Overview of Singapore., Education , Foreign Policy, Singapore's Economical Strategy and Foreign Investment Its quick facts ,History and Social Structures .e.t.c.

1. Rajendra Ojha

2. Land Area ( Approx.) : 700 Sq Km.
Geographical Nature : Island Nation
Location : Southeast Asia
British Colonial rule : 1890 – 1965.
Leadership : 3 different prime minister from
different political Parties.
 Government System : Operates under
Parliamentary republic government.
Legislature System: Unicameral Parliament ( 84 –
seats are of members elected by popular Votes).

3. One of the fastest growing economy
Escalated quickly from 3rd to 1st World
Economy
Government behaves as an entrepreneur
Heavy dependence on electronic sector
Lack of entrepreneurial, risk-taking & creative
skills among the people
Overwhelmingly Chinese

4.  Long history as a trading post, small island with limited natural
resources.
 Early Chinese influence, arrival of Buddhism and Confucianism.
 The history of modern Singapore is intertwined with the former Prime
Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his People’s Action Party (PAP).
 PAP : First political party to rule the nation ever since it became
sovereign.
 “PAP” used dictatorial means to make the way for the so- called “ free
market” model.
 After the universal financial crisis in the mid 1980s, the administration
began establishing “Government Linked Corporations”(GLCs).

5.  Historic ethnic diversity 250 plus years of British Colonial
Rule
 Christianity is associated with the better educated Chinese
who tend to speak English at home
 Modern management system, structures & culture based on
Confucian high work ethics.
 Singaporean Governance & development model:
 Emphasis on education,
 High savings rate,
 Dynamic community spirit,
 Loyalty to employers
 Behavior shaping & social engineering

6.  Confucian ideology underpins the government’s
paternalistic and coercive management:
 Identification of socially (un)desirable values,
 Definitions of ethnicity & ethnic inter-relationships,
 English as “lingua franca,”
 Enforcement of subsidized public housing,
 Compulsory national service,
 Promotion of the value of education,
 Compulsory savings rates,
 Workplace & labor laws,
 Significant restrictions on public & social campaigns

7.  Role of Ministry of Education : Oversees formulation and
implementation of all Policies .
 Major tool of soft power diplomacy in Singapore.
 Adult Literacy: 83 % (1980) and 95 % (2009)
 Least Period of gaining Education: 10 Years ( Law and Reforms
made in 1990).
 Education Policy : Singapore's energetic and diverse community of
world-class pre-tertiary, tertiary and business training institutions
have been of great demand to foreign students, faculties,
professionals and researchers.
 Spending : 20% of National Budget.

8.  “Singapore aims to be the London of finance , The New York of culture
and Boston of education” – Tan Tay Keong , Executive Director of
Singapore international Foundation.
 Supporter of well functioning global multilateral system.
 Partners in the field of soft power strategy : East Asia Community and
other international as well as regional organizations.
 Better position when dealing with other nations and institutions like
SAARC , AASAN , EU etc.
 Foreign policy : Beyond realism
 According to some Realist theory , Singapore would be dominant by
some larger state like : India, Malaysia etc.
 Malaysia and Indonesia are the most significant nation states to
Singapore.

9.  Pro-business Government
 Pap (people’s action party), in power since independence,
implemented strategy to train brightest for top-paying govt.
 With no local entrepreneurs, government became the
entrepreneurial leader
 Pro-business orientation is presented as the only sensible
approach

10. • Lacks Natural Resources
• Liberal Trade & Foreign Investment Policies
• Increase exports by attracting Foreign Investors
• This decreased unemployment by creating jobs
• Electronics is the major export of the country.
• Singapore shifted to higher capital and skill- intensive products

11. • 2013 foreign equity investment stood at $158 billion, an increase
of 14% over $139 billion in 2012
• International trade in Singapore is equivalent to 300% of GDP
• In the manufacturing, foreign direct investment accounts for 70%
of total investment
• Applied tariff is zero
• Excise taxes levied on a number products (motor vehicles,
alcohol products, motor oil…)
 Average rate was 9.7% in 2012 (projected to decline to 6.9% in 2015)
• Limit on foreign ownership of companies listed on the Singapore
Stock Exchange was raised from 49% to 70%
• Likely to face competition from lower-cost producers in the
region

12.  Received help in “International Business Preparation” project in the
1970 ‘s from different international agencies.
 United Nations facilitated Singapore by sending specialist to counsel
and assist in the socio-economic progress of Singapore.
 Singapore is among those nation in the field of economy where the
value of external trade is substantially higher then its GDP.
 Singapore took a keen interest in inviting foreign corporation by
providing them with complementary assets like infrastructure. Highly
expert labor force, financial encouragement etc.