Operating a business with local wisdom: a grounded research of women in the creative industry

Irjayanti, Maya; Lord, Linley Article Operating a business with local wisdom: a grounded research of women in the creative industry Cogent Business & Management Provided in Cooperation with: Taylor & Francis Group Suggested Citation: Irjayanti, Maya; Lord, Linley (2024) : Operating a business with local wisdom: a grounded research of women in the creative industry, Cogent Business & Management, ISSN 2331-1975, Taylor & Francis, Abingdon, Vol. 11, Iss. 1, pp. 1-18, https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2392047 This Version is available at: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/326498 Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. 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If the documents have been made available under an Open Content Licence (especially Creative Commons Licences), you may exercise further usage rights as specified in the indicated licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Cogent Business & Management ISSN: 2331-1975 (Online) Journal homepage: www.tandfonline.com/journals/oabm20 Operating a business with local wisdom: a grounded research of women in the creative industry Maya Irjayanti & Linley Lord To cite this article: Maya Irjayanti & Linley Lord (2024) Operating a business with local wisdom: a grounded research of women in the creative industry, Cogent Business & Management, 11:1, 2392047, DOI: 10.1080/23311975.2024.2392047 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2392047 © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group View supplementary material Published online: 15 Aug 2024. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 1475 View related articles View Crossmark data Citing articles: 4 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=oabm20 EntrEprEnEurship & innovation | rEsEarch articlE Cogent Business & ManageMent 2024, VoL. 11, no. 1, 2392047 Operating a business with local wisdom: a grounded research of women in the creative industry Maya irjayantia and linley lordb aschool of economics and Business, telkom university, telkom, indonesia; bschool of Management and Marketing, Curtin singapore, singapore, singapore ABSTRACT this study investigates the extent to which local wisdom influences indonesian women’s businesses, especially in the creative industry sector. this research was conducted in several locations in indonesia. Grounded research employs a constructivist grounded theory approach for its analytical operations. the data obtained from interviews was coded in three stages to construct a theory. the coding analysis showed five main elements of local wisdom that affect indigenous women’s ways of life, particularly in crafting ethnic products, including religion or beliefs, traditional culture influenced by the traditional monarch or their ancestors, traditional livelihoods, natural resources around their lives, and barriers. the participants preferred to adjust modernization to their local wisdom rather than vice versa. Based on these local wisdom elements identified, the research examined contributing factors as these women’s key success factors such as financial support, marketing support, and business knowledge support that led to growing the creative business. these ethnic products have the potential to be developed into diversified commercial ethnic and attract many potential buyers because of the traditional value and wisdom embedded in the product. Research background in addition to the discrimination challenges related to the gender issues faced by women (Dyer & hurd, 2018; Mehng et al., 2019), numerous studies have identified conflicting evidence regarding the crucial role of women, specifically in the context of a nation’s economic development (costa etal., 2016; sajjad etal., 2020; Welsh etal., 2018). recent research has revealed that women, as integral members of society, have the potential to assume a significant role in the economy by engaging in entrepreneurial endeavors. however, the limited number of current studies exploring women’s participation in economic growth still requires a certain depth of examination (costa et al., 2016). Many scholarly investigations have been conducted to explore the correlation between women entrepreneurs and their affiliation with ethnicity and culture, particularly within creative sectors (anggadwita etal., 2017; De vita etal., 2014; Gbadamosi, 2019). in general, women exhibit heightened enthusiasm when investigating opportunities within the creative industry. Findings confirm the enduring popularity of the creative sector in the study of women’s entrepreneurship and its consequential impact on the local economy (anggadwita et al., 2017; irjayanti, 2020; Kourtesopoulou & chatzigianni, 2021). in the context of indonesia, a significant proportion of women entrepreneurs engaged in the production of cultural or ethnic goods predominantly operate within the creative industry sector. the potential for women to enhance their personal growth through entrepreneurial endeavors, including those associated with cultural and ethnic goods, is confirmed by research findings (anggadwita et al., 2017; Byrne et al., 2019; De vita et al., 2014; Gbadamosi, 2019; sajjad et al., 2020). © 2024 the author(s). Published by informa uK Limited, trading as taylor & Francis group CONTACT Maya irjayanti [email protected] school of economics and Business, telkom university, telkom, indonesia. