Asian Studies Commons^™

Singapore Management University Report To Stakeholders 2007 - 2008, Singapore Management University

Report to Stakeholders

In less than a decade, SMU has established a reputation for pushing the boundaries of innovation, creativity and academic excellence in many of the ways envisioned when the university was first conceived in 1998. The University introduced a pedagogy previously unseen in Singapore, and has shown how a broad-based education and interactive teaching environment produces graduates well-prepared for the demands of the real world.

Berita Volume Xxxi, Number 3 (2007), Ronald Provencher

Berita

Table of Contents

Editor’s note... 1

Periodicals...1

Books...7

Websites...11

Grants & Positions...11

Conferences, Papers and Manuscripts...11

Amnesty International...12

Obituary Notices...12

Prospectus…...12

Research & Production….12

Berita Volume Xxxi, Number 4 (2007), Ronald Provencher

Berita

Table of Contents

Editor’s note... 1

Periodicals...…..….….1

Books...9

Conferences, papers and manuscripts...11

Amnesty International...12

Prospectus...12

Research Staff...12

Managing Change In Asian Business: A Comparison Between Chinese Educated And English Educated Chinese Entrepreneurs In Singapore, Thomas Menkhoff, Ulrike Badibanga, Yue Wah Chay

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Against the background of the current rapidly changing business environment, the article examines the organizational change management behaviour of the owner-managers of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore. The analysis of survey data is aimed at ascertaining whether there are any differences between Chinese and English educated small (ethnic Chinese) businessmen in terms of Change Management (CM), a dichotomy that is of great historical and politico-cultural significance in Singapore. The survey data show that there are indeed differences between the subgroups (eg with regard to the initiation of a more participatory people management style) but these variations turned …

Geography's Place In Higher Education In Singapore, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Unlike the other papers in this symposium, which deal with countries where there are large numbers of universities, and comparison can be made over time and across space of geography's place in higher education, this paper focuses on a country that was for a long time described as a 'one-university town': Singapore. What interesting story call there be when geography's presence in higher education is so circumscribed? In this paper, the author illustrates how geography's,fate in higher education in Singapore is closely bound up with developments in other parts of the world, not unlike the way in which the country's …

The Singapore Model Of Housing And The Welfare State, Sock Yong Phang

Research Collection School Of Economics

While Singapore is not generally regarded as a welfare state, the provision of housing welfare on a large scale has been a defining feature of its welfare system. The extensive housing system has played a useful role in raising savings and homeownership rates as well as contributing to sustained economic growth in general and development of the housing sector in particular. Few would dispute the description of Singapore’s housing policies as 'phenomenally successful' (Ramesh, 2003). Singapore’s economic growth record in the past four decades has brought it from third world to first world status (Lee, 2000), with homeownership widespread at …

The Singapore 'Advantage' In Suzhou, China: Premium Or Perception?, Caroline Yeoh, Di Kun Goh, Victor Sim, Norhanna Yumi

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper revisits Singapore’s industrial development in Suzhou, China, which has been in operation for more than a decade. We aim to glean insights from this experiment and more importantly, to verify recent claims of it generating political gain and economic capital for Singapore. The flagship project took on an identical framework as the other Singaporean transborder industrialization ventures in the region by adopting Singapore’s expertise and reputation for an efficient and stable government and investment environment. These measures were coupled with the combination of local-specific advantages in the region, such as availability of cheaper labour and market access. Singapore’s …

Economics Of Competition': A Study Of Low-Cost Manufacturing Enclaves In Batam Island, Indonesia, Caroline Yeoh, Feng Hao Chua, Sylvie Tan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Singapore’s transborder industrialization projects in China and India have received much attention. This regionalization initiative was intended to set in place a strategic configuration for the city-state to restructure its domestic industries and, pari passu, retain important linkages with contiguous, low-cost environments. Our study reports on Singapore’s pioneering, albeit lesser-known, project - Batamindo Industrial Park – in neighboring Batam Island, Indonesia, and finds that the strategic intent of this policy gambit remains stymied by non-economic, socio-political complexities in the host environment, and the economics of competition from other industrial estates in the vicinity of this prototype, remains to be addressed.

