Commentary

Innovating the business card culture in a Smart Nation

"There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." This is a popular quote by Bruce Lee encouraging continuous improvement of one's self. There is a lot to learn from this quote for businesses in Singapore – first identify your strengths, embrace them, and then figure out how you can improve them.

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Innovating the business card culture in a Smart Nation

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Transforming service in Singapore's hospitality industry through technology

As you enter into the CBD from Changi Airport, most visitors, myself included, are amazed at the sheer number of quality hotels that dot Singapore's skyline. From the fabled opulence of The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore with its 4,200-piece contemporary art collection, to the smaller but no less luxury boutique properties such as Sofitel So in Telok Ayer, with one of the best rooftop bars in the city.

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What sales professionals in Singapore should know about social selling

Digital has disrupted the traditional ways of conducting business, especially so for sales.

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Developing the next generation of leaders in Singapore

As the Global CEO of a start-up, I understand that I'm not just hiring employees to work for me. It's in my best interest to also ensure that if and when employees leave, they:

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Are Singapore SMEs merely keeping up or are they scaling up?

The report on the annual SME survey conducted by DP Information Group was released on 11th November. The results are not cheery – 53% of the businesses surveyed reported hitting a plateau in growth or even experiencing negative growth. Out of a total of almost 2800 companies surveyed, more than half are not growing as they should. This is worrying because it is the highest percentage of no growth in recent history.

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The impacts of offshoring on managers left behind

Offshoring of junior back-office financial services and IT jobs away from Singapore is a trend creating ripple effects on the mid to senior back-office managers left behind.

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Are the days of banker-client secrecy over?

On November 17th, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) published a "Summary of Responses - Public Consultation on Draft Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2016". In the annex, the fifth point under the "Summary of key public feedback received on the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2016 ", was to Amend the provisions relating to implementation of Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

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What the haze and the FTC mean for Singapore directors

On the surface, the Indonesian haze and the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have very little in common. But for Singapore-based company directors, they highlight the increasing risk of running a domestic or international company at the highest of levels. For Singapore directors, company risk is becoming personal—no matter where the problem manifests.

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Singapore's 6 key growth industries in 2016

Singapore is the world's leader in the ease of doing business. The city-state's unmatched global and regional connectivity, its highly productive workforce with a mix of local and foreign talent, and a business-friendly regulatory environment have made Singapore the go-to destination for global businesses.

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3 types of leaders for improved organisational competitiveness

Singapore was ranked the second most competitive country worldwide, in the World Economic Forum's "Global Competitiveness Report 2015-2016" released on 30 September.

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100 years of innovation and counting – can a company live forever?

It is remarkable how rapidly Singapore has advanced in the past five decades. As the year draws to a close, Singapore is on the cusp of entering a new half century of development and change.

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The changing nature of the wealth management client

A new breed of wealth management client is forcing change in a traditional industry.

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Changi Airport – The lesson for us all

After passing through Singapore for the first time in May 1996, I was left with the impression that if I was going to suffer a long layover, Changi Airport was the place to have it!

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4 things you must know before raising capital through crowdfunding

Just a few weeks ago, Pirate3D made headlines, with reports saying that the company has hit a major cashflow issue and has only delivered 40% of orders.

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Taking your company from local to global – what Singapore entrepreneurs can learn

In the world of small business, the value of successful peer role models and shared best practices can't be overstated: already facing challenging odds of success (about 50% of new companies fail in their first five years), the keys-to-success wisdom shared by a fellow entrepreneur can make the difference between your chances of failure or flourishing.

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