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2392047 this is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. the terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent. ARTICLE HISTORY received 26 February 2024 revised 7 July 2024 accepted 9 July 2024 KEYWORDS traditional belief; local wisdom; women entrepreneur; ethnic product; grounded theory SUBJECTS Business, Management and accounting; Gender & Development; Entrepreneurship and small Business Management; innovation Management 2 M. irJaYanti anD l. lorD in indonesia, a significant proportion of women entrepreneurs who produce cultural or ethnic goods primarily operate within the creative industry sector. research findings (anggadwita et al., 2017; Byrne et al., 2019; De vita et al., 2014; Gbadamosi, 2019; sajjad et al., 2020) confirm the potential for women to enhance their personal growth through entrepreneurial endeavours, including those associated with cultural and ethnic goods. indonesia, as a growing nation, is acknowledged for its diversity in terms of ethnicity, traditional culture, and religion. people in indonesia perceive women as possessing significant economic potential that could boost the domestic economy (choudhuryKaul etal., 2023). however, many indonesian women entrepreneurs encounter challenges, particularly within their sociocultural context, during the initiation or operation of their businesses (anggadwita etal., 2017). the Ministry of Manpower has reported that women in indonesia constitute over 50% of the overall population. additionally, approximately 10% of the country’s total population engages in entrepreneurial activities within the micro and small business sectors (irjayanti, 2020). the significance of micro, small, and medium companies (MsMEs) in indonesia is vital because of their substantial contribution (over 50%) to the country’s gross domestic product (tambunan, 2019). notwithstanding their inherent potential, these enterprises often exhibit a considerable propensity for failure (anggadwita et al., 2017). Despite indonesia’s reputation for being business-friendly, as indicated by the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index in 2020, a significant number of indonesian women engaged in micro-businesses continue to experience a considerable rate of business failure (Worldbank, 2020). nevertheless, the potential of these individuals presents a promising prospect for the indonesian economy, as they can contribute to the enhancement and growth of businesses in the nation as a whole. From this standpoint, indonesian women entrepreneurs are well positioned to capitalize on valuable resources by utilizing their indigenous knowledge while initiating and advancing their commercial endeavours. By engaging in such activities, women can provide financial assistance to their households while simultaneously contributing to the overall economic development of the surrounding region. Many scholarly investigations have claimed that values, conventions, attitudes, and behavioural patterns exert a significant influence on the socioeconomic structure of society (rahyuda etal., 2018, 2019). Many scholars in the field of traditional culture have extensively studied these features, considering them integral components of local wisdom (arsal etal., 2023; rahyuda etal., 2018, 2019; rahiem, 2018). these studies have demonstrated that the utilization of local wisdom includes the capacity to serve as a promising economic asset, facilitating the advancement of local economies, and effectively mitigating economic disparities across different locations. the extensive range and heterogeneous nature of cultural artifacts imbued with indigenous knowledge represent a significant potential to foster economic growth, particularly within the creative industry of indonesia. Women predominantly produce creative products in indonesia, which have distinct cultural characteristics (Bekraf, 2018). indonesia’s unique geographical structure, characterized by its vast archipelago of over 17,000 islands, inherently connects to the concept of local wisdom. the five most prominent islands in terms of size were Kalimantan (Borneo), sulawesi, papua, sumatra, and Java. according to Jati (2014), indonesia is home to a diverse array of over 1300 distinct ethnicities and sub-ethnicities, each with its own unique cultural characteristics. the country not only speaks the official language of indonesian, but also more than 300 traditional languages. indonesia is geographically situated amidst two major oceans and two continents, encompassing a total area of 5.8 million km2, comprising both land and water, and its coastline extends approximately 81,000 km (haryanto, 2015). indonesia’s geographical location contributes to its status as a nation that is endowed with abundant natural resources. the integration of ethnic diversity, cultural diversity, and abundant natural resources provides indonesian local wisdom a valuable asset with significant potential for strategic management and economic development. however, the majority of local wisdom consists primarily of tacit knowledge that has been transmitted through generations, lacking substantial documentation regarding its origins and heritage. one manifestation of indigenous knowledge is the creation of a commodity that combines many cultural elements, traditional practices, tales, and local resources within the geographical vicinity of its production. local wisdom products refer to items originating from the creative industry sector, which the government of indonesia recognizes as promising industries (Bekraf, 2018). the government need to force the creative