Perceptions Of Corporate Social Responsibility: An Empirical Study In Singapore; Strategic Management Policy, Gilbert Yip Wei Tan, Rajah Vellan Komaran

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In Singapore, there is no doubt that there have been efforts by various local and foreign corporations to incorporate some CSR principles in their operations. Indeed, there was a national initiative modeled after the tripartite approach to industrial relations where national economic and industrial issues are collectively resolved by the government, employers and employees. Against the backdrop of this national initiative and the effort by some corporations to incorporate CSR principles, not much is really known about the state of affairs in Singapore.

Temporal Dynamics Of The Urban Heat Island Of Singapore, Winston T. L. Chow, Matthias Roth

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The temporal variability of the canopy‐level urban heat island (UHI) of Singapore is examined for different temporal scales on the basis of observations during a 1‐year period. Temperature data obtained from different urban areas (commercial, Central Business District (CBD), high‐rise and low‐rise housing) are compared with ‘rural’ reference data and analysed with respect to meteorological variables and differences in land use. The results indicate that the peak UHI magnitude occurs 3–4 h (>6 h) after sunset in the commercial area, (at other urban sites). Higher UHI intensities generally occur during the southwest monsoon period of May–August, with a maximum …

Strategic Communication In Crisis Governance: Singapore’S Management Of The Sars Crisis, Jin Yan, Augustine Pang, Glen T. Cameron

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The contingency theory of conflict management and current crisis management literature are integrated in this paper to examine how crisis has been communi-cated and managed by the Singapore government and what kinds of strategies arose during the various stages of the SARS crisis life-cycle. Findings show that the Singapore government played a predominant role in managing how its multiple publics perceived the crisis by extensive communication through the news media. The media, in turn, playing a supporting nation-building role, assisted the government's management and communication of the crisis. To effectively manage the perception and emotion of the various public, the …

Government Ownership And The Performance Of Government-Linked Companies: The Case Of Singapore, James Ang, David K. Ding

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In an emerging economy, the alternative to government control is often no governance. We investigate the governance structure of government-linked companies (GLCs) in Singapore under the ownership/control structure of Temasek Holdings, the government holding entity, which typically owns substantial cash flow rights but disproportional control rights and exercises no operational control. We compare the financial and market performance of GLCs with non-GLCs, where each has a different set of governance structure, the key difference being government ownership. We show that Singaporean GLCs have higher valuations and better corporate governance than a control group of non-GLCs. The results hold even when …

Music And Moral Geographies: Constructions Of "Nation" And Identity In Singapore, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In this paper, I attempt to pull together sociological and geographical perspectives in the study of music to understand the ways in which pop and rock music are socio-cultural products with political and moral meanings and implications. I examine state engineering of moral panics, focusing on a case study of pop and rock music in post-independence Singapore. Such engineering is aimed at political and ideological ends, in particular, "nation"- building outcomes. In engineering moral panics through both discursive and legislative acts, the contours of a moral geography are delineated at various spatial scales. First, at the scale of the national …

Berita Volume Xxx, Number 1 (2006), Ronald Provencher

Berita

Table of Contents

Editor’s notes...1

Corrections... 1

Announcements... 1

Periodicals... 1

Books... 8

Conference Reports...10

Scholarly Opportunities...10

Amnesty International...12

Prospectus...12

Research Staff...12

Singapore Management University Report To Stakeholders 2006 - 2007, Singapore Management University

Report to Stakeholders

SMU was founded to add diversity to higher education in Singapore, and to serve as a catalyst for change. Eight years on, the University continues to set new benchmarks for nurturing responsible leadership, developing diverse talents and spearheading research that has impact and real-world relevance. In the past academic year, SMU added a new school, graduate programmes and centres of excellence and forged new and deeper relationships with industry, academic and civic partners. These advances built on our existing strengths and moved us forward on a path of purposeful change and growth that reinforced our vision to be a premier …

