Informal micro-business development and the influence of adat on the traditional markets in Gianyar Regency, Bali, Indonesia

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Date

2010

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Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science

Abstract

This study examines the development of the informal micro-business sector and how it is influenced by adat in the traditional village markets of Gianyar Regency on the island of Bali, Indonesia. Informal micro-business is an important element of the Indonesia domestic economy. The adat, commonly defined as customary ancestral laws and cultural traditions, refers specifically to customary laws, both oral and written, and is ingrained in the everyday lives of the Balinese, especially at the local village level. These "laws" act as codes of conduct that the citizens of the community must maintain and abide by. The traditional village is the place where the adat is firmly entrenched and inextricably linked to economic activities. The traditional village market is also the place where informal micro-businesses gather and perform daily economic transactions. Using ethnography and mental map research methods, this research seeks to further the knowledge and understanding of the informal micro-business sector in and near the traditional village markets of Gianyar Regency and how their development is influenced by the adat. The district markets of Payangan, Ubud and Sukawati, along with several random village markets, are selected as the research sites to demonstrate the commonalities, differences and tendencies in the traditional markets despite the presence of various economic forces. This research finds that the adat significantly influences the informal microbusiness sector and provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to satisfy village customary and cultural needs. Further, the research finds that the traditional village, known as the Desa Adat, is the primary source of the adat's influence in the traditional market.

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