Community Service School of Economics and Business Telkom University
Market is the backbone of the current Indonesian economy, especially traditional markets, which is part of the statement of the Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs. But the real fact shows that the number of traditional markets continues to decline when compared to the number of modern market growth which tends to increase (www.kppu.go.id). This increase in modern markets is also reflected in the value of market contributions. Nielsen (2005) shows that since the emergence of the modern market in 2001, the contribution of the modern market that started only 24.8% increased to 34.4%. Instead the value of traditional market contributions declined from 75.2% to 65.6%. This decline indicates the need to increase the competence of traditional market traders to improve their competitiveness to face of the rapid growth of modern markets.
This is one of the reason for Telkom University to conduct competency improvement training by targeting traditional market traders. Telkom University collaborate with the Koperasi Insan Bersama Sejahtera (Koperasi IBS), which acts as a savings and loan cooperative for market traders who contributes for the capital increase in order to enlarge the size of business of traditional market traders. This Community Service activity is carried out by targeting traditional markets, namely Majalaya Traditional Market in order to provide training in improving financial management competencies for traditional market traders. This Community Service Program was held on November 5, 2020 by using online media, as part of the adaptation of Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 21 of 2020 concerning Pembatasan Sosial Berskala Besar dalam Rangka percepatan Penanganan COVID-19 (PSBB). The use of online media as a meeting facility is the first activity carried out as a form of adaptation of the PSBB policy, and so far the use of online media provides new experience for participants in utilizing online media to maximize work routines. It is hoped that in addition to increasing financial management competence, the experience of utilizing online media can be applied by traditional market traders in maximizing daily trading activities. Overall, both traders and traditional market supervisors accepted the event very well and enthusiastically, and felt the great benefits of this event. Traders were seen asking various questions and giving positive responses during the training.
The Community Service Activities aimed at improving the financial management competencies, have been held regularly every year. In 2016, this event was held at Batu Catur Batujajar Market; in 2017 the training was held at the Banjaran Traditional Market, Ciparay Traditional Market and Cililin Traditional Market; in 2018 it was held at the Panorama Lembang Market; in 2019 it was held at Batujajar Market and Cihargeulis Traditional Market; and by 2020 it was targeting the Majalaya Traditional Market traders. This event is also targeted to be carried out annually in other traditional markets in Bandung. This is part of the contribution of Telkom University’s towards community service activities in order to improve the financial management competencies for traditional market traders.
