Supporting Personal Statement:
I am applying for the GLOCAL-Global Markets and Development pathway which connecting my education of accounting, my interest and experience in entrepreneurship, my professional experiences in project financing and management in order to establish a business that contributes to economic development as an entrepreneur in creative industry.
I have been involved in creative industry ever since my undergraduate days. It was driven by my desire to explore my passion in arts and entrepreneurship. My first professional experience started when I was partnering in starting and running a culinary business which from it I learned about managing resources and setting up goals. A year later, I started a fashion business on my own. I planned and managed every aspect of the business and employed local talents in designing, marketing, and producing the goods.
I was inspired by my parent's businesses that promoted traditional cloths from Indonesia. However, the same obstacles that caused my businesses to be stagnant are the same challenges that obstruct the family business to sustain. Product development, innovation, and marketing aspects are the most challenging obstacles besides financing and management. Data from Indonesian Agency of Creative Economy (BEKRAF) and Indonesia Central Bureau of Statistic show that these aspects also hamper the growth of Indonesia's creative industry. The data in 2017 shows that 97,36% of its players still only market their products locally. Thus, these show that GLOCAL will help me to explore more about these aspects to address the issues and equipped me with knowledge and skills of analyzing globalized economy, innovation for companies in emerging sectors, and marketing in order to contribute in improving Indonesia creative economy.
Having the initial experience in running business that was not successfully managed leading to failure in scaling-up. I decided to take a temporary pause in entrepreneurship but to broaden my perspectives and knowledge in business and skills in financing, management, and business administration from working for others. In the moment, I am working as a finance officer and my main responsibility is controlling cost. I implemented my ability in analysing data and financing when the costing in a specific project had de-railed and was spiraling out of control creating such tension among department. I was successful and we all managed to get through cutting unnecessary cost.
In 2016, I organised a training of taxation conducted by PT Prime Service in Batam. It was attended by tax officers in several private companies and equipped them with knowledge and skills in preparing Transfer Pricing Documentation.
In 2017, I participated in organising Indonesia Expose in New Delhi. It was a platform where business communities and traders both from Indonesia and India met to trade in goods and services. This networking increased investments in both countries. I was assigned in team of planning and offering sound operational and tactical advice where required to achieve the program goals. I gained a lot of knowledge about the trade collaboration between both countries.
Recently I also participated in Indonesia International Geothermal Convention and Exhibition 2018. It was an occasion which promotes and advances broader collaboration and innovation amongst geothermal's stakeholders with motivation to accelerate the development of geothermal energy for future energy supply.
Throughout my career, I have developed more profound skills in both accounting with taxation and financial management in a multinational scale. Nevertheless, I have come to a realisation that those individual experiences or knowledge need to be enhanced in a global market and entrepreneurial context in order to pursue my career plan as an entrepreneur in creative industry.
My dissertation would discuss the analysis of foreign market entry strategy for Indonesian SMEs of Creative Industry by analysing the motivation, barriers, factors for internationalisation such as social an business network, and international entrepreneurship. SME which born as a global firm will play an important role in the world economy. This dissertation will explain key characteristics of internationalisation of creative industries. I hope that this dissertation will help the readers to understand how the born global firms internationalise and later on help the micro companies in Indonesia to scaling-up their business to global market.
Indonesia is so rich in her cultural heritage and arts. Nevertheless, from my recent visit in certain areas, I found that many local artists have difficulties to make a decent living from their artworks. By completing the Master's program, I aim to create a sustainable business that sells pieces of artworks mainly from local talents in creative industry and empower local resources to compete with global market. I want to make a change and re-invent the products to meet the global market demands using my extensive network to make this possible.
I also aim to be a mentor to potential newcomers in entrepreneurship and creative industry after running the business in the following 5 years. This experience will allow me to mentor potential newcomers in creative industry under the structure of Indonesian Association of Young Entrepreneur or under the umbrella from the Ministry of Cooperatives and SME and BEKRAF to give back to the society. Furthermore, Indonesia has low number of educated entrepreneurs who able to run their business successfully. In lieu with the policies set by the government, my set skills will be highly sought after upon my graduation and I can positively contribute to my country.
I believe GLOCAL offers the opportunities to learn fundamentals on making innovations and together with traditional ones, which are, align with my career plan as an entrepreneur who empower local creativity. Learning from historical and cultural perspectives on global economy, marketing and mass consumption will equipped me with skills of problem solving to create solutions for difficulties faced in the industry. This program also will help me learn from cases that will be a tool to tackle current global market situation.
The opportunity to study in prestigious Universities in Europe is in itself a privilege given their Global recognition. I look forward to experiences that will enable me to learn about European culture and history. Furthermore, GLOCAL Master's Degree will enrich my knowledge in global markets that will enable me in making impact to Indonesia creative industry through entrepreneurship. I sincerely hope the admission committee finds my profile well suited for this life-changing opportunity.