Berita Volume Xxx, Number 2 (2006), Ronald Provencher

Berita

Table of Contents

Editor’s note...1

Periodicals... 1

Books... 9

Conferences & Calls for Papers...12

Amnesty International...12

Prospectus...12

Research Staff...12

Berita Volume Xxx, Number 4 (2006), Ronald Provencher

Berita

Table of Contents

Editor’s note... 1

Periodicals...1

Books... 9

Website... 11

Call for Papers...11

Call for Manuscripts ….…..11

Positions...….. 11

Opportunities...12

Amnesty International...12

Obituary Notice...12

Prospectus...12

Research Staff...12

Berita Volume Xxx, Number 3 (2006), Ronald Provencher

Berita

Table of Contents

Editor’s note... 1

Periodicals ..…...1

Books... 8

Movies...12

Call for Papers... 12

Position Open...12

Amnesty International...12

Prospectus...12

Research Staff...12

Natural Forum And The Elusive Significance Of Jurisdiction Agreements, Tiong Min Yeo

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The Singapore court's power to stay its proceedings by reason of its not being the appropriate forum the proceedings ought not to be continued is underpinned by the common law principle enunciated in The Spiliada that generally a trial should be heard in its natural forum. The Rainbow Joy adds significantly to Singapore law on forum non conveniens on two important points. First, it establishes that it is not necessary to show that the alternative forum abroad is constituted as a court of law. Secondly, the case establishes that whether there is a defense claim on the merits is an …

Report Of The Law Reform Committee On Pre- And Post-Judgement Interest, Tiong Min Yeo, Wai Yee Wan, Joyce Chao, Julie Huan, Vincent Leow, Sriram Chakravarthi

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

No abstract provided.

Religious Schools: For Spirit, (F)Or Nation, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In this paper I draw attention to the study of 'unofficially sacred' sites in geographies of religion, which provide significant insights into the construction of religious identity and community, and the intersections of sacred and secular. I show that such sites deserve as much attention as places of worship (the more conventional focus in the geographical study of religion) in our understanding of the place of religion in contemporary urban society. In particular, using the case of Islamic religious schools in Singapore, I examine how Muslim identities and community are negotiated within multicultural and multireligious contexts, and particularly within one …

Re-Presenting The Religious: Nation, Community And Identity In Museums, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This paper examines the roles that museums play as 'unofficially sacred' places, underscoring or challenging the religious life of a people and 'nation'. It focuses on three key questions: (1) Do sub-national and transnational religious formations pose a challenge to or present opportunities for nation-building strategies, and what part do museums play in this struggle? (2) In what ways do re-presentations of religion in museums contest or reinforce religious community and identity? and (3) What challenges do museum displays pose to the understanding of religious meanings? This paper explores these three key questions about the intersection of religion with politics …

Staying Ahead Of The Competition: Insights From Singapore's Manufacturing Enclave In Vietnam, Caroline Yeoh, Di Kun Goh, Wilfred Pow Ngee How

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The apparent success of Singapore-styled industrial parks in attracting foreign investments into the emerging Asian economies to capitalize on cheap and abundant resources has led, pari passu, to a mushrooming of similarly-patterned competitor parks in close proximity to the flagship projects. Many of the competitor parks offer either similar or comparable facilities, lower rates, or, in some cases, both. The ensuing dynamic competitive interactions between the competitor parks and the Singapore-styled parks have forced a re-examination of the viability of the Singapore advantage in navigating the economics of competition, and in sustaining competitive advantage. The Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP), unsurprisingly, …

Enclaves For Enterprise: An Empirical Study Of Singapore's Industrial Parks In Indonesia, Vietnam And China, Caroline Yeoh, Wilfred Pow Ngee How, Ai Lin Leong

