Patron-Clientelism Business Culture, Social Safeguards (the Bitters) of the Covid Pandemic 19 Study on Female Micro Entrepreneurs

Abstract

This study aims to describe how micro businesses survive in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted using qualitative research methods, relying on secondary data. The results of this study show that the micro-businesses that are mostly engaged in by women have their own vulnerabilities during the Covid 19 pandemic. Micro businesses that are involved in women have experienced many shocks in terms of marketing and business capital. Micro enterprises, in general, are not familiar with virtual technology to overcome direct marketing, have a hard time surviving. Failure in marketing is the reason for the difficulty of working capital for the next production process. So, the only way is to ask patrons for help to extend the maturity of the fund debt or ask for new debt for business capital. It's used to be done. But during a pandemic, extending the maturity of new debt or debt is a way out so that the business can still survive. Patrons (pengambe ') lend new debt in a condition where the old debt has not been paid off, because it is based on a close personal relationship. In a society with a patronage culture, the owners of this capital are the patrons and the micro-small entrepreneurs are the clients. This business relationship is an important social capital and means social security. During the Covid 19 pandemic, this relationship became functional for the client. Even though, in normal times before the COVID-19 pandemic, the patron-client system working relationship was more profitable for the patron. In the case of fishing communities, landlords profit from monopolizing the purchase of fish. Meanwhile, fishermen have business capital continuity. This relationship is close and unique. In normal times, patronage relationships can form the basis of analysis of exploitative relationships. However, during the emergency of the Covid 19 pandemic, this relationship is useful as a way out. However, the exit was "bitter" and always would be a dangerous spider web trap. It might be better than dying immediatelys.