Innovating Rural: A Comparative Analysis of Community-Driven Rural Innovation in North Sumatera and Yogyakarta, Indonesia (original) (raw)

Innovation in a new fast-growing industrial revolution era is crucial as a means to enhance public service quality and achieve development goals, particularly at region context where gaps of development and services commonly exist. Relevant regulations are made as guidance for innovation, yet, such successful innovation practices at region level, especially rural areas, has not been well developed due to complex problems related to rural governance, human capacity, and many other socioeconomic issues. By narrowing analysis to a more specific innovation practice in rural areas (rural innovation), this study aims to determine community-driven rural innovation in order to provide an empirical analysis of the importance of community participation in developing rural innovation. The research locations are Sekip Village, North Sumatra and Panggungharjo Village, Yogyakarta. Those two are chosen to represent rural innovation from different contexts both demographically and geographically. This study uses a qualitative method with a comparative-case study approach to provide a comprehensive understanding as lesson learnt of rural innovation practices. By elaborating both empirical data and theoretical frameworks on innovation and community participation, this study focuses on particular aspects of rural innovation, including rural innovation principles (innovation embryo, innovation institution, innovation network, innovation culture, knowledge and technology adjustment), and the Arnstein's community participation ladder. The significant results of this study showed that Panggungharjo Village has successfully performed all rural innovation principles and made the best use of community participation as the leverage of rural innovation. Meanwhile, at the same time, such practice has not been successfully developed by Sekip Village. The research results concluded that, in Panggungharjo village, significant factors which