Commentary

Asia, the US and Europe, and in fact all global markets share the same trend towards: “Mobile Agility”. Mobile agility allows consumers access to information no matter where they are. Singapore is inherently unique in that the connectivity permeates across the island at both higher speeds and availability levels as it does in other places with more land mass. Either way, this technology makes it possible for consumers to go everywhere and do anything with the help of connected apps and IoT devices. From voice assistants like Alexa to Google to Connected Car Ecosystems, Mobile Agility technologies make every aspect of modern life easier.

In Singapore, with a changing workforce demographic comes a change in workplace preferences, attitudes and expectations.

Singapore’s hard-fought economic transformation is dependent on the ability of its enterprises and people, to learn, unlearn and relearn new capabilities and skillsets.

Singapore’s 2018 Budget includes a new Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) designed to help firms internationalise. This is welcome news, but with today’s growing climate of global protectionism and fragmentation, it will take more than grants and tax breaks to help firms navigate overseas expansion in this post-globalisation era.

Singapore’s e-commerce market is slowly positioning itself as a key player in the country’s retail industry. E-commerce is expected to make up 6.7 per cent of all retail sales in the city-state come 2025, triple that of the 2.1 per cent figure in 2015. The net worth of the e-commerce industry was estimated to reach more than US$5.4 billion (S$7.46 billion) in the next seven years, according to a 2017 financial report by Google and investment firm Temasek Holdings.

It seems as if queuing is almost part of the Singapore culture – it appears to be that we’re happy to queue for things we know will be worth the wait.

Traditionally, visibility and scrutiny of a company’s tax position was limited to a small number of interested parties who used disclosures in annual reports to garner what insight they could. In the last few years, that position has changed dramatically. The Panama and Paradise papers, along with numerous news headlines, have led to Boards taking a much closer interest in tax and its impact on reputational risk.

It was during one fine day in my trip at East Coast Park, when I decided to use a bike sharing app for the first time.

There is much talk about the Federal reserve rate hike. However what is the likely impact on Home loans as well as on Businesses?

45% of Singaporeans are unhappy at work JobStreet recently revealed in a survey.

To emerge as the world’s first crypto-hub, Singapore needs to find the middle ground between ‘crypto is a fraud/Ponzi scheme’ and ‘crypto is the best thing since sliced bread.’

Zero budget marketing took hold in Singapore in 2017 and will run rampant in 2018. Why? Because it works.

E-sports are capturing the attention of sports and gaming fans like never before. Worldwide, players are competing for cash prize pools topping US$24 million, and live e-sports competitions are now bringing in millions of unique online viewers and hundreds of thousands of live spectators. One of the biggest e-sports events of the year, the Intel Extreme Masters World Championship 2017 smashed previous records with 173,000 live audience members and 46 million watching online. 

In 2001, the Singapore government wanted to upgrade the old national stadium. The government was committed to creating an environment conducive to sporting success, and the infrastructure of the stadium, along with its surrounding facilities, was expected to support the development of promising local talent.

What will you see in 2018? Laundry that gets done as you wear it or ordered as it wears out. Sneakers will address deterioration in performance, comfort and quality just as your refrigerator will sense low quantities in certain packaging. Additionally, filters for air conditioners will be optimised by Nest and others, just as your car monitors its own health and usage.

Singapore’s new brand platform “Passion Made Possible” is an attempt at authenticity – taking on an approach that conveys a facet of the Singapore spirit that both Singaporeans and visitors admire.