The Chair of the Non-Market Strategy Thematic Research Group (TRG) at Hasanuddin University, Abdullah Sanusi, S.E., M.B.A., Ph.D., attended and presented his research findings at the SMS Special Conference Hong Kong 2026, organized by the Strategic Management Society (SMS) together with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on June 28–30, 2026, at Hotel ICON, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. This international conference was held under the theme “Stakeholder Governance: New Implications for Organizations and Society,” addressing stakeholder governance issues from both micro and macro perspectives in organizational life.
On the third day of the conference (June 30, 2026), Abdullah Sanusi took part in an Academic Panel session titled “Navigating the Microfoundations of Stakeholder Governance: Micro Issues and Implications.” The session also featured a number of prominent strategic management scholars from leading universities around the world, including Russ Coff (University of Wisconsin–Madison), Flore Bridoux (Erasmus University), Donal Crilly (London Business School), and Nicolai Foss (Copenhagen Business School), under the coordination of track co-chair Jonathan Bundy (Arizona State University).
In the session, Abdullah Sanusi presented his research titled “Thriving Amidst Change: Indonesian MSMEs’ Resilient Response to Urban Spatial Governance.” The study examines how food and beverage Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in three areas of South Sulawesi—Makassar, Gowa, and Maros—respond to urban spatial policy pressures without resorting to open confrontation. Using a qualitative descriptive-interpretive design and Framework Analysis based on interviews with 12 participants, the study identifies five key themes: livelihood-first decision-making and conflict avoidance; how vendors interpret rules amid uncertainty and inconsistent enforcement; strategies for sustaining business continuity through mobility and timing; the role of social and family networks as operational infrastructure; and business risk management alongside the policy priorities vendors expect from local government.
The findings show that these non-confrontational strategies are not merely passive behavior, but a form of informal stakeholder governance in urban public space. Vendors, frontline officers, and local residents collectively shape the practical rules governing the use of public space through everyday interaction, rather than through formal consultation mechanisms. The study contributes to the non-market strategy literature in emerging economies, particularly within the Indonesian context, where a strong state and a large informal sector coexist side by side.
Abdullah Sanusi’s participation in the SMS Special Conference Hong Kong 2026 reflects the ongoing efforts of TRG Non-Market Strategy Unhas to expand its international academic network and disseminate research on non-market strategy and stakeholder governance, particularly research grounded in the context and realities of Indonesian businesses, to the global scholarly community.
