Asian Studies Commons^™

Customer Satisfaction Index Of Singapore 2018: Q3 Results, Institute Of Service Excellence, Smu

Research Collection Institute of Service Excellence (2007-2024)

The Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore (CSISG) computes customer satisfaction scores at the national, sector, sub-sector, and company levels. The CSISG serves as a quantitative benchmark of the quality of goods and services produced by the Singapore economy over time and across countries. This is the CSISG’s twelfth year of measurement.

Cultural Transformation In The Digital World, Singapore Management University

Research Collection of Office of Executive Education

The context of businesses across the world is fast changing – more specifically, Digitalisation has had a growing and increasingly disruptive impact across industry sectors and regions. Companies in the APAC region, like many others across the world, are grappling with the digital wave and its implications for their own structures, strategies and people. It appears that many are struggling to cope with the phenomenon, only a few have been able to embrace it fully, and almost none have been able to get ahead of it, proactively. Although much has been written and said about Digitalisation in the Asian context, …

Assessing The Effects Of Post-Crisis Regulatory Reforms On Liquidity In The Singapore Government Securities And Mas Bills Market, John M. Sequeira

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The FSB initiated in 2017 an evaluation of the effects of post-crisis regulatory reforms, by developing a framework to assess whether the reforms are achieving their intended outcomes and identify any material unintended consequences. In tandem, MAS established an evaluation framework, which covers four broad impact areas, comprising FIs, financial markets, financial end-users and the broader financial landscape. Internationally, there have been particular concerns over whether post-crisis reforms may have impaired liquidity conditions in specific financial markets. We provide an assessment of the effects of the reforms on liquidity in a key market in Singapore, the SGS and MAS bills …

Labour Research Conference 2018: Upskilling Of Mature Workers, Stephen Hoskins, Luca Facchinello

Research Collection School Of Economics

Many developed countries are approaching an era of ageing population due to an increase in longevity and decrease in fertility rates. Singapore is no exception, having one of the fastest ageing populations in Asia, which is driven by low fertility rates and the third longest life expectancy in the world. The number of elderly citizens, defined as those aged 65 and above, is expected to triple to 900,000 by 2030, making up about 28% of the total population in Singapore (Population SG, 2016). This changing population age profile, combined with a competitive labour market, means it makes business sense to …

Three “Pitfalls” For The Unwary: Third-Party Funding In Asia, Darius Chan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

For some time, practitioners would have seen news alerts headlining that third-party funding is permitted in Singapore and Hong Kong for arbitration and arbitration-related court proceedings. Digging a little deeper beyond the shiny new labels, this article highlights three practical “pitfalls” which practitioners would have to be mindful of when dealing with third-party funding in Singapore and Hong Kong.

How Culture Affects Asia’S Pursuit Of Beauty, Shilpa Madan, Shankha Basu

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

New research indicates that Asian countries have different attitudes toward beauty than Western markets.

Strategic Sequential Bidding For Government Land Auction Sales – Evidence From Singapore, Sumit Agarwal, Jing Li, Ernie Teo, Alan Cheong

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper studies the extent to which equilibrium auction prices are pushed up sequentially due to strategic bidding behaviors in government land auction sales. Using a unique dataset that covers the universe of tendering prices submitted by all developers for all residential land auction sales in Singapore, we find that a tenderer’s bids are significantly higher where there was a previous land parcel sold within two years and located within four kilometers. The elevated price margin decreases with time and geographic distance. Tracking sequential bids submitted by same developers over time, we find that the incumbent winner of a previous …

Premature Service Of Payment Claims Under The Building And Construction Industry Security Of Payment Act: Audi Construction Pte Ltd V Kian Hiap Construction Pte Ltd, Benjamin Joshua Ong

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In Audi Construction Pte Ltd v Kian Hiap Construction Pte Ltd, the Singapore Court of Appeal considereda payment claim to have been validly served although it was served earlier thanthe contractually stipulated date. This was because the service of the paymentclaim was “effective” only from the contractually stipulated date, and theclaimant had had a “good reason” to serve the payment claim early. This notecritically examines the reasoning in Audi vis-à-vis the existing law, the principleof freedom of contract, and the intentions of the parties in that case. In theabsence of future judicial elaboration on the “effective service” and “goodreason” doctrines, …

