Ethical Partnership Governance in Platform-Based Service MSMEs: Implications for Service Quality and Operational Performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55606/ijemr.v5i2.798Keywords:
Certainty Of Partnership, Customer Rating, Digital Platforms, Ethical Partnership Governance, Operational PerformanceAbstract
The growth of the digital economy has made service MSMEs increasingly dependent on platforms that regulate commissions, visibility algorithms, ratings, and sanctions, so that the issues of fairness, transparency, and accountability are determinants of operational stability. The problem of this research is how ethical partnership governance affects the quality of service and operational performance of platform-based service MSMEs. The purpose of this study is to analyze the mechanisms of the influence of distributive and procedural justice, policy transparency, and accountability on operational behavior and service quality. Methods: qualitative research with a descriptive phenomenological approach; semi-structured in-depth interviews with 25 owners/managers of MSMEs platform-based services in Surabaya (F&B delivery, cleaning/service, creative services), were analyzed thematically and strengthened by triangulation and member checking. The findings show that the four dimensions of governance form "partnership certainty" that reduces uncertainty, stabilizes operational decisions (management of service hours, capacity, order priority), and maintains service consistency. Service quality is most evident through responsiveness, empathy, real-time communication, and service recovery capabilities. However, the mechanism weakens when performance evaluation is overly based on customer ratings without considering field constraints, triggering the perception of inequality and defensive strategies that can reduce service flexibility. Conclusion: ethical partnership governance improves operational reliability and service quality, especially through partnership certainty, with the need for more contextual performance assessment. The implication is that the platform needs contextual evaluation and appeals channels that are responsive and clear.
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