Social Policy Commons^™

Patterns Of Activity Participation And The Well-Being Of Older Adults In Singapore, Zidane Tiew, Rachel Ngu, Yi Wen Tan

ROSA Research Briefs

Older adults participate in different types of activities and do so in varying frequencies. In this study, we utilised latent class analysis to identify underlying patterns of activity participation among the SLP respondents. We found three patterns: (i) generally active (i.e., socially, physically, and digitally active), (ii) physically and digitally active, and (iii) digitally active. Furthermore, we found that respondents who were more broadly active were more likely to experience higher levels of life satisfaction than those who were only digitally active. These respondents tended to be from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, report having better health, or had more close social …

An Overview Across Three Generational Packages: Pioneer Generation, Merdeka Generation, And Young Seniors, Paulin T. Straughan, Yi Wen Tan, Rachel Ngu, Zidane Tiew, Wensi Lim

ROSA Research Briefs

In Singapore, there has been a concerted effort to implement diverse programs and initiatives to cater to the needs of the ageing demographic. In Singapore, it is expected that those aged 65 and above will make up 27% of the population by 2030 (Soh et al., 2020). It is also crucial to acknowledge that within this ageing population, each cohort follows a distinct life trajectory (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2010). For instance, older generations in Singapore may have navigated through uniqueevents like World War II, profoundly impacting their life trajectories. Meanwhile, newer generations are likely to experience remarkable economic growth alongside …

Three Types Of Organizational Boundary Spanning: Predicting Csr Policy Extensiveness Among Global Consumer Products Companies, Alwyn Lim, Shawn Pope

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

As part of the rise of a worldwide corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement, companies have increasingly incorporated social and environmental concerns into their policies. This paper examines the extensiveness of these policies, proposing that an underappreciated contributor is the degree of organizational boundary spanning. The paper is novel in integrating multiple types of boundary spanning into a single empirical framework, including product, sub‐unit, and national boundary spanning. The paper adds complexity to the literature by theorizing that different types of boundary spanning associate with CSR policy extensiveness in different issue areas. The results show that product spanning associates with CSR …

Catalyst Asia Issue 06, Institute For Societal Leadership

Catalyst Asia

STORIES FROM THE GROUND

Cooking For A Cause

Going Beyond With Grit and Determination

Breaking Barriers and Mindsets

To Care and To Share

Real Estate With A Heart

Giving Back In The Business of Fun

The Business of Helping Others

Going The Extra Mile

IN THE HOT SEAT

Making The World A Better Place

Capitalising On Hope

The Art of Corporate Giving

Paying It Forward

The Kampung Spirit

CSR With A Twist

The Numbers Game

The Power of Assistive Technology

PERSPECTIVES FROM THE TOP

An Inflection Point in Corporate Giving?

Paving The Way For Social Inclusion With Ground-Up Movements

To …

The Inclusion Index: Common Terms In The Discourse Of Social Inclusion, Trang Luu

Social Space

The equal availability of services, facilities, opportunities and resources to people belonging to disadvantaged groups.

Why Is Workplace Bullying So Widespread And Rising?, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Pressure, disorganisation and regulatory failure are red flags

Catalyst Asia Issue 05, Institute For Societal Leadership

Catalyst Asia

STORIES FROM THE GROUND

Grow A Forest In Your Mind

The Volunteer Bank A Labour of Love

The Art of Helping Others

It Takes A Village

Fit For Life

The People's Doctor Planting Big Trees in Everybody's Hearts

Organic Rice Revolution

Lighting Up Lives

INSIGHTS FROM THE INSIDE

A Lifesaving Journey

A Pen For The Blind

Battling the Transport System

The Mentor and Inspirer of Social Change

Caring For Migrants

Road Safety Advocates

Consumer Protection in the Digital Age

The Rescue Squad

The Hero and Sidekick

A Hybrid Profile of Social Entrepreneurship

Catalyst Asia Issue 04, Institute For Societal Leadership

Catalyst Asia

STORIES FROM THE GROUND

Toiling Away on Land Issues

Leading the Blind

A Leading Secret

The Road Less Travelled

Migrant Rights' Fighter

Power of Youth

A Ground-up Initiative Picking Up The Pieces A Friend to Farmers Four Dollars, Well Spent Bottom-Up Revolution

