Suchergebnisse

The degree to which the extensive business networks of ethnic Chinese in Asia succeed because of ethnic characteristics, or simply because of the sound application of good business practice, is a key question of great current concern to those interested in business, management and economic development in Asia. This book brings together a range of leading experts who present original new research findings and important new thinking on this vital subject. Based on rich empirical research data and a multidisciplinary explanatory framework, this book assesses the role, characteristics and challeng

Industry 4.0 encompasses adopting opportunities from end-to-end digitalisation with connected computers and increasingly autonomous automation systems equipped with intelligent machine learning algorithms that control the robotics without much input from humans. Smart manufacturing technologies (a part of the smart industry, an extension of Industry 4.0 initiatives and implementation) involve automating various processes. It aims to connect various units in real-time while enhancing profitability by reducing costs, increasing labour productivity, and improving overall efficiency. The impetus for our paper is the assumption that the adoption of smart manufacturing technologies such as advanced robotics, cyber-physical systems, or the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to be a challenge for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) manufacturing firms in Singapore. Industry 4.0 adoption issues include significant capital investment, developing technical skills, recruiting new talent, re-skilling of the workforce, training needs, top management support, etc. But the traditional manufacturing model is fast evolving. Ultimately, adopting the right enabling technologies in a phased manner with proper planning remains a critical factor for the success of Industry 4.0 initiatives. This paper contributes to the minimal Asian management literature about Industry 4.0 matters in SMEs by interviewing eight key experts who are very knowledgeable about the subject matter. The qualitative study sheds light on the drivers and barriers to better understand current business dynamics, potential issues, focus areas, and initiatives to smoothen this implementation, to help catapult local manufacturers to the next level. A structured questionnaire was designed based on the current body of knowledge to conduct qualitative semi-structured interviews with key specialists and decision-makers across Government agencies, Institutes of Higher Learnings (IHL's), suppliers/providers of Industry 4.0 technology, business associations, and the SME sector. The analysis of the interviews suggests that factors or drivers such as technology push by the Government with robust funding and training support, skilled labour shortages including imported labour dependence, productivity and efficiency issues, the pressure to innovate business models due to increased competition, and the impact of Covid-19 are propelling SMEs to adopt Industry 4.0. Some of the barriers include high investment costs and return on investment concerns, capability concerns, mindset issues, and lack of ecosystem concerns. The extent to which local SMEs are ready for Industry 4.0 will be further examined during the 2nd phase of the research project.

Against the background of a rapidly changing business environment, the article examines the organisational change management behavior of the owner-managers of small and medium-sized enterprises in Singapore. The analysis of survey data is aimed at ascertain whether there are any differences between Chinese and English-educated small (Chinese) businessmen in terms of Change Management (CM), a dichotomy which is of great historical and politico-cultural significance in Singapore. The survey data show that there are indeed differences between the subgroups (e.g. with regard to the initiation of a more participatory people management style) but these variations turned out to be far less pronounced than expected. Access to information appears to be a key antecedent of the various change management approaches used by both groups. Chinese-educated businessmen in particular seem to be somewhat disadvantaged in this respect as the modern management literature is largely published in English.

This article intends to analyse recent structural patterns, development problems and the reasons for rehabilitation of the urban private economy in the People's Republic of China since 1978. The authors start from the thesis that the so-called "private sector" in China is not comparable with its "out"-differentiated counterpart in Western industrial countries, but is interlaced, in a complex way, with informal, partly illegitimate activities, interpersonal relation-networks ("guanxi") or economic transactions of state/collective factories. The article illustrates the subordinate situation of the individual labourers in terms of their political regulation by (sometimes restrictive) licence procedures, taxes and fees; resource supply problems (material, commodities); precarious financial situation, capital procurement and credit opportunities; self organization; poor chances of social participation; recruitment and their dependence on state organs and local bureaucracy. Although some of the "getihu" (who are not only confined to small pedlars and merchants, but also include larger industrial companies, leased factories.) have now become extremely prosperous, the majority of them have to combine self-exploitation, family resources and informal transactions, to compensate the permanent insecurity which itself derives from the exclusion from the state planning and supply system, the social security system and the ambivalence of state and local cadre politics towards the private economy.

This book features several introductory readings about the "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI), a strategic development initiative launched by the Chinese Government under the leadership of President Xi Jinping in 2013 to jointly build an economic belt along the Silk Road. Some of the key objectives of BRI, previously known as One Belt, One Road (OBOR) or Silk Road Economic Belt, include promoting infrastructure development, trade and investments in Asia, Europe and Africa. BRI is a gigantic development initiative whose key components include the creation of several interconnected economic land corridors (=belts): China–Mongolia–Russia; China–Central Asia– West Asia, China–Pakistan, the China–Indochina peninsula and Bangladesh–China–India–Myanmar.

This paper centres around China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and makes a case for further examining the possible effects of the complementary 'Maritime Silk Road' on Southeast Asia's maritime clusters with reference to Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Port development with "Chinese engagement" from Port Klang in Malaysia to Sri Lanka to Gwadar in Pakistan to some Gulf state ports to Piraeus in Greece provides a string of valuable pearls in the form of harbours from which adjoining areas can be serviced through feeder vessels or railway lines by Chinese government-linked companies. Whether China's heavy investments in land and maritime infrastructure will lead to the intended development of strong and dense maritime clusters with deep connectivity and complementary sub-clusters for mutual socio-economic development benefits remains to be seen. Academic research to follow these trends, as well as the creation of a comprehensive maritime policy, is advocated for ASEAN nations.

The objective of this paper is to examine whether the 'Strategic Group concept' is useful in understanding the evolution and rapid development of Singapore's biotechnology industries. We briefly describe the history of this new knowledge-intensive industry in Singapore, why and how it was propagated and current achievements in terms of outputs. We do also a closer look at the various organizations and actors who are involved in this ambitious state-led development initiative and the various (strategic) groups which they represent aimed at identifying some of their characteristics and patterns. The analysis suggests that the development of the industry is enabled by various more or less heterogeneous players such as (i) the Government, leading politicians, experienced civil servants and state bureaucrats with vast experiences in Singapore's powerful government-linked companies (GLCs) who are not seldom engineers by training, (ii) foreign biotechnology and life sciences experts from various countries (US, Europe) with specialized expertise and key competencies in areas such as molecular biology, chemistry, biomedicine etc. who are able to link local players with their own global networks etc. and (iii) representatives of biotechnology and life sciences industries. While the social dynamics of this vast network are poorly understood and strategic imperatives keep on shifting, it seems that the broad strategic goals outlined by Singapore's Government, namely to put Singapore's biotech cluster on the global map, are more or less shared by those involved. While more research is required to identify the antecedents and sequential patterns of strategic group formation in Singapore's biotechnology sector (i.e. network drivers such as shared interests, communication adequacy, trust and so forth), we argue that the different groups at work in this knowledge-intensive industry cluster have managed to set up an effective (temporary) strategic network alliance to achieve their various goals.

"This book presents critical analyses of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) from economic, social, political and geographical perspectives. Contributed by academics and business professionals from Asia, Europe and Australia, the chapters offer readers a range of regional viewpoints and insights into China's grand development strategy — primarily aimed at boosting connectivity across Asia and beyond via investments in infrastructural projects. The chapters also discuss the contemporary economic, financial, political and infrastructural developments related to the BRI and the challenges that confront the Initiative. This edited volume serves as a primer to China's mega strategic undertaking, a supplementary companion and reference resource to those familiar with the BRI."--