COLLABORATIVE LEARNING MODEL TO IMPROVE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN SMALL AND MEDIUM INDUSTRY CENTERS: THE CASE OF BATIK IKM

• Main Author: Tesavrita, Ceicalia
• Format: Dissertations
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/53794
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

This study aims to develop a collaborative learning model to increase competitive advantage in IKM, through knowledge sharing activities. The basis of this research is the low level of sustainability of SMIs in Indonesia, even though Indonesia has a high percentage of new IKM players. One of the ways to improve the sustainability of SMIs is by increasing competitiveness through a collaborative learning process. Organizational competitive advantage is created through a process of learning and innovation. To overcome the problem of limited resources at IKM, collaboration with partners is a way to improve the learning and innovation process at the IKM. Based on the preliminary study conducted, it was found that IKM generally collaborates with suppliers, government, universities, associations / foundations and between IKM inside and outside the center. The collaborative process will have a positive impact on the organizations involved if the knowledge dissemination process, both in the collaborative process and within the organization, goes well. In collaborative learning, there are two important factors that need to be considered to increase the effectiveness of the learning process, namely (1) the intention to share knowledge and (2) the ability of the organization to internalize the results of collaborative learning. In this study, these two factors were measured from inter-organizational knowledge sharing activities and knowledge management capabilities in which there were intra-organizational knowledge sharing activities. Past research mapping shows that organizational learning processes and inter-organizational collaborative learning processes are often analyzed separately. Several studies have raised the importance of seeing the relationship between the two learning processes, but they are still limited to a conceptual framework and model. Based on this, the novelty produced in this study is a collaborative learning model by focusing on knowledge dissemination activities, both intra-organization and inter-organization to increase the competitive advantage of SMEs. The model developed was tested empirically by using a survey method of IKM which are members of the Trusmi Cirebon batik center, the Laweyan Surakarta batik center, and the Madura batik center. The first stage carried out was conducting interviews with 2 IKM owners in each center and also to representatives of the cooperative / forum / community at the center to obtain a mapping of the collaboration process. The next stage is the distribution of research questionnaires based on a verified research model from interviews and observations. From a total of 259 questionnaires distributed to three centers for IKM batik, 253 questionnaires were collected. From the returned questionnaires, data outliers were tested using the SPSS software. There were 25 data sets that were outliers, so that the remaining 228 data sets could be processed for the next testing phase. The collected questionnaires were tested first for data completeness, outliers, validity and reliability. The questionnaire data were processed using PLS-SEM to test the structural model. Of the 20 proposed hypotheses, there are 16 accepted hypotheses. The results of the structural model test show that the organizational learning process at IKM has an influence, either directly or indirectly, on increasing the competitive advantage of SMIs. The only innovation that has an effect on increasing competitive advantage is process innovation, while for product innovation there is not enough evidence to support the hypothesis. Inter-organizational knowledge dissemination activities have a positive impact on the organizational learning process, through the organization's capability to manage knowledge (Knowledge Management Capability, KMC). The results showed that the ability of SMIs in the knowledge management process was significantly influenced by a culture of collaboration among employees, reward systems and information technology support.