Kompetensi Pemilik dan Pekerja Usaha Mikro Makanan Ringan tentang Mutu Produk di Cilegon dan Pandeglang, Provinsi Banten MicroEnterpreneur Competencies of Product Quality of Snacks in Cilegon and Pandeglang, Banten Province

Demand for quality snacks has increased following consumers understanding on good food for health. The demand requires ability from snacks producers to control product quality. Thus, the research objectives was to analyze the factors related to micro enterpreneur competencies in assuringquality of gipang and ceprek melinjo. A case study was conducted to an owner of food processing of sweet rice crackers (in Bahasa Indonesia called gipang) having five workers in Cilegon and an owner of bitter nut crackers (in Bahasa Indonesia in ceprek melinjo) in Pandeglang. The owner of ceprek melinjo has 50 employee trained to be the partners for producing ceprek melinjo. Data from the ownres and employees were gathered through in depth interviews, discussion and observation. The data collected were social-economics profile of producers, external support, and skills in ensuring product quality. Indentification to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) was also done to help formulating strategy for competencies development. The results show that in general, competencies of gipang small producers are high. While competence ceprek melinjo small producers are low.Competencies possessedbythe small producersgipang and ceprek melinjoisonlybased on the capabilitiesacquiredfrom generation to generation, andthere has been noeffortto increase it.Related to this, it takes efforttoimprove the competence ofthe small producers processinggipang and ceprek melinjothusimproving the competenceexpected to improvethe abilityto expand its business. So that productivitycan be increasedeffortsnotonlyin terms of quantitybutin terms of quality. The strategyto strengthen competencies of small producers shouldbe focused on providing relevant training, facilitation in product marketing, and controlling product quality.