An Innovation Communication Process for the Transformation of Coastal Women in the Lembeh Islands

Abstract

Women's communication styles generally have distinctive characteristics, such as being emotionally expressive, frequently using body language, tending to avoid direct confrontation, communicating in detail, using indirect language, and actively listening. The quality of this communication is greatly influenced by the resources and environment in which they operate. In the past, women were often considered a weaker group than men. However, today, they have proven capable of making significant contributions in various aspects of life. In today's digital context, the spirit of women's emancipation is growing stronger. Women are seen as equal to men, especially in terms of their roles and contributions through communication. Women in urban areas tend to use modern communication styles, while women in island regions still maintain conventional communication styles that are slowly transforming through innovation. This study found that the conventional communication model of coastal women is still rooted in traditional social systems, namely direct communication between individuals in the context of daily activities, such as business transactions for products caught by fishermen. However, modern developments have encouraged innovation, where coastal women have begun processing seafood into attractively packaged dried food products and marketing them through digital platforms. Digital media, including dedicated websites, have become a means of transforming communication styles and empowering coastal women to respond creatively and adaptively to social and economic changes.