Sustainable Pathways for Informal Micro Entrepreneurs in the Sports Goods Industry: Managing Economic Efficiency

The sports goods business in the developing economies such as India is highly dependent on the small and micro entrepreneurs who experience a lot of challenges in sustainability that include ecological depletion, financial constraints, and a lack of skilled human resource. These enterprises are mostly existing in the informal sector, and strategic interventions need to be made in order to rise above these challenges. This chapter addresses sustainability issues and strategic opportunities of these entrepreneurs examining the economic feasibility of sustainability activities and their consistency with sustainability development objectives. The main interventions are the increase in access to capital, either by microfinance and online payment systems, capacity building with emphasis on skills acquisition and sustainable production, increased market access by e-commerce or collaborative networks, and legal security and income stability by government policy support. Also, by promoting relations with giant companies and sports brands, there will be an opportunity to transfer technologies, standardize the quality, and build strong supply chains. Inclusive measure, which involves combining financial, technological, as well as policy, will make sure that micro and small business persons in sports goods industry attain sustainable economic growth as well as lead to an inclusive economy, which facilitates peaceful and inclusive societal growth.