Status, Problems, and Prospects of Pottery Enterprises in San Juan, Batangas
Date
6-2021
Degree
Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management
College
College of Economics and Management (CEM)
Adviser/Committee Chair
Renen Szilardo C. de Guzman
Committee Member
Renen Szilardo C. de Guzman, Jewel Joanna S. Cabardo, Remund Jordan D. Labios
Abstract
Pottery is one of the major livelihoods in the Municipality of San Juan (Abanilla-Del Mundo, 2019). Pottery as a business in the location started way back in the 1950s (Regulto, 2002) and still operating as of the current time (Office of the Municipal Mayor, 2019). In order to further grow, save, or develop the pottery enterprises making up the industry, this research was done. This study entitled “Status, Problems, and Prospects of Pottery Enterprises in San Juan, Batangas” discussed the situation, issues, and future directions of pottery enterprises in San Juan before and during the pandemic hit the industry. Specifically, the study (1) presented the profile of the entrepreneurs and their pottery enterprises; (2) analyzed the status and problems of pottery enterprises before and during Covid-19; (3) identified coping strategies; (4) assessed the prospects and opportunities of the industry; and (5) formulated recommendations to address the challenges and problems in the industry.
Descriptive analysis was used to understand the data gathered from five pottery enterprise owners representing 31.25% of the total population through face-to-face interviews while following the minimum health protocols and procedures being implemented in the area. The information included in the study came from primary (personal interviews) and secondary documents (researches, municipal documents, et cetera.). Tools of analysis used include PESTLE analysis, Business Model Canvas, descriptive statistics, and comparative Analysis.
One of its primary sources of income in San Juan, Batangas was the pottery industry that can be seen in Brgy. Libato, Palahanan 2.0, and Muzon. The significance of the enterprise in the municipality is seen in its Lambayok festival, which is a wordplay for lambanog, palayok, and karagatan.
Factors such as political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental elements were presented in this study. Political influence came from the strictness of the implementation of government programs, projects, protocols, et cetera. The economic aspect involves the seasonality of the product and the increase in supply cost. Social factors include culture and tradition in the municipality like festivals, celebrations, and ceremonies. Technological factors included the techniques used in producing the product and communicating it to the customers. Legal factors were about the Municipal Zoning Ordinance and the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of the Municipality. Lastly, the environmental factors include the weather conditions in the location which has a direct impact since clay pots are heat and moisture sensitive.
The pottery enterprise owners included in the study are all females and are distributed in
wide age groups, and are educated. The longest-running pottery business among the respondents started in 1995 while the study also considered a budding one that started in 2019. The Potters ventured towards this industry due to tradition and economic reasons. Though the turbulent times brought about the pandemic, have economically unstable, they choose to still operate their business to have at least a meager source of income.
Changes in the status of the enterprise were greatly seen in comparing the previous normal1 to the new normal2 time frames. Also, a comparison of before and during the pandemic the situation was studied. In general, potters encountered less demand which affected almost half the revenue and profitability of their stores. Though these changes were seen, strategies remained the same as the potters have limited adaptation to cope with such a crisis. There were no changes on the products they produce, customers they target, channels where their products are available, and even on pricing. Even though with various opportunities present such as digital and online presence, such were not tapped as they just operated like how they did before the pandemic. With these, as expected, the closure of non-essential businesses in this tourist-sustained town, cause a significant decrease in their main customers – the tourists. This effect trickled down towards all the metrics they have in the Business Model Canvas.
Meanwhile, changes in the managing and operations part of the enterprise solved some of the previous problems encountered in 2002, which, however, brought new problems. Current problems identified were a) unpredictable weather, b) power interruption, c) inadequate supply of raw materials, d) the production of low-quality products due to equivalent level of technology, e) transport/delivery damages, f) customer power; and g)debt and limited capital sources. These problems were aggravated when the pandemic hit as demand decreased, which affected their revenues and profitability. In almost all aspects, there was a decrease: decrease in the number of customers, decrease in quantity bought from them, decreased in revenues and decreased in profits.
Most of the entrepreneurs were content with the status of their business even amidst the
pandemic. Only one hopes that the business will have its delivery. All of them were just waiting for the normal situation to return so that their operations can recover from the losses they had during the pandemic, hence innovations to cope with the pandemic were minimal. On a Likert scale, entrepreneurs' attitudes and dispositions were assessed. It presented that the business still has a positive outlook and high hopes for continuity specifically after the pandemic, though currently has decreasing confidence in terms of current profitability and has minimal to no support from the government.
In overall conclusion, the pottery enterprises under study remained traditional, and that the current trend was not yet started to be engaged with or maximized to improve and develop
the status of the business and to solve the problems they were facing. The business was doing good though encountering problems as stated earlier, however, when the pandemic hit, those problems intensified and the enterprises suffered due to the decrease in customers buying from them. This pushed down their sales and also, their profit. Despite that, the entrepreneurs of pottery businesses in San Juan, Batangas, whether engaging in manufacturing and/or retailing, continued to operate as long as they can earn from it that can cover their everyday expenses. Also, they will continue since pottery is the primary livelihood in the place they lived.
Recommendations were divided into two main parts: specific suggestions for each problem per enterprise and general recommendations for the Government sector, entrepreneurs, and researchers. That formulated advice was for the improvement and development of the enterprises. These include providing support by the government through stimulating economic demand, exploring new technologies and tapping emerging online opportunities by the entrepreneurs, tapping a new premium market, improving design and product portfolio, and conducting feasibility studies and market acceptability for these new offerings by the researchers.
Language
English
LC Subject
Business enterprises
Location
UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)
Call Number
LG 993 2021 M17 D45
Recommended Citation
De la Cruz, Jommel V., "Status, Problems, and Prospects of Pottery Enterprises in San Juan, Batangas" (2021). Undergraduate Theses. 10759.
https://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/etd-undergrad/10759
Document Type
Thesis