Disruptive Technologies And Sustainable Development: Implications For Southeast Asia, Ching-Fu Lin, Han-Wei Liu

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Disruptive technologies, including artificial intelligence, distributed ledger technologies, and the internet of things, are driving a transformative reorganisation of economic structures. If correctly harnessed, these emerging technologies have the potential to assist economies in creating new efficiencies, boosting productivity, and enhancing international trade. This paper explores the scope for these technologies to contribute to sustainable development, highlighting how they could be deployed and implications for Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

All Eyes Will Be On How Heng And His 4g Team Lead Singapore, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan said the choice of Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat as the People’s Action Party’s first assistant secretary-general should not come as a surprise as he was the only fourth-generation (4G) leader to be made a full Minister upon winning his maiden election in 2011, helming the Education Ministry between 2011 and 2015. He opined that Mr Heng’s 4G team will have to stamp their distinctive collective identity and leadership ethos as governance becomes increasingly complex.

Whole-Of-Society Approach Needed Against Truth Decay, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan opined that technology has compounded the problem of fake news and that governments and legislation are not the only means to curb them. This is especially so when blunt legislation may end up eroding the fundamental liberty of freedom of speech and expression. He sought the use of a multi-pronged, multi-stakeholder approach against disinformation campaigns and with trusted sources of information being boosted to produce real information for the public.

Has Patronage Lost Its Punch In Malaysia?, Sebastian Carl Dettman, Meredith L. Weiss

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The personalistic linkages that generally define Malaysian politics come into sharp relief when candidates confront the imperative of winning office. Malaysia’s 14th general election (GE14), as other previous iterations, saw politicians emphasize their ‘personal touch’ and offer a barrage of targeted promises. Yet these relationships are not confined to elections and reflect deep connections between voters and politicians – not only for politicians in the long-dominant Barisan Nasional coalition, but also for the newly victorious Pakatan Harapan parties. The authors of this article draw on original survey data to show the embeddedness of these relationships beyond elections. In GE14, the …

Oral History Interview With Arnoud De Meyer, Arnoud De Meyer

Oral History Collection

The interview covered:

• Teaching and Curriculum – Title: Maintaining SMU’s competitive edge
• Challenges & Future; Title: Developing SMU into an internationally recognized university
• SMU research and its impact on society in Singapore
• Campus – Title: Renovating Campus Green
• Renovating Prinsep Street Residences
• SMU-X Building
• Designing SMU-X Building
• Building a culture of sustainability
• Goals as President
• Support from the government
• Advice for students – Grasping opportunities

The Plastic Problem: Plastic Pollution In Bali, Kate Giesler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

With the fourth highest population and an ever-growing rate of plastic consumption, Indonesia is the second largest plastic polluter in the world (McCarthy, 2018). The country, which has only had plastic since the latter half of the 20th century, has staggeringly high rates of plastic waste which becomes pollution due to various factors. This paper examines the factors that go into why the rates of plastic pollution are so high, what people know about it and what is being done to help combat the problem. The four main topics explored are: laws, disposal methods, education and tourism. The study uses …

Future Is A Moving Goal Post: Academic Libraries And Change, Gulcin Cribb

Research Collection Library

No abstract provided.

Nongovernmental China: 300 Million Migrant Workers And The Ngo Response, Ian Dorfman

Anthropology Theses and Dissertations

Based on seventy weeks of field research in Beijing and Shenzhen, as well as a review of relevant literature, this dissertation explores the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in creating and redefining local economic relationships with China’s 300 million internal migrant workers. The founders/directors of these organizations run programs to improve migrants’ access to legal aid, education, and sense of community. Their perspectives, experiences, and decision-making provide significant insights into China’s paradoxical relationship with its migrant workers as well as changing state-society relations in the transition to capitalism.

