Management awards

Management awards

From Bisnis Indonesia

On Sept. 24 I was among hundreds of guests attending the ceremony of the "Management Awards of Asia" at the Jakarta Hilton Hotel. The organizers were the reputed Asian Institute Management in cooperation with the Far Eastern Economic Review and because of this I expected the occasion to be magnificent. What happened was the opposite.

On arrival the guests had to register and submit their name cards for verification. In return they received a small piece of paper with a table number. But the seats at the indicated tables were occupied. Most guests had to take seats at random.

There was a quarter of an hour delay. After Asian Institute Management chief Rachmat Saleh's speech, dinner was served until 8:30 p.m. and recorded music was played. Some tables did not get the initial courses. Hotel personnel said the food was finished.

When State Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita arrived, not one of the organizers welcomed him. The minister was standing by himself for a while before somebody (apparently another guest) came forward to shake hands with him.

After dinner Ginandjar, Rachmat Saleh, Haroen Al Rasjid and two people from Asian Institute Management were invited up on stage to present the awards.

Because each recipient was asked to give a speech after receiving an award, the high officials had to stand on the stage for 30 minutes.

Hardly seated, Ginandjar was asked to give a speech. It was past 9:30 p.m.. After the speech Ginandjar was heading toward his seat when he was asked up on stage again to receive a plaque from an Asian Institute Management official. When the minister was on his way back to his seat he was called again, this time to have his photo taken with the award recipients.

I would like to suggest that Indonesian high officials practice prudence in supporting foreign institutes which make examples of Indonesian businesspeople. Apart from the uncertainty as to the benefits, the cost pertaining to the awards is eventually borne by the awardees.

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