PT. PJB Invited the Department of Management of FEM IPB For UMKMs Development
PT Pembangkit Jawa Bali (PJB) invited the Department of Management, of the Faculty of Economics and Management, of Bogor Agricultural University (FEM IPB) to assist the company to develop micro, small and medium enterprises (UMKM) which were developed by PT PJB. So far, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds of PT PJB have been spent not only for charity programs but also for the empowerment program such as coaching and developing UMKMs.
The Manager for CSR and Corporate Communications of PT. PJB, Heri Supriyanto, said, "So far we have spent a considerable amount of funds for the empowerment of SMEs, but we do not get the maximum results. Therefore, we try to invite experts to assist us, in this case we invite the Department of Management of IPB." The reasons why he planned to do this, as the Department of Management IPB have a high concern on the development of SMEs.
According to the Chairman of the Department of Management of FEM IPB, Dr. Wita Juwita Ermawati, "The implementation of the proposed programs is actually part of the implementation of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which had been signed by the Dean of FEM IPB together with the Corporate Secretary of PT. PJB last year. The MoU contained among other was the cooperation of FEM IPB and PT. PJB for the development of community service program. So the proposed programs will be the implementation of the community services of both PT. PJB and FEM IPB in developing community economy through the strengthening of UMKM. Because we understand MSMEs have a strategic role in advancing the economy and job opening."
The implemented UMKM coaching programs are to increase the marketing ability, product quality improvement and financial management capability. Mukhamad Najib, a lecturer of MSME Management of the Department of Management of IPB said, "So far, the problem faced by UMKM, besides capital problem is how to access the market. Often SMEs only focus on how to produce, while the market is not available yet, so the product becomes unmarketable. Therefore, the enhancement of marketing capability is an important instrument for the development of MSMEs. "
Najib explained that MSMEs can’t just adopt the usual marketing concepts of big companies. The uniqueness of MSMEs and their limited resources requires a unique marketing strategy for MSMEs. "We at the Department of Management of IPB is developing the concept of Entrepreneurial Marketing. This concept is very suitable for MSMEs in Indonesia. Currently we are socializing this concept to MSME managers. "
Meanwhile, Coordinator for Cooperation of PT PJB – FEM IPB, Farida Ratna Dewi explained, "The basic weakness of MSMEs is their financial mismanagement. They generally do not have a good financial record, so often mixed between business and family money, consequently it is difficult to trace whether their business might become profitable. So the Department of Management IPB is socializing 'SI APIK', it is android-based accounting software that is very user friendly for the perpetrators of SMEs. "Farida, who is also a lecturer in accounting courses at the Department of Management IPB added, with training software 'SI APIK' MSMEs can easily record their transactions. Thus UMKM assisted by PT. PJB will be able to monitor its performance from time to time.
The cooperation for UMKM development which involve lecturers and students will be carried in some steps. The first step will be development of UMKM under the coaching of units or branches of PJB in three areas, namely PJB Muara Tawar, PJB Muara Karang and PJB Cirata. "We will develop UMKM in those three regions, we will evaluate their progress. If they show satisfactory results, we will expand to all units of PJB in Java. In principle, the development of SMEs will become our common concerns, we will do our best to assist and manage the other UMKM we have to supervise," said Wita. (Wied)
