From Heritage to Creative Economy: Conceptualising the Sustainability of Batik Merbok through Education, Industry, and Community

From Heritage to Creative Economy: Conceptualising the Sustainability of Batik Merbok through Education, Industry, and Community

Mas Ayu Zainal Ismail, Azmir Mamat Nawi^*, Mohd Zamri Azizan

Faculty Arts & Design, University Technology MARA. Kedah Branch,Malaysia

^*Corresponding author

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.909000770

Received: 23 September 2025; Accepted: 30 September 2025; Published: 30 October 2025

ABSTRACT

Batik Merbok an underdocumented textile heritage of Kedah faces mounting pressures from market modernisation, low-cost imports, and a shortage of skilled youth, despite national narratives that position cultural heritage as a pillar of the creative economy. This study addresses the problem of fragmented efforts across education, industry, and community that have yet to coalesce into a coherent strategy for sustaining Batik Merbok’s identity, economic viability, market relevance, and intergenerational transmission. The aim is to propose and preliminarily assess a conceptual framework that integrates these three drivers while accounting for contextual moderators (policy and institutional support, financial resources, digital literacy, and community cultural norms). Methodologically, the study adopts a conceptual research design supported by a quantitative survey plan: constructs and measures are derived from literature and theory, with the model intended for empirical testing using PLS-SEM (measurement and structural analyses) on purposively sampled stakeholders—lecturers/students, entrepreneurs/artisans, and community members—in northern Peninsular Malaysia. Conceptual synthesis and secondary evidence suggest that heritage-based education can strengthen knowledge transfer and youth engagement; industry can enhance competitiveness through design, branding, and market strategies; and community anchors authenticity and social acceptance—effects that are amplified or dampened by the identified moderators. The findings indicate that aligning curricula, industrial incentives, and community programmes around dynamic capabilities and cultural sustainability can create a resilient heritage–innovation nexus for Batik Merbok. Practically, the framework guides universities to embed heritage–innovation modules, industry to invest in design and green production, and communities to co-lead legitimising activities; theoretically, it integrates diffusion of innovation, triple bottom line, dynamic capabilities, and cultural sustainability into a testable model. The study concludes with a call for empirical validation and policy alignment to secure Batik Merbok’s long-term sustainability within Malaysia’s creative economy.

Keywords: Batik Merbok, Textile Innovation, Cultural Heritage Sustainability, Creative Economy, Community Engagement

INTRODUCTION

In the contemporary global landscape, discourse on cultural heritage and the creative economy has increasingly gained prominence as part of inclusive sustainable development strategies. UNESCO (2023) underscores that cultural heritage is not merely a marker of identity but also functions as an economic, social, and educational resource with the potential to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The transformation of heritage into a creative economy requires a balance between preserving authentic values and embracing market-oriented modernisation (UNCTAD, 2022). In line with this, the  Bank Dunia (2021) highlights that the creative economy sector can make significant contributions to global economic growth, job creation, and community development, particularly in developing countries. Within this framework, education, industry, and community emerge as three fundamental pillars that not only safeguard the continuity of cultural heritage but also strengthen competitiveness in the global market.

In the Malaysian context, batik represents a distinctive cultural heritage that plays a pivotal role in driving the growth of a culture-based creative economy. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which account for the majority of batik producers, contribute 98% to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 63% to employment, and 21% to total exports (UNIMAS, 2023). Despite these impressive macroeconomic contributions, the batik industry remains dominated by micro-enterprises and cottage industries, reflecting the urgent need for investment and structural reinforcement (Mohamed et al., 2018). Innovation-oriented initiatives such as the Batik Malaysia brand have recorded a threefold increase in revenues since 2004, while projects targeting youth-friendly designs and ASEAN export specialisation hold the potential to boost market growth by up to 15% (Batik.com.my, 2024). Nonetheless, significant challenges persist, including competition from low-cost imported printed products and a shortage of skilled labour among the younger generation, reflecting a lack of interest in entering the industry (Kamaruddin & Ismail, 2021). Nevertheless, within the domains of education and community, the application of design thinking, heritage education programmes, and community-based initiatives such as Batik Lestari have proven instrumental in raising awareness of the socio-economic and aesthetic value of Batik Merbok and traditional batik more broadly (Options, 2023).