Lgbti+ Language And Understandings In Nepal: Creating Spaces And Forging Identities, Patrick Sonnenberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The 1990 Nepali Constitution opened up opportunities for many forms of activism, and identity groups thus began solidifying to advocate for social change and justice (Karki 2012). After the Nepali Supreme Court ruling in 2007, Nepal became one of the first countries to offer a third gender category “Other,” becoming a leader for human rights in South Asia and the world (Mahato 2017). As Coyle and Boyce (2013) point out, there is little research on LGBTI individuals in Nepal. Furthermore, they advocate for more research and closer work with gender and sexual minority individuals in Nepal.

This research attempts to …

Public Secrets & Private Identity: A Look Into Lesbi Lives In Bali, Kara Marler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

An Exploratory Study On Mental Illness Perspectives In Hanoi, Margaret Cox

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Almost 12 million people in Vietnam have been diagnosed with a mental illness; the prevalence of mental illness within the population means that understanding how people perceive it. Previous research has demonstrated the negative impacts that stigma and negative perceptions of mental illness have and how they can inhibit individuals from seeking treatment for a mental illness. The aim of this exploratory study was to answer the question: How do Vietnamese university students and mental health professionals living in Hanoi perceive mental illness? Fifteen university students and five mental health professionals were interviewed in a series of semi-structured interviews. A …

Searching For A Brighter Tomorrow: An Internship Working Toward The Alleviation Of Energy Poverty Through Solar Power And Search-Engine Crowdfunding, Meaghan Mcelroy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Auroville Consulting is an environmental consulting firm, founded in 2010, that works to create an environmentally-friendly and socially responsible world. One of Auroville Consulting’s projects, the Solar Village Initiative, works to address the effects of energy poverty by installing on-grid solar panels and solar generation systems in rural villages throughout rural Tamil Nadu., with the Solar Village Search Engine as a crowdfunding tool for the project. By performing dayto- day tasks pertaining to communications, journalism, social media, and promotions for the Solar Village Search Engine at Auroville Consulting; participating in in-office discussion; and living and working in Auroville, I was …

Sustainable Tourism Practices In Vietnam: The Influence Of Institutions And Case Study Of Sapa’S Growing Tourism Industry, Alexandria Cahill

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As tourism becomes increasingly important to Vietnam’s economy, and subsequently the development of the country, it will become ever more critical to examine the impact of tourism, including both the positive and negative consequences. The intention of this paper is to continue the analysis of the tourism industry in Vietnam; in particular, this paper considers sustainable tourism, which can be defined as minimizing impact on local culture and environment while simultaneously resulting in economic gains and employment, all while operating in a way that can be continued in the future. As Vietnam is rich in diverse cultures and natural landscapes, …

Women’S Movement: Traveling Nepal, Shaelyn Mchugh

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Nepal is a country formed by the highest peaks in the world, numerous unique cultures and ethnicities, religious pilgrimage sites for both Buddhist and Hindus, and more festivals than days in the year. For Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2017, Nepal was deemed the world’s “Best Value Destination”. Tourism plays a vital role in Nepal’s economy, but its inds is heavily aimed towards the international market. Nepalis in the hospitality industry, scholars, and economists have argued that domestic tourism could be a key component for overall socioeconomic and cultural changes in their society1.

There has been a surge of domestic …

From Lahure Legacies To Moving Peoples: A Study Of Opportunity And Mobility In The Annapurna Hills, Peter Jacobson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines the interplay between the politics of mobility and changing notions of opportunity in the face growing trends of tourism in the southern Annarpurna Conservation Area (ACA) of Nepal. Research was conducted in three villages that have been the sites of rapid change in recent years, both due to the widespread adoption of local trekking economies, and to demographic change engendered by growing trends of outmigration. By adopting a political ecological framework, which challenges common apolitical explanations of exclusion, inaccessibility and unequal distribution of costs and benefits with particular regard to environmental challenges, this paper jointly applies what …

