STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS OF WEAVER WELL-BEING: MODELLING THE IMPACT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND CRISIS FACTORS IN THE TAMIL NADU HANDLOOM SECTOR

The handloom industry in Tamil Nadu is a very important economic and cultural support, but it has serious sustainability problems caused by structural inefficiencies and modernization. This paper uses Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine the multifaceted relationships among demographic profiles, Socio-Economic Factors (SEF), Elements Causing Crisis (ECC), and Social Well-being (SW). The study uses a recursive model to test the direct and indirect channels of influence based on a survey of 1,000 weavers in seven major handloom centres. The findings suggest that demographic factors, in particular age and marital status, are strong predictors of socio-economic status and crisis perception, but gender does not have any statistically significant structural impact. In line with the Resource-Constraint framework, the model indicates that positive socio-economic conditions are very useful in promoting social well-being (β =0.368), which is a buffer to the adverse effects of industry crisis factors (β= -0.098). These results indicate that specific policy interventions are required, which focus on structural asset-building and collaborative modernization to reduce the elements of crisis and guarantee the long-term sustainability of this traditional craft.