Negotiating indigenous values in the digital era: an ethnographic study of Minangkabau cultural entrepreneurship

This dissertation examines how indigenous values are negotiated and sustained within Minangkabau cultural entrepreneurship in the digital era. While digital entrepreneurship research has primarily focused on technological innovation and business performance, the role of indigenous values and customary institutions in shaping entrepreneurial adaptation remains underexplored. Using an ethnographic approach, this study draws on participant observation, in-depth interviews with six key informants (R1-R6), and document analysis conducted in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The findings reveal three interconnected themes. First, Adat Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah (ABS-SBK) forms the foundation of entrepreneurial identity by fostering trust, responsibility, and collective commitment. Second, indigenous institutions, including penghulu, alim ulama, and cadiak pandai, renegotiate their roles to provide cultural legitimacy and entrepreneurial governance in digital business environments. Third, kinship networks and community-based knowledge exchange strengthen innovation, digital adaptation, and business resilience. This study contributes to the cultural entrepreneurship literature by conceptualizing indigenous values as adaptive institutional resources that support culturally embedded digital entrepreneurship.