Entrepreneurial Vision

Successful Entrepreneurs not only need to have extensive social network and has a pair of sharp eyes insight into how enterprises use 4 M management philosophy: talent (Manpower), management (Management), market condition (Market) and working capital (Money), to build the foundations to cope with the globalization competition. Entrepreneurs need to examine the current business situation and the demand for future development and competitiveness of the enterprise in the market and, after which, they should improve their shortcomings. Only then it will help to spur on the development of the enterprise. Mr. Alim Satria (as shown in the picture), President Director of Indonesia MASPION Group and Southern Aluminium Industry (China) Co. Ltd. (SAIC) counts on the above 4M management philosophy to manage his family business, letting the 50 factories under the MASPION group to move forward together into a new millennium. Under Mr. Alim Satria’s leadership, SAIC overcame the Southeast Asia’s economic crisis in 2002, turning losses into profits for the company. At the same year, SAIC was assessed by Fujian Province as one of the "High Technology enterprises" and was awarded ISO9001: 2000 quality management system certification. In addition, SAIC had always been the one of the largest taxpaying corporates in Fuqing City as well as awarded by the State Council Overseas Chinese Affairs "2003-2005 National Star Top 100 overseas Chinese investment enterprises". The aim of managing an enterprise is always to make profits. To enterprise, profits is just like food and drink to men to maintain the continuity of life, however for entrepreneurs, profits are not the main concern, they reattribute what they gained to those very need in the society. Over the last 20 years, Alim Satria’s family had donated 50million yuan for the construction of better living in Fujian Province. They had also invested 150 million U.S. dollar in five enterprises so that they can actively involved in creating employment opportunities and rebuilding Fujian hometown.

If an outstanding enterprise wants to survive in highly competitive market, reforms must be introduced in accordance with different stages of development. The leadership in start-up phase is more autocratic and followers take instructions from the leader to do work. As the business flourishes, corporate structure and administrative framework had been implemented, the quality of personnel had been upgraded to a certain level as well as the work behaviors become part of corporate culture, thus both business side and personnel had derived at the same aspirations. This way, the leadership style changes from an autocratic to a more democratic way. When the company reaches mature stage, each department had their own head in charge of their own issues. Acting as the role of ‘senior ministers’, entrepreneurs should be more concerned with non-quantifiable things such as business strategies, risks assessment, leadership training, and market conditions, so as to concentrate on prevention and find ways to expand the business. Even for a matured enterprise, the original business model can neither be copied or enlarged aimlessly, nor blindly pursue the size of the enterprise. The management should not only take into account the earning power of enterprises, but also concerned about the capital and liabilities. Whether it is organizational reform or changes in management strategy, Mr. Alim Satria considers the way to win half the battle is to seize the right time to do reform. This is also the hardest part for the entrepreneur.

A popular slogan among the Chinese entrepreneur is "human as capital for the company". Mr. Alim Satria said that the management should at least know how to respect other people, and then eligible to talk about saying human as capital. Cooperation, competition and conflict, these three things are always there during day-to-day affairs of an enterprise. The focus is how to manage these three things to make it most beneficial to the company. How can we allow people to unite and not colluding with each other? That we must establish a common aspiration rather than the temporary interests because interest would not be eternal and the relationship will break if there is uneven distribution. Therefore, enterprises must rely on the power of checks and balances mechanism for distribution of benefits, increase work efficiency, the management should continue to seek 'paradigm shift' innovative concept to take today's model in place of a model of yesterday's challenge, to let the staff to have more space to grow, integrate their wisdom, build team spirit together and find balance in the midst of conflict. Most entrepreneurs often said human capital is the most difficult to manage, but seldom ask themselves: Whether my management got problem? Whether there is a misunderstanding in my thoughts? Actually the key to good management should start from self-management.

Below is an interview extract of Mr. Alim Satria during the Shanghai Aluminium Industry Exhibition 2007(In Chinese Dialogue)