Why Indonesia Needs a Business Pulse to Bridge Macro Data and Real‑World Business Conditions

The op-ed, written by Mulya Amri and Fakhrul Fulvian, argues that Indonesia’s macroeconomic indicators, while essential, are too slow and high‑level to capture the fast‑moving decisions businesses make each week, creating a gap between policy design and on‑the‑ground realities.

To address this, the Kadin Indonesia Institute launched the Kadin Business Pulse (KBP), a quarterly survey capturing business sentiment, challenges, and expectations across sectors and regions.

Early results from the Q4‑2025 pilot show cautious optimism—40% of respondents report improving conditions—but this confidence hinges heavily on the quality of government policy execution in early 2026. The survey highlights three persistent structural barriers: bureaucratic and regulatory inconsistency, limited access to financing, and uneven market demand. At the same time, many businesses see improving market conditions and competition as positive signals.

The article concludes that KBP can serve as a vital complement to macro data, helping policymakers read business dynamics in real time and execute reforms more precisely.

This post contains a summary from the article OPINI: Dari Angka Makro ke Denyut Dunia Usaha, Mengapa Indonesia Perlu Business Pulse published by Bisnis.com, 19 January 2026.