industry to play a significant role in bolstering indonesia’s economic climate by contributing to GDp expansion, enhancing participation rates and productivity among the indonesian workforce, and fostering an coGEnt BusinEss & ManaGEMEnt 3 increase in the country’s export growth (Bekraf, 2019). culinary and craft product industries are significant subsectors within the broader creative industry sector. the focus of this study was on the micro, small, and medium enterprises of women entrepreneurs in the creative industry sector, specifically in the areas of fashion, culinary, and handicraft products, recognized as the primary drivers of the creative industry in indonesia. this study focused on a specific part of a larger investigation that examined the influence of indigenous wisdom held by women entrepreneurs in West Java, central Java, and south Kalimantan on the development of products in the creative industry sector. the focus of this study is on how women utilize indigenous knowledge to produce ethnic products with economic value. therefore, this study aimed to investigate the factors of traditional wisdom that affect women’s entrepreneurship in indonesia, particularly within the creative industry sector. Literature review Local wisdom and creative industries the notion of local wisdom contains various interpretations; nevertheless, for the objective of this research, the definition provided by arsal et al. (2023) is the most relevant to the scope of this study. according to a previous study, the conceptualization of ‘wisdom’ in the context of local wisdom closely intertwines with the attribute of being ‘ancient’, encompassing not only knowledge and culture but also the perpetuation of local stories, narratives, and artistic manifestations across generations that follow (arsal et al., 2023; rahyuda et al., 2019). hence, local wisdom can be defined as collective information and social norms passed down through generations within a community. Many scholars have argued that local wisdom in indonesia encompasses a diverse array of practices and knowledge systems (arsal etal., 2023; Jati, 2014; rahyuda etal., 2019; rahiem, 2018). they include herbal medicine, natural resource management, cultivation techniques, cultural norms, religious beliefs, artistic expressions, local language usage, philosophical perspectives, and traditional culinary practices. local wisdom comprises a diverse range of cultural elements including beliefs, philosophies, and rituals, which contribute to the distinctiveness of different societies. the theoretical framework illustrated in Figure 1 illustrates the influence of local wisdom on entrepreneurial endeavors, particularly in the creative sector, where producing goods culminates in a viable economic income source that fosters regional economic growth (rahyuda etal., 2019). until now, no research has conducted a thorough integration of the economic potential of local wisdom, female entrepreneurs, and the creative sectors under a single study framework. this research is highly significant because it has the potential to improve the efficiency of all sectors that can contribute to economic resilience, both at the local and national levels. the goal of this project is to deepen our understanding of the effective utilization of cultural resources and innovation for economic growth, social inclusion, and gender equality, all within the framework of sustainable economic growth. this will be achieved by integrating the factors depicted in Figure 1. the significance of women entrepreneurs’ role in the creative sectors and the value of local wisdom connect these three subjects. the dynamic link that forms between women entrepreneurs, indigenous knowledge, and the creative industries greatly benefits sustainable development and cultural preservation (anggadwita et al., 2017; Gbadamosi, 2019; henry, 2009; papadimitriou et al., 2022; rahiem, 2018). For entrepreneurs in the creative industries, local wisdom—which has its roots in traditions and knowledge—can serve as a source of creativity and inspiration. Women entrepreneurs with a sense of place may utilize local wisdom, and available resources to their benefit to develop distinctive goods and services that appeal to a wide market. in addition to being beneficial economically, this symbiotic relationship promotes resilience and cultural diversity. various factors, such as values, customs, attitudes, and behavioral patterns, influence the socioeconomic system of a local community (arsal et al., 2023; hånell et al., 2020; rahyuda et al., 2018, 2019). these elements significantly shape a community’s entrepreneurial activities, particularly when utilizing local resources to develop ethnic products. initially, the local community crafted ethnic products that embodied their creative ideals and ideas, serving their interests. at the same time, there has been a 4 M. irJaYanti anD l. lorD significant increase in the development and availability of ethnic products to serve the visitors to the area, thus providing a positive impact on local economic development. the creative industry can be defined as a sector within the economy that involves the production of content or intellectual property, with creativity as the primary input. Many scholars have highlighted the significant correlation between economic growth and human creativity (chen et al., 2018; hånell et al., 2020; stojcic et al., 2018), particularly in urban communities, where the majority of economic endeavors rely on the creative contributions of professionals such as