“Management is not about managing paper, nor computers. Management is about managing people and their behavior." - How are you? -Bambang Rudito-
Dr.Bambang Rudito, MSi., prefer to be called by their initials, Mr. BR. He is a humble anthropologist with extraordinary abilities in learning and community development at the SBM ITB.
Mr. BR has developed a tradition that is quite well known among master of business administration (MBA) students. He always asks his students to sing Indonesia Raya national anthem before the final session begins. It’s a shame that this tradition has been discontinued for the past few years.
Amid his busy time, the Marketing and Communications Team of SBM ITB was lucky to interview Mr. BR. The anthropologist told the story how he was able to teach at a business school.
Early Career
After receiving his bachelor’s degree, Bambang started his career at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK). He was passionate in the forest.
During his time as an employee at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Bambang visited various regions in Indonesia. At that institution, Bambang was the assessor of the Kalpataru and Adipura awards (awards for environmental conservation). In 2010 He was provided a social mapping model for all mining in Indonesia
Bambang finally realized that he was not fit to be a civil servant. He decided that he must have complete control over his actions if he wanted to do something.
Bambang changed professions, teaching at Andalas University, West Sumatra. He was the only permanent lecturer in Anthropology, so he had to teach up to eight courses. He also received various kinds of research offers and scholarships.
He even went to Mentawai to do ethnographic research with some of his colleagues. He enjoyed every second of it and saw it as a gift from God.
Teaching at SBM ITB
During his time as an employee at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Bambang got acquainted with Prof. Surna Tjahja Djadjadiningrat, or called Prof. Naya. At that time, Bambang was still pursuing his doctorate and teaching as an assistant lecturer at the University of Indonesia. After establishing SBM ITB, Prof. Naya invited Bambang to join the Bandung Institute of Technology.
Bambang started his career at ITB in 2003 by teaching Business Ethics to MBA students. It certainly triggers people’s curiosity over an anthropologist as a business school lecturer. Bambang said, “Management is not about managing paper nor computers. Management is about managing people and their behavior.”
Bambang believes that doing what we love will help us enjoy our lives to the fullest. He proved it by developing a social mapping model for Indonesia’s mining industry in 2010 and was even appointed as Program Director of MSM and DSM Program from 2015 to 2018. Despite all of that, he was still teaching multiple courses, actively performing research, and even making time for his beloved family.Bambang believes that doing what we love can help us enjoy life to the fullest. Even though Bambang was the Program Director of the MSM and DSM Programs from 2015 to 2018, he continues to teach several subjects, actively conducts research, and make time for his loved ones.
There is a brief message from Mr. BR welcoming Indonesia’s independence day. “When it comes to nationalism, think of your parents.” This message is for the younger generation.