In today’s era of globalization, entrepreneurship seems to be prevalent and has the capacity that is likely to surpass many routine occupations. A number of business schools in the archipelago, as a consequence, have been growing rapidly. Nevertheless, how effective is these schools in terms of producing good entrepreneur?
Thoby Mutis, the University Trisakti’s rector said that a business school will not make its students an accountant or manager. Nor does it guarantee the students to be a successful entrepreneur. “But the school is potential to guide its students to understand how all of the global business components fit together in order to solve real business problems and to adapt to a changing business and economic environment.”
The point of a business school, therefore, is to give students a foundation of business fundamentals in a variety of areas such as finance and management that will form a basis on which students can learn the specifics of any particular career path requires.
Graduate business programs at Trisakti University like MM are indeed a major study breakthrough in a way that the program is designed to tailor the students’ needs of pursuing their future career more practical and efficient.
“Here at Trisakti, our MM (Magister Management) has experienced a substantial growth from only having 30 students when first opened in 1992 to a staggering number of more than 500 at present,” Thoby remarked adding, “We even have the Corporate Social Responsible (CSR) major for MM program since last year. “
He furthermore said that such independent study would give Trisakti’s students the opportunity to apply the knowledge to a practical work during the school’s internship (practical training) programs. Internship is an efficient means of students wanting to work for a large corporation upon their graduation.
Many Trisakti’s fresh graduates aim to work at multi-national giants to get invaluable working experiences. This opportunity helps build qualified professionals as well as strengthen their networking.
Expressing his concern in regard to the current global economic downturn, the economist Thoby cited the fact that more and more university graduates in Indonesia are unemployed. “But this is not the end of the world,” he gestured with his avuncular smile.
While showing his book “Kewirausahaan Yang Berproses” (Progressive Entrepreneurship), the Trisakti University’s rector said that entrepreneurship had great potential to create jobs.
A successful entrepreneur, according to Thoby, is where his or her idea can be steered into a commercial reality. This also takes more than just business talent. In addition to acquiring knowledge and skills, constant learning is necessary. So, a question emerges from this phenomenon whether entrepreneurship can be taught.
Thoby, who is also singer and songwriter, said that entrepreneurship is a discipline. So, it can be learned. Just like taking business major, learning entrepreneurship needs innovation and creativity. “But what amazes me is many students at Trisakti have developed their own entrepreneurial skills by getting themselves involved in the respective business field. Truly, they think outside the box,” he said.
Asked about his opinion about national education, Thoby replied, “Despite the fact that national education is in need of reclamation, more promising step needed is to have the paradigm shift to the extent people will respect human skills more than in the past. “Here we are talking about human resources that are potential to help those engaging in businesses in accordance with current and future commercial and industrial needs,” Thoby added.
During today’s era of globalization, competitiveness in business really not only requires an ethical and social responsibility but also better proficiency in utilizing technology and smart management as a model of doing business.
Derived from the economic concept, Thoby nevertheless believes that entrepreneurship is the fruition of not only business study but also other study fields such as engineering, architecture and dentistry. The objective of entrepreneurship is therefore to nurture the students to think independently, creatively and analytically so as to gain good knowledge of the global issue and problems in business at large.
In order to succeed in the realm of entrepreneurship, Thoby advised that young generations should rely on three elements; being economically independent, proud of national culture and having sovereignty in politics. These three elements are crucial for implanting character building and leadership skill in today’s modernization where pluralism prevails.
Entrepreneurship is an effective implementation of business study that today’s generation needs in order to compete with high competitiveness in the era of globalization.
“Thus, students majoring in engineering should not limit their capacity into becoming a nine-to-five worker, but instead should apply their knowledge and skills more entrepreneurial way,” he said adding, “Many of Trisakti’s students, regardless of their major fields, decided to become an entrepreneur upon their graduation.”
Opening small and medium-sized enterprises in Food and Beverages, fashion or other retails such as auto shop and computer store are what students or graduates aim when taking the entrepreneurial path.
By Aulia R. Sungkar, published in The Jakarta Globe, May 8, 2009.