engineers, consultants, writers, architects, designers, artists, and scientists (rodgers, 2015). the integration of cultural elements and artistic projects has the potential to serve as a remedy for economic decline while ensuring the preservation of cultural harmony through the implementation of certain rules (stephan & pathak, 2016). hence, the preservation of local expertise and traditional knowledge is of significant importance, particularly when it holds the potential to foster local economic growth. this is because creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation can be transmitted through generations can occur (roper et al., 2017). Women entrepreneurship this research relates to a study conducted by rahmawati and Kusuma (2019) on women entrepreneurs in the creative industries in indonesia, including fashion, artisan, and culinary. in that study, women own businesses to maintain the family legacy that has already been established and to provide for their families (rahmawati & Kusuma, 2019) thus this makes the family wisdom become the story behind the business establishment. an additional qualitative study supported the investigation of women entrepreneurs’ experiences. this study demonstrates that entrepreneurial learning is a dynamic process that is influenced by the personal and social experiences that mostly related to the local wisdom of women entrepreneurs throughout their entrepreneurial journeys. creative entrepreneurs distinguish their learning process through a high level of collaboration, sharing, and personal experiences (abrar, 2004). this study examines the relationship between local wisdom and female entrepreneurship. previous studies have consistently shown that individual beliefs and values, which are integral components of Figure 1. theoretical framework. coGEnt BusinEss & ManaGEMEnt 5 local wisdom, have a significant impact on entrepreneurial behavior (hånell et al., 2020; rahyuda et al., 2019; urban & ratsimanetrimanana, 2015). urban and ratsimanetrimanana (2015) developed a variety of conceptual models to elucidate the complex relationship between culture and entrepreneurship. this study identified ethnic group diversity as a significant influence on entrepreneurial desires. individuals who demonstrate the ability to generate novel ideas, recognize favorable circumstances, and effectively utilize available resources to bring forth innovative outcomes are frequently associated with entrepreneurship (stojcic etal., 2018; Zutshi etal., 2021). in addition, entrepreneurs show certain attributes, such as the capacity to see possibilities and generate creative ideas to develop a product. the average number of businesses owned by women globally is 10%, although the scope of research on female entrepreneurship remains limited (Koçak etal., 2013). the involvement of women in economic development not only decreases poverty rates but also serves as a crucial underpinning for various sectors. Women are highly valuable resources with the capacity to alleviate poverty and foster development and security (Mouazen & hernández-lara, 2023). Moreover, women’s economic and intellectual empowerment is a crucial factor in fostering societal and national growth. although the creative industry offers numerous options, a significant number of women have yet to fully explore and capitalize on their strengths and potential within this field of work. the examination of ethnic and cultural influences on female entrepreneurship has gained attention in contemporary multicultural societies because it holds considerable importance for the local economy. in the previous literature, women exhibited greater relevance in subjects pertaining to ethnicity and culture within creative industries, such as fashion, handicrafts, art items, and culinary activities (henry, 2009; henry & De Bruin, 2011; papadimitriou et al., 2022). Women entrepreneurs who show strong affiliation with cultural or ethnic items generally occupy positions within the fashion business. therefore, emerging economies provide women with the chance to develop their entrepreneurial skills in industries related to cultural and ethnic products. Women’s involvement in the creative sector also promotes social inclusion and gender equality by raising the profile and vibrancy of local culture. however, a number of obstacles can prevent this potential from being fully realized. there are multiple sources that provide evidence of the challenges that women usually encounter while initiating a business endeavour (tabari & chen, 2022). in many impoverished and conservative societies, many women opt for entrepreneurship because of necessity (afza & amir rashid, 2009; França Marques etal., 2021). at this stage, women continue to encounter greater challenges than men when it comes to initiating their own businesses (laguía et al., 2022). in recent studies, rural women influenced by their conditions such as age, education, motivation, personal characteristic and the ability in decision-making when conducting a business (Ghouse et al., 2021, 2023) thus, the key to releasing the revolutionary potential of local wisdom, women’s entrepreneurship, and the creative industries is to provide a conducive environment through capacity building, networking, and external supports. Evidence showed that external support including government support is crucial in helping women entrepreneurs to sustain and survive their creative businesses during pandemic covid-19. the supports involve the technology role, the collaboration, the government role, and strategic options (anggadwita et al., 2023). taking