Abstract:This study aims to analyze the role of digitalization and financial inclusion of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as business sustainability strategies. Digital transformation and inclusive financial access are…
re important factors in increasing the competitiveness of MSMEs in the digital economy era. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study method on MSMEs in the food and beverage sector. Data collection was carried out through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation, while data analysis used thematic analysis techniques. The results show that digitalization contributes to improving operational efficiency, expanding market access through digital platforms, and strengthening relationships with customers. On the other hand, financial inclusion facilitates access to formal financial services, such as financing and digital payment systems, thereby supporting more professional business management. The synergy between digitalization and financial inclusion has proven to be able to increase the innovation capacity and productivity of MSMEs, which ultimately encourages business transformation towards a higher scale. However, there are several obstacles faced, such as low digital and financial literacy and limited access to infrastructure. Therefore, support from various parties is needed through training, mentoring, and policies that support the empowerment of MSMEs in a sustainable manner
Abstract:The rapid proliferation of AI-powered marketing technologies in emerging markets poses a fundamental challenge to culturally-grounded micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs): how can algorithmic imperatives be reconciled…
ciled with indigenous value systems that define not only business practice but collective identity? Despite growing research on both AI adoption in SMEs and indigenous knowledge preservation, scholarship rarely examines how traditional values actively mediate rather than merely moderate commercial technology adoption. This study addresses that gap by investigating how MSMEs in Makassar City, Indonesia, negotiate AI marketing integration while preserving siri’ na pacce, the Bugis-Makassar philosophical framework centred on dignity (siri’) and solidarity (pacce). Employing interpretive phenomenology integrated with Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), the study conducted 23 in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions with 44 MSME owners and key personnel across traditional culinary, artisan craft, ethnic fashion, and digital service sectors. Template analysis generated four overarching themes: (1) value-based technology discernment, wherein siri’ na pacce operates as an active epistemological filter for evaluating AI tools; (2) strategic selective adoption, wherein enterprises accept algorithmically aligned functions while rejecting culturally incompatible features; (3) cultural indigenization of technology, wherein AI systems are actively reoriented toward communal rather than individualistic ends; and (4) constrained agency under platform power, wherein algorithmic visibility systems penalise cultural non-conformity with market exclusion. These findings challenge technological determinism and advance decolonial computing theory by demonstrating that indigenous values simultaneously enable epistemological agency and are constrained by structural power asymmetries, a duality insufficiently theorised in prior technology adoption frameworks. The study calls for regulatory frameworks establishing indigenous data sovereignty, participatory AI co-design with local communities, and cooperative digital infrastructure as conditions for authentic, rather than performative, cultural integration.
Abstract:The rapid development of digital financial technology has significantly transformed investment activities by providing easier access to financial markets through digital investment applications. This study aims to explore…
e the perceptions and experiences of beginner investors in making investment decisions in the digital era. Using a qualitative research approach with a phenomenological perspective, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with beginner investors who actively use digital investment applications. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns and themes related to investors’ experiences and decision-making processes. The findings reveal that investment decision-making among beginner investors is influenced by several interconnected factors, including the accessibility and usability of digital investment platforms, the influence of social media and online communities, the development of financial literacy, and psychological experiences related to investment gains and losses. Digital investment applications play a crucial role in lowering barriers to market participation by providing user-friendly interfaces and accessible financial information. However, reliance on social media as a source of investment information may also expose investors to misinformation and speculative investment behavior. In addition, emotional responses such as confidence, fear, and uncertainty often influence investment decisions among beginner investors. Overall, the study highlights that investment decision-making in the digital era is a multidimensional process shaped by technological accessibility, social influence, financial knowledge, and psychological factors. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of investor behavior in digital financial environments and emphasize the importance of financial education and responsible investment practices.
Abstract:The rapid transformation of contemporary work environments driven by digitalization, hybrid work systems, and evolving workforce expectations has intensified the need for effective leadership approaches that foster employee…
yee engagement. This study aims to explore the role of transformational leadership in enhancing employee engagement within contemporary organizational contexts using a qualitative research design. Guided by a phenomenological approach, data were collected through in depth semi structured interviews with employees who had direct supervisory relationships in digitally mediated or hybrid work settings. Thematic analysis revealed four major themes: visionary inspiration and meaningful work, individualized support and psychological safety, intellectual stimulation and professional growth, and trust based relationships and organizational identification. The findings indicate that transformational leadership strengthens employee engagement by cultivating meaningfulness, empowerment, trust, and intrinsic motivation, which collectively enhance employees’ physical, cognitive, and emotional involvement in their work roles. The study extends existing leadership and engagement theories by providing contextualized insights into how transformational leadership is experienced in modern organizational environments. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of developing transformational competencies among leaders to sustain engagement and performance in increasingly complex and interconnected workplaces
Abstract:This study aims to analyze the fundamental condition and assess the investment feasibility of eleven issuers that consistently appeared in the Sri Kehati Index during the 2020–2024 period. Fundamental analysis was conducted…
ucted using the financial ratios TATO, ROE, EPS, CR, DER, and DPR. The results show that UNVR and KLBF demonstrated high efficiency in asset management, while BBCA and BMRI exhibited strong profitability. JSMR had an aggressive capital structure but was supported by adequate liquidity. Meanwhile, UNVR and BBRI stood out for their generous dividend distribution policies. Stock valuation was carried out using two approaches: PER and PBV. Based on PER, nine issuers were classified as undervalued because their intrinsic values exceeded market prices, while two issuers (DSNG and SMGR) were considered overvalued. In contrast, the PBV approach indicated that ten issuers were overvalued, with only DSNG being undervalued. These differing results suggest that PER focuses more on a company’s earnings performance, whereas PBV emphasizes its book value. Therefore, stock investment assessment should be carried out comprehensively by considering more than one valuation method.
