DEVELOPMENT OF THE I-HEKIP INTERVENTION MODEL: TRANSFORMING THE MICRO-ECONOMY THROUGH EMPOWERMENT OF FOOD PROCESSING ENTREPRENEURS IN PULAU PANGKOR, MALAYSIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEMP.935042Keywords:
Entrepreneur Empowerment, Food Processing, Malaysia MADANI, Maqasid Syariah, Social InnovationAbstract
Structural poverty in peripheral communities like Pangkor Island, Perak, remains resistant to conventional aid approaches. This article presents the design, rationale, and conceptual framework of the i-HEKIP intervention model (Icon of the Pangkor Island Islamic Community Economic Collective) through a community-based social action research initiative developed by researchers from the Institute for Poverty Research and Management (InsPeK) and the Faculty of Entrepreneurship and Business (FKP), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK). This model combines three development foundations: the provision of food processing facilities that comply with standards, a phased training program delivered through four structured modules namely Self-Discovery and Potential, Market Awareness and Challenges, Governance and Business Management, and Business Sustainability for building community marketing networks. Using a community-based social action research approach with a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of standard-compliant processing facilities on product quality and market competitiveness to measure the impact of training on entrepreneurs' management and marketing capabilities. Based on the Social Cooperation framework, Economic Empowerment Theory, and the principles of Maqasid Syariah, the i-HEKIP model is designed to transform entrepreneurs from reliance on assistance to sustainable entrepreneurship, in line with the Malaysia MADANI agenda and the objectives of Al-Falah.
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