Evaluation of the Productivity of Rural Banks for Economic Resilience in East Java: A View from Efficiency and Technological Change.

The Rural Bank (BPR) plays a crucial role in the Indonesian banking industry, particularly at the regional level, serving as an alternative financing source for the unbankable population. This research aims to analyse the productivity levels of BPRs in East Java using the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) during the period from 2016 to 2022. The study sample comprises 30 BPRs in East Java. The analysis results indicate that the productivity of BPRs in East Java fluctuates from year to year. Moreover, during the COVID-19 pandemic, BPR productivity experienced a significant decline. The study provides recommendations for BPR management and regulators to pay more attention to BPR productivity and decision-making foundations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]