Structural Constraints in Economic Empowerment Within Urban Neighborhood Associations

This study aims to explain the structural constraints in the process of economic empowerment within urban neighborhood associations in Magelang City, Central Java, Indonesia. These structural constraints—including policies that are unresponsive to community needs, weak coordination among stakeholders, and limited institutional support—emerge as key factors hindering the success of economic empowerment programs. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs) involving government officials, community leaders, and local residents. The findings reveal that structural barriers are often perceived as an inherent and inevitable part of the dynamics of program implementation, which negatively affects the long-term effectiveness of community development initiatives. This study underscores the importance of understanding structural constraints in economic empowerment processes at the neighborhood level to provide a more comprehensive explanation of the challenges faced by urban communities. The significance of this research lies in strengthening the public administration perspective by emphasizing the relevance of social and institutional contexts in designing and implementing context-sensitive economic empowerment policies.