance of the Métiers d’Art is the lack of successors for aging craftsmen who do not have anyone after them to continue and pass on their knowledge and skills.
Apart from cultural and political reasons (“working with its hands” tends to be less considered in France than “working with its mind”), Bouton X., Dereux H., Hollocou A. (2015) explain the phenomenon of lack of succession (less and less craftsmen stay long enough and are qualified enough to take over the place of soon-to-be retired craftsmen) by stressing out the problematic of the formation to the Métiers d’Art.
Summary of Chapters
Intangible Cultural Heritage: This chapter defines intangible cultural heritage based on the UNESCO convention and establishes why it is a relevant framework for traditional jewelry crafts.
Métiers d’Art and Know-Hows: This section clarifies the terminology regarding specialized skills and the specific criteria that define 'Métiers d’Art' in the French context.
Causes of decline of Metiers d’Art in the Luxury industry: This chapter analyzes the systemic reasons for the loss of traditional skills, specifically identifying succession, training issues, lack of information, and social stigmatization as drivers.
Person-Environment Fit Theory: This chapter provides a theoretical overview of P-E fit, tracing its historical roots and its evolution into a key concept for organizational behavior research.
Job stress: This section examines the theoretical definitions of job stress and its relationship with the individual-environment interaction.
Turnover: This chapter discusses the concept of employee turnover and its correlation with organizational fit and environmental variables.
Keywords
Intangible Cultural Heritage, Métiers d’Art, French Luxury Jewelry, Person-Environment Fit, P-O Fit, P-J Fit, Job Stress, Turnover, Craftsmanship, Succession, Vocational Training, Organizational Behavior, Work Culture, Career Choice, Skill Preservation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research?
The work focuses on understanding why traditional craftsmanship skills, known as Métiers d’Art, are disappearing within the French Luxury Jewelry industry.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The main themes include Intangible Cultural Heritage, Person-Environment Fit theory, the causes of declining craftsmanship, job stress, and employee turnover.
What is the central research objective?
The goal is to apply scientific theories, specifically P-E fit, to the practical reality of luxury jewelry workshops to explain the decline of intangible cultural heritage.
Which scientific methods are utilized in the work?
The research primarily employs a theoretical framework, conducting a literature review to synthesize existing organizational theories and applying them to the niche sector of luxury jewelry.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the definition of relevant heritage, the identification of decline factors (like lack of succession), and a detailed breakdown of P-E fit sub-categories (P-O, P-J, P-G, P-P) alongside stress and turnover dynamics.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Intangible Cultural Heritage, Métiers d’Art, P-E Fit, Luxury Industry, Craftsmanship, and Employee Turnover.
How does the author define 'Métiers d’Art'?
The author refers to the definition by Dumas (2009), which categorizes them based on the execution of complex know-how and the production of unique, artistic, or limited edition objects.
Why is there a lack of succession in the luxury jewelry industry?
The study attributes this to a lack of candidates, poor initial formation quality, and a lack of social consideration for manual labor in France, making it difficult for masters to pass on their skills.
- Quote paper
- Marine Chabin (Author), 2017, Disappearance of intangible cultural heritage in the French Luxury Jewelry industry. A literature review, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/367062
