Module 13: Small and Medium Enterprises in ASEAN
Table of Contents
Language Focus
SECTION 13.1
Language Focus 1:
Suffixes
A suffix comes at the end of a word. For example, -ment is added to the verb manage to form the noun management. However, not all combinations are possible. Some words have to be learned as vocabulary items.
Verb
A verb shows action or being.
| Suffix | Example |
-ify |
indentify, clarify, certify |
-ise /-ize (formed from adjectives) |
legalize, centralize, modernize |
-en (formed from adjectives) |
loosen, shorten, harden |
Adjective
An adjective describes a noun or a pronoun.
| Suffix | Example |
| -al (formed from adjectives) | national, regional, entrepreneurial |
| -ic (formed from adjectives) | geographic, photographic, artistic |
| -ive (formed from verbs or nouns) | contributive, exclusive, collaborative |
| -ful (formed from nouns) | beautiful, useful, careful |
| -less (formed from nouns) | powerless, hopeless, fearless |
| -ous (formed from nouns) | outrageous, luxurious, famous |
| -y (formed from nouns) | healthy, wealthy, salty |
| -ly (formed from nouns) | monthly, costly, timely |
| -ible /-able (formed from verbs) | possible, sustainable, integrable |
| -ing (formed from verbs) | utilizing, conducting, demanding |
| -ed (formed from verbs) | adopted, confronted, achieved |
Noun
A noun names a person, animal, place, thing, or idea.
| Suffix | Example |
| -ment (formed from verbs) | development, employment, investment |
| -ion / -tion / ation / ition /-sion (formed from verbs) | liberalization, cooperation, motivation |
| -ance / -ence (formed from verbs or adjectives) | preference, acceptance, importance |
| -ty / -ity (formed from adjectives) | capacity, sustainability, integrity |
| -ness (formed from adjectives) | competitiveness, selflessness, freshness |
| -ee (formed from verbs, used for a person who experiences or receives the actions) | employee, franchisee, licensee |
| -ing (formed from verbs) | building, feeling |
13.1.2 Focusing on SMEs in ASEAN
To conclude, in order to develop the English language skills of SME Owners, the standards for SME Owners from the English language development center (ELDC) commission on higher education at the Ministry of Education has been recommended to use as the standards of English as attached in the resources.
Brunei Darussalam
Although Brunei Darussalam is the smallest county in the South East Asian region, it has one of the highest gross domestic products (GDPs). It relies heavily on oil and gas exports. With the exception of a few products, including coffee, tea, tobacco, and alcohol, tariffs on agricultural products are zero operating under World Trade Organization (WTO). There are specific projects of development: the world-class shipping port in Muara, and expansion of Brunei international airport. The commitment is to boost its small and medium enterprises to balance in sub-regional levels, particularly under the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth AREA (BIMP-EAGA).
Kingdom of Cambodia
Cambodia continuously grows relying on its garment industry, tourism services and construction. It operates a single window under the free flow of goods measure for the CLMV’s special provision (Cambodia, Loa PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam). The private sector is the major growth development generally characterized by small-scale and family-based enterprises. However, the informal business nature constrains its banking and investments for lending and co-investment among ASEAN countries. In addition, the infrastructure and transportation are still undeveloped especially in rural areas.
Republic of Indonesia
The development of small and medium enterprises is a major part of economic development among agricultural, mining, manufacturing, electrical/ gas/ water, construction, trade, hotel/food and beverages, transportation and communication, and financial industries. The majority are just micro enterprises. The agricultural industry is the major part of the economic development followed by manufacturing. Indonesia has joined World Trade Organization (WTO) and ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA).
Malaysia
The laws and regulations under the Small and Medium Industries Development Corporation Act include long-term and short-term plans, for example, the 15th year Third Industrial Master R&D outsourcing providers, linkage among SMEs, government linked companies (GLCs), multinational companies (MNCs), and knowledge-based SMEs. A one-stop service is provided for information and advice on application and promotion for SMEs. There are 6 government-owned development financial banks for SMEs financial assistance namely SME bank, EXIM Bank, Bank Simpanan Nasional, Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Berhad, Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhadand Bank Pertanian Malaysia. Malaysia promotes free flow of foreign direct investment in the manufacturing sector. The competition policy is to eliminate monopolistic conduct. Malaysia attracts foreign human capital.
Republic of the Philippines
The Philippines has large foreign market domination. SMEs are the biggest employer in the country. Structural problems hinder its gains, such as low investment infrastructure, high transaction costs, coherent industrial policy and political credibility.
Republic of Singapore
The government supports SME development with strong private sector fund management to expand stages in many industries. One recent example is the Sirius Growth Partner I launches in the city state. The first critical state of setting up SMEs is market entry of starting up and running in compliance with law and regulations. There are two typical factors to setting up: time and the cost of doing business.
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
SMEs predominate 95% of the overall economy and 92% of the manufacturing sector. The opening of the economy offered augmented opportunities for taking advantage of working in major resource sectors and as part of cross-border supply chains and value chains. A variety of state-level organizations exist to support SMEs, SMART Myanmar is one of the most significant that promotes and sustainable production of garments to increase SMEs by building capacity and increasing skills and knowledge in local partner organizations, to facilitate development of marketing and exporting strategies.
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
SMEs have limited access to capital, government and NGO funds, and sources of information. Resources are simply exported in their basic forms and the value to be obtained by processing the resources is captured by international interests. The government has made efforts to try to overcome these problems, working though institutions such as SMEPDO. The attempt is to improve products by adding value, and creating brands and technical skill in the public and private sectors, for example, in the case of food certificates issued by the ministries of agriculture and health.
Kingdom of Thailand
The Thai government has promoted the SME sector after the calamitous financial crash of 1997.
Fostering and strengthening the supporting industries in response to the need to correct and improve the country’s trade balance by increasing domestic value.
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Vietnam has limited ability to access capital, as well as a lack of working capital. Vietnam also has a high level of reliance on imported goods, which are used as constituent parts of goods for subsequent export. SMEs have had a long-standing presence in the economy in such areas as agro-industrial foods and processed goods, fisheries, and processed seafood items, or in export-based sectors relying on diffused technology and low labor costs (such as electronics and wooden furniture). Vietnam has also built casinos based in border regions.
To conclude, in order to develop the English language skills of SME Owners, the standards for SME Owners from the English language development center (ELDC) commission on higher education at the Ministry of Education has been recommended to use as the standards of English as attached in the resources.