This research project was designed to analyze the industry standards in five professional profiles i.e. Automotive Repair and Maintenance Industry, Carpentry Industry, Electric Engineering High Voltage Repair and Maintenance Industry, Electronics Low Voltage Circuitry Repair and Maintenance Industry, and Tailoring Industry in Kabul. Through this project OEDA conducted a cluster analysis of the informal economy in the mentioned professional profiles. The main objective was to identify the clusters for each professional profile and then identify the division of labour within each cluster, the level of technology employed by each cluster, and qualification needs of apprentices and artisans.

Automotive:

The project was designed to conduct a research on the industry standards of the Automotive  industry in Kabul; the three aspects include determining the technology level, possibilities of integration of innovative technologies, and labour distribution in the auto-mechanic industry. The target groups were company owners and staff of 270 auto-mechanic workshops in different parts of Kabul. The seven clusters identified in the auto-mechanic industry include the following.

1. Vehicle Body Work

2. Electric Work (Wiring)

3. Hydraulic and Lubrication

4. Mechanical Work

5. Tire/Wheel Mechanical Work (Wheel Balance/Gauge)

6. Vehicle Air Conditioning and Heating Systems

7. Trade (Vehicle Spare Part and Tire/Wheel Suppliers)

Electronics Industry

This research project used a cluster sampling method for the data collection; there were eight pre-determined clusters in the electronics industry. The target groups were company owners and staff of 270 electronics repair workshops in different parts of Kabul.  OEDA identified the clusters of electronics industry in two main categories of repair workshops and trade, we distributed repair workshops in five sub-categories, within these five subcategories we further divided the telecommunication systems in three sub-categories, the distribution of clusters in the electronics industry include:

1. Repair workshops for digital computers, circuitry work of any appliance, and media (modern appliances)

   • Computers and networking (circuitry)

   • Telecommunication systems (circuitry)

     • Radio and walkie talkie circuitry work

     • Satellite and signal processing circuitry work

     • Mobile and phone repair workshops

   • Communication and media streaming for vehicles circuitry

   • Building security systems circuitry work

   • Radio and TV circuitry work

2. Trade and suppliers of tools for electronic repair workshops

Electrical Engineering:

The five clusters identified in the electric engineering industry include the following.

1. Refrigeration

   • Refrigerator and deep freezer

   • Air conditioning

2. Water Supply

   • Electric water supply system (water pumps, water boilers)

   • Solar water supply systems

3. Household appliances

   • Washing machines, microwave, dish washers, air exhaust, sweeper

   • Power generators, (fuel and solar)

4. Electric engineering for construction work (transformers, wiring, switches, relays)

5. Trade and supplier

Carpentry Industry

This research project used a cluster sampling method for the data collection; there were three main (eleven sub) pre-determined clusters in the carpentry industry. The target groups were company owners and staff of 270 carpentry workshops in different parts of Kabul. The three main clusters identified in the carpentry industry include the following.

1. Rough Carpentry, includes components of a residence or commercial building

2. Finish Carpentry

3. Trade and Suppliers

 Tailoring Industry

OEDA surveyed 270 companies in tailoring industry. The tailoring industry in Kabul in total provides 32 types of different services and products ranging from Men’s Clothing to Trade Tailoring Machinery and Garment. There were eight process functions in the service delivery at tailoring industry that were identified by OEDA including Receive Order, Design/Sketch, Collect Measurements, Cut

Garments/Textile, Sewing/Stitching, Button Hole/Buttons & Slings, Pressing/ Finishing. The four clusters identified in tailoring industry include the following.

1. Tailoring of ordinary clothing and outfits,

2. Tailoring of specialized clothing and outfits,

3. Handicrafts tailoring, and

4. Trade and suppliers of tailoring machinery.