into account entrepreneurial and artistic orientation, networking, and creative personality, another finding indicates that women’s business performance in creative industries is statistically significant. on the contrary, mentoring does not appear to have a statistically significant effect on the performance of women’s businesses in creative industries (papadimitriou et al., 2022). Research method and design Data the data was obtained by individual and small-group interview. the size of the data is 36 participants. there were 34 female participants and two male participants who agreed to be involved and met the criteria of theoretical sampling in this study. the total sample size across all the locations was 36. the study areas covered West Java, central Java, and south Kalimantan based on the number of population and the size of the area. the researcher visited those three provinces (several cities for each province) and utilized local network to locate all potential participants to be interviewed. all participants mostly run a micro-small business in separated area of indonesia and several participants were coming from the 6 M. irJaYanti anD l. lorD authority who played essential roles in this study, particularly in the data triangulation. some participants, especially those who were from remote or rural areas, preferred to be questioned in small groups because they were reluctant to talk about themselves and the company for personal reasons. Research paradigm this study adopts an inductive research methodology that utilizes a qualitative approach. the implementation of the grounded theory strategy was driven by its appropriateness as a research method for exploring the varied characteristics of cultures and experiences (Dunne, 2011). Because of the grounded research strategy was considered appropriate for this study because of its capacity to explore diverse ethnicities and experiences. the methodology utilized in this study promotes active engagement of participants in articulating their unique experiences, particularly in relation to societal phenomena (creswell & creswell, 2017). this study applied a theoretical framework inspired by charmaz’s (2017) constructivist approach to fundamental philosophical research (charmaz, 2017). the constructivism-based research method explains the facts, beliefs, and values that are found while collecting data. this, in turn, leads to explanations, assumptions, and interpretations that make sense based on what the people being studied say (charmaz, 2017). in this methodology, researchers collaborated with participants to construct data collectively. Before the data were collected, this study has obtained ethic approval from the human research Ethics office curtin university Western australia with the approval number: hrE2017-0454. the primary data collection included semi-structured interviews. all participants who stated their approval to participate in this study signed the consent form provided by the researcher before the interview was started. the interview were audio recorded as stated in the consent form, the data were securely stored and maintained in strict confidence. according to charmaz (2017), the purpose of conducting interviews in grounded research is to encourage exploration instead of interrogation. hence, the interview questions were thorough in nature, focusing on the subject matter, and relevant to the participants’ experiences. this study aims to investigate the potential of local wisdom by utilizing indigenous knowledge and examining its potential for development as a creative industry product. the researchers identified study participants by using purposive or judgmental sampling, a homogeneous sampling method that focuses on a specific sub-group characterized by the similarity of all sample members, as suggested by Etikan, Musa, and alkassim (Etikan et al., 2016). secondary data were obtained from a range of local papers, archives, photographs, traditional arts, local heritage, and other relevant sources found within the research field. these secondary sources were used to verify and provide further support for the claims made by participants. the participants had considerable experience in entrepreneurial endeavors, particularly within the creative industry, focusing on small and micro enterprises that specialize in traditional ethnic products. the researcher interviewed several government officials to ensure data triangulation, as previously mentioned. this exploration focuses on the role of entrepreneurship training and mentoring in the research area. this research applied a back-translation process to establish semantic equivalence between the English questions and their indonesian versions. this methodology entails recruiting bilingual individuals who are native speakers of both the source and target languages. these people were responsible for translating the items from the source language into the target language, and subsequently translating them back into the source language. as a result, two versions of the instrument were generated: the original language version and back-translated version. in this research, a researcher fluent in the indonesian language conducted the process of reverse translation with the support of the field coordinator, who is a native English speaker. in research and professional settings, both individual and group interviews are common practices. some participants indicated that engaging in group interviews was their preferred mode of participation. this aligns with the collective characteristics inherent