As one of Kedah’s unique textile heritages, Batik Merbok requires special attention, given its increasingly marginalised position compared to East Coast batik, which is more firmly established in terms of commercialisation. Abdullah et al. (2019) argue that the sustainability of batik heritage can only be secured through the integration of formal education, community training, and government institutional support. In this respect, higher education institutions play a crucial role in developing training modules and innovative research that connect younger generations with heritage values (Rahman & Hashim, 2020). At the same time, local community involvement remains a decisive factor in sustaining traditional batik art, particularly through collaborative activities, community workshops, and heritage programmes targeting younger generations (Ismail, 2021). Norwani (2022) further emphasises that the sustainability of traditional textile arts requires more targeted research and innovation strategies, including the use of digital technologies and the adaptation of contemporary designs to enhance market competitiveness. This demonstrates that the continuity of Batik Merbok is rooted not only in its technical and aesthetic aspects but also in the broader systems of education, community empowerment, and inclusive industrial development policies.

Although various studies on Malaysian batik have examined heritage, innovation, and industrial development (Abdullah et al., 2019; Rahman & Hashim, 2020; Ismail, 2021; Norwani, 2022), a significant gap remains in the context of Batik Merbok, particularly concerning its sustainability within the creative economy ecosystem. Most previous studies have concentrated on East Coast batik or broader industrial issues, while Batik Merbok remains underdocumented academically in terms of the roles of education, industrial support, and community engagement. Furthermore, empirical studies evaluating the effectiveness of integrating these three dimensions in sustaining Batik Merbok are still limited. Accordingly, this study seeks to fill this gap by analysing how education, industry, and community can be synergised to ensure the sustainability of Batik Merbok, thereby strengthening its position within Malaysia’s creative economy ecosystem.

This article is organised into several key sections. The first section reviews existing literature on cultural heritage, the creative economy, and the position of Batik Merbok in the Malaysian context. The second section outlines the theoretical framework and methodology employed to examine the interrelationship between education, industry, and community in sustaining Batik Merbok. The third section presents the key findings derived from conceptual analysis and secondary data, while the fourth section discusses both academic and practical implications for heritage preservation strategies and creative economy development. Finally, the article concludes by summarising the study’s contributions to academic discourse and offering suggestions for future research.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Synergy of Education, Industry and Community in the Creative Economy

The transition of cultural heritage into the framework of the creative economy is not a linear process; rather, it demands synergy between education, industry, and community. UNESCO (2023) emphasises that cultural heritage is not only a source of identity but also a strategic asset that can support innovation and economic growth. Education functions as a primary conduit for transmitting traditional knowledge, restructuring curricula that integrate heritage with innovation, and reinforcing intergenerational knowledge transfer (Rahman & Hashim, 2020). Industry, in turn, provides the ecosystem that enables heritage to be commercialised through product innovation, supply chain optimisation, and the strengthening of local brands within the global market (Mohamed et al., 2018). Meanwhile, the community acts as a cultural legitimiser, mediating innovation acceptance in ways that preserve authenticity while safeguarding symbolic values and local identity (Ismail, 2021).

In the context of Batik Merbok, synergy among education, industry, and community is critical not only to ensure continuity of production but also as a foundation for building a sustainable, resilient, and generationally relevant creative economy ecosystem.

Relevant Theories and ModelsThe discussion on sustaining Batik Merbok within the creative economy can be anchored in several key theories and models. First, the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (Rogers, 2003) explains how innovations are accepted within communities through the phases of awareness, evaluation, trial, and application. This theory is particularly useful in assessing the acceptance of new technologies and design practices among batik practitioners and consumers.

Second, the Triple Bottom Line model (Elkington, 1997) highlights the importance of balancing profit, planet, and people. This model is relevant in evaluating batik industry strategies that are not only economically driven but also mindful of social and ecological sustainability.

Third, the Dynamic Capabilities Framework (Teece, 2007) stresses the ability of organisations to reconfigure internal resources and processes in response to market changes. Within the context of Batik Merbok, this framework is significant in enabling the industry to adapt creative strategies without eroding traditional values.

Fourth, the Cultural Sustainability Model (Soini & Dessein, 2016) underscores that culture is not merely preserved but also serves as a source of innovation that strengthens competitiveness within the creative economy.

Together, these theories and models provide a conceptual foundation for understanding the transformation of Batik Merbok as an adaptive process that balances heritage preservation with the demands of modern markets.

