Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide: Exploring the Potential of Smart Technologies for Rural Micro-Enterprises in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia

Abstract

The proliferation of smart technologies is revolutionizing the global business environment, offering growth and competitiveness opportunities for micro-enterprises facing resource, market access, and infrastructure challenges. Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, presents a diverse case, with both urban and rural areas experiencing varying technology adoption and infrastructure. Rural micro-enterprises in Yogyakarta grapple with issues like insufficient human resources, limited internet access, and technological barriers. This study aims to investigate the role of smart technologies in fostering the growth and competitiveness of micro-enterprises in the rural areas of Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, by identifying the key challenges and opportunities related to technology adoption and infrastructure development. To investigate the role of smart technologies in fostering the growth and competitiveness of micro-enterprises in rural areas of Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, a qualitative research method can be employed. This approach allows an in-depth exploration of participants' experiences, perspectives, and contextual factors influencing technology adoption. Through a qualitative study analysis on rural micro-enterprises in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, the findings reveal limited awareness and misconceptions about smart technologies, inadequate infrastructure and connectivity, a lack of skilled workforce, financial constraints, insufficient government support, and cultural resistance to change as key challenges impacting the adoption of smart technologies, which underscores the need for targeted interventions to foster growth and competitiveness in these businesses.