IN THE HOT SEAT

The Heart of an Uncommon Leader

Help For The Exploited

When Social Revolutions Begin with #Hashtags

Lending His Magical Touch

Fighting Malaria

PERSPECTIVES FROM THE TOP

Steward Leadership

Understanding Societal Leadership

Reflections from A Work Stint with a Difference

Catalyst Asia Issue 03, Institute For Societal Leadership

Catalyst Asia

STORIES FROM THE GROUND

Grooming The Bright But Underprivileged For A Better Future

A Gift From The Forest

No Ordinary Clinic

Helping The Most Vulnerable In A Thai Border Town

Fighting To Change The Fate Of Street Children In Vietnam

Voices That Must Not Be Forgotten

Giving Children A New Lease Of Life

Leading The Long Road To Recovery

Helping Girls In Myanmar Find Their Voices

Cambodia’s Growing Mental Health Problem

Saving Babies One At A Time

Gone Adventurin’ For Good

IN THE HOT SEAT

Rohingya – A Forgotten People

Want To Help, Will Travel

Coffee Against Cultural Colonisation

Empowering …

Zainul Abidin Rasheed [Malaysia, Minister Of State For Foreign Affairs], Zainul Abidin Rasheed

Digital Narratives of Asia

Former editor of Berita Harian, who rose to become head of Mendaki, and then Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zainul Abidin Rasheed, tells DNA how his experiences during the 1964 racial riots had shaped his political views. He recalls how Lee Kuan Yew retracted from closing down Nanyang University, and Mr Goh Chok Tong's consensual style that welcomes the contributions of the Association of Muslim Professionals.

Catalyst Asia Issue 02, Institute For Societal Leadership

Catalyst Asia

STORIES FROM THE GROUND

Food Aid, Powered By Technology

Myanmar’s Microfinance Leader Says Rules Are Too Tight

Empowering The Disenfranchised

Kitchen On A Mission

A Year On, Somaly Mam Scandal Still Raises Questions

Dili 360°

Closing The Accessibility Gap

Pattern Recognition

It Takes A Village To Raise Haiyan’s Children

For The Love Of Gems – A Photo Story From The Streets Of Jakarta

Philanthropists And Trust In Mainland China

The American Known In North Korea

IN THE HOT SEAT

Bridging Two Worlds Through Conversation

The Gift Of Sight

Seeing With New Eyes

Sarus – Hope Is The Thing With Feathers …

Elderly Population In Singapore: Understanding Social, Physical And Financial Needs, John A. Donaldson, Catherine J. Smith, Balambigai Balakrishnan, Mumtaz Md Kadir, Sanushka Mudaliar

Lien Centre for Social Innovation: Research

Who are Singapore’s low-income elderly? What makes some resilient in the face of multiple challenges? What are their social needs that might be filled by additional interventions via civil society or government programmes? These are some of the questions this publication tries to understand.

It does so not by surveying the elderly, but via intensive interviews with 100 residents of one low-income neighbourhood in Singapore. Whereas surveys can help gather generalisable data, interviews can help us see the ‘story behind the story,’ illuminating potential causal connections and providing hints regarding possible effective ways to intercede. We followed this up with …

People With Physical Disabilities In Singapore: Understanding Disabling Factors In Caregiving, Education, Employment And Finances, Ranjana Raghunathan, Balambigai Balakrishnan, Catherine J. Smith, Mumtaz Md Kadir

Lien Centre for Social Innovation: Research

The publication concerns the unmet social needs of people with disabilities in Singapore. Researchers from the Lien Centre for Social Innovation, along with students from Singapore Management University, interviewed 100 people with disabilities over a period of several months. These in-depth interviews were designed to elicit detailed stories from the participants, which would inform our understanding of their needs and how services might be improved to better meet those needs.