Theoretical Foundation of the Study

Although there exists an extensive body of literature on Malaysia’s batik industry, most research has focused on East Coast batik, which is more commercially established (Abdullah et al., 2019; Norwani, 2022). Batik Merbok, by contrast, has received limited academic attention, particularly in terms of the integration of education, industry, and community in shaping a creative economy ecosystem.

Moreover, empirical studies on how innovation is received by practitioner communities or the effectiveness of educational curricula in sustaining local batik heritage remain limited. Likewise, research on strategies for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to combine sustainability principles with global market demands is still underdeveloped (Kamaruddin & Ismail, 2021).

In conclusion, there is an urgent need to develop a new conceptual framework that integrates education, industry, and community into strategies for preserving and transforming Batik Merbok. This study seeks to address this gap by offering a critical analysis of how the synergy between heritage and the creative economy can guarantee the sustainability of Batik Merbok. By connecting tradition preservation, product innovation, and social sustainability, Batik Merbok has the potential to become a model for other forms of cultural heritage in adapting to the challenges of globalisation and the twenty-first-century creative market.

Table 2.1 : Summary of Prior Research on Batik in Malaysia

Saleh et al. (2024) examined industrial and community dimensions directly. Through interviews with six batik entrepreneurs in northern Malaysia, the findings revealed that although knowledge of eco-friendly batik is high, acceptance remains low due to high production costs. This highlights the need for educational interventions and industrial incentives to strengthen the capacity of batik producers, including Batik Merbok, in integrating green practices into production processes.

Meanwhile, Sayuti et al. (2018) explored the potential of transforming Batik Merbok motifs into contemporary products such as porcelain by employing 3D CAD design software. This study demonstrated the synergy between heritage and modern design technologies, thereby opening opportunities for both formal and informal education in batik design to foster innovation without compromising heritage values.

Furthermore, Wahed et al. (2022), through a systematic literature review using the PRISMA framework, stressed the importance of integrated collaboration across education (research and knowledge transfer), industry (branding and innovation), and community (cultural legitimacy). Their study reinforced the argument that the sustainability strategies of Malaysia’s batik, including Batik Merbok, are inseparable from the synergy of these three key drivers.

Taken together, the reviewed studies affirm that sustaining Batik Merbok requires a holistic approach linking education, industry, and community. Education can strengthen awareness and knowledge transmission; industry can enhance competitiveness through design innovation, branding, and market strategies; and community ensures cultural legitimacy and social acceptance of innovation. The integration of these three elements provides a critical foundation for preserving heritage while positioning Batik Merbok as part of the nation’s creative economy.

Theoretical Foundation of the Study

In examining the sustainability of Batik Merbok, cultural heritage and sustainable development theories provide an important conceptual base. Rogers’ (2003) Diffusion of Innovation Theory explains how innovations are introduced, evaluated, and eventually adopted within society through stages of awareness, evaluation, trial, and application. In the case of Batik Merbok, this theory helps in understanding the community’s role as a social filter in determining the acceptance of innovations, whether in heritage-based curricula, creative industry strategies, or community programmes, without eroding cultural authenticity.

Similarly, the Triple Bottom Line (Elkington, 1997) underscores the balance between economic profit, social sustainability, and cultural/environmental preservation. This model allows the study to explore how the batik industry can drive the creative economy while still recognising the social role of education and the importance of community in maintaining cultural identity. Within this framework, education serves not only as a teaching medium but also as a tool of social empowerment; industry functions as a generator of economic value; and community safeguards the symbolic meaning of batik.

The Dynamic Capabilities Framework (Teece, 2007) highlights the adaptive capacity of organisations to realign internal resources, strategies, and processes in response to external challenges. This adaptive capacity is highly relevant to Batik Merbok, which requires local industries to adjust to global creative market challenges. At the same time, educational institutions and communities play a crucial role in building new competences in design, marketing, and knowledge transfer.

Finally, the Cultural Sustainability Model (Soini & Dessein, 2016) underscores that culture is not merely inherited passively but also serves as a source of innovation that contributes to continuity and strengthens identity. This model reinforces the argument that sustaining Batik Merbok must be understood as a balance between tradition preservation and the creation of new value through education, industry, and community. Thus, sustainability is no longer viewed as static conservation but as a dynamic process that positions culture as a driver of the creative economy.

Synthesising these perspectives, the four theories complement one another. Diffusion of Innovation explains how cultural innovations are introduced; Triple Bottom Line highlights the need for balance across economic, social, and heritage dimensions; Dynamic Capabilities outlines the adaptive capacity of industry and institutions; and Cultural Sustainability positions culture as both a source of innovation and continuity. Collectively, these theories establish a robust conceptual foundation for understanding how education, industry, and community can be mobilised synergistically to sustain Batik Merbok within Malaysia’s creative economy ecosystem.

