InCoGITE 2019 Discusses Challenges to Global Innovation and Trend in Economy.

Rapid technological developments will birth challenges that can be turned into opportunities for the people. Rapid development in e-commerce is pushing away big companies in the traditional retail sector; the conventional taxi is being replaced by online taxi. Services like e-payment and peer-to-peer lending are fighting for the hearts of the consumers of the free market.

As a response to this, Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH), Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN), and Swiss German University (SGU) initiate the International Conference on Global Innovations and Trends in Economy (InCoGITE) 2019 to host academics from various institutions and countries in sharing the fruits of their researches. The international conference is held at Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) campus, Tangerang, Banten on 7 November 2019.

The international seminar is presented by panel speakers such as Dr. Sudarto, Expert Staff of Organization, Bureaucracy, and Information Technology of the Finance Ministry of the Republic of Indonesia, and instructors from institutions of the Philippines and Australia such as Prof. Eric J. De Sera Nasution from the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AHAS) and Associate Professor Ferry Jie, Ph.D. They came to share their research data and interpretations of current global economic trends.

More than 60 research papers have gone through the revision process for this seminar, which covers the four areas: (1) Finance, Accounting, and Sustainable Development; (2) Marketing, Service Industries, Hospitality, and Tourism; (3) Human Resource and Operations Management; and (4) Digital Innovation, E-Business, and Technopreneurship.
According to the Head InCoGITE Committee and the UPH Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), Dr. Ing. Ihan Martoyo, one characteristic of modern economic development is the automated process that occurs due to developments in robotics and telecommunications.

Dr. Ihan said, “Many professions today are threatened to be replaced by robotics, digitalization, and other online businesses. An international company in Indonesia may get its accounting processes done at an accounting service bureau in India. An online shop operating in Indonesia may use the cloud facility operating in the United States. Technology must democratize access to economic processes, which urges economic workers to prepare to compete not locally but globally. All sectors from economics, tourism, transportation, and education are charged to adapt to the shift in paradigm that is happening.”

Furthermore, Dr. Sudarto, as the keynote speaker of the conference, stated that in relation to the development of the modern economy, the government has decided to develop five main areas.

Dr. Sudarto said, “The government has planned to develop programs that will be launched in 2020. There are five main focuses, which are human resources (SDM), Social Assistance and Protection, Infrastructure Development, Bureaucracy Reform, and Mitigation Uncertainty. The government needs to collaborate with the main players of the economy, one of which is a higher educational institute that successfully implements programs prepared by the government.”

The UPH Chancellor Dr. (Hon) Jonathan L. Parapak, M.Eng.Sc. also said that collaboration is important.
The UPH Chancellor said, “We are facing changes in which we must innovate. In my opinion, collaboration is important for the future in order to find out what can be made by universities, industries, and the government together.”

Furthermore, Dr. Ihan said that it was not a coincidence that the Minister of Education and Culture is chosen from technology industry activists.

Dr. Ihan added, “Nadiem Makarim is expected to catch the vision of future education and to create an education system such that the 50 million youths of Indonesia are ready to welcome the future. Technological innovation is the hope of providing breakthrough energy for the world’s fourth-largest education process.”

Technology is capable of shifting the status quo. The development of such innovations and trends demands study and discussion of various aspects of their application and implications. It is expected that the 2019 InCoGITE international seminar will initiate future discussions of relevant researches for Indonesia and the international community.