in the indonesian society. the interviews were systematically documented using an audio recording device to ensure that no statements were missed during the interview process. prior to conducting the analysis, all interviews were transcribed. interview durations varied between 60 and 90 minutes. the researcher identified and documented findings related coGEnt BusinEss & ManaGEMEnt 7 to local knowledge and creative product potential by analyzing participants’ responses to specific inquiries. the researcher examined local wisdom alongside local products that embodied elements of local culture, rituals, symbols, and other significant characteristics. Data collection and analysis were conducted concurrently, using a systematic methodology. the derived theory covers a collection of fundamental concepts organized through the process of integrating many categories. this form of data analysis involves three coding steps: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding (Williams & Moser, 2019) as illustrated in Figure 2. this study utilized open coding to record a variety of terms, quotes, statements, symbol, and gesture that were pertinent to the research topic under investigation. in this scenario, the responses of the participants to the research queries would be a collection of codes that were subsequently categorized into a variety of categories. the next stage involved the classification of groups that were associated with one another to analyze axial coding. During this phase, a theory began to develop as the categories were identified as the essence of the phenomenon, causal condition, strategies, or consequences. these categories were subsequently assessed and associated with each other. Finally, the selective coding phase was implemented, during which the researcher developed a narrative that clarified the process and the interrelationships between each category. this narrative served as a broader description of the theory, as suggested by charmaz (2017). During the selective coding stage, the core categories are established to generate a theory that embodies the potential of local wisdom and can be applied by local women in a creative industry business in the area under study. Findings the female participants from indonesia in this study indicated a collective society culture that emphasized the welfare of the group (or family) rather than individual desires. this condition confirmed a recent investigation that found women tend to be more comfortable in a collectivist society (Bastian et al., 2023). While a small number of participants mentioned business drive as a factor for their personal growth, most ascribed their decision to engage in entrepreneurial activities to the influence of their background and surrounding environment. cultural diversity in indonesia has a significant impact on the lifestyles of cultural communities that strive to preserve their traditional cultural practices.the majority of individuals residing at the three research sites exhibited strong adherence to traditional belief systems. the findings of the study indicate that while the increasing number of religious beliefs has an influence on customary practices, it does not inevitably eradicate long-standing traditions. research on these areas revealed remarkable creative products influenced by local wisdom, crafted by participants, and imbued with traditional values and purposes. Figure 3 displays the items derived from the local wisdom produced in the three designated study areas. as was stated previously, this study was carried out in three major provinces of indonesia, of which two correlate to the two most populous regions in the country (sundanese from West Java and Javanese from central Java), while Borneo was selected as it represents as the largest island in indonesia. Figure 2. Coding analysis stages. 14 M. irJaYanti anD l. lorD culture, as a part of tradition considered a local wisdom, is recognized as a potent instrument for promoting local development. the idea corroborates the findings of this study, which demonstrate that the creative products made by local women hold a marketable worth due to the cultural values ingrained in the products. the majority of participants asserted that their customers initially visited their place as tourists in search of ethnic products that authentically represented the local identity as souvenirs. this research investigation aims to provide valuable insights into the potential of women entrepreneurs, specifically in terms of their knowledge of local opportunities and their level of entrepreneurial determination. this study will provide thepolicymaker with further information to enhance their current small business empowerment initiatives. the investigation revealed gaps and challenges in the government’s program. this study has effectively identified the primary elements of local wisdom that impact women leading them to become entrepreneurs. no existing literature was discovered pertaining to the local knowledge element of indonesian women. prior research has mostly examined the indigenous knowledge included in a specific product or process, rather than the overall activities that are the subject of this study. Furthermore, the identification of local potential in specific areas of indonesia can serve as a successful approach to enhance the growth of ethnic products into globally recognized and competitive creative products. the research findings, as a practical contribution, led to the provision of specific action suggestions. the participants in this study reside in a