EMPOWERMENT; Jurnal Ilmiah Program Studi Pendidikan Luar SekolahVolume 9, Nomor 2 September 2020,p-ISSN No. 2252-4738 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 210 EMPOWERING MOTHERS HOME APPLIANCES THROUGH STUDY CAREER MLM (MULTI LEVEL MARKETING) WITH CAPITAL SOCIAL Dian Meta Ariani1, Tita Rosita2 1 PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama – Bandung – Jawa Barat- Indonesia 2 IKIP Siliwangi – Cimahi – Indonesia 1dianmetanr@gmail.com, 2titarosita54@gmail.com Received: Juni, 2020; Accepted: September, 2020 Abstract One of the efforts undertaken by community members, especially housewives in meeting their needs, is to trade or run a business. The trading business they run requires a lot of networks consisting of upline and downline, so that the social relations that exist between upline and downline really require social capital. Tupperware is a product that uses the MLM marketing method with a worldwide trademark and has a reputation as an exclusive manufacturer of household appliances. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. The location of this research is the office of Tupperware PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama Bandung. With a sample of two manager, two team captain and three consultants. The research objective is to find out the form of social capital owned by business people in the Tupperware MLM community and the constraints faced. Data collection techniques used were observation and interviews. The results showed that 1) One of the Tupperware branches in Bandung was PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama, which is owned by Ms. Sofia Agnani. 2) Social Capital that is built into Tupperware members includes three things, namely, networking, norms, trust. 3) There are two obstacles faced in maintaining social capital for the continuation of the Tupperware MLM business, namely the denial of agreement and the emergence of unusual requirements. The conclusion of this research is Tupperware Business in Bandung, one of which is centered in the office of PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama has become an MLM business that can help improve community empowerment, especially housewives, as one of the targets in developing this business. Keywords: Social Capital, Multi Level Marketing, Tupperware Abstrak Salah satu usaha yang dilakukan anggota masyarakat khususnya ibu rumah tangga dalam memenuhi kebutuhannya adalah dengan berdagang atau menjalankan suatu bisnis. Usaha dagang yang mereka jalani membutuhkan banyak jaringan yang terdiri dari upline dan downline, sehingga hubungan sosial yang terjalin antara upline dan downline sangat memerlukan adanya modal sosial. Tupperware adalah salah satu produk yang menggunakan metode pemasaran MLM dengan merek dagang yang telah mendunia dan memiliki reputasi sebagai produsen peralatan rumah tangga yang eksklusif. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kualitatif. Lokasi penelitian ini adalah dikantor Tupperware PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama Bandung. Dengan sampel dua orang manajer, dua orang tim kapten dan tiga orang konsultan. Tujuan penelitian mengetahui bentuk modal sosial yang dimiliki oleh pelaku bisnis dalam masyarakat MLM Tupperware dan kendala yang dihadapi. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah observasi dan wawancara. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa 1) Salah satu cabang Tupperware yang berada di Bandung adalah PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama yang dimiliki oleh Ibu Sofia Agnani. 2) Modal Sosial yang terbangun dalam member Tupperware meliputi tiga hal yaitu, jaringan, norma, kepercayaan. 3) Terdapat dua kendala yang dihadapi dalam menjaga modal sosial untuk kelangsungan bisnis MLM Tupperware, yaitu pengingkaran terhadap kesepakatan dan munculnya persyaratan-persyaratan yang tidak lazim. Kesimpulan penelitian ini adalah Bisnis Tupperware di Kota Bandung salah satunya berpusat dicabang kantor PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama menjadi salah satu bisnis MLM yang dapat membantu meningkatkan pemberdayaan masyarakat terutama ibu rumah tangga sebagai salah satu sasaran dalam pengembangan bisnis ini. Kata kunci: Modal Sosial, Multi Level Marketing, Tupperware Ariani & Rosita. Empowering Mothers Home Appliances Through Study Career Mlm (Multi LevelMarketing) With Capital Social 211 How to Cite: Ariani, D.M. & Rosita, T. (2020). Empowering Mothers Home Appliances Through Study Career Mlm (Multi Level Marketing) With Capital Social. EMPOWERMENT: Jurnal Ilmiah Program Studi Pendidikan Luar Sekolah, 9 (2), 210-216. INTRODUCTION Society means a group of people who occupy an area by applying certain rules and norms that must be obeyed by every member of the community. In Indonesia, especially the city of Bandung and its surroundings there are around 49.4 million people belonging to urban communities including housewives. With a large number of community members, an interaction occurs between members. This interaction is also useful in meeting