Peningkatan Kapabilitas Pemasaran Digital pada UMKM melalui Pendampingan Berbasis Participatory Action Research

Abstrak

This study investigates the role of Participatory Action Research (PAR) as a catalyst for building and sustaining digital marketing capabilities in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The research objectives are to analyze the transformative mechanisms of PAR, identify significant capability developments generated, and uncover the determinants of post-intervention sustainability. This qualitative study employed a multi-site case study design across five MSMEs from different sectors, with data collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis during the PAR cycle, then analyzed thematically. The analysis revealed that PAR functions as a meta-capability incubator, where its iterative, reflective cycle fundamentally changes the organization's learning logic. This process generates agile marketing capabilities and participatory data fluency, shifting MSMEs from technical instruction executors to adaptive strategic practitioners. Further discussion suggests that Sustainability of capabilities is not automatic, but depends heavily on the institutionalization of reflective disciplines in operations and the strength of the supporting collaborative networks that form. Key challenges arise from initial successes that trigger resistance to further experimentation and the tension between daily operational demands and long-term innovation needs. In conclusion, PAR provides a holistic contribution by instilling organizational capacity to learn how to learn. Practical implications call for a shift in mentoring models from short-term projects to sustainability partnerships that institutionalize learning. Future research is recommended to conduct longitudinal studies to track the resilience of meta-capabilities, test the scalability of consortium-based PAR models, and develop simple and contextual impact measurement tools for MSMEs.