Descriptive, Correlation Analysis and Analytical Hierarchy Process of Coastal Community Empowerment of Bengkulu City, Indonesia

Abstract

The Coastal Community Economic Empowerment is one of the programs meant to boost the economy of coastal communities. The program is beneficial in several ways, such as increasing capital and fulfilling the daily needs of households. This study aimed to 1) assess the rate of community participation and the related factors, 2) determine cooperative performance rate, and 3) formulate alternative strategies for developing economic empowerment for the coastal community. To achieve these goals, 61 respondents and 15 experts were selected from Coastal Community Development Cooperative and its customers. The analytical tools used include descriptive and correlation analysis, analysis of institutional performance, and analytical hierarchy process. The results showed that the overall participation of cooperative members was in the high category while their involvement in meetings was in the moderate category. Also, the participation of members in loan repayment and fulfilling their obligation were in the high category. Family income and business experience affect the participation of members. The institution's performance was very healthy, especially in the organization, management, and financial administration. Besides, the development strategy aimed to enhance the business, increase competitiveness, and improve the income of the coastal community. For this reason, the approach used includes optimizing the utilization of resources, provision of capital for cooperatives, and contributing income to the households. There were also alternative strategies, including business diversification, institutional strengthening, and improved access to capital. The priority strategy was the strengthening of the cooperative to increase competitiveness, while the success criteria involved the optimization of resource usage.