the needs of every member, one of which is the need in the economic field. To meet the daily needs of a society, a system of buying and selling interactions is needed. According to Baudrillard (2009: 139), in a consumer society controlled by code, human relations are transformed in relation to or other objects. Based on the results of Rini's research (2012: 160) that in consumer societies, material objects produced for consumption are not only used to satisfy needs such as clothing, food, and shelter immediately, but also function as "markers" and communicators of differences. Interpersonal differences such as honor, prestige, level of power in social groups. One of the efforts done by the community in meeting their needs is by trading or running a business. By trading, it can not only fulfill its own needs because it makes money, but can also meet the needs of other community members. With so many facilities in the city, the merchant community has formed a community that has the same vision and mission in meeting the needs of the brand, one of which is Multi Level Marketing (MLM). MLM is considered as a more efficient and effective marketing method at the retail level (retail sales) because of the magnitude and breadth of the movements of the individuals who launch this marketing program compared to the usual marketing system. MLM is currently considering a new breakthrough in the world of commerce and business to get money. This can be seen from the number of MLM companies that are developing in Indonesia and the number of people who are interested in joining the programs offered by these companies. MLM is just one method to market a product to the public. One of the products of MLM itself is Tupperware which is growing in the community. According to Rini (2012: 163) mentioned that MLM is a marketing system that is carried out through many levels or levels, which are usually known as the plain (top level) and down the line (bottom level). Likewise, that is contained in the Tupperware MLM marketing business. The marketing business that they live in requires a lot of networks consisting of uplines and downlines, so that the social relations that exist between upline and downline require social capital. It aims to increase Tupperware's MLM marketing efforts, because indirectly the existence of social capital also greatly affects network relationships with consumers. Based on this background, the study with the title "Empowering Housewives Through Career Levels MLM (Multi Level Marketing) With Social Capital" is interesting to study. Ariani & Rosita. Empowering Mothers Home Appliances Through Study Career Mlm (Multi LevelMarketing) With Capital Social 212 THEORITICAL REVIEW Capital Social Burt (Kusumastuti, 2015) defines social capital as the ability of people to associate with one another, so that it becomes a very important force, not only for economic aspects, but also for every other aspect of social existence. Social capital has three typologies (Abdullah, 2013), as well as an expression of energy or power that can optimize the potential of other capital. The typology of social capital includes social capital as an adhesive / binding, social capital as a connector / bridge and social capital as a connection or access. In the context of empowering social capital into basic capital that makes other capital effective such as human capital, environmental capital, financial capital. Multi Level Marketing Etymologically Multi Level marketing (MLM) means multi-tiered marketing (Harefa, 1999: 4). MLM is one of the various ways that companies can choose to market their products. According to Hanefa (Mardalis & Hasanah, 2016). In MLM, customers are empowered to carry out marketing or distribution tasks independently without direct intervention of the company and for their rewards in the form of discounts, commissions or incentives determined by the manufacturer company in stages according to the amount of sales value (usually called a volume point or business point) notified to independent distributors since they registered as members. Community Development According to Oos M. Anwas (2014: 49) The definition of empowerment emphasizes aspects of delegating power, giving authority, or transferring power to individuals or communities so that they are able to regulate themselves from their environment in accordance with their desires, potentials and abilities. According to Friedmann (Noor, 2011) to empower people (empowering) can be assessed from 3 (three) aspects: 1) First, enabling is to create an atmosphere that allows the potential of the community to develop. The assumption is the understanding that every person, every society has the potential that can be developed meaning that there is no person or society without power; 2) Second, empowering is to strengthen the potential of the community through concrete steps that involve providing various inputs and opening up opportunities that will make the community more empowered; 3) Third, protecting that is protecting and defending the interests of the weak