From Needs Assessment to Legal-Digital Empowerment: A Community-Based Framework for Indigenous Enterprises in Higher Education Extension Programs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15294/jphi.v9i2.49680Keywords:
Community Engagement, Digital Inclusion, Indigenous Enterprises, Legal Literacy, Needs AssessmentAbstract
Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations (IPOs) contribute significantly to local economies, cultural preservation, and sustainable livelihoods within their ancestral communities. However, many IPOs remain marginalized in digital economies due to limited digital competencies, inadequate access to technology, and insufficient legal awareness related to online enterprise participation. This study examined the marketing practices, digital competencies, and legal-literacy needs of IPOs in the Philippines and developed a legal-digital empowerment framework for higher education extension and community engagement initiatives. Using a sequential mixed-methods design, data were collected through surveys and focus group discussions involving IPO members engaged in community-based enterprises. The study assessed existing marketing practices, identified competency and legal-awareness gaps, and determined capacity-building needs related to digital enterprise participation. Findings revealed that IPOs continue to rely heavily on traditional marketing channels, with limited use of digital platforms, inconsistent branding practices, and minimal engagement in strategic digital marketing activities. Across domains such as content creation, digital platforms, branding and packaging, marketing strategy, and legal awareness, most respondents demonstrated beginner-level proficiency. Participants also expressed concerns regarding intellectual property protection, online participation, and limited understanding of legal mechanisms related to digital enterprise engagement. Despite these limitations, IPO members showed strong willingness to participate in training and mentorship initiatives. The study proposes the Legal-Digital Empowerment Framework for Indigenous Community Enterprises (LDEF-ICE), which integrates digital competencies, legal literacy, institutional support systems, and rights-based market participation into a structured and context-responsive model for higher education extension programs. The study’s novelty lies in reconceptualizing needs assessment as a foundation for legal-digital empowerment and framework development rather than as a purely descriptive process. Overall, the framework offers a scalable approach for promoting digital inclusion, legal empowerment, sustainable enterprise participation, and community resilience among indigenous populations.
References
Almulla, Mohammed Abdullatif. “Constructivism Learning Theory: A Paradigm for Students’ Critical Thinking, Creativity, and Problem Solving to Affect Academic Performance in Higher Education.” Cogent Education 10, no. 1 (December 2023): 2172929. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2172929.
Anggono, Bayu Dwi, Rofi Wahanisa, Aulia Oktarizka Vivi Puspita Sari AP, and Septhian Eka Adiyatma. “Interrogating the Legal Foundations of Digital Transformation: Balancing Economic Growth and Social Welfare in the Era of Disruption.” Volksgeist: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum Dan Konstitusi 8, no. 1 (2025): 191–211. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24090/volksgeist.v8i1.12211.
Aribe, Sales Jr., Marilou Espina, and Joan Marie Panes. “Stakeholder Perceptions on VMGO, Institutional Outcomes and Core Values in Creative Computing Education in the Philippines: Awareness, Acceptance, and Congruency.” International Journal of Education and Practice 14, no. 1 (January 2026): 337–53. https://doi.org/10.18488/61.v14i1.4720.
Banowati, Eva, Efriyani Sumastuti, Juhadi Juhadi, Suhadi Suhadi, and Nugroho Trisnu Brata. “Digital Technology Use and Perceived Intergenerational Empowerment in Sustainable Rural Tourism: Evidence from a Youth-Dominated Sample in Mount Muria, Indonesia.” International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning 21, no. 8 (August 31, 2026): 3779–88. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.210827.
Bhukta, Anindya. Legal Protection for Traditional Knowledge: Towards a New Law for Indigenous Intellectual Property. United Kingdom: Emerald Publishing Limited, 2020.
Buergelt, Petra T., and Douglas Paton. “An Ecological Risk Management and Capacity Building Model.” Human Ecology 42, no. 4 (August 2014): 591–603. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-014-9676-2.
Cagande, Gil Nicholas, Joseph Abella, John Lloyd Rojo, and Klevie Jun Caseres. “Network Design for Bukidnon State University College of Technologies Annex B Campus.” International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology 72, no. 11 (November 2024): 207–44. https://doi.org/10.14445/22315381/IJETT-V72I11P122.
