Atika Jauharia Hatta

Market traders have a significant contribution to GDP in Indonesia; however, their level of education is still low. This leads to a high level of financial vulnerability, so it is important to study this issue, and there is still not enough research on financial vulnerability. Market traders are considered to be more vulnerable to fraud and poor financial management, and this is more common among female traders who have a relatively high level of consumption and economic dependence on men. This study aims to determine the effect of financial behavior and digital financial literacy on financial vulnerability. In addition, the gender interaction between the two relationships was also tested to better understand whether gender weakens or strengthens the relationship. Using a survey method on 278 market traders in Indonesia and hierarchical regression analysis, the results show that digital financial literacy and financial behavior have a negative significant influence on financial vulnerability of market traders. This means that low digital financial literacy and poor financial behavior lead to high financial vulnerability of market traders. In addition, the results of the interaction test show that the negative effect of financial vulnerability is greater for men than women. This is because men usually provide for their families, so they will always try to improve their financial performance and productivity. An important implication of this study is to provide recommendations to the government and associations to further improve the digital literacy skills of market traders, especially female traders through training or mentoring.

Acknowledgment
This research was funded by the Directorate of Research, Technology and Community Service (DRTPM) of the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture in 2022 with the National Competitive Basic Research Grant scheme.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
The effectiveness of public tax reform in improving tax compliance is shaped not only by institutional and administrative factors, but also by social and humanitarian conditions. This study analyzes how morality and patriotism influence tax compliance within the context of public tax reform in Indonesia, and investigates whether political connections moderate these relationships. The sample consists of 401 MSME taxpayers in Java; convenience random sampling techniques were used from July to August 2025. MSMEs are an intriguing subject in tax compliance because they make a large contribution to national GDP, but their level of tax compliance is relatively low. Using a hierarchical linear regression for data analysis, the findings show that morality has a significantly positive effect on tax compliance with a positive beta (0.0471 for non-CTAS and 0.540 for CTAS group), a p-value of 0.000, and an increase in the R2 value (ΔR²: 0.222 for non-CTAS and 0.219 for CTAS group). Patriotism significantly affects tax compliance with a beta of 0.453, a p-value of 0.000, and an increase in the R2 value of 0.105 only in the non-CTAS group. Political connections act more as the main determinant rather than as a moderating variable. The results suggest that public tax reform should not rely solely on technological upgrades; it must also reinforce the moral and civic foundations of taxation. Sustainable compliance can be achieved only when system improvements are accompanied by greater public trust and taxpayer morality.

Acknowledgment
This paper was funded by the Directorate General of Research and Development, Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia in 2025 with the National Competitive Fundamental Research Grant scheme.