I saw Takeda and Michi --- ehem and the boy

Posted by Amang Bije on December 09, 2003 at 16:24:33:

INTRODUCTION

The ideas presented in this paper are personal and experiential, and are not based on concepts and theories from any literature in economic development or sociology. The topic is explained purely from the experience gained and lessons learned while working within the State Government and also outside, as well as from the experiences shared by others who have ventured into the business world.

The thrust of the paper is an attempt to examine of the Bidayuh mindset, and in particular, the values that we live with, and how these shape our personal development, and ultimately, our community development. With the above background, the objectives of this paper are:

? To define and to set culture in the context of community and personal development;
? To highlight how culture, especially our cultural values at the personal level shape and influence our decision-makings, actions, and the results that become our reality and destiny in all areas, particularly in the area of entrepreneurship; and
? To relate how our personal values that are derived from our community and our personal experiences shape and mould our perceptions on matters such as education, businesses, wealth creation, and so on.

CULTURE AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Definition and Context
As we discuss this important topic of culture and development in this symposium, it is appropriate that we revisit discussions since we participated in this series of symposiums beginning in 1988.

Five years ago in the 1998 Bidayuh Cultural Symposium, we asked the question how the Bidayuh think and feel about and how we react to solve and reconcile the problems and challenges that we face. Today, we may not necessarily have very good or optimal answers to this core question. However, it is necessary for us to remember the following observations we made in 1998:

? cultural change is necessary for development. The community has to change in some aspects of its culture in order for it to keep abreast of and to partake of development around it. A community that does not change does not progress. Correspondingly, culture is not static; it is subject to change;
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? Cultural change, as opposed to cultural evolution is difficult to understand and to undertake. Cultural change involves people, and their mindsets, values, attitudes, beliefs, worldview, emotions, and psyche; and

? A ?new? culture is necessary for the Bidayuh to develop and progress. The concept of a ?new? culture is not a clean new culture that breaks from our core culture. A ?new? culture builds upon our Bidayuh culture, and it describes a fresh ?new way? of doing things. Among its elements is the willingness to change in order to progress.

There are many definitions of culture as there are writers on the subject. I would like to offer a selection of some of these definitions that I think is appropriate in the context of this paper. Among the first anthropologist to study the Bidayuh community was Geddes. In the introduction of his book The Nine Dayak Nights he described culture as:

?What people habitually do, think and feel, and the way in which the doing, thinking and feeling of any one of them depends on that of others ...? (Geddes, 1957: ix)

This is an anthropological perspective of culture, and referred to a rural Bidayuh setting in the Serian District in the1950s when Sarawak was largely undeveloped and its people were largely illiterate.

Another relevant definition is Trompenaars and Turner (1993), they define culture as ?.. the way in which a group of people solve problems and reconcile dilemmas.?

Developing upon these two definitions, culture can thus be defined briefly as the way people think, feel, react, solve and reconcile the problems, tasks issues and challenges that they are facing.

However, the dimensions of culture extend beyond its definitions. The following are some basic aspects of culture that need to be considered and understood.

? The essence of culture is not what is visible on the surface; it is a shared way by which groups of people understand and interpret the world. Most times, it is not possible for a casual onlooker to understand culture simply by observing or even emulate the behavior of the people. The famous proverb When in Rome, do as the Romans do does not help a visitor understand Roman culture. Instead, When in Rome, understand the behavior of the Romans.

? Culture is invisible, and yet pervasive and omnipresent and powerful. It is like gravity; you do not experience it until you jump six feet into the air, and gravity brings you down to the ground very quickly. Likewise, we do not necessarily show or exhibit our culture, but when faced with uncertainties and unusual situations, it is our culture that guides us through.

? Culture is complex, and has hierarchies and layers like an onion. In order to understand it, you have got to unpeel it, layer, by layer. To understand a culture fully, one has to reach to the innermost layer, that is the core.

For the purpose of better understanding and due communication, we shall distinguish three types of culture:

? National culture. This is the culture of a national or regional society, for example, the culture of the French versus that of Malaysians, or that of Western Europeans versus Asians, and so on;

? Corporate culture. This is the culture within a specific organization, for example, the culture in the State Public Service versus the culture in ABC Bank, and

? Professional culture. This is the culture of particular functions within organizations, for example, marketing, research, development, accounting, and management.

As a community and as individuals, we ?fit? into these three types of culture depending on our level of achievement and development.

The values and mindsets that make up our culture may be explained by our attitudes towards our relationship with others, attitudes towards the value of time, and how our environment shapes us.

