Natives need to learn new business ethics
Natives need to learn new business ethics
JAKARTA (JP): Noted historian Taufik Abdullah says many ethnic
groups in Indonesia are known to be astute businesspeople, but
they should open up to new business ethics and learn from others
including those of Chinese descent.
Speaking in a seminar on Indonesian business ethics, Taufik, a
senior researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, said
indigenous businesspeople should no longer rely on traditional
business ethics to advance in today's competitive environment.
"They should add business networking and a working spirit to
their business ethics vocabulary," he said.
About 100 students and scholars attended the seminar held by
the Institute for the Study and Advancement of Business Ethnics
here yesterday.
Another noted speaker was literary figure Umar Kayam, who has
written several books on Javanese culture.
Taufik, who has a doctorate degree from Cornell University in
Ithaca, United States, said indigenous businesspeople have a
different sense of entrepreneurship, often influenced by their
own ethnicity and upbringing.
He cited the Minangkabau businesspeople from West Sumatra, the
Banjarese businesspeople from South Kalimantan, the traders from
Bawean Island in East Java and the seafaring Bugis from South
Sulawesi.
"They are all well-known for their business skills," Taufik
said, adding that West Sumatran businesspeople display strong
entrepreneurship similar to those of Chinese descent, and also
show strong "brotherhood". Around Rp 20 billion is sent by West
Sumatrans in Jakarta to their hometowns every annual Moslem
holiday Idul Fitri.
"But they still occupy the lower rung in Indonesian business
society," said Taufik, who is from West Sumatra.
Indigenous businesspeople's failure to improve their skills
was mainly due to their limited business network. "They wouldn't
have too much trouble expanding their business if they had a good
network," he said. "With a good network, they would find it
easier to market their product."
Good networking would also help businesspeople settle
problems, he said.
Taufik also suggested that indigenous businesspeople emulate
the "work ethos" of the Indonesian businesspeople of Chinese
descent.
"Indonesian indigenous businesspeople, in general, must
improve their work ethos or they'd never be able to survive
global business competition in the future," he said.
Taufik praised the Indonesian businesspeople of Chinese
descent for their enterprising spirit, strong intuition,
thriftiness and levelheadedness when dealing with business
problems.
Indonesian indigenous businesspeople should not be "allergic"
to learning new business ethics, he said.
He also suggested they learn from history, including
Indonesia's first vice president Mohammad Hatta, who was a strong
advocate of independence.
"There are of course positive business skills already
possessed by Indonesian indigenous businesspeople that should be
maintained," he said, again referring to the Minangkabau
businesspeople from West Sumatra.
Umar Kayam agreed with Taufik about the need to maintain the
positive traits of indigenous businesspeople such as those from
Java. Umar, a Javanese himself, and also a graduate of Cornell,
said Javanese businesspeople also had a strong sense of
brotherhood.
"They never seek huge profit margins, always prioritize
harmony and maintain mutually beneficial business relations with
others," he said. (imn)