INSIGHTS ILLUSTRATION BY PANCH ALCARAZ
Innovation Engine of Economic Growth H AJ I
ZU L K I F LY
BA H A R O M ,
MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE FROM THE Islamic perspective is not a new topic, but it is not often promoted or examined since it is always shadowed by the scientific management discoveries of the Western world. The forum held in Manila last March 6, “The Islamic Perspective: New Approaches to Development, Management and Governance” held in conjunction with AIM’s 40th Anniversary Celebrations, was aimed at providing information as well as reference to Asian business and the academic community on quality management systems and its requirements from Islamic perspectives. The question is, why should the principles and practices of Islamic management be important enough for the business community? What are the benefits and the rationale behind the move? In our society today, especially the business society, there are many who still believe that acquired knowledge is not as important as revealed knowledge. This perception has to change to give focus on spiritual understanding, to address an imbalance in the overall pursuit of knowledge. This perception needs to change because we need to harness our collective efforts towards consolidating, in tandem with the expansion of global knowledge-based economy. One hundred fifty experts who participated in the one-day forum recognized the existence of positive trends in Asia, saying that “all 26
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you need is to promote Islamic management systems in a friendly and sustainable manner.” “Merely having knowledge is not enough. Implementing it is what we are required to do immediately! We need to convert knowledge into economic value,” said Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, chairman of Institute Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) and a member of the AIM Board of Governors, who delivered the opening address.
...there are many who still believe that acquired knowledge is not as important as revealed knowledge. This perception has to change to give focus on spiritual understanding, to address an imbalance in the overall pursuit of knowledge. Dr. Syed Ali Tawfik Alatas, director general of IKIM, contended “the heart of Islamic practice is the individual.” He traced how economies evolved over the ages, beginning with the era of hunters and gatherers, followed by agricultural and industrial eras. “It’s all a matter of shifting paradigms,” he said, adding that shifts in paradigm have “helped us to understand the universe, our reality.” Referring to the energy needed for promoting Islamic management practices, Prof. Dr. Haji Jamil Osman, dean of the Kulliyah Economics and Management Sciences at the
A I M A LU M NI LEA D ERS HIP M AGAZIN E April to J u n e 2008
International Islamic University Malaysia, said,“Tomorrow’s fuel is the energy within us. We should tap this every day. In fact, physical networking and mobility should be done on a regular basis, but what we could do as individual has started at this forum.” Haji Nik Mustapha Haji Nik Hassan, deputy director general of IKIM who is also the chair of various technical committees on management systems from Islamic perspectives concluded that technology was one of the least likely reasons for a project to fail. “The most common reasons for projects to fall are lack of knowledge, practices, know-how and poor execution,” he said. “A product may fail because it may not fit the market.” According to Dr. Nooreha Hussain, managing director of AD-MACS Corp. Consultants, innovation is the keyword and should be pursued all the time. “Keep the innovative channels open and smart management will evolve,” she said. She also cited an update that Europe is finding an answer to the limitations of traditional distribution of electricity by tapping other sources like energy from the sun, waves and wind. “Corporate innovation is the engine for economic growth in Islamic management systems and practices,” she added. The various panel discussions came up with recommendations. One of them is that cases on Islamic management for classroom learnings at AIM should be written with its relevance to dayto-day life, with focus on organizations which had the most impact on the corporate world, and on the way business is done today. AIM President Francis Estrada in his closing remarks termed the forum as a “big success” and said that the whole effort in organizing the forum has met the objectives to create awareness of excellence in management from the Islamic perspective in business, and to discuss strategies that would bring the government, academe, and alumni from both public and private sectors together to exchange knowledge and share experiences. In conclusion and moving forward, the organizers namely, AIM, AAAIM, IKIM and Kelab AIM Malaysia in collaboration with their partners in the Philippines and Malaysia, unanimously adopted the suggestion from one of the eminent panelists, former Senator Amina Rasul-Bernardo who is currently the lead convener of the Philippines Council for Islam and Democracy, that a similar forum should be held at Mindanao State University, Marawi City, Lanao del Sur before the end of the year.