Strengthening Women’s Strategic Role Through Locally Specific Households Industry in Bali, Indonesia

Abstract

This study aims to identify the typology of rural households industries in the district of Abang, Karangasem regency, to analyze the strategic role of women in households industry, and to propose strengthening women’s strategic role models through the development of households industries locally specific.

The database obtained from studies conducted in rural sub-district of Abang, Karangasem regency, Bali province of Indonesia in 2014. The field observations and information obtained from a critical review on the relevant reports were published and further referenced in the expert meeting to determine the elements of the system are believed to be appropriate for strengthening women’s strategic role. Analytic Network Process (ANP) was selected as decision analysis tools and software Super Decisions as supporters.

The results showed that the involvement of women in households industry are very high, although not yet a profitable business for himself and his households because it is only able to account for 30% of total households income. Women dominate decision-making, particularly in the selection of the type of business, labor utilization and marketing, but they still need their husband's opinion, especially in terms of the fulfillment of working capital, education of children, and investment in production equipment. The development of households’ industries locally specific benefits in terms of availability of raw materials, the absorption of labor force, market demand, access to capital and business places, but in the context of fulfilling the needs of households, the development of households industry is still considered to have limitations.

There are five alternative formulation of the strategy for developing the strategic role of women through locally specific households industry, i.e. partnerships synergy, strengthening of the human resource competencies, institutional strengthening, strengthening of marketing functions, and stimulus for the application of machine technology and equipment. Results of Analytic Network Process (ANP) showed that the strengthening the competence of human resources is the best alternative to the relative priority of 39%. It is therefore, in applying the strategy of strengthening the competency of human resources, women need to incorporate important strategic orientation and product innovation capabilities in order to expand the business and in turn is able to increase the scale of their business from households scale only becomes SMEs.

Keywords: Women’s strategic role, ANP model, local specific households industries in Bali.