Development of a Quality Standard Proposal for the School Footwear Industry

Abstract

Companies in the footwear industry in El Salvador, particularly micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, face situations that reduce their competitiveness, such as quality problems in raw materials (leather), components (soles, laces, insoles, linings), and finished products. Limited sources of these resources, a shortage of qualified human resources, lack of access to technology, and difficulties in accessing markets and financing sources all affect their performance within the sector.

Based on this context, an applied research study was conducted to identify the factors that impact the quality of school footwear production in El Salvador, with the aim of proposing a reference quality standard to improve quality and increase the competitiveness of this industry. To achieve this, eleven quality tests were carried out on raw materials, components, and finished products.

As a result, a proposal for quality standards was developed for producers and suppliers of raw materials, components, and finished products in the school footwear sector. This facilitated the validation of these standards through the execution and analysis of tests on national samples of raw materials, components, and finished products. This enabled the sector to ensure and improve the quality of its production, thereby contributing to innovation and increasing the added value of the industry, allowing it to become more competitive.