HARI DHARMAWAN

BUSINESS LEGEND "MATAHARI DEPT STORE"
 Today I call Dharmawan as'' The Legend''. I think he deserves to be called as such because of his business achievements over the past 40 years. Simple measures can we use to see the success is that everyone knows the sun as a giant retail chain in Indonesia. Said the sun is not only associated as a source of light and energy, but also an existing retail everywhere. Now, the legend was 62 years old, but his ideas still geloranya in such young people. I think, still thrills the spirit of business as well as speech.

Today I saw Dharmawan like a never-energy dry. I think things like this that make it a success, in addition to intelligence, hard work and pioneering efforts of these very small.

Surge was seen in his last work. He established a very unique retail, Dollar Value and House of the Sun. Dollar unique value called unique because they sell all the goods with a price of Rp 5,000 per unit. Strong impression with this concept are the items offered in this store very cheap, only Rp 5,000. Rp 5,000 all-round concept has tremendous appeal for those who see the dollar value of the store away, or bring up a great curiosity to go.

After that, because the price is Rp 5,000 people do not think long to buy something. Therefore, the current Rp 5,000 cash instead of a large number, no longer need to plan to spend Rp 5,000. So, people like stuck to buy because the price is very cheap is suggested. Solar homes also have a strong concept, and the price is too cheap. Houses of the Sun, the Sun at a glance such as retail, equally do not sell vegetables. But here sell pets, furniture, tools, and so forth.

In my opinion, there are three interesting things to be learned from the experience Dharmawan Day.

First, he referred to as what one business that provides great benefits for everyone. Not to enrich themselves. This conclusion I think is very unique and very precious. I think this principle is not much to hold them and need to be disseminated. For all this, there is growing strong impression everywhere that business is the right way to rake in profit maximization.

But, for the day was not enough. Businesses must provide welfare for the nation. For reasons like that, do not do gambling business day. With this perspective, we can see all the retail businesses that developed Hari.Lebih much can be said that the business should be run to provide a great benefit for consumers and the wider community, not just a great advantage for entrepreneurs.

If consumers feel the benefits of the transaction is done, no matter what the price of the goods offered will be felt reasonably sound. Because, in this way, the consumer is not just buying stuff, but it also pays to get the benefits that sometimes can not be measured by money. Benefit for society at large could mean that the business is absorbing a lot of labor.

Second, businesses should be run in the family business in spite of himself. This can be seen on Day 18 years old when the new set up its first store named Mickey Mouse in New Market, Central Jakarta. At that time, he had just gotten married and given a place by-laws for businesses. It is very meaningful has been instilled by the father of his wife how to look at business. First, businesses should start small, and second, all the calculations with his father's place as business in general. Teachings are simple but make a day racing. At that time, he was only given a piece of the place, and within a few months it must be redemption. So, instead of free amenities such as we are done by most people until now. That way, he worked hard to restore the loan to his father. And unique, Day had to build a real business in the not so friendly when it's because many of his gangster. Thus, although the child or the father himself, conducted the business relationship business. Of course the family relationship must still take place in the family, although the day did not tell it.

Third, the Day of the small business start, and then evolved into the giant it is now. Small business in the beginning is according to his ability, from which he learned growing the business. Knowledge and ability to manage the business grow with the business so that he can still control the business after a giant a few decades later. In other words, as often that I often refer to as the concept grew from the bottom.

Control of the business is very different from managing the business is still small. Therefore, if a business that occupied the "bigger" than the ability of managers, we can be sure the business will be destroyed. This is often referred to as the experience of people.

Just imagine, someone who has never been a business and without business school anyway, then left to manage the Sun which is the giant?

* This article originally appeared in the daily afternoon VOTE REFORM dated August 15, 2003