Our relationship with other people can be associated with any of the following five patterns:

1. Universalism versus Particularism
In universalism, what is good and right or bad or wrong can be defined and always accepted and applied. Particularism gives greater attention to obligations and unique circumstances, and less attention to societal or community codes.

2. Individualism versus Communitarianism
Do we regard ourselves as individuals or as part of a group? It is generally accepted that we are individuals who share a communitarian vision. In other words, a community is a collection of individuals.

3. Neutral versus Emotional
The nature of relationship can be objective and detached, or emotional. For example, should we be detached or emotional over losses, such as loss of our land.

4. Specific versus Diffused
A relationship can be contractual and bounded, i.e., specific, or it can real and personal, that is diffused. A diffused relationship is preferred before proceeding with business.

5. Achievement versus Ascription
In a relationship, one can be judged by one?s achievements rather than being judged by one?s association or connection to a particular institution, badge or heritage. It is useful for the community to judge an individual by his / her achievement rather than by his / her ascription.

Our attitude to time explains the value we place on time. In some communities, time is valued very strongly, and the members are punctual and disciplined in their management and use of time. Some communities do not value time as highly, and tolerate unpunctuality and tardiness.

We relate to our environment. Our environment shapes us physically, socio-economically and mentally. Whether we are cosmopolitan and open-minded, or not is determined by our environment. The environment also provides the challenges that shape us.

For further insights into culture, and how it affects us, I would like to refer to a book called ?The Question of Culture? by Malik Bennabi (1959), an Arab sociologist. Bennabi explains culture as follows:

? Every social reality is essentially an actualized cultural value. Our social reality is shaped by our culture. In turn, our social reality shapes our physical reality. For example, Kampong Pichin can be considered to be a successful Bidayuh village in that it has produced many Bidayuh politicians and leaders, and its people are socio-economically better-off than many other kampongs. Or for that matter, those from Singai, Semaba, Quop and Taiee that have produced many educated people and community leaders. Why are these particular kampongs more successful in this respect than others, some of which are nearer to the urban centers? Is it possible that they have a more advanced perception and social view of themselves?

? The final shape and determinant character of that reality depends on the relative weight of each essential components of culture, such as ethics, aesthetics, practical logic and technique.

? Culture is an integrated and complex whole consisting of an inter-subjective wealth of symbols, values, concepts, attitudes and tastes, and constituting the essential bond between the individual and society. For example, in the Chinese community, the core symbols are those associated with wealth and health. What would be the cultural symbols of the Bidayuh?

? Culture is the source that provides being with the means of self control and mastery over nature and over the products of their own genius.

? It is culture that permits human beings to regulate and harmonize their relations and interactions with one another, their environment and the universe in general.

As a conclusion to the first part of the paper, it would be useful to revisit some of our description and portrayal of the community. In the Bidayuh Cultural Symposium in 1993, I described the community then as:

? We are rural and land-based (Bidayuh actually means people of the land);

? In the main, we practice traditional and subsistence agriculture; and

? We do not relate our valuables and assets in monetary terms. In short, we do not know how to value our wealth.

Then, we proposed that the community moves to cash agriculture, participate in land development schemes and start small businesses in transportation, village shops, and agricultural produce. Today, the community has advanced beyond these measures. There are now many Bidayuhs in the Sunday market, and some have advanced to opening their own permanent business outlets.

TOWARDS ENTREPRENEURIAL CULTURE

While acknowledging that there are various cultural values and traits that we can develop and enhance, for this paper we shall focus on the necessity for the community to develop an entrepreneurial culture in order to participate and prosper in the new economy. Unlike some other communities, we have to start from scratch. Our community has relatively few entrepreneurs, but we can develop our entrepreneurial skills and mindsets from our existing employment circumstances. Where and how can we start?
Government Employment
It is quite possible that the bulk of employed Bidayuhs works for the Government. In the Government, we deal mainly with the public sector and act as regulators and enforcers of government policies and programs. The public sector is also responsible for managing and delivering public good.

Traditionally in the government, an employee develops administrative skills, but not private sector experience necessary to sustain entrepreneurship. However there are now opportunities for government employees to adopt the necessary skills.

The public service in this country has adopted a managerialism approach and drive, in which private sector?s concepts and techniques are applied, and employees are required to consider the bottom-line, and to be cost and quality conscious. Techniques and tools such as balanced scorecard, ISO quality certification, Total Quality Management (TQM), etc., are some of the tools borrowed from the private sector. The move towards electronic government (EG) also represents a break from traditional government service paradigm. EG is more than just an application of information and communication technology (ICT). It is founded upon transparency, openness, facilitation, and continuous and uninterrupted delivery of quality services to all stakeholders.