Castaldi, Carolina, Elisa Giuliani, Margaret Kyle, and Alessandro Nuvolari. “Are Intellectual Property Rights Working for Society?” Research Policy, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2023.104936.
Chambers, R., and G. Conway. Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Practical Concepts for the 21st Century (Version 1). The Institute of Development Studies and Partner Organisations, 1992.
Child, Simon F. J., and Stuart D. Shaw. “A Purpose-Led Approach towards the Development of Competency Frameworks.” Journal of Further and Higher Education 44, no. 8 (September 2020): 1143–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2019.1669773.
Chua, Lynette J., and David M. Engel. “State and Personhood in Southeast Asia: The Promise and Potential for Law and Society Research.” Asian Journal of Law and Society 2, no. 2 (November 2015): 211–28. https://doi.org/10.1017/als.2015.10.
Creswell, John W., and Vicki L. Plano Clark. “Revisiting Mixed Methods Research Designs Twenty Years Later.” In The Sage Handbook of Mixed Methods Research Design, edited by Cheryl Poth, 21–36. 1 Oliver’s Yard, 55 City Road London EC1Y 1SP: Sage Publications Ltd, 2023. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529614572.n6.
Curado Fuentes, Alejandro, and Mercedes Rico García. “Digital Competence Analysis to Inform Current Pedagogy and Curricula.” Research in Education and Learning Innovation Archives, no. 33 (July 2024). https://doi.org/10.7203/realia.33.29257.
Golub, Stephen. Legal Empowerment: Practitioners’ Perspectives, 2010.
Haleem, Abid, Mohd Javaid, Mohd Asim Qadri, and Rajiv Suman. “Understanding the Role of Digital Technologies in Education: A Review.” Sustainable Operations and Computers 3 (2022): 275–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susoc.2022.05.004.
Jack Trọng. “Relationship between Data Privacy Regulations and Consumer Trust in E-Commerce Platforms in Vietnam.” American Journal of Data, Information and Knowledge Management 5, no. 1 (2024). https://doi.org/10.47672/ajdikm.2347.
Joseph, Corina, and Roshima Said. “Community-Based Education: A Participatory Approach to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goal.” In Quality Education, edited by Walter Leal Filho, Anabela Marisa Azul, Luciana Brandli, Pinar Gökçin Özuyar, and Tony Wall, 101–11. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95870-5_67.
Kemp, Elyria, McDowell Porter Iii, Nwamaka A. Anaza, and Dong-Jun Min. “The Impact of Storytelling in Creating Firm and Customer Connections in Online Environments.” Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing 15, no. 1 (May 2021): 104–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-06-2020-0136.
Kolb, David Allen. Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development, 1984.
Kumar, Manoj, Sweta Nisha Phukon, and Hukum Singh. “The Role of Communities in Sustainable Land and Forest Management.” In Forest Resources Resilience and Conflicts, 305–18. Elsevier, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-822931-6.00024-1.
Lapates, Jovelin, and Ronel Bongga. “Bridging the Local Digital Divide of LGU Cabanglasan Towards an ICT-Enabled Community: Its Effectiveness.” Science International-Lahore 34, no. 6 (2022): 493–97.
Lapates, Jovelin, and Rozanne Tuesday Flores. “Digital Competence Level: An Evaluation of Area Coordinators and Emergency Response (ACER) Team ICT Proficiency.” International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications 2, no. 1 (2019): 15–19.
Lindemann, Justine, Theodore R. Alter, Forrest Stagner, Effie Palacios, Ledeebari Banuna, and Mary Muldoon. “Building Urban Community Resilience through University Extension: Community Engagement and the Politics of Knowledge.” Socio-Ecological Practice Research 4, no. 4 (December 2022): 325–37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-022-00126-6.
Liu, Yang, Yuanzhu Wang, Hanghang Cui, and Liying Zhang. “Digital Transformation and Green Agricultural Skills: A Cross‐Case Policy Analysis of Cost‐Effective Competence Development.” European Journal of Education 61, no. 2 (June 2026): e70537. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.70537.
Mohammadi, A., M. Omidi Najafabadi, and A. Poursaeed. “A Comprehensive Sustainable Development Framework; Community Capitals and Village-Cooperative Initiative.” Brazilian Journal of Biology 84 (2024): e269509. https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.269509.
