BUILDING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN RATTAN PRODUCT INDUSTRIES: EXPLORING PROBLEM AND SOLUTION IN BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

This research aims to build the competitive advantage of the rattan product industry through exploration of the problems encountered and develop solutions that can be taken based on a business perspective in developing the rattan product industry. This research was conducted in the rattan product industrial area in the Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. Research data sourced from informants consisting of; raw material suppliers, industry players, government, consumers and potential consumers, as well as other related parties (banks, capital guarantee institutions, partner institutions). Data collection was carried out using participatory appraisal techniques, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions (FGD), which were then analyzed qualitatively using Nvivo 12 Plus software. The results showed that there were twenty-four problems in the business perspective encountered in developing the rattan products industry. Therefore, the solutions that can be done in building the competitive advantage of the rattan product industry produced in this study are; efforts are needed to increase the production capacity of the rattan product industry; efforts are also needed to improve the quality of human resources; efforts are needed to improve market access capabilities; and efforts are needed in the development of institutional and industrial partnerships in rattan products