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My Job? Food Prices? No, It’s the Economy Worrying Me
Faisal Maliki Baskoro | November 14, 2011

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DrDez
6:40am Nov 14, 2011

Meaningless and unrepresentative (edit)

Online surveys... Ask yourself who does not have online access and that is the group most worried about cash and the price of goods ... In most countries


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What do job security and the cost of rice have in common?

Both concerns — which in many Asian countries are core fears across the population — are way down on the list of worries among Indonesians.

The latest online survey by consumer and media research company Nielsen shows that for Indonesians, major concerns start with the economy and the balance of work and leisure, then include their parents’ welfare and happiness, their children’s education and welfare, their health and their rising utility bills.

“I think this is interesting because job security and increasing food prices are not major concerns for Indonesians,” Catherine Eddy, managing director at Nielsen, said over the weekend.

As many as 23 percent of the Indonesians questioned said the economy was their main concern. Other top priorities included the balance between work and leisure for 21 percent of respondents, their parents’ welfare for 13 percent, their children’s education for 12 percent, health for 6 percent and rising utility bills for 3 percent.

Most other people in the Asia Pacific said major concerns for the next six months included the economy, the work-life balance, rising food prices, job security, health and their parents’ welfare.

The survey also found that one in two Indonesian respondents believed the country was heading for a recession, though nine out of 10 expressed optimism about the future of their personal finances.

Indonesia tops the Nielsen list of 56 countries when it comes to positive perceptions of personal finances over the next year, with 86 percent of Indonesians describing their financial status as good or excellent. Brazil followed in second at 78 percent and India at 77 percent.

“With Indonesia’s GDP per capita reaching $3,000, consumers are more confident about their personal situation,” Eddy said.

“We also see an increase in the proportion of consumers who are feeling secure about the job market,” she said. “This is probably a result of many investors publicizing their plan to expand their business in Indonesia.”

However, the survey also found that Indonesian consumers were likely to cut back on spending. Only 38 percent of respondents said the next year would be a good or excellent time to buy things they wanted or needed, from 54 percent in the second quarter.

“The recent turmoil in the US and Europe is leading to consumer concern about the potential impact on Indonesia, and this translates to caution in spending,” Eddy said. “I would describe Indonesians as cautiously optimistic.”

The Nielsen Global Online Survey, conducted between Aug. 30 and Sept. 16, polled more than 28,000 consumers in 56 different countries. As many as 500 respondents were polled in Indonesia, reflecting an online population of nearly 30 million people.