Some senior government employees also have the opportunities to manage private sector businesses through participation in government-owned businesses.
Private Sector Employees - Intrapreneurs
Employees in the private sector have the greatest opportunities to acquire and develop entrepreneurial skills. They can become intrapreneurs, i.e., those who work like entrepreneurs while in the employment of others. Intrapreneurship is a low-risk and low-cost way to develop entrepreneurial skills and knowledge.

Private sector employees are exposed to the mindsets, values, tools, working habits, discipline, techniques and networking that are necessary for the working of a private sector enterprise.

Employees of government statutory bodies such as Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA), Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), Sarawak Land Custody Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA), Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), Borneo Development Corporation (BDC) and Sarawak Land Development Board (SLDB) are also well-placed to develop intrepreneurship skills. These agencies operate through their subsidiaries, and employees managing or seconded to these companies can acquire private sector knowledge and skills.
Entrepreneur ? Working For Oneself
An entrepreneur takes risks to establish and operate his own business. An entrepreneur requires specific skills and mentality in order to succeed. Among these are: technical skills, business management skills and personal entrepreneurial skills which can be explained in the table below:

Technical skills Business management skills Personal entrepreneurial skills
? Writing
? Oral communication
? Monitoring environment
? Technical business management
? Technology
? Interpersonal
? Listening
? Ability to organize
? Network building
? Management style
? Coaching
? Being a team player ? Planning and goal setting
? Decision making
? Human relations
? Marketing
? Finance
? Accounting
? Management
? Control
? Negotiation
? Venture launch
? Managing growth ? Inner control / disciplined
? Risk taker
? Innovative
? Change-oriented
? Persistent
? Visionary leader

It is natural, but a very brave and big step to progress from being an employee to being an entrepreneur. A case study is that of Granda Aing, a successful Bidayuh contractor. Granda started as an employee in a shipping company, but had the vision, the drive and discipline to become a successful businessman today. Granda?s firm now is a registered Class A contractor, and is involved in many businesses. Granda?s business experience shown in is a good case study for all of us. Perhaps other Bidayuhs can share similar experiences and perhaps Bidayuh businessmen emulate Granda?s success story.

Having explained the context and provided a case study, it is our perceived view that the challenge for the community is to develop an entrepreneurial culture. I believe that we need to start at the individual level in the community. The community comprises individuals, and the individuals together epitomize a community. Successful individuals and entrepreneurs in the community are the collective wealth of the community. Successful entrepreneurs also energize the community.
WEALTH CREATION MINDSET

The discussion in this section puts forward:

? that the Bidayuh community needs to create wealth and generate ?modern? and ?real? value, i.e., monetize its physical assets and resources, in order to participate in the modern, and future economy, and
? that money should be used to generate more wealth, i.e., money makes more money.

It is useful to recall the comments of the Right Honourable Chief Minister of Sarawak during the second cultural symposium in 1993 about the role and purpose of culture in our development, and vice-versa. The Right Honourable Chief Minister explained:

?? the factors that determine the direction of cultural development (in Sarawak) ? where differences in our life is so much influenced by economic factors ? We ought to more credit to economic thinking and economic trend which can really determine the direction of our culture, cultural growth and development ? With growth and development, you can see what changes can take place in our society.?

The message is that culture is a critical factor in economic development.

The Peruvian economist, Hernando di Soto (2002) proposes that documenting our assets increases its value. These include physical and non-physical assets such as land, houses, intellectual property, etc.

In addressing the challenge to the Bidayuh towards acquiring a new cultural identity, let us focus on the value that we assign on wealth creation. As a starting point, we recognize today that the government is quickly and surely embracing meritocracy, liberalization, and globalization. In recent times, privatization has also been implemented in full force. These mean increasing competition, and sure decline in government?s affirmative support. The Bidayuh community, like all other communities, will have to participate compete on equal and open terms in the future. Transactions and businesses will be decided purely by market forces, that themselves are founded upon value and wealth. Thus it is important that the community embraces the money and modern value culture in order to participate in the future economy.
Why Monetize Our Assets?
Undeveloped, untapped or unexploited assets have little or low value in modern economy. They cannot be used to create additional value. In order to participate in the modern economy and commerce, money is necessary. Un-monetized assets are of little value and application.

Un-monetized assets, especially land, provide tempting and ?cheap? targets for external and ?out of our control? acquisitions, because of their ?low? value.
Assets
The Bidayuh community has some ?good? assets. The community is located around the Kuching and Samarahan Divisions where the seat of government and the business centers of the State are located. Our land is relatively accessible and easier to develop and to monetize.

