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Sustainable Business Through Local Strength: A Qualitative Study of Financial, Social, and Cultural Strategies in Bandung’s Culinary Micro-Enterprises

Author

Listed:
  • Dinna Charisma

    (Graduate Program in Administrative Science, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung 40135, Indonesia)

  • Bambang Hermanto

    (Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang 45363, Indonesia)

  • Margo Purnomo

    (Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang 45363, Indonesia)

  • Tetty Herawati

    (Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang 45363, Indonesia)

  • Anne Charina

    (Agricultural Social Economics Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang 45363, Indonesia)

Abstract

This study examines how entrepreneurial finance, entrepreneurial networking, and entrepreneurial culture contribute to sustainable business among culinary micro-enterprises in Bandung City, Indonesia. This study fills a gap in the literature by highlighting that micro-enterprises’ sustainability, from economic, social, and environmental aspects, is not always underpinned by formal institutional support. Using a qualitative approach and semi-structured interviews with 10 culinary micro-enterprise owners whose businesses have been able to survive across generations, this study found that business owners manage their finances adaptively, build trust-based social networks, and apply local cultural values to sustainable business practices. The findings show that trust and flexibility in informal funding play a crucial role in entrepreneurial finance, while challenging the view that access to formal financing is the main prerequisite for sustainability. Entrepreneurial culture proves to be a strategic internal resource in strengthening environmentally friendly practices. The originality of this study offers an alternative perspective that is more contextualized and grounded in understanding the sustainability strategies of micro-enterprises in developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Dinna Charisma & Bambang Hermanto & Margo Purnomo & Tetty Herawati & Anne Charina, 2025. "Sustainable Business Through Local Strength: A Qualitative Study of Financial, Social, and Cultural Strategies in Bandung’s Culinary Micro-Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-27, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:11:p:5028-:d:1668473
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