community that strongly adheres to their cultural values and ideas. the findings of this study indicate that several critical components of local wisdom have a substantial impact on women entrepreneurs in the creative industry. the government should specifically design financial assistance programs for women entrepreneurs to capitalize on these factors. Grants and subsidies for innovative products that are built in local wisdom, as well as microfinance and small business loans that provide low-interest rates and flexible repayment plans, could be included in these programs. Furthermore, it is important to establish capacity through frequent workshops and classes that emphasize financial literacy, digital skills, business management, and marketing strategies. providing valuable guidance, support, and networking opportunities, mentorship programs that connect experienced businesswomen with new entrepreneurs can be organized. additionally, marketing and promotion assistance could prove significant. therefore, the government should encourage the creation of traditional events such as a flower festival, batik festival, traditional craft festival, or traditional food festival. these activities have the potential to attract more visitors and contribute to the sustainability of small businesses, particularly in the creative industry. regularly organizing such events will significantly influence numerous other economic activities. By facilitating women entrepreneurs’ participation in trade fairs and expos, both locally and internationally, they can connect with potential buyers and investors, obtain exposure, and showcase their products. Furthermore, the creation of e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces that primarily feature products produced by women entrepreneurs can facilitate the expansion of their customer base and exposure. in addition to the development of co-working spaces and business incubators that offer affordable workspace and shared resources, providing access to technology and digital tools that enhance productivity, such as affordable internet services and training on the use of these technologies, can further support their endeavours. it is necessary to establish policy frameworks that prioritize the participation of women entrepreneurs in decision-making processes. this includes the provision of tax incentives, the reduction of bureaucratic obstacles, and the creation of a business-friendly regulatory environment. public support and policy changes can be achieved by initiating advocacy campaigns to increase awareness of the unique challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and their contributions to the economy. Given that many participants have identified the government’s engagement as a crucial aspect, the government needs to establish specific policies that promote the growth of micro and small businesses. Government programs’ finances should have more flexibility in addressing the immediate requirements of the participants’ businesses. to address the community’s potential resistance to engaging with government officials, it is crucial to establish a dedicated communication channel that directly connects government authorities with business owners. this channel should offer various communication options such as landlines, text messaging, or internet-based social media. Furthermore, the government should employ specialized personnel tasked with documenting and regularly updating information on all local industries with potential coGEnt BusinEss & ManaGEMEnt 15 and creativity. it is crucial to maintain a strong and beneficial partnership between the government, entrepreneurs, academics, and companies to ensure that each side benefits from their respective roles. The limitations the study’s limitations include the comparatively small number of participants interviewed, which may not provide a comprehensive representation of the actual situation. note that the researchers conducted this study at three specific locations in indonesia. as a result, it is critical to conduct additional research covering various fields in which women produce goods based on indigenous knowledge systems. this study should expand the research to encompass a wider range of creative industry sector enterprises. also, additional investigation is required to verify, through consultation with the appropriate parties, whether the suggested solutions outlined in this study are endorsed and attainable. this study could use a quantitative methodology to gauge their support for the concepts aimed at promoting creative businesses in the region. Conclusion this study aims to identify the essential elements of local wisdom that influence indonesian women entrepreneurs in three provinces of indonesia, inspiring them to engage in entrepreneurial activities. this study identified the relevant elements that relate to the utilization of local wisdom in forming entrepreneurial activities, and the necessary conditions for further enhancing potential. these elements include tradition, religion/belief, livelihood, local resources, and barriers. prior to this research, there was a lack of existing literature specifically addressing the local wisdom and practices of indonesian women in relation to business. remarkably, the participants’ subjective experiences suggested that they enjoyed comparable rights to their partners while bearing the responsibility of caring for the home and child-rearing. this issue does not provide a significant challenge for the individuals in question, as they see their business