ASEAN Agenda: Driving Entrepreneurship Through Innovation
For the members of ASEAN, entrepreneurial capacity plays a pivotal role in the development of its young and emerging economy. As the region experiences an economic renaissance, leaders are ensuring that the recent monumental growth can be sustained and further driven through the cultivation of entrepreneurship.
According to the ASEAN Regional Entrepreneurship Report 2014/2015, 66% of people within ASEAN-6 view entrepreneurship as a positive career choice, which surpasses the global average of 62%. This presents a positive outlook on the future of entrepreneurship within the region. The report also found innovation to be an area of growth for the region, calling for concerted efforts to capitalize on this opportunity.
Malaysia, a member of the ASEAN, is cognizant of the importance of entrepreneurship in generating economic growth as evidenced by the amount and variety of mechanisms and policies that exist to cultivate homegrown entrepreneurs, with a sharp focus on innovation. A strong example can be seen with the government’s National eCommerce Strategic roadmap, designed to map out actionable programs that will lead to Malaysian businesses becoming global e-commerce leaders.
Organizations like TERAJU, the government’s Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit, is intensifying efforts to prepare Bumiputera companies for the next phase of Malaysia’s economic development. Datuk Husni Salleh, Chief Executive Officer of TERAJU, believes this new phase, driven by the digital economy and technology, would create a higher level playing field between small companies or new players and large corporations.
“Those who are more innovative and tech-savvy will change the world so much more quickly than what we have seen. This is where the challenge is, for all of us. This includes government policies, as well. That is why we are here today to work with the government, to do what is right for the country,” said Datuk Husni Salleh.
With the rapid growth of the economy, along with the growth of its population, Malaysian institutions are making sure that work related skills would also grow in tandem, as it is a strong enabler of entrepreneurship. In ASEAN, 48.4% of the population are women, and their impact can be significant for innovation and growth. Growing and up-skilling this base is vital and ADLA Group is a leading company that contributes to this economic agenda.
The ADLA Group is a Work Life Balance training institution which is a progressive and dynamic knowledge sharing organisation for up-skilling the workforce, from corporate, individuals and entrepreneurs.
“I want to encourage millennial women to have high self-worth and a good work-life balance approach in doing the business they love, to positively impact their communities. That is why we have created different programmes such as the “Mentoring Development Programme for Women”. The Mentoring process is an essential part of any individual career development journey. Mentoring is a proven approach to drive rich learning and entrepreneurship development.” said Datin Dr Hasnorliza, founder of ADLA Group.
ADLA Group organises a hosts of events and courses on an annual basis that are specifically tailored to aspiring entrepreneurs, in collaboration with strategic education partners. In October this year, ADLA will host the second edition of its signature event the International Work Life Balance Forum that attracts a working crowd from all walks of life to learn and share experiences.
As the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations gears towards the second phase of their economic insurgence, entrepreneurship will install a leapfrogging drive for emerging economies like Malaysia. Thus rightly so, the spirit of entrepreneurship is being placed on a deserved pedestal as an engine of growth and innovation.