This document outlines a course on critical decisions and actions of national leaders, using lessons from Indonesia. The course is taught by Prof. Ginandjar Kartasasmita, who was involved in major Indonesian political developments from the 1980s to 2000s. The course examines critical decisions made by national leaders, especially during crises, and discusses topics like managing economic crises, democratic transition, decentralization, equity, and poverty reduction. It combines lectures and class discussions, and requires student attendance, assignments, and participation.

1. LESSONS FROM INDONESIA
National Graduate Institute
for Policy Studies, Tokyo, Japan
2012

2. Course Title : Critical Decisions and Actions of National
Leaders: Lessons from Indonesia
Lecturer : Prof. Ginandjar Kartasasmita
jgkar@cbn.net.id
www.ginandjar.com
Assistant Professor : Dr. Dadang Solihin, SE, MA
dadangsol@yahoo.com
National Graduate Institute
for Policy Studies, Tokyo, Japan
2012

3.  THIS COURSE IS DESIGNED FOR FUTURE LEADERS IN
THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
 IN VIEW OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THE YOUNG
LEADERS PROGRAM, THE COURSE DEALS WITH THE
ESSENCE OF LEADERSHIP; CRITICAL DECISION
MAKING AND ACTIONS OF LEADERS, TYPICALLY IN A
TIME OF CRISES AND MAJOR CHANGES OF SOCIETY.
 THE INSTRUCTOR HAS PLAYED A STRATEGIC ROLE IN
POLITICS AND ADMINISTRATION IN INDONESIA IN
THE DECADES FROM THE 1980’s TO THE 2000’s.
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4.  HE WAS INVOLVED DIRECTLY IN MAJOR
DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDING THE 1997‐98 ASIAN
ECONOMIC CRISIS AND THE DEMOCRATIZATION AND
DECENTRALIZATION OF INDONESIA IN ITS WAKE.
 BASED ON SUCH EXPERIENCES, CASES OF CRITICAL
DECISIONS AND ACTIONS OF A NATIONAL LEADER
WILL BE DISCUSSED WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO
THEIR BACKGROUNDS AND GLOBAL AND DOMESTIC
CONTEXTS AS WELL AS EFFECTS OF SUCH DECISIONS
AND ACTIONS.
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5.  LEADERS OF ALL INSTITUTIONS AND ESPECIALLY OF
THE STATE, ARE TASKED TO DEFINE GOALS AND
PURPOSES, DESIGN MISSIONS, FORMULATE PLANS
AND POLICIES TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES,
IMPLEMENT THOSE PLANS AND POLICIES, AND
EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE.
 THE PUBLIC LEADERS NEED ALSO TO DEAL WITH
CRISES, EMERGENCY SITUATION AND UNFORESEEN
DEVELOPMENTS AND CHALLENGES.
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6.  ESSENTIAL TO ALL STAGES IS THE PROCESS OF
DECISION MAKING. IT DETERMINES THE OUTCOMES:
THE SUCCESSES OR FAILURES.
 DERIVED FROM PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AND
EMPIRICAL OBSERVATION THE PURPOSE OF THE
COURSE IS TO ENHANCE THE STUDENTS’
COMPREHENSION OF THE COMPLEX AND DIVERSE
NATURES OF PUBLIC POLICY AND POLICY MAKING—
IN TRIGGERING SOCIETAL CHANGE.
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7.  TAKING LESSONS FROM INDONESIA’S
EXPERIENCE, THE COURSE WILL DISCUSS
IMPORTANT ISSUES IN 21th CENTURY
GOVERNANCE: MANAGING ECONOMIC
CRISES; DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION AND
CONSOLIDATION; DECENTRALIZATION AND
LOCAL AUTONOMY; EQUITY AND POVERTY
ERADICATION.
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8.  THE COURSE WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGH A
COMBINATION OF LECTURES AND CLASS
DISCUSSIONS.
 THE REQUIREMENTS ARE: STUDENT’S ATTENDANCE,
COMPLETION OF ASSIGNMENTS, AND ACTIVE
PARTICIPATION IN CLASS DISCUSSION.
 STUDENTS SHOULD COME TO THE CLASS WITH HIGH
MOTIVATION AND PREPARATION BASED ON THE
TOPIC SCHEDULED FOR EACH SESSION.
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9.  STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO PRESENT
THEIR VIEWS TO THE CLASS ON THE
SUBJECT BEING DISCUSSED.
 TO FACILITATE MORE INTENSIVE
DISCUSSIONS, THE CLASS WILL BE
ORGANIZED IN GROUPS.
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10.  THE COURSE DRAWS ITS MATERIALS FROM THE
MANUSCRIPT OF THE BOOK, SOON TO BE
PUBLISHED, TITLED: “GINANDJAR KARTASASMITA,
INDONESIA IN TRANSITION. AN ORAL HISTORY,”
EDITED BY TAKASHI SHIRAISHI, et al.
 THE CONTENT OF THE BOOK RELEVANT TO THE
COURSE WILL BE CONTAINED IN THE LECTURER’S
NOTE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN :
www.ginandjar.com
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11.  STUDENTS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO LOOK AT THESE
BOOKS THAT PROVIDE THEORETICAL AS WELL AS
PRACTICAL DISCOURSES ON GOVERNANCE ISSUES:
 Rondinelli, Dennis A. And G. Shabbir Cheema, 2003,
Reinventing Government For The Twenty‐first Century: State
Capacity in a Globalizing Society. Kumarian Press, Inc., Blue
Hills Avenue, Bloomfield, USA
 Turner, Mark M. And David Hulme, 1997, Governance,
Administration and Development: Making the State Work.
Kumarian Press Inc., USA
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12. Date Subject Time Topics Chapters
Tuesday I 16:40 – 18:10 Course and Class Introduction
February 07, 2012 Policy Response to Economic Crises: 1998 I
and 2008
II 18:20 – 19:50 On the Road to Democracy: Transition and II
Consolidation
Wednesday, III 13:20 – 14:50 Making Government Work: III
February 08, 2012 Decentralization and Regional Autonomy
Thursday, IV 16:40 – 18:10 Development for the People: Equity and IV
February 09, 2012 Poverty
Tuesday V 16:40 – 18:10 Class Discussion
February 14, 2012
VI 18:20 – 19:50 ‐‐continued—
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13. COURSE MATERIAL
Date Subject Time Topics Chapter
Wednesday, VII 13:20 – 14:50 ‐‐continued‐‐
February 15, 2012
Thursday, VIII 16:40 – 18:10 Conclusion
February 16, 2012
LESSONS FROM INDONESIA
*Note: Subject to change
Lecturer : Prof. Dr. Ginandjar Kartasasmita
jgkar@cbn.net.id, www.ginandjar.com
Assistant Professor : Dr. Dadang Solihin, SE, MA
dadangsol@yahoo.com
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14. I. POLICY RESPONSE TO ECONOMIC CRISES: 1998 AND
2008
II. ON THE ROAD TO DEMOCRACY: TRANSITION AND
CONSOLIDATION
III. MAKING GOVERNMENT WORK: DECENTRALIZATION
AND REGIONAL AUTONOMY
IV. DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PEOPLE: EQUITY AND
POVERTY
LECTURER’S CURRICULLUM VITAE
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