Asian Management Awards well recognized in Indonesia

Thu, 01 Sep 1994, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

It was a glittering evening of thanks and appreciation last
night at the Jakarta Hilton International as representatives of
six Indonesian companies stepped forward to receive the 1993
Asian Management Awards.

Presented by the Asian Institute of Management and the Far
Eastern Economic Review, the awards are presented annually in six
countries -- Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand -- in recognition of outstanding companies
which have successfully implemented management concepts in their
organizations.

"There is a world of difference in the quality of entries from
Indonesia since the awards started in 1991," say Michael Hamlin,
a member of TeamAsia, an event management company which organizes
the presentation ceremonies in all six countries.

Entries from Indonesia in the first year of the awards lacked
the depth of other countries, Hamlin says. "Now I would not
hesitate to compare the quality of the Indonesian entries with
others in the region. Part of this development has to do with
Indonesian companies forays into the region."

His praise is echoed by Maria Montserrat S. Iturralde, the
president of TeamAsia, who has managed the program since its
inception.

"Both the quality and quantity of the entries has increased,"
she says. "Now we get data forms from companies delivered in
boxes, with appendices attached, to our headquarters because
companies have prepared such extensive documents."

She adds that several companies have gone so far as to hire
public relations firms to polish their entries.

There has been a huge increase in the number of nominations
received each year. More than 7,500 nominations were recorded for
this year's program, compared to slightly less than a 1,000 in
the initial year of the awards in 1990.

The total number of Indonesian companies has remained almost
constant, from a high of 416 in 1991; 288 in 1992; and 301 for
this year. These figures are doubled when one considers that many
of the companies were nominated in more than one of the seven
categories.

History

The Asian Management Awards were launched in 1990 with the aim
of seeking out, recognizing and honoring outstanding companies in
the region.

The awards were the brainchild of three executives at the
Asian Institute of Management who realized the need for
recognition of outstanding companies in the region who have
adopted focused, strategic paths for long-term growth and
survival.

The annual search starts with the solicitation of nominations
in each of the six countries using a variety of methods,
including focus group discussions, print advertisements, direct
mail and directed research.

For this year's program, a coupon for nominations was placed
in copies of the Far Eastern Economic Review.

Nominated companies are sent a data form which requires
substantial data disclosure, both quantitative and qualitative,
regarding its performance in its individual nomination category.

The Asian Management Awards goes a step beyond the traditional
benchmarks of measuring excellence, such as sustained growth
records and annual stockholders' returns, by evaluating an
organization's commitment to excellence through a quantitative
examination of its management functions, culture and environment,
as well as its dedication to total quality.

The data received is treated with the utmost confidentiality.
It is encoded into a database and analyzed by a team of Asian
Institute of Management faculty members to shortlist the
candidates. This team trims the multitude of nominees to five to
seven companies per country per category. Data submitted by the
companies that make it to the shortlists are validated for
veracity.

Country-specific boards of judges, all composed of leading
managers both from the public and private sectors, then evaluate
the shortlisted candidates and choose the winners. The decisions
of the boards of judges are submitted to the Governing Board,
composed primarily of the Asian Institute of Management Board of
Governors, for final approval.

Companies are judged on a country-by-country basic because the
organizers realize that circumstances are markedly different in
each nation.

"The companies are judged from the view of all the factors
operating in their countries, including economic, social and
political, to gather a completed perspective on their
achievements," Iturralde says.

Winners are informed of their selection and the awards
presented in formal awards ceremonies conducted in the six
countries. The awards dinners are attended by the CEOs of the
winning organizations, their guests, enterprise and ministry
leaders, members of the government and diplomatic corps and
representatives of the sponsors and organizers.

No fees are exacted during the entire judging process and
Hamlin says this is to ensure the integrity and objectivity of
the awards. Costs are covered by main sponsors and sponsorship on
the local level in each country.

"I would be very skeptical about any organization which
charges a fee for this type of awards," Hamlin says.