Coping Strategies of Micro-Entrepreneurs when Business Collapse in Imminent: Case Study of ‘Nandini Micro-Entrepreneurs’ in Jammu- Katra Region

Abstract

There are several success stories of micro-enterprises turning Large Scale Corporations or Multi-National Corporations such as Microsoft, McDonald's, and Infosys etc. On the other hand, many of these entrepreneurs lack vision and their enterprises stagnate at particular levels while yet others, end up with rapid decline in their business, triggered by a variety of reasons. Nandini is one such profile on Jammu-Katra-Srinagar highway, where the seizure of existing businesses of micro-entrepreneurs is certain. In view of the new 4-lane toll road coming up, the old zigzag route will be abandoned and this will bring an end to the decades old, well to do and very famous 'Nandini Paneer Pakoda Market' comprising of about 20 similar shops well displaying and selling cottage cheese Pakodas (fresh fried snacks), and also some other goods over time, mostly to the yatris (pilgrims) passing through the route. This paper presents the Case Study based on the inquisitive research about determining the alternative business plans, if at all, made by these micro-entrepreneurs. The main research question is whether these 20 micro-entrepreneurial families have a clearly charted "joint strategy", "individual strategy" or "no strategy" or plan about their own future.