Balancing Tradition and Technology: Smart City Governance and Yogyakarta’s Culinary Heritage Preservation

Skolastika Narda Cyadika, Prof. Dr. Wahyudi Kumorotomo, MPP.

2025 | Skripsi | ILMU ADMINISTRASI NEGARA (MANAJEMEN DAN KEBIJAKAN PUBLIK)

This study explores how smart city initiatives in Yogyakarta influence the preservation of traditional culinary heritage, focusing on the government-led digital platform SiBakul Jogja. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of Digital Urban Governance, Community-Based Heritage Preservation, and Adaptive Governance, this research investigates the intersection of technology, policy, and culture in the evolving urban landscape. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study draws on in-depth interviews with 11 stakeholders, including government officials, cultural intermediaries (such as travel agents), and traditional culinary vendors.

Findings reveal that while SiBakul offers tangible benefits such as increased visibility, subsidized delivery costs, and access to digital marketing training, but its impact remains uneven. Many digitally capable vendors are excluded due to limited outreach, platform complexity, and insufficient cultural contextualisation. This asymmetry underscores the need for more inclusive and responsive governance mechanisms. The study proposes concrete policy recommendations, including the redesign of digital platforms for usability, the integration of cultural storytelling features, and the implementation of community-based digital literacy programs. These efforts are essential to ensure that technological innovation supports rather than replace Yogyakarta’s rich culinary identity in the era of smart urban transformation. 

This study explores how smart city initiatives in Yogyakarta influence the preservation of traditional culinary heritage, focusing on the government-led digital platform SiBakul Jogja. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of Digital Urban Governance, Community-Based Heritage Preservation, and Adaptive Governance, this research investigates the intersection of technology, policy, and culture in the evolving urban landscape. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study draws on in-depth interviews with 11 stakeholders, including government officials, cultural intermediaries (such as travel agents), and traditional culinary vendors.

Findings reveal that while SiBakul offers tangible benefits such as increased visibility, subsidized delivery costs, and access to digital marketing training, but its impact remains uneven. Many digitally capable vendors are excluded due to limited outreach, platform complexity, and insufficient cultural contextualisation. This asymmetry underscores the need for more inclusive and responsive governance mechanisms. The study proposes concrete policy recommendations, including the redesign of digital platforms for usability, the integration of cultural storytelling features, and the implementation of community-based digital literacy programs. These efforts are essential to ensure that technological innovation supports rather than replace Yogyakarta’s rich culinary identity in the era of smart urban transformation. 

Kata Kunci : traditional culinary heritage, SiBakul Jogja, community-based digital literacy, smart urban transformation