Friday, June 01, 2007
I've not done my revision on management yet, but from what I can recall from my lectures and tutorials, which is amazing a fair bit for someone who hasn't been revising, a management can strive to improve its operations in certain areas, but when all is said and done, management cannot boast, and claim to have excelled in every area. Such as the 'China Bar' just outside of campus boasts cheap food, and quick service. The 'Subway' across the street from that prides itself in its quick, efficient service, quality sandwiches with great flexibility, and who can forget those ads that emphasise healthy food.
These food outlets strive and survive in the food industry not just because they generate profits, but more importantly, they know what they must do to compete on a level to generate those profits. Looking at it from a broader perspective, their management knows what is crucial to survive. Of course it helps if they all had a management degree, or had some form of training in the area. And just like any form of management, a country's government must know what ticks, to keep its nation afloat in an ever changing world. And like many businesses, no country can boast of having excelled in every area. China and India knows its population is it's strength, and uses its cheap labour to its advantage to attract foreign MNCs. Japan knows that its mountainous terrain is a limitation, but boasts great productivity, and quality. Plus its people are very hardworking. Singapore. Once took pride in its cheap labour. Then in its excellent port. Now its airport is almost on par.
But every management knows that all success comes at a cost. 'China Bar' has sacrificed quality food. 'Subway' has sacrificed diversity. What has Singapore sacrificed in its strive to become the hub of South East Asia? I say, in it's bid for success, and emphasis that its people are its core, people is the very thing that Singapore has sacrificed. A stressful working environment, fast paced lifestyle, and a push for more females to enter the workforce, has created issues such as starting a family later, depression, higher divorce rates because work has taken up too much time.
What is the future like for Singapore?
Dan
2:40 pm