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The dynamics of globalization have prompted governments to re-examine accustomed policies, and search for alternative strategies, in order to re-position their economies for the future. This paper explores the spatial context of state involvement in the new economics of competition, with the focus on Singapore’s much publicized, and controversial, orchestration of its state enterprise network to encapsulate economic space for Singapore-based firms to expand into the Asian region. This strategic initiative is promulgated on the exportability of Singapore’s ‘state credibility’, systemic and operational efficiencies, and technological competencies, to locations where these attributes are less certain. A logit model is applied …

An Informatization Of Society Approach To E-Government: Analyzing Singapore’S E-Government Efforts, Calvin M. L. Chan, Yi Meng Lau

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Despite the much publicized benefits of e-government, many countries are experiencing difficulty in yielding success in their e-government initiatives. Studies which adopt the national e-government initiatives as the unit of analysis remain largely rare. This paper aspires to provide an analysis of Singapore’s widely acclaimed success in the e-government effort at the national level to allow other countries to learn and gain from its experience. Using the ‘Conceptual Framework for the Informatization of Society’ in facilitating the data analysis, implications are drawn to offer insights for the considerations of e-government practitioners. Theoretical implications are also derived through positing that the …

Learning Outcomes Oriented Assessment Methods In An Active Learning Environment, Arcot Desai Narasimhalu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Singapore Management University uses interactive seminar style teaching in class rooms. Most of its students hail from Singapore and are generally new to active learning and constructive participation in the seminar style classes. This paper reports findings from a freshmen first term course titled IS 101: Seminar for ISM Majors.

Subethnische Dimensionen Des Veraenderungsmanagements In Asiatischen Klein- Und Mittelunternehmen: Trends In Singapur, Ulrike Badibanga, Thomas Menkhoff

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Against the background of a rapidly changing business environment, the article examines the organisational change management behavior of the owner-managers of small and medium-sized enterprises in Singapore. The analysis of survey data is aimed at ascertain whether there are any differences between Chinese and English-educated small (Chinese) businessmen in terms of Change Management (CM), a dichotomy which is of great historical and politico-cultural significance in Singapore. The survey data show that there are indeed differences between the subgroups (e.g. with regard to the initiation of a more participatory people management style) but these variations turned out to be far less …

Corporate Divestitures And Spinoffs In Singapore, Francis Koh, Winston T. H. Koh, Benedict S. K. Koh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper discusses the different forms of corporate divestitures, the motives for this corporate activity, and the empirical findings about their economic outcomes. A sample of corporate divestitures is also used to identify the main motivations in the Singapore context. We conclude that divestitures are carried out to achieve operational efficiency and gain incremental profitability and liquidity. Using share price data around the event-dates, we show that announcements of divestitures generally lead to significant increases in the returns of the parent company. The positive abnormal returns are related to the relative size of the divestitures and the computed accounting gains. …

Competing At The Frontier: The Changing Role Of Technology Policy In Singapore's Economic Strategy, Winston T. H. Koh, Poh Kam Wong

Research Collection School Of Economics

For an economy competing at the global frontier, an innovation-based growth strategy requires a well-developed technological infrastructure, a set of capabilities-focused technology policies, as well as an institutional environment that stimulates innovation and entrepreneurship. This paper examines the role played by science and technology policy in an economy's transition to an innovation-based growth strategy. We discuss the challenges governments face as they restructure economic institutions to deepen R&D capabilities and encourage technology creation. We review Singapore's experience in this regard and assess its ongoing efforts to remake itself to compete at the global frontier.

Report Of The Committee On Fare Review Mechanism, Sock Yong Phang

Research Collection School Of Economics

Today, public transport fares are reviewed annually and adjustments, if any, are capped by the “CPI + X” formula, where CPI is the change in the Consumer Price Index over the previous year and X accounts for the net effect of wage changes after deducting productivity gains. For the period from 2001 to 2005, X was determined to be 1.5%. While this mechanism has worked well in keeping public transport fares affordable, the formula lacks transparency and is not easily understood by the general public. Commuters often question the need for the “X” element given that the public transport operators …