activities as an opportunity to balance their household and work responsibilities. it is important to acknowledge that although the participants in this study were exposed to significant cultural and religious influences throughout their lives, no gender-related concerns were reported. people often view the decision to pursue self-employment as providing participants with flexibility, allowing them to balance their responsibilities and foster the growth of their own businesses. nevertheless, the level of entrepreneurial dedication exhibited by the participants did not consistently reflect their aim of optimizing the environment for their business. Many expressed contentment with their current accomplishments. the participants demonstrated a state of satisfaction and hesitated to step beyond their established boundaries. however, these women have many opportunities to foster business growth. the long-term sustainability of a business depends on external support. support manifests in the form of ethical or intangible assistance. the participants in this study discussed the involvement of other parties in their business operations. this demonstrates that the presence of support from external entities is an additional factor that contributes to entrepreneurial success. this study demonstrates that the integration of local wisdom related to cultural traditions, beliefs, and the use of local resources (including the natural environment) facilitates the production of creative ethnic products with significant economic potential for further development. these findings can serve as a foundation for developing an effective strategy focused on increasing the development of ethnic products into globally innovative and competitive commodities, thereby making a significant contribution to indonesia’s general economic development. to improve the support for women entrepreneurs, it is essential to establish policies that encourage the growth of micro and small enterprises in the creative industry. this entails acknowledging the distinctive cultural contributions of women entrepreneurs and incorporating them into more comprehensive economic development strategies. Government programs should be designed to be flexible, and able to accommodate the diverse requirements of women entrepreneurs in various sectors and regions. in addition, a comprehensive support network can be established by building strong partnerships among government, entrepreneurs, academia, and private companies. this collaborative approach guarantees that women entrepreneurs receive comprehensive support, including access to financial resources, 16 M. irJaYanti anD l. lorD markets, and networking opportunities, as well as capacity development. the potential of women entrepreneurs can be completely realized by focusing on these practical measures, which will make a substantial contribution to the economic development of both the local and national communities. Authors contributions the authors (Mi and ll) affirm that we were both actively engaged in the conception and design of the study, the analysis and interpretation of the data, as well as the drafting of the paper. Both authors contributed substantially to writing the manuscript critically for intellectual content. all authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work conducted in this study, and Mi has the role as corresponding author in this article. Disclosure statement in accordance with taylor & Francis policy and the ethical obligation as a researcher, we are reporting that we received funding from the Endowment Fund for Education (lpDp) under the Ministry of Finance. We have disclosed those interests fully to taylor & Francis, and we have in place an approved plan for managing any potential conflicts. Funding this research was funded by the Endowment Fund for Education (lpDp) research Grant under the Ministry of Finance of the republic of indonesia. About the authors Maya Irjayanti is an associate professor at telkom university, indonesia. she earned her ph.D. from the school of Management at curtin university, Western australia, and holds a Master of Business administration from the Bandung institute of technology. additionally, she completed her Bachelor of Management at padjadjaran university. irjayanti’s research focuses on management, with a particular interest in the creative industry. her work has contributed to significant advancements in understanding the dynamics of these fields, and she has published extensively in international journals. her dedication to education and research is reflected in her ongoing commitment to mentoring students and collaborating with academic peers to address emerging challenges in the business world. Professor Linley Lord obtained her Doctor of Business administration at curtin university; post Graduate Diploma Business (human resource Development) curtin university, and Bachelor of science, uWa. linley has worked in the Faculty of Business and law at curtin since 2001. she has undertaken a range of roles within the then curtin Graduate school of Business including as course Director for the Master of leadership and Management and teaching on the MBa program. prior to commencing at curtin, linley worked in the equity and diversity area at Edith cowan university, the reserve Bank of australia and the Wa state Government. linley lord commenced her role as pro vice chancellor and president of curtin singapore in april 2018. prior to that linley spent six years as chair of curtin’s academic Board. 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