Optimizing the Management of Village-owned Enterprises to Increase the Village's Original Income toward Independent Villages in Jepara Regency

Village-owned Enterprises (BUM Desa) are businesses owned and established by the village. The aim of establishing Village-owned Enterprises includes increasing the Village’s Original Income by exploiting the potential in the village. BUM Desa in the Jepara Regency was created in 2012, however, based on the results of classification of the development of BUM Desa in 2023 from 184 BUM Desa in the Regency Jepara only, there are 10 BUM Desa in the advanced category. Problems faced by BUM Desa in the Regency Jepara are the average development of BUM Desa in category base and growth, less than optimal management of BUM Desa, insignificant contribution of BUM Desa to Village Original Income, and not yet visible impact of BUM Desa on village independence. Therefore, optimizing the management of BUM Desa is necessary to increase Village Original Income. This research aims to determine the optimization of BUM Desa management in Jepara Regency, to find out the supporting and inhibiting factors in the direction of BUM Desa in Jepara Regency, and to find out the strategies used to optimize the management of BUM Desa to increase Village Original Income toward an independent village. The research method used is descriptive qualitative with data collection through interviews, observation, and documentation. The data analysis technique was SWOT analysis. The research results show that the management of BUM Desa in the Regency Jepara according to the optimization concept is still not maximized because of supporting and inhibitor factors in the management of BUM Desa in the Regency Jepara. SWOT analysis results show that the strategies that can be implemented to optimize the management of BUM Desa in Jepara Regency are optimizing business promotion by using information technology, building good cooperation with BUM Desa business partners, developing new business units by utilizing village potential, increasing the professionalism of BUM Desa management through education and training, capital support from the District Government and Village Government, utilizing marketing networks both online and offline in introducing and marketing products and new business. Keywords: BUM Desa management, Village Original Income, Independent Village