Combating Corruption in Indonesia? The Ombudsman and the Assets Auditing Commission

Early optimism that post-Soeharto governments would lead a systematic campaign against corruption has largely been disappointed. The creation of the ombudsman and the Assets Auditing Commission (KPKPN) were hopeful signs, but both initiatives are symptomatic of the weaknesses besetting Indonesia's anti-corruption efforts. Despite their best endeavours, both organisations have weak powers, are under-resourced, receive only token political support and exist in isolation from other investigative and enforcement agencies. International research suggests that official efforts to eliminate corruption are effective only as part of a coordinated campaign to reform administration, policy making, legislative institutions and the judiciary. Threatened exposure or punishment of corrupt officials is not enough: all the institutional incentives and disincentives for abuse of public office for private gain must be confronted. In Indonesia the problem is that most of those empowered to take such initiatives have no incentive to do so because they profit from the status quo.     

A modelling approach to planning product innovative research

Abstract . The generation of ideas for new products and their subsequent survival through a number of evaluation and development stages are—at least in part—random processes. To examine the implications of this for research planning and resource allocation a model has been constructed to simulate the progress of ideas through such an evaluation system using Monte Carlo methods. Use of the model on such typical product-innovative fields as a 'new venture' portfolio and effect-chemicals R & D has yielded valuable insights into variability in output of ventures suitable for commercialization, the degree of confidence which may be placed in achieving a desired objective, and its relation to costs and resource allocations at different stages of the process. The model also allows examination of sensitivities to the assumptions made in its construction and to data used as input.