At the Raja Tempirai oil block in the Penukal Abab Lematang Ilir regency of South Sumatra, there is little to suggest anything is amiss. The names of the two block operators, Pertamina Hulu Energi Raja Tempirai (PHE Raja Tempirai) and Golden Spike Energy Indonesia, still hang at the entrance, and 100 or so employees mill about, going about the daily business of running the plant.

It is only a month before the closing of company books for 2015. In retrospect, it has been quite a dismal year. In January, there were high expectations, being the start of President Jokowi's first year in office. But by the year-end, the results were disappointingly far below expectations. This year's economic growth is expected to reach only 4.8-5.0 percent, in contrast to the 6.0 percent target set by the new administration. The Rupiah and the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI), which began the year, respectively at Rp12,500 per US$ and 5,200 points, dropped considerably, settling at Rp13,600 per US$ and 4,500 points by year-end. With sluggish economic growth, businesses have been forced to adjust downward this year's revenue targets. Along with the decline in sales, companies have been busy cutting costs, which at times hurt employment. Unfortunately, the cost cuts are rarely able to match the drop in revenue. As a result, profits have narrowed across the board.

It is pivotal for a hotel chain to understand the market. This is why Garth Simmons, appointed as chief operating officer (COO) for Accor Hotels in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore five months ago, tries hard to understand the culture and the industry of the region he is currently in charge of. This is especially the case with Indonesia, where there is more room for the company to grow.

President Jokowi's announcement that Indonesia will join the US-led 12-nation Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade zone is causing quite a stir. The previous administration's efforts to join the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which opens up trade, investment and people flow among ASEAN member states, attracted considerable stiff resistance. This time the stakes are higher, as it puts the country even further on a market-opening path. The issue is that in joining the TPP, as with the AEC, requires significant support from key political, government and business stakeholders to be effective and show results.

Last Monday, the market sighed with relief when the latest economic data on China came to light. For the third quarter this year, the Chinese Bureau of Statistics announced an economic growth rate of 6.9 percent, slightly above analysts' prediction of 6.7 percent. The Chinese government also claimed that the 2015 growth target of 7 percent was not beyond reach.

In his October 2014 inaugural speech, President Joko Widodo said, "In order to build Indonesia into a great nation, prosperous and peaceful, we need the spirit and courage to face the waves." His words were intended to jumpstart a shift in the country's political and economic agenda. The follow-through on that vision has focused on building ports and developing Indonesia's fishing industries. But what of the wealth of vegetation from the sea?