Abstract:The rapid development of digital technology and social media platforms has significantly transformed consumer purchasing behavior, particularly in relation to digital products. Social media has evolved beyond its traditional…
onal role as a communication platform and now functions as an important environment where consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase products. This study aims to explore the psychological factors that influence consumer decision-making in purchasing digital products through social media platforms. A qualitative research approach was employed to gain an in-depth understanding of consumers' experiences and perspectives. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with social media users who had purchased digital products based on information encountered on social media platforms. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns and themes related to consumer psychology in digital purchasing behavior. The findings reveal that consumer decision-making in purchasing digital products is influenced by several interconnected psychological and social factors. Five major themes emerged from the analysis: social media as a discovery environment, cognitive evaluation of digital products, trust formation and credibility cues, psychological motivations for purchasing digital products, and social influence from peers, influencers, and online communities. The results indicate that social media plays a significant role not only in introducing digital products but also in shaping consumer perceptions, trust, and purchase intentions. Consumers actively interpret information obtained from social media, evaluate product credibility through reviews and recommendations, and rely on social interactions to reduce uncertainty before making purchase decisions. This study contributes to the understanding of consumer psychology in digital environments by highlighting how psychological motivations and social influences interact within social media platforms to shape digital purchasing decisions. The findings also provide practical insights for digital marketers and product creators to design more effective strategies that emphasize authenticity, trust-building, and community engagement in promoting digital products.
Abstract:The issue of digitalization of education has led to the increased dependency on Information Systems (IS), especially Learning Management Systems (LMS), to provide continuity of learning after the COVID-19 pandemic situation.…
ion. At Edulab, as a large learning service provider in Indonesia, LMS works as a central of learning provision, evaluation, communication, and academic tracking. Despite the strategic role, there are still frequent problems like unreliable access, incomplete evaluation, flawed data, and deteriorated performance when the system is at its peak usage, and it interferes with the learning processes and lowers the level of user confidence. This paper discusses the effect of LMS quality on service delivery, satisfaction among users and effectiveness of the entire platform at the institution. It is being analyzed in terms of the DeLone and McLean Information System Success Model, which is being supplemented by the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. The mixed method was used, which integrated a survey of 1,081 users of the LMS who were estimated through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and a semi-structured interview with key stakeholders of the management. The results suggest that system, information, and service quality are very powerful predictors of user satisfaction with service quality coming out as the most significant factor in LMS effectiveness in service-oriented institutions of learning.
Abstract:This paper uses Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing (TDABC) in identifying cost per student, program profitability, and breakeven point across programs and branches at PT Kreasi Edulab Indonesia as it seek to solve the cost…
st allocation issues that arise due to the differences in instructional hours, staffing activity, and resource usage in providing educational services. The study will employ a quantitative methodology in which they will formulate TDABC-based cost modelling and simulating models to assign operational costs to the real instructional time and teaching capacity. Primary data were gathered by direct observation and internal cost structure mapping, whereas the secondary data were in the form of financial records, class schedules, and student enrollment reports. The analysis combines descriptive statistics, TDABC simulations, program profitability analysis, breakeven analysis, and sensitivity analysis to measure the cost per student, program level operating performance, minimum viable class sizes, and how the major financial drivers influence the operating profit. The findings indicate significant differences in cost per student and profitability of programs and size of a branch with some branches having lower levels of profitability below sustainable levels of breakeven despite the similar levels of revenues. The sensitivity analysis shows that average revenue per student is the most sensitive variable of operating profit, over and above the fluctuations in the enrolment volume and cost structure. Altogether, the results indicate that TDABC contributes to the increase of cost transparency and offers a solid foundation to the pricing, class consolidation, and operational decision-making.
Abstract:This study develops a practical framework for evaluating AI-generated brand visuals in a marketing communication context. Using a qualitative case study of an Indonesian sustainable startup (I-NewBee), the research employs…
ys photo-elicitation interviews to compare consumer evaluations of brand assets generated by three text-to-image tools (Midjourney, Neural Love AI, and Leonardo AI). Twelve target-market participants assessed anonymized visual sets (A/B/C) produced under a standardized prompt structure, using a semi-structured protocol informed by attention-stage cues from the AISAS model. Expert input from a visual communication design practitioner was used to triangulate judgments on visual quality and brand fit. Data were analyzed through iterative coding and thematic synthesis to identify recurring evaluation dimensions and decision cues. The findings suggest that perceived brand fit is shaped by visual realism, compositional clarity, brand-consistent signals, and message interpretability, while prompt ambiguity and inconsistent visual cues reduce credibility. The paper contributes an actionable evaluation framework expressed as evaluation dimensions and prompt-design considerations for startups seeking to deploy generative AI responsibly in brand communication
Abstract:This study examines the effect of work motivation and soft skill training on employee performance with competence as a mediating variable. The research was conducted at the Office of Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection,…
on, Population Control, and Family Planning (DP3AKB) of Banten Province. A quantitative approach with a census method was applied, involving all 134 employees as respondents. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The results indicate that work motivation and soft skill training have positive and significant effects on employee performance. Furthermore, both variables significantly influence employee competence. Competence also has a positive and significant effect on employee performance and partially mediates the relationship between work motivation and performance as well as between soft skill training and performance. These findings suggest that improving employee performance in public sector organizations requires integrated human resource development strategies focusing on motivation enhancement, effective soft skill training, and systematic competency development.