EXAMINING AN ENDANGERED KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER PRACTICE KNOWN AS “MAPALUS” IN AN INDONESIAN VILLAGE: IMPLICATIONS FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITIES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

In this article, present an examination of “Mapalus,” a traditional management related to knowledge transfer deeply embedded in the lives offamilies in Minahasa, Indonesia. The main goal of this study is to detail the extent to which knowledge transfer between generations has shifted from the noble meaning of Mapalus.Data were collected using direct observations andinformal in-depth interviews. After the process of collecting data, the data were analyzed and validated using triangulation. The major research location was Lalumpe Village, South Minahasa Indonesia. Lalumpe Village is one of the areas in South Minahasa known for its agricultural products,particularly Clove and Copra. The research was conducted in three months when clover harvest took place, an essential context for examining the practice of Mapalus.While Mapalus does not in principle involve monetary exchanges, the current practice of Mapalus shows that it does involve monetary exchanges. This is argued to have been facilitated by parents’ expectation of their children to work in the city rather than continue the practice of Mapalus. Considering that Mapalus is theorized to improve entrepreneurial activities in the area, implications for entrepreneurship and economic development are discussed.