Many members of the community also own properties and houses in the urban and semi-urban areas in Kuching and Samarahan. These could be monetized, and the money derived could be transacted or invested to earn more money. This leads to another point, perhaps a controversial and emotional one. The real value of houses in the rural areas (Bidayuh kampongs), no matter how big or expensive they are, cannot be fully utilized for monetary transactions compared to urban properties, no matter how small or cheap they are in comparison. Urban properties offer better opportunities to make money in today?s economy as compared to rural properties.

The skills and expertise of trained and skilled Bidayuhs of which there are many in various fields can be another source of assets, if these are subject to valuation and quantification in monetary terms.
Practical approaches
The following suggestions to develop a wealth creation mindset are based on the writer?s personal experience, acquired knowledge and discussions with others.

? Undertake financial investments. The community must adopt the idea that money can be made to work for more money.

? Invest in equity, trusts, properties and unit trusts. Government-backed trust funds such as Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB), Amanah Saham Sarawak (ASSAR) and Anamah Saham Nasional (ASN) are safe and provide good returns.

? Leverage financial instruments, such as mortgages to acquire funds for further investments. There are many financial instruments that can be used for sourcing funds and for investments, but many of us in the community are probably not aware of them. Therefore we need to understand more of such instruments. We can get financial advice from fellow Bidayuhs and others who work in the financial sector.

? Develop more entrepreneurs and financial consultants in the community. The community needs success stories to be the model and to provide advice to the others.

? Develop urban property ownership within the community, i.e., own one (1) urban property per Bidayuh. As explained earlier, it is urban properties that can be monetized and leveraged to earn more wealth.

? Develop pervasive, even if small businesses among the Bidayuh community in order to spread and promote the ideas of entrepreneurship and wealth creation.

? Develop the semi-professional and technical group within the community to be entrepreneurs. The semi-professional group is the most likely to succeed, and they are a relatively big group compared to the professional group. The semi-professional group is easier to develop and to nurture. There are also more business opportunities from the government such as the minor rural project (MRP) and pre-emptive projects for the semi-professional group.

The above are approaches and suggestions for developing a new mindset towards a new cultural identity. However it needs to be reiterated that it is incumbent upon the individual Bidayuh to actualize the above suggestions, and not to wait for the community and others to initiate these actions.

CONCLUSION

Looking back over the last 15 years (1988-2003) since we first organized the first cultural symposium, we have been engaged in discussing and understanding our culture. We have looked at our culture, past and present that is not just centered around our customs and rituals, but also that includes the evolving ways of doing things where our cultural values influence our social reality that in turn shapes our physical reality.

Central to this is the cultural change of the Bidayuh, which has been driven by our environment, education, external influences, changing perceptions, values and mindsets. Over the years, we have developed from a rural mindset to an urban mindset, and for some of us, a global mindset. This is especially so because the Bidayuh areas are in close proximity and surrounds the urban areas of the Kuching and Samarahan Divisions.

In the past, the Bidayuh culture may be described as standardized or homogenous for a defined clan, region or group of villages. Communitarianism was the order of the day then. Today, the Bidayuh culture is more subtle and in a state of flux, and is more heterogeneous and fluid than ever before. We are turning into a community of individuals.

We have also progressed from a rural community of farmers and rubber-tappers to become predominantly government and private sector employees, and have seen the emergence of a few entrepreneurs. However, the modern society and economy impose ever-changing rules and constraints on us. This is the challenge facing us today. We need to not only change elements of our culture in order to progress in the new world, but we need to continuously upgrade and update ourselves as well. We need to develop as entrepreneurs, we need to develop and acquire a ?money? culture, and we need to change our attitudes towards our assets.

How should the community develop from our current preponderance of government and private sector employment to that of entrepreneurs? It is my opinion that we should target individuals rather than try to change the society en masse. As explained earlier, the Bidayuh community is becoming more heterogeneous and individualistic. In this circumstance, it is difficult to address the community as a block. Individuals will have to developed, and it is the sum and value of these individuals that defines the wealth and success of the community.

This paper concludes with a reference to the keynote address by the Right Honourable Chief Minister of Sarawak during the grand parade held in conjunction with the State?s Ruby Jubilee of independence on 22nd July 2003, when he said:

?Today we see more and more middle-class people who have the purchasing power to further boost our economy ??, and that, ?? by 2020, some 70 percent of the people will be living in urban areas?

The Bidayuh community needs to heed this message as it is a reality. In order to join the ranks of the State?s middle-class and to become more urbanized, we have to develop a new cultural mindset.

REFERENCES

Geddes, W. R. (1957). Nine Dayak Nights. Singapore: Oxford University Press.

Hernaando di Soto. 2002.

Malik Bennabi. 1995

Trompenaars, F & Turner, C. Hampden. 1993. Riding The Waves of Culture.