The development of the Indonesian Economy is highly influenced by the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (UMKM/SMEs). More than 90 percent of the enterprises in Indonesia are SMEs enterprises that absorb more than 90 percent of the workforce and play significant roles in the economic endurance during the crises happening in several parts of the world.
The Creation of SMEs sector’s endurance is highly related to the creation of job opportunities, Credit Capital absorption, and good investment planning.
Thus, Banks feel the need to offer credits easily and at the same time give the debtors mentoring, especially from SMEs. These were made in order to maintain and improve SMEs competitiveness and in the long run smooth repayments in every period.
Based on these facts, BJB as one of the largest regional banks in Indonesia feels the need to cooperate with Parahyangan Catholic University’s Center of Excellence for Small Medium Enterprises Development known as COE SMED – in relation to training their credit managers so that they are briefed and trained in business coaching.
The training is one of the series of activities cooperation between BJB and COE SMED UNPAR in the future. This shows UNPAR’s commitment to play an active role in developing entrepreneurship in Indonesia through its experts.
Strengthening Indonesian Economy
COE SMED is a center of studies that focuses on research, training for and about SMEs in Indonesia, as well as acting as business incubator in Indonesia which is based on continuous scientific development, COE SMED strategically cooperates with various parties.
Numerous activities, other than business coaching, have also been hosted by COE SMED. For example, the national entrepreneurship research conducted through network or consortium of Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) that conducts an annual evaluation on entrepreneurship activities, especially acts, behaviors and aspirations of adult citizens of Indonesia.
Currently, COE SMED, through GEM, has published two research reports on entrepreneurship in Indonesia and one ASEAN report, written in conjunction with other ASEAN countries’ GEM teams.
In addition to research activities through GEM, COE SMED conducts its mission as a center of excellence that continually develops knowledge through this role division: the creation of research results and new understanding, research result dissemination, scientific entrepreneurship application, and the development of network of cooperation.
For research result dissemination, COE SMED has hosted national and international seminars on entrepreneurship; national seminars and workshops of research results. In fulfilling its role in applying the science, COE SMED has conducted business competition for students, mentoring, or training sessions for Indonesian entrepreneurs in addition to business coaching activities for the SMEs’ mentors.
In conducting business competition, the winners of the business competitions have received intensive mentoring and have become and received attention from the West Java Chamber of Commerce (KADIN Jawa Barat).
In developing network of cooperation, COE SMED, has cooperated through the GEM research consortium, cooperated within ICSB Indonesia or performed various Memoranda of Understanding with numerous institutions and government offices, including some city governments and other banks.
These series of activities conducted by COE SMED, participated in giving roles to Indonesia SMEs. From this little thing, COE SMED believes that the beginning that is conducted with faith and good spirit will be able to yield results, namely the strengthening of SMEs so that they are more competitive and continually be influential to Indonesian Economy’s strengthening.
Source: an article entitled “Nurturing Entrepreneurship via Coaching and GEM Research”
In Kompas newspaper Kompas-Griya ilmu Desember 8, 2015 edition.