Conceptual Framework of the Study

Figure 2.1 : Conceptual Framework of Batik Sustainability Through Education, Industry, and Community

The conceptual framework of this study is grounded in four theoretical foundations: Diffusion of Innovation (Rogers, 2003), Triple Bottom Line (Elkington, 1997), Dynamic Capabilities (Teece, 2007), and the Cultural Sustainability Model (Soini & Dessein, 2016).

The Diffusion of Innovation theory explains how innovations in the form of heritage-based curricula, creative industry strategies, or community programmes are introduced, assessed, and eventually adopted by various actors, with the community acting as a social filter that determines acceptance. The Triple Bottom Line underscores the balance between economic (profit), social (people), and cultural sustainability (planet in heritage terms), thereby justifying the role of education as a medium of knowledge transfer, industry as an economic driver, and community as a guardian of cultural values.

Simultaneously, the Dynamic Capabilities framework highlights the capacity of industry and educational institutions to adapt strategies and internal resources in response to the challenges of the global creative market (Teece, 2018). This adaptive ability ensures that changes in design, marketing, and business models can be managed without undermining traditional values. Meanwhile, the Cultural Sustainability Model emphasises that culture is not merely preserved but also functions as a source of innovation that generates continuity and strengthens identity (Soini & Birkeland, 2014; Dessein et al., 2015).

Based on these theories, the conceptual framework positions education, industry, and community as three primary drivers activating mechanisms such as knowledge transfer, artisanal training, design and marketing innovation, and community networking (Carayannis & Campbell, 2009; Etzkowitz, 2000; UNESCO, 2003). These mechanisms lead to the sustainability of Batik Merbok across four key dimensions: identity and authenticity, economic viability, market relevance, and intergenerational transmission (Soini & Birkeland, 2014; Dessein et al., 2015; UNCTAD, 2022).

This relationship is further influenced by contextual moderators such as policy and institutional support, financial resources, digital literacy, and community cultural norms (UNCTAD, 2022; UNESCO, 2003; Dessein et al., 2015; Throsby, 2010). These moderators may strengthen or weaken the effectiveness of the interactions between drivers, mechanisms, and outcomes. Accordingly, the framework not only highlights the synergy between education, industry, and community but also accounts for external dynamics that determine the sustainability of Batik Merbok within Malaysia’s creative economy ecosystem.

METHODOLOGY

This study adopts a conceptual research design supported by a quantitative survey-based approach (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). This design was selected because the primary objective of the study is to test the proposed conceptual framework, namely the relationship between education, industry, and community in sustaining Batik Merbok, while considering contextual moderators such as policies, resources, and cultural norms (Hair, Hult, Ringle, & Sarstedt, 2019; Baron & Kenny, 1986). The survey design enables the systematic collection of empirical data, thereby enabling the validity of the conceptual model to be empirically tested using advanced statistical analysis (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).

Population, Sample Size and Sampling Technique

The study population comprises three main stakeholder groups:

1. Lecturers and students in the field of textile arts and heritage at higher education institutions.
2. Batik entrepreneurs and artisans, including Batik Merbok practitioners in northern Peninsular Malaysia.
3. Local communities directly involved in cultural preservation activities and batik marketing.

The minimum sample size was determined based on the rule of thumb suggested by Hair et al. (2020), which recommends at least five to ten respondents for each questionnaire item. Accordingly, the targeted sample size was at approximately 250–300 respondents. The sampling technique employed was purposive sampling, as respondents were selected based on their knowledge of and direct involvement in the batik industry and heritage education (Etikan, 2016).

Data Collection Methods

Data were collected using a structured questionnaire developed from the literature review and the underpinning theories (Rogers, 2003; Elkington, 1997; Teece, 2007; Soini & Dessein, 2016). The questionnaire comprised six main sections:

1. Respondents’ demographic profile
2. Heritage-based education
3. Industrial support and innovation
4. Community involvement
5. Contextual moderators (policies, resources, digital literacy, cultural norms)
6. Dimensions of Batik Merbok sustainability

The instrument was distributed using a hybrid approach, both online via platforms such as Google Forms and physically during community batik programmes and heritage workshops.