Novaes, André Lucas. “Participatory and Experiential Learning Methodologies in University Extension Programs: Integration Proposal Using an Application to Promote Climate Action Initiatives and Active Learning.” International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 26, no. 6 (August 2025): 1267–83. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-08-2024-0525.
Ober, Teresa, Lei Liu, David Nitkin, and Ou Lydia Liu. “Aligning Models of Competency-Based Education with Skills for the Future.” Chinese/English Journal of Educational Measurement and Evaluation 6, no. 3 (September 2025). https://doi.org/10.59863/XIKM7863.
Olson, Eric M., Kai M. Olson, Andrew J. Czaplewski, and Thomas Martin Key. “Business Strategy and the Management of Digital Marketing.” Business Horizons 64, no. 2 (March 2021): 285–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2020.12.004.
Palinkas, Lawrence A., Sarah M. Horwitz, Carla A. Green, Jennifer P. Wisdom, Naihua Duan, and Kimberly Hoagwood. “Purposeful Sampling for Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis in Mixed Method Implementation Research.” Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research 42, no. 5 (September 2015): 533–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y.
Qureshi, Sajda. “Digital Transformation at the Margins: A Battle for the Soul of Self-Sovereignty.” Information Technology for Development 28, no. 2 (April 2022): 215–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2022.2062291.
Richards, Bruce F., Lendel Narine, Justin Clawson, Kalen Taylor, Jacob Hadfield, and Jody Gale. “Assessing the Needs of Utah Dairy Farmers to Inform Extension Programming.” Outcomes and Impact Quarterly 3, no. 2 (July 2023). https://doi.org/10.59620/2995-2220.1059.
Spinello, Richard A. “Intellectual Property Rights.” In Encyclopedia of Libraries, Librarianship, and Information Science, 306–13. Elsevier, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-95689-5.00134-6.
Suhadi, Suhadi, Dani Muhtada, Asmarani Ramli, Imam Baehaqie, Isnani Isnani, Ardi Sirajudin Rauf, Lucky Andinna Santyoko, and Muhammad Ridha. “Enhancing Nazir Capacity through Legal Literacy of Land Trust to Ensure Legal Certainty in Waqf Land Management.” Jurnal Pengabdian Hukum Indonesia 7, no. 2 (2024). https://doi.org/10.15294/jphi.v7i2.6693.
Sunarso, Budi, and Fahrina Mustafa. “Analysing the Role of Visual Content in Increasing Attraction and Conversion in MSME Digital Marketing.” Journal of Contemporary Administration and Management (ADMAN) 1, no. 3 (November 2023): 193–200. https://doi.org/10.61100/adman.v1i3.79.
United Nations. “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Resolution 61/295.” United Nations General Assembly, no. March (2007).
Wahanisa, Rofi, Benny Riyanto, Septhian Eka Adiyatma, Uche Nnawulezi, and Muhammad Abdul Rouf. “Achieving Public Information Transparency in The Dissemination of Local Regulations.” Yuridika 38, no. 3 (2023). https://doi.org/10.20473/ydk.v38i3.48345.
Wang, Lanhui, Fangli Wei, Torbern Tagesson, Zhongxiang Fang, and Jens-Christian Svenning. “Transforming Forest Management through Rewilding: Enhancing Biodiversity, Resilience, and Biosphere Sustainability under Global Change.” One Earth 8, no. 3 (March 2025): 101195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101195.
Wang, Shiqiang, Haoning Liu, Zhuonan Li, and Shu Zhang. “Security Risks and Regulation of Cross-Border e-Commerce in Digital Economy.” Journal of Electronic Business & Digital Economics 4, no. 2 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1108/jebde-12-2024-0053.
Zugay, Benjamin, and Rimi Zakaria. Ansoff Matrix. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks California 91320 United States: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2023. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071924136.
Downloads
Published
Article ID
49680Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Marilou O. Espina, Sales G. Aribe Jr., Mark Ian M. Mukara, Joseph L. Abella, Nurwahyu Alamsyah (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). All writings published in this journal are personal views of the author and do not represent the views of this journal and the author’s affiliated institutions.
