STRATEGI PENGEMBANGAN JEJARING BISNIS KEWIRAUSAHAAN PERDESAAN

Abstract

There is growing attention on the importance of business networks which banks upon alliances value creation potential in rural entrepreneurship. Establishment of solid networks with respect to acquiring the resources needed for business creation is one of the main areas within entrepreneurship research. Despite substantial literature in rural entrepreneurship, there is an absence of studies which report the model of business networks. The purpose of this study is to examine the process of business network development in Banyumas Regency Central Java Indonesia. For each of the 64 small and medium business entrepreneurs, data were collected using a questionnaire and an interview. In completing the questionnaire, the entrepreneurs were asked to fill out personal identity, followed by a series of multiple-choice questions. For the responses from the interviews, narrative structuring is used to create a coherent story of the entrepreneurs’ experience of business networks. The study presents data characterizing the entrepreneurs, their experience in business networks. The result of the study is multiple perspectives on the purpose, process, benefits and challenges of developing a business network, and the impact of participation in a formal business network. The study offers insights into the development of small business networks by rural entrepreneurs. Keywords: rural entrepreneurship, business networks, small business