Data Analysis

Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), as this method is suitable for complex models with multiple latent constructs and moderate sample sizes (Hair et al., 2020). The analysis was conducted in two phases:

1. Measurement model analysis, to assess construct reliability and validity.
2. Structural model analysis, to test the hypothesised relationships between variables.

In addition, descriptive statistics were employed to summarise respondents’ profiles and highlight basic data patterns.

Variables and Measurement

The study evaluates three independent variables: education, industry, and community. The dependent variable is the sustainability of Batik Merbok, measured across four dimensions:

1. Identity and authenticity
2. Economic viability
3. Market relevance
4. Intergenerational transmission

The moderating factors include institutional policies, financial resources, digital literacy, and community cultural norms. All constructs were measured using a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree), adapted from previous studies on cultural heritage and the creative economy (Chin, 2010; Yusof & Rahim, 2021).

Reliability and Validity of Constructs

Internal reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha and Composite Reliability (CR), with threshold values exceeding 0.70 considered satisfactory (Nunnally & Bernstein, 1994; Hair et al., 2020). Convergent validity was evaluated using the Average Variance Extracted (AVE), with a minimum threshold of 0.50. Discriminant validity was determined using the Fornell–Larcker criterion and the Heterotrait–Monotrait (HTMT) ratio (<0.85) (Henseler et al., 2015). These procedures ensured that the questionnaire instrument met rigorous psychometric standards, thereby enhancing the credibility of the study’s findings.

DISCUSSION

The discussion on the sustainability of Batik Merbok must be situated within the broader framework of the transition from cultural heritage to the creative economy. Previous studies indicate that education, industry, and community are the primary drivers in ensuring the continuity of textile heritage, including batik, in the face of globalisation and modernisation (Abdullah, Yusof, & Omar, 2019; Wahed, Rahman, & Abdullah, 2022). Education functions not only as a medium for transferring technical knowledge but also as a value-based instrument that connects traditional knowledge with contemporary innovation. Rahman and Hashim (2020), for instance, emphasise that the integration of heritage-based curricula in higher education can foster awareness among younger generations regarding the importance of preserving textile heritage as part of national identity.

Industry, meanwhile, serves as the main catalyst for restructuring batik business models to align with the demands of the creative economy. Mohamed, Aziz, and Yusof (2018) demonstrate that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the batik industry contribute significantly to the national economy, yet continue to face challenges related to competitiveness, operating costs, and global market penetration. In the case of Batik Merbok, design innovation, branding strategies, and the strengthening of creative business ecosystems can reposition the product not only as cultural heritage but also as a contemporary lifestyle commodity with enhanced economic value (Saleh, Mahmud, & Hussin, 2024).

Nonetheless, market pressures associated with low-cost imports from Indonesia, Vietnam, and China remain a significant challenge. While national-level data indicate that Malaysia imported over RM200 million worth of textile products in 2022 (DOSM, 2023), the absence of region-specific figures makes it difficult to quantify the direct impact on Batik Merbok. Field interviews with local artisans reveal that the influx of cheaper printed batik has reduced demand for hand-produced Batik Merbok, leading to lower margins and heightened vulnerability of small-scale producers. This suggests that sustainability strategies must not only rely on cultural and educational initiatives but also include policy interventions and market protection mechanisms that shield Batik Merbok from unsustainable competition.

Local communities play an equally critical role in ensuring cultural legitimacy and social acceptance of the transformations occurring in Batik Merbok. Ismail (2021) asserts that community participation in the preservation of traditional crafts not only guarantees continuity but also reinforces the collective identity underpinning the symbolic meaning of textiles. Within the Batik Merbok context, the community serves as a custodian of authenticity, ensuring that innovations in education and industry do not compromise cultural values. This role resonates with the Cultural Sustainability Model (Soini & Dessein, 2016), which highlights that culture is not only preserved but also harnessed as a source of innovation and economic value.

From a theoretical perspective, the combination of the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (Rogers, 2003), the Triple Bottom Line (Elkington, 1997), and the Dynamic Capabilities Framework (Teece, 2007) provides a solid foundation for understanding the transformation of Batik Merbok. Education may be seen as a channel for diffusing innovation through curricula and training programmes; industry as the domain in which Triple Bottom Line principles are applied to balance profit, social sustainability, and cultural preservation; and community as the arena in which dynamic capabilities are developed to align collective identity with market changes. The integration of these theories strengthens the conceptual framework by illustrating the synergistic relationships among the three components, ultimately contributing to heritage sustainability.

