19 APO Member Countries Discuss Strategy To Increase Productivity

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Delegations from 19 member countries of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) gathered here from April 19 to 21 to discuss productivity, and other issues, such as small and medium businesses and green productivity.

Indonesian manpower minister Hanif Dhakiri, when opening the meeting, underlined the importance of increasing productivity in view of the current economic situation, as well as to improve the competitiveness and welfare of workers.

He noted that the Indonesian government has four strategies to increase productivity, including simplifying bureaucratic systems and management, technological engineering and innovation, development of human resource competence and and improvements in the nation¿s productive culture.

The 58th Asian Productivity Organization meeting was attended by directors from all members from 19 countries.

Asian Productivity Organization is a non-profit, non-political and non-discriminatory  organization of Asia-Pacific countries that holds regular meetings to discuss improvements in productivity.

Hanif Dhakiri said Indonesia has conducted productivity campaigns in the past, but based upon current developments and needs, new effort needs to be made by involving all those at local, national, as well as macro-and micro-levels.

"In view of that, in 2005 the government set up a National Productivity Institute to act as a productivity coordination body. This is what we have to intensify by involving all sectors, including the government and the private sectors," he said.

The ministry of manpower, through the Directorate of Productivity Development, is responsible for measuring national productivity and, in cooperation with the Central Bureau of Statistics, carried out the measuring of productivity from 2011 to 2014.

The result is that manpower productivity increased from Rp67.84 million per worker per year in 2011 to Rp74.75 million in 2014.

"In the case of Indonesia, the real estate sector has recorded the highest improvement in productivity as manpower reached Rp961.4 million per worker per year, followed by communication and information, and the mining sectors," he said.

From a regional perspective, the rate in Jakarta was lower in 2014 than in other provinces, recorded at Rp296.57 million per worker per year, after East Kalimantan with a rate of Rp312.59 million per worker per year.

"I hope, with all the efforts that have been taken and will be taken, Indonesia will become more productive, competitive and prosperous," he said. (WDY)