Title: Quantitative assessment of rural handicraft industrialisation pathways: multiple regression analysis of art design curriculum's impact on community cultural capital accumulation

Authors: Zhe Liang

Addresses: College of Art and Design, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, Henan, China; Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Girona, Girona, 17004, Spain

Abstract: This study quantifies how structured art design curriculum interventions - comprising technical workshops, cultural documentation training, and market literacy programs - catalyse rural handicraft industrialisation through systematic cultural capital accumulation mechanisms. Analysing data from 412 respondents across 27 rural communities, it measures four cultural capital dimensions: skills, products, institutional recognition and knowledge networks. Results show curriculum significantly enhances cultural capital directly (β = 0.28, p < 0.05) and indirectly via knowledge transfer (β = 0.37, p < 0.01), with a strong total effect (β = 0.65, p < 0.001). Institutional recognition correlates with market expansion (r = 0.82, p < 0.01), while knowledge networks link to production sustainability (r = 0.76, p < 0.01). The model explains 86% of economic performance variance, with regional variations (southern: R² = 0.85; remote: R² = 0.64). Innovative industrialisation yields higher ROI (cultural: 68%; digital: 60%) than traditional methods. The findings support targeted investments and highlight contextual influences on cultural capital conversion.

Keywords: multiple regression modelling; rural handicraft industrialisation; art design education; cultural capital quantification; sustainable rural development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJART.2026.151923

International Journal of Arts and Technology, 2026 Vol.16 No.1, pp.29 - 48

Received: 08 May 2025
Accepted: 23 Jul 2025
Published online: 26 Feb 2026 *

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