More than 60 participants from various universities and institutions attended International Seminar on "Business Development and Strategy of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia and Germany" hosted by the Department of Accounting, Faculty of Economics and Business UGM at Audio Visual Lecture Hall FEB UGM at the 7th of August 2017. This event was a part of lecture series and of academic activities hosted by the Accounting Center for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises FEB UGM in conjunction with the visiting scholar from Senior Experten Services, Germany and support from the Cooperatives and SME Agency, Yogyakarta.

The Director of the Accounting Center for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises FEB UGM, Syaiful Ali, M.I.S., Ph.D. mentioned in his opening remarks that the seminar aims to provide insights on how the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises may rise and which paths the MSMEs as well as governments can take to strengthen them. In light with that, this seminar is expected to enrich participants knowledge on how businesses develop and the strategies required for MSMEs to prosper. Furthermore, it emphasizes on the great potential MSME sector has to improve the welfare of the nation.

Distinguished speakers who shared insightful ideas in this seminar are Dr. Gerhard Herz from Senior Experten Services Germany, Ir. Halomoan Tamba M.B.A., the Secretary for Deputy for Business Restructuration, Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, Dr. Timbul Raharjo, M. Hum. from the Indonesian Institute of Art and owner of PT. Timboel Keramik, and Dra. Sri Harmintarti, M.M., the Head of Cooperatives and SMEs Agency of Kulon Progo.

In the first session, Ir. Halomoan Tamba M.B.A. pointed out the importance of MSMEs sector to Indonesia. He continued by adding several challenges faced by Indonesian MSMEs as well as explaining the Ministry’s efforts and supports to solve the problems. At the same session, Dr. Gerhard Herz underlined how enterprises should be treated as an organism as opposed to a mere object. He also shared about the great success of MSMEs sector in Germany, in which resulted from the country’s dual system policy in education, where vocational education and industry clusters co-exist and collaborate.

In the second session, Dr. Timbul Raharjo, M. Hum. shared his views from the business owner’s perspective. He described his 'egg philosophy', as to how Indonesians usually have ideas, production, and distribution channel, analogized as the nutritious egg yolk; but lack of commitment, described as the egg shell. Accordingly, great commitment is required to complete the ideas, production, and distribution channel in MSMEs. Still in the same session, Dra. Sri Harmintarti, M.M. explained the role of local government on how social entrepreneurship can be implemented into a wider scope. She added how Kulon Progo has been trying to focus on improving its local products to compete in the global market. She ended her presentation about how cooperatives can be optimized to increase the welfare of the locals.

Source: Dewi/FEB UGM

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