Indonesia needs to improve its marketing strategy
Indonesia needs to improve its marketing strategy
JAKARTA (JP): Exporters should understand marketing and
competition concepts and prepare strategic steps to compete in
the free trade era, says a senior official.
Coordinating Minister for Production and Distribution Hartarto
said Thursday that the international market had grown much
larger, creating more opportunities for Indonesian exporters.
"However, I will remind you that national exporters have to
strengthen their marketing networks to tap into the growing
export potential," Hartarto said at a seminar on marketing.
In his address read by his advisor Kumhal Djamil, he said the
government and marketing community needed to cooperate to create
optimal marketing networks and strategies, and to adjust them to
marketing trends.
Speakers at the seminar organized by Management Institute of
the University of Indonesia and the Jakarta Consulting Group were
president of Merpati Nusantara Airline, Budiarto Subroto; vice
president of PT Bank Papan Sejahtera, Enny Harjanto; and director
of PT Pembangunan Jaya, Hiscak Secakusuma.
"In the free trade era, industrial products, services,
agribusiness and mining will dominate Indonesian exports," he
said.
Non-oil exports increased to US$38.01 billion in 1996 from
$34.95 billion in 1995 and from $14.60 in 1990. Non-oil exports
are projected to increase 16.8 percent per year.
Better marketing strategies and strengthening Indonesia's
position in the global market were important steps to improve the
country's non-oil exports, Hartarto said.
Currently, Indonesia is committed to gradually opening its
market to comply with free trade arrangements under the World
Trade Organization, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum or
under regional pact such as Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade Area.
Hartarto said Indonesia also needed to improve its human
resources to adjust to rapid changes in industry, customer
demands, products, technology, distribution and competitors. (10)