Associational strategy around a collective brand of Ecuadorian potters within the popular and solidarity economy in the framework of good living

Introduction: The artisanal sector within Ecuador's Popular and Solidarity Economy faces challenges such as low levels of associativity, limited financial resources, and difficulties in product commercialization. These obstacles have adversely affected competitiveness and sustainability in La Victoria Parish and the Cotopaxi Province. Therefore, this study focuses on proposing an associative strategy based on a collective brand to strengthen entrepreneurs in the artisanal sector of La Victoria Parish and the Cotopaxi Province. Methods: A qualitative and descriptive approach was adopted, focusing on associativity in artisanal communities within the framework of Ecuador's Popular and Solidarity Economy. Additionally, methods such as Saaty's Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) were applied to evaluate the identified challenges, along with the modeling of the Entropy and VIKOR methods to support the implementation of academic projects aimed at enhancing the artisanal sector. Results: The implementation of an associative strategy based on a collective brand demonstrated improvements in product quality, the optimization of commercialization channels, and access to financial inclusion programs, fostering local economic development. Conclusions: Associativity has proven to be a fundamental pillar for enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of the artisanal sector. Moreover, the proposed strategy can be replicated in other communities, strengthening territorial development and promoting social inclusion