Books for RI investors shoot straight from hip

Indonesian Business Library: United States Investment in Indonesia; Dutch Investment in Indonesia: A new Era; A Guide for British Investors By Richard I Mann. Published by Gateway Books. Rp. 36,000.

JAKARTA (JP): Most investment guidebooks amount to little more than public relations materials highlighting the bright side of a country to potential foreign investors. But not the three investment guidebooks on Indonesia which were written by Richard Mann, a Canadian analyst, and published recently by his own company, Gateway Books.

Mann's books--United States Investment in Indonesia; Dutch Investment in Indonesia: A New Era, and A Guide for British Investors--speak frankly and honestly about the positive attributes as well as the elements of the "business jungle" foreign investors or foreign business executives may find themselves up against.

The books speak about corruption, red tape, the crucial role played by connections and the severe shortage of skilled managers.

They argue against the risks inherent in the coming succession to President Soeharto and point out the importance of family life to Indonesians.

But since these issues were discussed against the backdrop of the country's history and its overall development, the impression does not serve to scare those interested in pursuing business opportunities here.

Instead, the frankness and honesty in which the books see the business scheme of things make them valuable guides for businessmen and expatriate executives intending to work in Indonesia.

The books rightly spell out the great respect for authority and any document from authority figures here in Indonesia.

Reading the books spares foreign businessmen any surprises and prepares them for what they will encounter here and how to behave.

Another outstanding difference is that the books contain the frank accounts of foreign businessmen with a great deal of experience in Indonesia. Since the impressions, in well-written lively articles, came from those who have "already tested the waters", they seem to bear credibility, lending a third-party endorsement to the contents of the books.

For example, Harvey Goldstein, chairman of Harvest International Inc. and an old Indonesia hand, says: "If America is the country of regulations, then Indonesia would be the country of relations." He means that who you do business with and what kind of historical relationship you have with that person are factors that count heavily in doing business in Indonesia.

Obviously, the contents of the three books overlap regarding basic information needed by foreign investors or businessmen such as investment rules, the culture of doing business, macro-economic indicators, basic-facts on the country and its people and important addresses.

But the recounts of foreign businessmen on their experiences in Indonesia differ from one book to another. United States Investment in Indonesia carries the recounts of executives of 12 American companies.

Dutch Investment in Indonesia: A New Era relates the experiences of seven Dutch businessmen while A guide for British Investors carries the stories of eight long-time resident British businessmen.

In fact, the chapter on the experiences of the businessmen makes the three books supplement each other.

But there are several similar themes or messages from the experiences of the British, American and Canadian businessmen: Patience and perseverance are much needed to do business in Indonesia. One must be blessed with the ability not to get frustrated if things don't happen immediately. But with the size of Indonesia and the rapid rate of its economic growth, being part of the process beginning from the ground floor, although frustrating and difficult, offers tremendous advantages.

Richard Mann, a seasoned Canadian observer of Indonesia, who has so far written more than 12 books on various sectors of the Indonesian economy, ranging from Batam's industrial development, the travel industry and telecommunications to a directory of exporters, should be highly commended for the composition and structure of his works.

Mann, who was vice chairman of the Canada-Indonesia Business Council in 1985 and its chairman from 1986 to 1988, has also written business and travel guides to countries such as Singapore, New Zealand, Thailand, Hong Kong and Vietnam.

He obviously professes a special interest in Indonesia because his wife, Jenny, who serves as the director of Gateway Books, was born in Sumatra.

--Vincent Lingga