The Empowerment Of Furniture Crafsmen In Trangsan Village Gatak Sub-District Sukoharjo Regency

Abstract

The objectives of this research are to reveal the conditions of furniture craftsmen, to identify the activity coverage, the benefit recipients, and empowerment system of furniture craftsmen, to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the implemented empowerment, and to formulate a model of empowerment of craftsmen in the future. This research used the descriptive approach. It was conducted at Trangsan village, Gatak Subdistrict,

Sukoharjo regency. This village was chosen as the research location for it is a center for furniture industry craftsmen with several levels of craftsmen. As a center for furniture industry craftsmen, it drew an adequately large attention of various parties conducting the empowerment. The samples of the research were taken by using the snowball sampling technique. The data of the research were gathered from the craftsmen, statistical data, reports, village data, and informants. They were then analyzed by using the interactive technique of analysis. The results of the research show that the furniture craft industry at Trangsan village bears weaknesses in terms of new design creation, lack of capital, and dependence on order of large companies. Yet, the craftsmen in the village also have some strengths such as their long industrial experiences in the field and the adequate number of craftsmen. They also have more opportunities due to the sprouting up of housing and office constructions in the country and overseas. However, there are also some threats arising from the substitute products or goods such as synthetic rattans from the competitors of other countries in addition to the high price and scarcity of rattan materials. Based on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, the furniture craft industry in Trangsan has a big potential of being developed. To achieve this, it is necessary to conduct a craftsman empowerment through four patterns of development, namely: human resource development, business development, environmental development, institutional development. The four developments shall be done simultaneously and integratedly so that the impacts of the empowerment are progressively measurable. The excellence of the empowerment conducted by many parties is able to extend significant perspectives to the furniture craft industry in Trangsan village, to make the center for furniture craft industry in the village famous in international markets. Yet, there are still various weaknesses. The root of the weaknesses is the partial empowerment or the policies which are not systemic. Therefore, so as to develop an empowerment system which is in compliance with the characters of the furniture craft industry in the village, all of the elements of stakeholders shall be involved. This model is called synergy-based pro-industrial empowerment because it synergizes all of the prevailing elements for conducting empowerment. The final goal of this empowerment is the creation of independent craftsmen