By: Jatmiko Edit) *
The Jokowi-Ma’ruf government is committed to simplifying the bureaucracy. These efforts are part of efforts to realize the professionalism of the State Civil Apparatus (ASN). In order to lead to development priorities for the sake of developing Indonesia, the government is struggling with the new state order. One of them is, bureaucratic pruning. Particularly in the echelonization sector, which previously had 4 classifications would be circumcised to just 2. While the echelons that are trimmed will be replaced by functional positions that value expertise and competence.
Like a tit for tat, actually after the birth of Law No.5 / 2014 relating to ASN, the term echelonization in bureaucracy in Indonesia is no longer known. Article 13 of the said Law explains, there are only 3 types of positions in ASN namely Administrative Position (JA), Functional Position (JF), along with High Leadership Position (JPT). The three types of positions in ASN have their respective roles in bureaucratic institutions. It is suspected that JF here is the backbone of a bureaucratic organization in Indonesia because of its role which is able to support and provide input for all government policies that will be decided by JPT.
The current pattern of bureaucracy in Indonesia tends to be hierarchical, rigid, and slow in responding to changing times because it still uses the Weberian bureaucratic model which is recognized as a result of past legacy by the Dutch East Indies colonial government. Namely, with very structural and centralistic characteristics. Although the positive side of this Weberian model is that all work is divided clearly and evenly, but in the era of disruption in the world that is now known as VUCA (Volatility, Uncertaintay, Complexibility and Ambiguity) which means everything must move quickly in an effort to respond to various changes, Public sector organizations must not be rigid and run like a machine.
This of course also affects the investment sector, which of course still dominates Indonesia. It is this slow response of the government that is suspected of making investors reluctant to approach. Therefore, a breakthrough is needed so that the ranks of bureaucratic organizations can transform into agile, effective and efficient institutions. To be able to optimize the role of JF in bureaucracy as directed by the President and the mandate of Law 5/2014, it requires an alternative to replace the Weber-style bureaucratic organization model with other more adaptive and responsive organizational models. Theoretically, many organizational patterns can be applied in a bureaucracy, but there are two new practical organizational models that can be applied to cut the bureaucratic layer and optimize the role of JF to be more professional in accordance with their competencies and expertise.
According to Brian J Robertson in 2009 and the agile organization applied the Holakrasi pattern which was the result of research from McKinsey in 2018. In short this rejection system integrates modern leadership trends and can be well described by changing organizational structures. Namely, small teams are organized into a network and led through joint decision making and very high levels of autonomy. As for the second model, the agile organization released by McKinsey, is described as an agile organization. This organization has a stable but dynamic nature at the same time. In this organization a regulated element of the backbone is stable, and evolves slowly and is able to support dynamic capabilities and can adapt quickly to challenges and new opportunities.
McKinsey also analogizes with smartphones (smartphones), where physical devices act as a constant container for various dynamic applications, and can present various features and can be used by its users. The two organizational models actually have in common, that is, they both work in teamwork by prioritizing competencies and expertise in each functional group. Exactly thematically appropriate and dynamic when responding to changes and challenges. The hope is that hopefully bureaucratic organizations in Indonesia will be able to emulate more agile, dynamic, and flexible organizational patterns so that they become a responsive bureaucracy.
Moreover, being able to be a catalyst for national development. It not only simplifies a bureaucracy that seems “solid” and does not function optimally, but also creates new jobs and puts forward competitive human resources that are superior. So that Indonesia is able to catch up with other countries. Let’s support the reduction of the bureaucracy for the realization of a more advanced Indonesia.
) * The author is a social political observer