community. To increase community participation in the decision- making process concerning themselves and their communities is an important element, so that community empowerment is very closely related to strengthening, civilizing and the experience of democracy. METHOD The research method used is descriptive method with a qualitative approach. In the opinion of Sugiyono (2014) qualitative research methods are research methods based on the philosophy of post positivism, which are used to examine natural objects, (as opposed to experiments) were in this study, researchers as key instruments. The location of this research is the office of Tupperware PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama Bandung. Data collection techniques using combined techniques or triangulation. As for the data analysis technique in accordance with the opinion of Mules and Humberman (Sugiyono 2014), it was suggested that the activities in the qualitative data analysis were carried out interactively and continued continuously until they Ariani & Rosita. Empowering Mothers Home Appliances Through Study Career Mlm (Multi LevelMarketing) With Capital Social 213 were finished, so that the data was already saturated. Activities in data analysis are data reduction, data display and data conclusions or verification. According to Sugiyono (2014) the source of the data can be determined purposefully, that is chosen with specific considerations and goals. For research data, researchers took a random sample, arguing that managers and consultants as people who are directly involved in the empowerment process and MLM business people who are the main actors and can provide accurate information. The number of samples in the study was two manager, two team captain of PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama Bandung and three consultants. Data collection techniques through interviews and observations. By selecting the sample above, you can find out how to empower housewives through MLM (Multi Level Marketing) career paths with social capital. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ResultSocial capital is more devoted to the upline and downline parties. In addition, theresearcher also explores issues relating to obstacles encountered in maintaining socialcapital so that Tupperware's business continues to advance.The location of the study was conducted at Tupperware PT Fajar Puncak Pratama whichaddressed Jl. Buah Batu No. 86 Bandung. PT Fajar Puncak Pratama is one of theTupperware distributors in Bandung which has a downline of more than 50 people.The focus of the study refers to the formulation of the problem, namely regarding theintricacies of Tupperware's business, the social capital that is built up among Tupperwaremembers in Fajar Puncak Pratama who on average works as housewives, and theobstacles faced by Tupperware members.The subjects in this study were members of Tupperware who joined PT. Fajar PuncakPratama on Jl. Buah Batu, Bandung. The subjects involved in Tupperware PT. FajarPuncak Pratama numbered approximately 100 people. While the informants taken by theresearchers were only from the upline and downline parties who worked at PT. FajarPuncak Pratama. Researchers have selected several people from the upline who wereused as informants in this study. Of the many subjects / informants that have beenselected, several key informants and supporting informants have been screened.This is based on the completeness of information and data that can be obtained from thesubject / informant. For further information, the division of key informants andsupporting informants will be explained as in table 3.1 and table 3.2 below: Table 3.1 Main Informant Data Main Informant Age Position Ai Siti H 40 Manager Sumartini 44 Manager Primary research data sources, 2019 Ariani & Rosita. Empowering Mothers Home Appliances Through Study Career Mlm (Multi LevelMarketing) With Capital Social 214 Table 3.2 Supporting Informant Data Supporting Informan Age Position Ani Suwarni 35 TeamCaptain Salwa 39 TeamCaptain Dika Tri 48 Consultant Suswani 42 Consultant Chesie 37 ConsultantPrimary research data source, 2019 Researchers have several reasons in choosing subjects / informants to complete theprimary data needed by researchers. The reasons include the following: 1. Researchershave high social capital to the subject / informant. 2. The subject / informant has a lot ofexperience in the field of marketing business so they have understood about the obstaclesencountered in developing their business. Table 3.3 Interview Results Name Income Perceived benefits Before After Ani Suwarni Rp 800.000 Rp 1.500.000 Increased income makes families more prosperous Salwa Rp 1.000.000 Rp. 1.800.000 Can help the family economy and can buy their ownneeds without asking for money from their husband Dika Tri Rp. 1.800.000 Rp. 2.600.00 Income increases and can save Dewi Rp.1.500.00 Rp. 2. 