The rich data collected from these interviews paints a picture of a community which has faced barriers in many spheres and stages of life. From major life issues like education …

Single-Parent Families In Singapore: Understanding The Challenges Of Finances, Housing And Time Poverty, Emma Glendinning, Catherine J. Smith, Mumtaz Md Md Kadir

Lien Centre for Social Innovation: Research

This publication documents the unmet social needs of single-parent families in Singapore. It specifically focuses on four key areas; employment and finance, housing, social networks and time poverty. In-depth, qualitative interviews were completed with 88 low-income single parents across Singapore. These interviews provided the opportunity to truly explore the stories of these single-parent families, displaying the complexity and interplay of the issues they faced.

Our findings display the huge responsibility that single parents carry as they balance the caregiving and financial needs of their family, alongside negotiating policies that are largely suggested to support the “traditional” family structure. While respecting …

Catalyst Asia Issue 01, Institute For Societal Leadership

Catalyst Asia

STORIES FROM THE GROUND

Prototype, Test, Tweak, Repeat – Proximity Designs Lives Up To Its Name

More Than Just An Autism Centre

Khek Noi – The Land Without The Concept Of A Title Deed

Trash, Transformed.

This Professor Will Use Saltwater To Empower Asia’s Poor

Non-profit Initiative Gives Back ‘The Right To Learn’ To Underprivileged Children

Big Fish

Building Houses To Build Communities

Charity Hero Syed Azmi Inspires Community Projects Amongst The Youth

In For The Long Run

Looking To Understand, And Heal, After A Genocide

We Are All Human

IN THE HOT SEAT

Fast Tracking The Hunt For Time …

A Handbook On Inequality, Poverty And Unmet Social Needs In Singapore, Catherine J. Smith, John A. Donaldson, Sanushka Mudaliar, Mumtaz Md Kadir, Lam Keong Yeoh

Lien Centre for Social Innovation: Research

The authors of the handbook conclude that efforts to address poverty, inequality and unmet social needs in Singapore would be greatly enhanced by: (a) the development of locally relevant and nuanced monetary and non-monetary measures of poverty that are made publicly available; and (b) more sharing of disaggregated data from government studies and surveys. These steps would enable academics, VWOs and the public at large become more aware of the issues related to poverty and inequality in Singapore, and be placed in a better position to weigh in on debates and solutions.

Chinese Land Reforms And The Property Chase, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

China’s leaders embark on the latest round of land ownership reforms. Will it help reduce social tensions and maintain the status quo?

Levers For Change -- Philanthropy In Select South East Asian Countries, Prapti Upadhyay Anand, Crystal Hayling

Lien Centre for Social Innovation: Research

Explosive economic growth in South East Asia has resulted in unparalleled wealth creation. Forbes magazine reports there are 386 billionaires in the Asia Pacific region. While the region’s emerging economies report hopeful signs of a broadening middle class, income inequality is rising faster than living standards for the majority. There is widespread agreement that the stark income disparity must be addressed or it risks threatening political and social stability. For those interested in the social economy, key questions remain unanswered: first, will philanthropic giving match the fast pace of wealth accumulation, and second, will that philanthropy be strategic and targeted …

From Charity To Change: Social Investment In Selected Southeast Asian Countries, Sonu Chhina, Watanan Petersik, Jacqueline Loh, David Evans

Lien Centre for Social Innovation: Research

From Charity to Change looks at how social investing is evolving in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. It examines the emerging ecosystem for social investment in each of these countries, with a view to identifying gaps and obstacles to the advancement of the field. A section containing reports on current social investing developments Cambodia and Vietnam is also included in this publication.

