An Empirical Examination of the Potential, Development Challenges, and Financial Record-Keeping Practices of a Social Enterprise: A Case Study of PT Tunas Bioflok Indojaya

Abstract

This study examines the development potential, development challenges, and financial record-keeping practices as an initial form of Financial Accountability at PT Tunas Bioflok Indojaya (TBI), a community-based social enterprise operating in Batam's biofloc aquaculture sector, and interprets how these three aspects relate to the sustainability of TBI's social enterprise model. A descriptive qualitative approach with a single-case-study strategy was employed. The primary data were collected through in-depth interviews with Sujiyanto, the Director, and Marjuki, the Operational Manager, while observation and documentation were used as contextual support according to data availability. Informants were purposively selected based on their direct involvement in organizational management and program implementation. Data analysis followed Miles and Huberman's interactive model of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification, supported by open coding, categorization, thematic analysis, and SWOT analysis. The analysis of 20 data units produced 12 codes related to development potential, three codes related to development challenges, and five codes related to financial record-keeping. TBI demonstrates strong potential through an embedded social mission, diversified income sources, continuous mentoring, government partnerships, social impact, and market opportunities. Its main challenges concern intensive mentoring needs, limited internal capacity, electricity dependence, differences in group commitment, and bureaucratic coordination. Based on the informants' statements, financial transactions are routinely recorded using Microsoft Excel; however, the researcher did not obtain direct access to the actual accounting records to verify their completeness, consistency, or compliance with accounting standards. The integrative analysis indicates that social and economic potential acts as a development driver, operational and institutional challenges act as constraints, and financial record-keeping serves as a supporting control mechanism. The findings imply a need to strengthen operational capacity, mitigate energy risks, and gradually formalize financial record-keeping.