CREATIVITY TURNS CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES IN THE POST COVID-19 PANDEMIC ERA (Study on Rumah Kreatif Disabilitas in Malang)

Abstract

The Covid-19 outbreak that has hit various parts of the world has had a major effect on the world economy. Restrictions on interaction between individuals are the cause of the decline in the income of small business actors. Many of them had to temporarily close their businesses because of regional restrictions. This also has an impact on the community due to the shrinking of employment opportunities, thus increasing the unemployment rate. On the other hand, the community is faced with the consequences of fulfilling the necessities of life that continue to run. This makes people continue to think creatively and try to find ways to keep earning, one of them is through collaboration in the Community. The Community of RKD , which was established in 2019, currently has more than ten members with different skill backgrounds. This community is founded on a high sense of togetherness to complement each other and the spirit to work. The core of the entrepreneurial process carried out by the RKD business unit by empowering the expertise of members who make up business lines in the community. There are four business lines in this Comunity, including convection, tailor, craft, and shoe washing. The challenges faced by business actors open up great opportunities in adapting new knowledge and abilities. This behavior changes the order of business patterns that were previously run offline and then gradually switches to digital. The transformation of digital adaptation has proven to be able to increase the competitiveness of micro-enterprises in Malang City. This research is a qualitative research that obtains data by direct interviews and field observations to the research location at the Rumah Kreatif Disabilitas, Malang City. Researchers found that creativity has an important role in dealing with the crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the creativity of an individual needs to get the right place to develop his potential. The community also contributes to improving the skills of its members with a family approach, compassion, mutual cooperation to strengthen this community to face the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Business actors have had a positive impact during the pandemic with the adaptation of digital marketing through e-commerce and social media, which are the current focus of marketing.

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