Social Innovation In Development: A Call To Break Down Silos, John A. Donaldson, Victoria Gerrard, Sanushka Mudaliar

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

What distinguishes “social innovation” from other efforts to address social problems? And why should the answer matter to anyone genuinely interested in social change? The authors offer an in-depth discussion of the possibilities and pitfalls of pursuing social innovation in the context of international development.

From Emotions To Shared Values, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In an invited commentary, SMU director of Behavioural Sciences Institute Professor David Chan noted that although the negative emotions that dominated 2013 have led to some positive outcomes, emotions cannot be the foundation for society’s progress. Professor Chan suggested that, moving forward, Singapore should focus on three shared values (integrity, fairness, social harmony) and three guiding principles (rule of law, accountability, people-centricity).

The Art Of Disagreeing - It Can Yield Some Good, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In an invited commentary, Director of the Behavioural Sciences Institute at SMU, Professor David Chan explained how a confirmatory bias influences the way people treat information that contradicts their existing beliefs, positions or actions. He suggested ways to react constructively to contrary information and applied the issues to managing disagreements between the Government and citizens or advocacy groups.

Trust Is A Many Spleandoured Thing, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In an invited commentary published in the Straits Times, SMU Behavioural Sciences Institute Director Professor David Chan discussed how research can shed light on the state of public trust in the Singapore Government. He explained the different dimensions of trust, how trust levels can change and why trust may be in a state of transition now for some Singaporeans. He suggested that people and Government look at trust from a three-pronged approach.

Taking Steps To Raise Social Mobility In Singapore, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In a commentary, SMU Behavioural Sciences Institute Director Professor David Chan discussed a holistic approach to increasing social mobility in Singapore. This involves going beyond income inequality, measuring mobility, improving jobs prospects and integrating policies.

Sustainability Is Key, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In a commentary on the Prime Minister's National Day Rally, SMU Behavioural Sciences Institute Director Professor David Chan highlighted that sustainability is key to the nation-building social policies in the areas of housing, health and education. He discussed the need for economic and manpower agencies to have key performance indicators that are aligned with the intended outcomes of the social policies. He also noted the importance of having adequate social indicators that adequately measure key social outcomes and impact. He concluded with a call for policy coherence and sustainability to prevent polarising and alienating people.

Defining An Asian Social Economy: Valuating The Social Sector, Jared Tham

Social Space

While the social impact of the social economy is clearly understood and welcomed by Asian governments, the sector’s contribution towards national measures of Gross Domestic Product operates along indistinct lines, and is often undervalued. Jared Tham considers the terminological definition for the future purpose of measuring and establishing its economic value.

Unpacking Radical Philanthropy: Purpose Driven Philanthropy In Action, Poh Wah Lee

Social Space

Being a proponent of radical philanthropy, the Lien Foundation’s approach is to tackle the problem at its roots and offer long-term solutions. Lee Poh Wah tells Social Space how he equates radical philanthropy with practical remedy, and demystifies the term with a lucid explanation of his work at the Foundation.

The Wisdom Of Tupperware: On Field Building And Finding The Right Container, Geraldine Cahill, Satsuko Vanantwerp

Social Space

Drawing from the ongoing research in lab practices at Social Innovation Generation (SiG) National, Geraldine Cahill and Satsuko VanAntwerp acquaint us with the concept, role and structure of social innovation labs and field building work.

Foresight And Policy: Thinking About Singapore's Future(S), Adrian W. J. Kuah

Social Space

The last three decades have seen the Singapore government’s strategic foresight enterprise shift from the area of defence and security to the socio-aspirational space. Lead Strategist, Dr Adrian W. J. Kuah discusses how strategic planning in the governing of Singapore has evolved over the years.

People Powered Social Innovation: The Need For Citizen Engagement, Julie Simon, Anna Davies

Social Space

Citizen engagement is widely regarded as critical to the development and implementation of social innovation. What is citizen engagement? What does it mean in the context of social innovation? Julie Simon and Anna Davies discuss the importance as well as the implications of engaging the ground.