Challenges and Opportunities of Artisanal Female Entrepreneurship in Guayaquil, Ecuador and Its Sustainable Impact

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53591/easi.V3i2.2951

Keywords:

Female entrepreneurship, Artisanal sector, Sustainability, Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the main challenges and opportunities of women’s artisanal entrepreneurship in Guayaquil and to analyze its relationship with economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The research involved 93 artisans from the Guayaquil Handicraft Market, using a questionnaire validated with adequate levels of reliability (α = 0.82–0.88; KR-20 = 0.76–0.81) and statistical consistency (CFI = 0.92; TLI = 0.90; RMSEA = 0.07). The results show that, in the economic dimension, the educational level of artisans is associated with the legal formalization of businesses (χ² = 19.3; p = 0.05; V = 0.32), and social security affiliation is related to the perception of income improvement (χ² = 12.6; p = 0.048; V = 0.28), reaching an average score of 70/100. In the social dimension, participation in associations strengthened family and community roles (χ² = 8.2; p = 0.041), with an average score of 75. In the environmental dimension, the greatest weakness was observed: 87.1% of artisans do not recycle and 91.4% dispose of waste with regular garbage, resulting in an average score of only 35. The overall sustainability index was 65/100. In conclusion, although these entrepreneurs constitute a cultural and economic driver for the city, public policies and training programs are needed to strengthen integral sustainability, with particular emphasis on the environmental dimension.

Author Biographies

  • Mary Figueroa Guijarro, Universidad Casa Grande

    Bachelor of Science in Teleinformatics (2018), University of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Master of Arts in Digital Business (2024), Master of Arts in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (2025), Casa Grande University, Ecuador. PhD candidate in Project Management, Central University of Querétaro, Mexico. Coordinator in the Graduate School and university professor in the areas of technology, information systems, data analysis, applied programming, digital transformation, and digital business. Areas of expertise: Applied Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Digital Business, ICT, Technological Innovation, Higher Education.

  • Luisa Ramos Suárez, Universidad Casa Grande

    Bachelor's degree in Advertising and Marketing (2015), University of Guayaquil, Ecuador. MBA with a specialization in Data Analytics (2025), Casa Grande University, Ecuador. University professor in the areas of international business, logistics and operations, innovation and creativity in international business, and academic manager in higher education. Areas of expertise: academic management, data analytics applied to education, digital business, and educational business management.

  • Andrés Palma Martínez, Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil

    He is a university professor and professional with extensive experience in accounting and financial auditing at various Ecuadorian companies. He has participated in master's programs in accounting and finance, where he has distinguished himself through his practical approach to internal control, tax management, and financial transparency. His areas of academic interest include applied auditing, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and the development of professional skills in public accounting.

  • Angel Plaza Vargas, Facultad de Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad de Guayaquil. Guayaquil, Ecuador, 090112

    Angel Marcel Plaza Vargas is a Computer Engineer specializing in Technological Systems (Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering). Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral: Guayaquil, Guayas, EC., 2004. Master's Degree in Computational Modeling in Engineering. Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral: Guayaquil, Guayas, EC., 2016. He works as a research professor at the University of Universidad de Guayaquil - Facultad de Ingeniería Industrial - Carrera de Telemática.

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Published

2026-01-05

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Vol. 4 No. 3 (2025): Edición regular

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Research articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Mary Figueroa Guijarro, Luisa Ramos Suárez, Angel Plaza Vargas

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How to Cite

Figueroa Guijarro, M., Ramos Suárez, L., Palma Martínez, A., & Plaza Vargas, A. M. (2026). Challenges and Opportunities of Artisanal Female Entrepreneurship in Guayaquil, Ecuador and Its Sustainable Impact. EASI: Engineering and Applied Sciences in Industry, 4(3), 54-63. https://doi.org/10.53591/easi.V3i2.2951