“So What Are You?:” Nepali Third Gender Women’S Identities And Experiences Through The Lens Of Human Rights Development Discourse, Amit Gerstein

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Nepal is the site of many national and international human rights development measures focused on the country’s gender and sexual minorities (SGM). Given the significant impact those development efforts have on SGM and Nepali society, national and international development actors need to understand the identities and experiences of the populations they attempt to help. Performed in Kathmandu and Bharatpur, this study attempts to understand the identities used by third gender women and if those identities are reflected in development discourse. Furthermore, this research seeks to understand the life experiences of these women and the discriminations they face, a reflection on …

The War Against Sex Trafficking: Who Is Fighting?, Elizabeth Dicus

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper analyzes and relays information collected from a series of interviews with anti-trafficking organizations in Nepal. The organizations included are Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN), Maiti-Nepal, Saathi Nepal, Tiny Hands Nepal, and Women’s Rehabilitation Centre Nepal (WOREC). Each organization approaches the fight against sex trafficking differently. This paper breaks down the methods of addressing sex trafficking into three main categories: prevention, rescue, and rehabilitation. In addition to this, other articles and resources on this topic are explored to explain the enablers of sex trafficking in Nepal. A cross-analysis is conducted between the various anti-trafficking methods used by organizations within …

Understanding The Mongolian Tourism Supply Chain: Advantages, Challenges And Improvements, Thomas D’Anieri

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The tourism industry in Mongolia has relatively low levels of regulation and is growing at a high rate despite struggling to increase tourist numbers, yet it still remains comparatively inaccessible to foreigners. Regardless, tourism holds huge potential for sustainable growth in Mongolia if it can be developed responsibly. For foreigners right now, it is difficult compared to other countries to figure out how to travel and find accomodation in a place where the main tourist attraction is a lack of people and an abundance of open space, and the majority of people in these places do not speak English. Furthermore, …

Spirituality And Conservation In Tujiin Nars, Lisa Torstenson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For centuries, Mongolians have relied heavily on the land for their survival. In Selenge aimag, the surrounding Tujiin Nars forest is an integral part of their lives. An area with many uses, it was once so heavily deforested that the majority of the area lost its ecological function. Now, these impacts are being reversed by dedicated government workers, community groups, and regular citizens. The people of this area believe that they are intimately connected with the forest, and that spirits reside within the trees and the land itself. As such, they stake importance in treating the land with respect. This …

The Challenges Of India’S Rising Breast Cancer Epidemic, Brigette Stickney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

India is currently undergoing rapid urbanization, which is greatly impacting Indian citizens’ health. One of the rising concerns due to the drastic lifestyle and environmental changes that are results of urbanization is the issue of breast cancer. Breast cancer diagnosis rates are rising exponentially, and breast cancer has moved its way up to be the most common cancer in India. Breast cancer mortality rates in India are also some of the worst in the world. This paper analyses the social, mental, economic, geographic, and physical challenges that are present for women diagnosed with cancer in India. It assesses how they …

Don’S Column: Singapore Corporate Tax Rate: Is It Really A Flat Rate?, Teng Aun Khoo, Clement Tan Kai Guan

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

As there is only one corporate tax rate (CTR) in Singapore, it may appear that the Singapore CTR is a single flat rate, currently 17%. However, after taking into account the availability of the partial tax exemption (PTE)scheme, the start-up tax exemption (SUTE) scheme and the corporate income tax rebate (CITR) in Singapore, all of which have an effect of lowering a company’s tax payable, the seemingly flat Singapore CTR is not what it seems to be. Instead, it translates to various progressive tax rates for different tiers of normal chargeable income (NCI).

Siac-Simc's Arb-Med-Arb Protocol, Aziah Hussin, Claudia Kuck, Nadja Alexander

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In conjunction with its launch on 5 November 2014, the Singapore International MediationCentre (SIMC), in collaboration with the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), introduced the Arbitration-Mediation-Arbitration (Arb-Med-Arb) Protocol (the AMA Protocol), aprocess that aims at combining the benefits of these two most prominent alternative dispute resolution tools.