Leisure product development and worker income sustainability: a case study of Batik Gedog in rural Indonesia

Abstract

This study examines the development of Batik Gedog as a culturally embedded leisure product and evaluates its implications for worker income in Kedung Rejo Village, Tuban, Indonesia. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through field observation, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis involving the business owner and 40 workers. The findings indicate that product diversification, institutional market targeting, and participation in exhibitions have strengthened the enterprise’s value-creation model and expanded short-term revenue capacity. However, worker compensation remains structured around a piece-rate system tied to production output, resulting in income volatility dependent on order volume and cash-flow cycles. While batik production provides accessible livelihood opportunities, particularly for women engaged in artisanal labor, income stability is constrained by demand concentration, limited digital market integration, and traditional production capacity. The study contributes to leisure and creative industry scholarship by shifting analytical attention from consumption behavior toward production-side economic outcomes. It demonstrates that culturally grounded leisure product development can generate employment and income opportunities, yet sustained worker prosperity requires structural improvements in wage systems, financial management, and market diversification.