Whilst a common assumption is that the Era of Reform has ushered in greater democracy, many sources believe that the banjar has been reforming itself for generations, and that the most visible changes the banjar is now undergoing have little to do with changes in the broader political sphere. Such is the opinion of Putu Suasta, one of Bali’s most frequently quoted cultural and political commentators. He believes that the banjar has been changing long before the Era of Reform was born. “Balinese have been facing moral and cultural modernism's for some time, and have opted to incorporate many elements of that ‘newness’ into their everyday lives, thus bearing forth a whole new set of Balinese values,” he says. Contemporary Balinese values, Suasta points out, include the incorporation of modern infrastructure and management styles which can generally be referred to as the ‘globalization’ of the banjar. “There’s no need to fear that the banjar is going to change its role as a traditional institution. Any changes instituted by a banjar are most often only those necessary to keep up with the times.”

Overcoming statis in the banjar, according to Putu Suasta, is a matter of adopting new management systems. “The banjar is like any organization - changing it is only a matter of management. Nowadays, professional management systems are a must for any organization that wants to progress, even of that organization is a so-called traditional one,” says Suasta.

But, Suasta continues, the kind of management style adopted needs to be in keeping with the particular conditions of a given banjar, its human resources, its economic situation and its geographic location. “To date there’s never been a banjar which has had to disband itself. The problem facing the banjar is not whether it can continue to exist or not, but how to adapt to broader changes taking place.”

It tends to be those banjars with the foresight to institute necessary change that end up retaining their independence. “I have no problem with banjars establishing their own banks, minimarkets, co-operatives or making use of communal banjar land for shopping centres or markets. It is these kinds of economic initiatives that can keep banjars and their members from becoming dependent on government resources,” says Suasta.

For the banjar itself, it is hardly a matter of being dragged kicking and screaming into the future unknown. The majority welcome change with the eagerness of a sprinter at the starting block, even Gianyar’s Bukit Jangkrik, which is about as far ‘in the sticks’ as one can get, so to speak. According to its kelihan dinas, I Made Supraptha, improvement of public roads and the community hall, the establishment of a village co-operative, and increasing banjar funds top the list of his constituent's demands.

Many banjars, both rural and urban, have been exhibiting their eagerness to change. The most obvious examples are banjars located in Denpasar. Most obvious because it is banjars in Denpasar that initiated a trend in ‘rehabilitating’ the banjar building - a measure which has not recieved unanimous support. In spite of his fervour for renewal of the banjar, lecturer in Balinese culture at Denpasar’s Udayana University, Windhu Sancaya, for example, admits that he is less enthusiastic about the drastic measures some banjars have gone to to ‘rehabilitate’ their community halls. “This could easily have the effect of undermining the communal nuances of the banjar space. Many people confess that they are hesitant to continue using ‘rehabilitated’ banjar halls that are now complete with marble floors and such, for traditional activities such as childrens games, trading traditional Balinese snacks, and cock-fights.