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Full-Text Articles in Business
Singapore: Building A Future Without Cheap Oil, Knowledge@Smu
Singapore: Building A Future Without Cheap Oil, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Singapore’s past success at building a world-class economy launched on the back of a hugely successful oil refining and trading system could count for little as it confronts the threats of the increasing scarcity and cost of energy supply. In a book commissioned by the International Trading Institute@SMU, 'Singapore, The Energy Economy: From The First Refinery To The End Of Cheap Oil, 1960 to 2010', author Ng Weng Hoong argues that Singapore’s single-minded focus on growing the economy while assuming that the supply of energy and natural resources will always be cheap and plentiful leaves the city-state increasingly vulnerable and …
No Fear: Leadership, "Digital Cowboys" And The "Playstation Generation", Knowledge@Smu
No Fear: Leadership, "Digital Cowboys" And The "Playstation Generation", Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
In the book, 'No Fear: Business Leadership in the Age of Digital Cowboys', author and Finnish entrepreneur Pekka Viljakainen gives his take on the skills required of future leaders, who have to manage the hordes of young adults who grew up with mobile phones, game consoles and the internet. Viljakainen argues, through personal and gathered anecdotes, that the best way to manage the "digital cowboys" of the "PlayStation generation" is to inspire and empower. To do that, a leader needs to be fearless, and to be "where the battle rages".
Ingredients For Creating And Sustaining Growth For The Long Term, Knowledge@Smu
Ingredients For Creating And Sustaining Growth For The Long Term, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
It is easy to grow. Just buy a rival. However, this is a strategy fraught with risks and not all organisations are in the rightly suited to grow this way. Philip Zerrillo, a professor of marketing at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, explains the thought process and ways by which organisations can try to grow and do so for the longer term.
For A Competitive Edge In Services, Invest In The Right People And Processes, Knowledge@Smu
For A Competitive Edge In Services, Invest In The Right People And Processes, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Great products alone will not give rise to transformative customer experiences. Businesses that have carved out a competitive edge in services also know that it requires far more than frontline skills and knowledge to succeed with customers in the longer term. But how and where should organisations be placing their focus to entrench customer service for strategic advantage? - a question that academics and industry practitioners attempted to answer at the Institute of Service Excellence at SMU Global Conference on Service Excellence 2011.
Risks And Opportunities For The Construction Industry, Knowledge@Smu
Risks And Opportunities For The Construction Industry, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Foreign labour cut-backs and exposure to global competition can only mean one thing for building and construction companies in Singapore: Get productive or get out. But what can companies do to stay on top of the game, or perhaps even just afloat? A panel at the SMU-BCA Advanced Management Programme for Leaders of the Building and Construction Industry offered some thoughts on the risks and challenges ahead.
To Succeed In Life And Business, Adapt And Fail Productively, Knowledge@Smu
To Succeed In Life And Business, Adapt And Fail Productively, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
There is no success without risk-taking, and most people will accept that risk-taking requires a tolerance for failure. Yet, how realistic is it to expect success in a world so bent on punishing failure? Why should people expect high returns in politics, economics and society when they continue to reward risk-averse politicians and leaders? Tim Harford, author of popular non-fiction books like Adapt and The Undercover Economist, explored this dichotomy at an SMU talk.
For Faster And Better Decisions, A Biased And Less-Informed Mind, Knowledge@Smu
For Faster And Better Decisions, A Biased And Less-Informed Mind, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Can a biased mind, with fewer inputs, make faster and better decisions? Apparently, this premise, flying in the face of conventional logical thinking, is possible, and there were real life examples indicating so. At a recently held Behavioural Sciences Forum at Singapore Management University, Gerd Gigerenzer of Berlin’s Max Planck Institute, explained how heuristics, which directs focus to areas that matter and blocks off non-essential noise, factors in the decision-making process.
Running A Family Business: Building On What Runs In The Family, Knowledge@Smu
Running A Family Business: Building On What Runs In The Family, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
Creating and preserving a family legacy is not just about giving future generations a free pass to inherit family fortunes. As each family is unique, they face different issues and challenges. Furthermore, true family legacy goes beyond money. It is also about reputation, beliefs, values and attitudes. In their book, 'Family Legacy and Leadership: Preserving True Family Wealth in Challenging Times', authors Mark Haynes Daniell and Sara Hamilton explain how families can build enduring legacies based on "true wealth".
Negotiation Excellence: The Practical Art Of Cutting Deals, Knowledge@Smu
Negotiation Excellence: The Practical Art Of Cutting Deals, Knowledge@Smu
Knowledge@SMU
In a diverse world of different goals, opinions and agendas, the power to negotiate may be the single-most important determinant of a person or entity's, well, power. Yet, success in negotiations requires a certain finesse that has proven elusive to teach or study. Michael Benoliel, a negotiation specialist at SMU and editor of the recently published book, 'Negotiation Excellence: Successful Deal Making', weighs in on the topic. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------