Page 75 - IJPS-10-4

International Journal of
Population Studies Migrant traders, social capital, and politics

Madura owner. This happens when the stall employee is Table 5. Employee recruitment system at Warung Madura
highly trusted, does not violate the trust given by the stall
owner, and is able to fit into the values and way of life of the Respondent’s answers Number (n) Percentage
Madurese stall owner’s family. Without employee tests/selection, based 190 95
on trust
In this study, most employees received job information With employee tests/selection 10 5
from the families of Madurese small grocery stall owners. Total (N) 200 100
Field data show that 106 respondents (53%) obtained
information about job vacancies from their own families, Source: Field study questionnaire data (2023).
while the remaining 94 (47%) received information from
friends or former employers. Typically, stall owners in need recruitment process. A total of 190 (95%) respondents
of employees contact their families in Madura through stated that there was no selection process, tests, or
mobile phones to find new employees. In this context, the interviews to become an employee, as shown in Table 5.
families in Madura spread the job vacancy information and There were also no specific administrative requirements
searched to see when the relatives were willing to become related to educational background or certificates of specific
stall employees. Moreover, the grocery stall owner would skills. Meanwhile, the new employees can start their duties
st
provide the potential employee with all financial support immediately on the 1 day in Jakarta to assist and gain
to travel to Jakarta when there is interest. The travel costs knowledge of grocery store operations. This is due to the
would be reimbursed with deductions from the monthly pre-existing familial relationships between the owners and
salary. Mrs. Misriyah, one of the informants, emphasized new employees.
this unique recruitment process: The similarity in ethnic background, language, and
“We prefer something straightforward, something culture is considered important for the Madurese migrant
quick, because we need it to be fast. Typically, we traders. In an unfamiliar land, grocery stall owners prefer
just call our family in Sumenep and ask them to to feel safe and secure in their businesses by employing
help find someone who wants to work in running their fellow Madurese (Husson, 1997; Lücking, 2017;
the stall. It is even better if they are family. The Wekke et al., 2019). Furthermore, shared values and norms,
key is that the person is honest, serious about including Madurese cultural norms and Islamic religious
working, performs prayers, and does not engage in values, facilitate smooth interactions between the owners
misconduct. When you already know the person, and the employees (Lücking, 2017; Fatmawati, 2020). This
it is easier to talk, and there is already trust. If form of economic cooperation based on ethnic and cultural
someone is interested, we immediately instruct similarities, also known as an ethnic-based economy, is
them to come to Jakarta. They are taught here, and a characteristic of the Madura grocery stall network in
the main thing is that they have to be willing. If Jakarta. Ethnic-based economic activities can have both
there is no money to go to Jakarta, we will pay for it positive and negative sides. On the positive side, they can
first, and it is not a problem. We will deduct it from contribute to cultural preservation, community cohesion,
their salary later.” and the empowerment of certain ethnic groups. On the
This Warung Madura ethnic-cooperation model, negative side, such economic structures can sometimes
based on family relationships and, more importantly, lead to exclusion, discrimination, or limited opportunities
focused on providing convenience (financial support) for for individuals outside of a specific ethnic group. In the
potential employees so that these prospective employees context of Warung Madura, the positive side of an ethnic-
have no difficulty starting work at Warung Madura, based economy tends to dominate over the negative side,
differs significantly from the typical patterns of economic so that its development does not appear to cause friction
cooperation among migrants’ workers in Indonesia. In with other ethnicities or cultures. Therefore, in this case,
this context, the findings of this study differ from the an ethnic-based economic system can be productive if it is
findings of Suyanto et al. (2020) and Mas’udah (2020), who executed well and carefully.
explained that migrant workers in Indonesia often face The important role of social capital in the development
many financial difficulties when they want to work, such of Madurese small grocery stalls in Jakarta can also be
as being asked to pay high initial fees or being extorted by observed in their networks of suppliers and the distribution
brokers even before they can work in a new place. of goods for sale. A total of 196 (98%) respondents
The principle of trust also serves as one of the critical obtained their goods from well-recognized agents or
sources of social capital for the existence of the Warung distributors (Table 6). This trust-based connection is
Madura network in Jakarta, and this is evident in the crucial in assisting Warung Madura businesses. In an

Volume 10 Issue 4 (2024) 69 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.2637