400.00 Income increases, so that financial needs can be met Chesie Rp. 1.200.000 Rp. 2.100.000 Increased income can help a more prosperous familyeconomy From the table above it can be seen that housewives who join Tupperware's multi-levelmarketing business have increased incomes and a sense of empowerment by helping thefamily economy. They feel more valuable because the focus on taking care of thehousehold can also generate rupiah and socialize.A competitive career path in the Tupperware marketing system that can influencebonuses and commissions is an attraction for housewives to continue to increase thenumber of bonuses and downlines so that more housewives can be empowered. Discussion In accordance with the results of research conducted by researchers through interviews and field observations, it can be concluded that housewives can feel the results of empowerment done through MLM. Housewives can help improve the family economy by staying at home. In addition, they can socialize with other neighbors to help reduce poverty and unemployment. This is in accordance with aspects of community empowerment namely Friedman (Noor, 2011) to empower people (empowering) can be assessed from 3 (three) aspects: 1) First, enabling is creating an atmosphere that allows the potential of the community to develop. The assumption is the understanding that every person, every society has the potential that can be developed meaning that there is no person or society without power; 2) Second, empowering is to strengthen the potential of the community through concrete steps that involve providing various Ariani & Rosita. Empowering Mothers Home Appliances Through Study Career Mlm (Multi LevelMarketing) With Capital Social 215 inputs and opening up opportunities that will make the community more empowered; 3) Third, protecting that is protecting and defending the interests of the weak community. To increase community participation in the decision-making process concerning themselves and their communities is an important element, so that community empowerment is very closely related to strengthening, civilizing and the experience of democracy. In addition to empowerment, we must look at the aspects above, so for social capital to continue to run optimally and have potential, we must pay attention to social capital having three typologies (Abdullah, 2013), as well as an expression of energy or strength that can optimize the potential of other capital. The typology of social capital includes social capital as an adhesive / binder, social capital as a buffer / bridge and social capital as a connection or access. In the context of empowering social capital into basic capital that makes other capital effective such as human capital, environmental capital, financial capital. CONCLUSION The conclusions that can be drawn from this research are as follows: 1) One of Tupperware's businesses in the city of Bandung is centered in the branch office of PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama. Distributor of PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama is Ms. Sofia Agnani. The advantages of PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama is the role of distributors who always supervise and pay attention to the employees who work in the office. 2) The social capital that is built in Tupperware's multi- level marketing (MLM) community includes three things, namely Tupperware's MLM business, network consisting of consultants, team captains, managers, group managers, and distributors, reciprocity norms (reciprocal relationships), and trust in terms of taking goods from downline to upline. 3) Constraints faced in maintaining social capital for the continuation of the Tupperware MLM business include two things, namely the denial of agreement, and the emergence of unusual requirements, as well as high economic interests that defeat social capital. 4) Tupperware is able to empower housewives by providing conveniences in increasing the family economy only with social capital owned. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research supported by the distributor Tupperware PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama Mrs Sofia Agnani and all group managers, managers, team captain, consultant thanks for sharing the experiences about business career path program Tupperware in PT. Fajar Puncak Pratama. My gratitude for IKIP SILIWANGI especially in Non-formal Education study program. All friends, batch 2018. Thank you for caring and sharing many things and bring positive vibes to finish this research. REFERENCES Abdullah, S. (2013 ). POTENSI DAN KEKUATAN MODAL SOSIAL DALAM SUATU KOMUNITAS . SOCIUS, Vol 1 No.12, hal.15-21. Anwas, O. M. (2014). Pemberdayaan Masyarakat di Era Globalisasi. Bandung: Alfabeta. Harefa, A. (1999). Multi Level Marketing: Alternatif Karier dan Usaha Menyongsong Millenium Ketiga. Jakarta: PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama. JEAN, B. (2009). Masyarakat Konsumsi (La societe de consummation). Yogyakarta: Kreasi Wacana. Kusumastuti, A. (2015). Modal Sosial dan Mekanisme Adaptasi Masyarakat Pedesaan dalam Pengelolaan dan Pembangunan Infrastruktur. 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