Strategies and Factors Development of MSME Traditional Pottery in Slahung District Ponorogo, Indonesia

Abstract

Ponorogo Regency is one of a centre for traditional pottery in East Java, Indonesia. Several problems faced by craftsmen have caused a lack of development of pottery craft businesses in the region. With a qualitative approach, this research was conducted to analyse the strategies and factors that influence the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) traditional clay pottery in the region. The methods used in collecting data include 1) Observation, 2) in-depth interviews with pottery craftsmen, pottery traders, and local government, 3) documentation, 4) conducting focus group discussions (FGD). The research show that the underdevelopment of traditional pottery craft businesses has been carried out for generations due to various factors including lack of regeneration of business managers, monotonous results of pottery crafts, weak network marketing, small business capital, and low understanding of technology information and communication. The strategies carried out by pottery craftsmen and the government to develop pottery craft businesses include optimizing community empowerment activities through training and fostering innovative technology for marketing and product development for craftsmen, forming marketing networks through the pottery craftsmen association in Slahung, Ponorogo district, village pioneering tour and education of pottery crafts, and the government synergizes with craftsmen in seeking easy access to capital.