Knowledge is the key to accelerating economic growth because it is the human asset that is unlimited.
Prof. J. Soemirat, Roy Sembel, and Tony Seno.
Knowledge is the key to accelerating economic growth because it is the human asset that is unlimited. This statement was delivered by Professor Jonathan Soemirat, professor of Pelita Harapan University Business School, at a seminar titled “Knowledge-Based Economy” initiated by UPH Business School, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Indonesia (Kamar Dagang dan Industri Indonesia ? KADIN), and Microsoft, at The Aryaduta Hotel Jakarta, Wednesday (18/11) .
He said the first thing that must be improved so that Indonesia could run a knowledge-based economy is to expand human capital investment. “The way is to begin with the improvement of education system, there must be excellent universities, and all this will produce a high-speed economy,” he said.
Indonesian labor data shows a quite apprehensive result, “More than 50% of our labors are only elementary school graduates. Only two to three million people of Indonesia who was educated at the university. Can we implement knowledge-based economy if we are still in this condition? Nonsense!”
After augment of human capital investment, create any business without any foreign interference. “We could follow the example of Nokia and China. Nokia put in the money and its spare parts, but the people who do or stringing the cell phones are Chinese themselves,” added the former dean of UPH Business School.
There are five steps that can be applied to develop knowledge in the business. Handito Juwono, Chairman of the Permanent Committee on Education, Training, and Apprenticeship of KADIN, called this as the five arrows of new business development. The five arrows are understanding, creative thinking, push the pedal, speeding up, and looking up.
“Understanding means that we understand first how the competition situation. Can be started with the day-dreaming, what kind of business that you want to run, but still based on your consciousness. Then you rationalize the dream in a creative way (creative thinking), its output is the business plan. Then push the pedal, run the plan. At a certain point you must dare to step on the gas (speeding up). Finally trying to develop or create new businesses (looking up),” explained Handito.
Handito Juwono.?
In line with the thinking of two previous speakers, Tony Seno Hartono, Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft Indonesia, describes how information technology can accelerate the success of the economy. “Success can be accelerated by IT because when all systems are automated, the company will not be difficult if key person retire from the company,” he said.
Communication technology can serve as a strategic foundation of the company. On each side of the company’s growth, IT can be used as a tool to accelerate and support the development of the company.
This public seminar was moderated by UPH Business School Dean Roy Sembel. He also gave a little summary of what is meant by knowledge-based economy. “Knowledge can be developed into the intangible asset and it is a new source of livelihood for our economy,” said Roy. (cyn)
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