Socioeconomic analysis of the productive sectors of Latacunga: January - July 2024

Abstract

This study analyzes the productive sectors of Latacunga canton from a socioeconomic perspective, evaluating key aspects such as income, technological adoption, financing, sustainability and environmental impact. Using a quantitative methodology, structured surveys were applied to 36 companies in the commerce, transportation, services and construction sectors during the first semester of 2024, complemented with exploratory factor analysis, multinomial regression and Chi-square tests. The results show that the commerce and services sectors present greater stability in their revenues, with 57% of the companies reporting stable or increasing revenues, while the construction sector experienced recurrent declines, with 68% of the companies reporting a reduction in their revenues. In addition, a positive correlation was found between the implementation of sustainable practices and positive environmental impact (Likelihood Ratio X² = 6.21, p = 0.04), suggesting that companies with greater environmental responsibility manage to mitigate negative impacts on their environment. In terms of financing, it was identified that companies that offer training programs to their employees are significantly less likely (p = 0.00) to opt for financing from cooperatives or other informal sources, preferring bank financing as the main option. These findings highlight the need to design public policies that promote sustainability, investment in human capital and equitable access to financing, as well as strategies that allow companies to mitigate the adverse economic effects of technological adoption in the short term.