Abstract:
SMEs play important role in economic development of countries in Southeast
Asia region, especially in the realization of the ASEAN economic integration
through the establishment of The ASEAN Economic Community 2015,
which is expected to create a single market and production base by having a
competitive economic region with equal economic development. For this
reason, SMEs in Indonesia need to be prepared to be able to compete with
other ASEAN member states and able to gain optimum opportunities from
this regional economic integration. This thesis is produced from a research
conducted to recognize opportunities and challenges from the AEC itself.
This thesis tries to determine how Indonesia as one of ASEAN member states
prepare its local SMEs in facing the AEC with the existence of ASEAN body
which is SME Working Group that produced Strategic Action Plan for SME
Development to empower SMEs in ASEAN in facing the AEC. This research
uses a qualitative and descriptive method, with which resources collected
through observation and document analysis. The findings reveal that
Indonesia government in preparing its local SMEs facing the AEC 2015 is in
line with SMEWG initiatives which showing the cooperation among ASEAN
member states in order to achieve their common interest from having the
economic integration in the region.
