Talent: Journal of Economics and Business

Indonesia–China Spice Trade: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategic Export Responses

2026-08-03T23:30:17+00:00

Indonesia is one of the world’s leading spice producers, supported by rich biodiversity, favorable agro-climatic conditions, and a long tradition of spice cultivation. China has become a strategic export destination due to its growing food, pharmaceutical, traditional medicine, and cosmetics industries. This study aims to analyze the opportunities, challenges, and strategic responses in Indonesia–China spice trade. A mixed-method approach was used by combining quantitative analysis of export data from BPS, the Ministry of Trade, and international trade databases with qualitative analysis through literature review. The results show that China accounted for 33.6% of Indonesia’s exports of medicinal, aromatic, and spice crops in 2024, making it the largest export market. The main opportunities include strong market demand, ACFTA tariff preferences, increasing demand for organic products, and Indonesia’s comparative advantage in spice production. However, Indonesia still faces several challenges, such as non-tariff barriers, competition from Vietnam and India, exchange rate volatility, and climate-related production risks. Therefore, this study recommends strengthening economic diplomacy, improving product certification, increasing value-added processing, diversifying export markets, and adopting digital traceability systems to enhance Indonesia’s competitiveness in the Chinese market.

Bureaucratic Reform and Government Performance Accountability on Local Government Expenditure Efficiency in West Nusa Tenggara

2026-07-07T04:24:43+00:00

This study examines the impact of bureaucratic reform and government performance accountability on local government expenditure efficiency in West Nusa Tenggara Province during 2019–2024. A two-stage quantitative approach was applied. First, Data Envelopment Analysis with an input-oriented Variable Returns to Scale model was used to measure technical efficiency across ten local governments. Second, System Generalized Method of Moments estimation was employed to analyze the determinants of efficiency while addressing endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity. The results show substantial variation in expenditure efficiency, with scores ranging from 0.48 to 1.00, indicating that greater fiscal resources do not automatically lead to efficient public spending. Government performance accountability has a positive and significant effect on expenditure efficiency, suggesting that systematic planning, monitoring, and evaluation encourage better resource allocation. In contrast, bureaucratic reform does not show a significant direct effect, implying that structural reforms may require a longer period to influence fiscal efficiency. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening performance accountability systems to improve local government expenditure efficiency.

Green Product, Green Marketing, and Green Brand Image on Customer Loyalty in Sustainable Banking: The Moderating Role of Customer Satisfaction

2026-08-02T07:09:59+00:00

The increasing pressure for environmental sustainability has encouraged the banking industry to adopt more responsible and sustainable business practices. This study aims to examine the influence of green product, green marketing, and green brand image on customer loyalty in sustainable banking, with customer satisfaction as a moderating variable. Using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach, this study analyzes 26 international articles published between 2021 and 2025. The findings indicate that green product, green marketing, and green brand image consistently have a positive contribution to customer loyalty. In addition, customer satisfaction strengthens these relationships by enhancing customers’ positive evaluations and long-term commitment to sustainable banking services. This study provides strategic implications for Islamic and conventional banking institutions in integrating sustainability into marketing, branding, and service strategies to build stronger customer loyalty.

Netflix Purchase Decisions among University Students: The Role of E-WOM, Price, and Brand Image

2026-08-03T23:28:33+00:00

This study examines the influence of electronic word of mouth (E-WOM), price, and brand image on Netflix streaming service purchase decisions among Management students at Universitas Pelita Bangsa. A quantitative associative approach was used, involving 127 respondents selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS 25 through validity and reliability tests, classical assumption tests, multiple linear regression, t-test, F-test, and coefficient of determination. The results show that E-WOM and price have positive and significant effects on purchase decisions, while brand image has a positive but non-significant effect. Simultaneously, E-WOM, price, and brand image significantly influence Netflix purchase decisions, with an adjusted R-square value of 0.647, indicating that 64.7% of purchase decisions are explained by the three variables. These findings highlight that online consumer recommendations and perceived price value are more decisive than brand image in shaping students’ subscription decisions. This study contributes to digital marketing literature by emphasizing the importance of E-WOM and pricing strategies in subscription-based streaming services.

Service Quality and Customer Loyalty in Islamic Banking: A Systematic Literature Review of the Mediating Role of Customer Satisfaction

2026-08-01T16:20:17+00:00

Customer loyalty remains a critical challenge for Islamic banks in an increasingly competitive and digitalized financial environment. Although service quality has been widely recognized as an important determinant of customer loyalty, previous studies have reported inconsistent findings regarding the direct relationship between service quality and customer loyalty. Therefore, this study aims to systematically review the existing literature on the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty in Islamic banking, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of customer satisfaction. This study employs a Systematic Literature Review approach by examining relevant international journal articles published between 2015 and 2025. The literature was identified from major academic databases, including Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, Emerald Insight, and ScienceDirect, and selected based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The selection process focused on studies discussing service quality, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and mediation in the context of Islamic banking. The findings indicate that service quality consistently has a positive influence on customer satisfaction, while customer satisfaction significantly contributes to customer loyalty. The review further reveals that customer satisfaction serves as the primary mechanism through which service quality affects customer loyalty. In addition, recent evidence highlights the growing importance of digital service quality and Sharia compliance in shaping customer satisfaction and loyalty. This study concludes that improving service quality alone is insufficient to strengthen customer loyalty unless it generates customer satisfaction. Therefore, Islamic banks should prioritize customer satisfaction as a strategic objective to build sustainable customer loyalty and maintain long-term competitiveness.