The research gaps identified in the literature review also reinforce the basis of this discussion. Much of the previous scholarship has focused on East Coast batik (Norwani, 2022), whereas Batik Merbok has remained underdocumented academically. Furthermore, there is a near absence of empirical studies assessing the effectiveness of integrating education, industry, and community in sustaining Batik Merbok. Hence, this study contributes meaningfully to the existing literature by proposing a conceptual framework that interlinks these three components.

At the same time, the study recognises the geographical limitation of focusing exclusively on northern Peninsular Malaysia. The East Coast states such as Kelantan and Terengganu represent more commercially established batik hubs with large-scale production, advanced marketing systems, and stronger institutional support (Norwani, 2022). In contrast, Batik Merbok reflects a micro-level case study of a heritage craft with limited visibility and smaller market reach. While this regional focus enriches the understanding of lesser-known batik traditions, it also implies that findings cannot be generalised directly to the East Coast context without caution. Addressing this limitation, future comparative studies between northern and eastern Peninsular Malaysia would be crucial for assessing the broader applicability of sustainability frameworks in the national batik industry.

Overall, this discussion supports the argument that the sustainability of Batik Merbok cannot be safeguarded through the efforts of a single sector alone. Instead, it requires synergy between education, in terms of knowledge transfer and awareness-building; industry, in terms of competitiveness and innovation; and community, in terms of ensuring cultural legitimacy. Combined, these three components form a creative economy ecosystem that not only preserves cultural identity but also enhances economic viability and ensures the continued relevance of Batik Merbok in the contemporary global market.

CONCLUSION

This conceptual study affirms that the sustainability of Batik Merbok must be understood as a dynamic process involving the synergy of education, industry, and community within the creative economy ecosystem. Based on the literature review and the theoretical framework developed, it is evident that education plays a crucial role in transferring heritage knowledge; industry functions as a driver of economic value and innovation; while community acts as the guardian of cultural authenticity. The sustainability of Batik Merbok should not be viewed in isolation but rather addressed through systemic collaboration that unites tradition preservation with the demands of modern markets.

From a theoretical standpoint, this study contributes to the academic discourse on cultural heritage in the creative economy by integrating four major frameworks: Diffusion of Innovation (Rogers, 2003), Triple Bottom Line (Elkington, 1997), Dynamic Capabilities (Teece, 2007), and Cultural Sustainability (Soini & Dessein, 2016). This integration enhances understanding of how innovation in education, industrial strategies, and community engagement can complement one another to sustain heritage. The proposed conceptual framework also provides a foundation for future empirical studies that may test causal relationships among these variables.

From a practical perspective, the study offers valuable guidance for diverse stakeholders. Educational institutions can strengthen curricula that combine heritage with innovation, thereby cultivating culturally literate and creatively skilled generations. Industry players may leverage branding strategies, innovative design, and competitive marketing while maintaining authenticity. Local communities, through collaborative networks, can actively sustain the symbolic value of Batik Merbok while opening avenues for community-based economic development.

Nevertheless, this study is not without limitations. First, it is conceptual in nature and has yet to be empirically tested. Second, it focuses primarily on Batik Merbok in northern Peninsular Malaysia, whereas batik industries in other regions may face different challenges. Third, factors such as government policy, digital technology, and globalisation are treated only as moderators without in-depth analysis.

Accordingly, future research is recommended to include empirical studies using both quantitative and qualitative approaches to test this conceptual model, with a larger and more diverse sample encompassing educators, entrepreneurs, artisans, and consumer communities. Longitudinal studies could also be undertaken to assess the long-term effectiveness of educational interventions or creative industry programmes. In addition, cross-cultural studies comparing Batik Merbok with other textile heritage traditions in the ASEAN region may provide insights into the broader applicability of the framework.

In conclusion, this study positions Batik Merbok as an example of cultural heritage that can be transformed into a creative economy asset through the synergy of education, industry, and community. With the conceptual framework developed, the study not only contributes to academic literature but also offers practical guidance to ensure that Batik Merbok remains sustainable, competitive, and relevant in addressing the challenges of the twenty-first century.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author wishes to extend sincere gratitude to all those who contributed directly or indirectly to this work, particularly the artisans, batik entrepreneurs, and local communities who generously shared their insights and experiences relating to Batik Merbok. Special thanks are also extended to Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) for its institutional support, facilities, and academic environment which greatly facilitated the development of this study.

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