According to the Human Capital Report 2015, released by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Indonesia only ranks 69th out of 124 countries in terms of human capital development, signalling the importance of enhancing the education system of Indonesia. Alarmingly, Indonesia ranks well below most of its regional peers, for example Singapore (24th), the Philippines (46th), Malaysia (52nd), Thailand (57th) and Vietnam (59th). A low ranking means that a country fails to develop and deploy its human capital potential.

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The unemployment rate of Indonesia is forecast to ease to 6.03 percent (7.24 million people) in 2014 from 6.25 percent (7.39 million people) in August 2013. The Indonesian government expects a reduction in the unemployment rate as the country's economic growth is assumed to grow strongly and thus will provide more job opportunities for Indonesians next year. Various institutions, including the IMF, World Bank and the Indonesian government, expect Indonesia's GDP growth in 2014 to range between 5.3 and 6.0 percent.

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Constructing a comprehensive outlook of a country’s political and macroeconomic climate requires a firm grasp on the nature of general labor, employment, and the trajectory of the labor-market. Such an endeavor is especially important in considering Indonesia, which again finds itself at a juncture in labor-market development. Questions over a ‘demographic dividend’ are emanating amid new budgetary propositions, waning consumer confidence, and the post-election tempering of popularized radical politics.

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The month May is a memorable month for Indonesia in terms of historic significance. On 21 May 1998 former president Suharto - who ruled the country for more than three decades through his authoritarian New Order regime - resigned after having become politically isolated after Jakarta had turned into a bloody battlefield. This was one of the largest events in the political history of Indonesia, causing structural changes in the political system. Other key days in May are International Labor Day (1 May), National Education Day (2 May), and National Awakening Day (20 May).

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After a decade of high growth and a swift rebound after the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers, emerging markets are seeing slowing growth. Their average growth is now 1½ percentage points lower than in 2010 and 2011. This is a widespread phenomenon: growth has been slowing in roughly three out of four emerging markets. This share is remarkably high; in the past, such synchronized and persistent slowdowns typically have only occurred during acute crises.

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In recent weeks, Indonesia has to cope with a large amount of negative publicity as large capital outflows from the country's financial markets occurred, partly due to weak economic results regarding the current account balance, inflation and the the rupiah. Interest rates are rising, thus eroding people's purchasing power and consequently curbing economic growth. However, the Global Competitiveness Index 2013-2014, released by World Economic Forum, contained a positive outcome for Southeast Asia's largest economy.

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