Identification of MSMEs Digital Economy Accessibility as Competitiveness Before and After Covid-19 in Gowa Regency

Abstract

The acceleration of the digital economy occurs after Covid-19. The demand for different digital transactions experiences sharpens, encompassing demand for services, financial technology (fintech), e-commerce, and digital payment application before and when the Covid-19 pandemic existed. This study aims to identify the accessibility of the digital economy for the MSMEs sector. It gives guidelines for MSMEs and their relationship to strengthening their power competitiveness before and after Covid-19. This research was analyzed using primary data with a survey technique (questionnaire) from 150 samples of MSMEs in the Gowa district. Accelerating the digital economy in this study includes (1) knowing the concept, (2) having an application, and (3) being able to use application-related demand on services, financial technology, and e-commerce, as well as digital payments. Then the competitiveness in this study uses a proxy of MSMEs earnings before and after Covid-19 exists. The results show that respondents in the wellliterate and literate categories understand the concept of demand on service by 75.33%, 91.34% for fintech, and 63.3% for e-commerce. Conversely, the MSMEs having the application shows a downward trend, especially fintech (47.33%) and e-commerce (46.67%). Meanwhile, at the user level, e-commerce also has the lowest percentage (26%) and demand for service (72%). The results also show that 22 units of MSMEs experienced increased turnover after the Covid-19 shock. Seven units of MSMEs are less literate, twelve are literate, and three are in the well-literate category.