This paper discusses how Singapore's labor market policies since independence have been molded by the state-driven, foreign investment-led, export-oriented, manufacturing-focused development model the country has followed over the past fifty years. The literature we review shows that high GDP growth has been achieved through factor accumulation rather than productivity increase, a strategy of extensive growth that has now run into diminishing returns as well as political, social and resource constraints. Prolonged heavy dependence on imports of foreign labor and skills to attract foreign investment has contributed to low, declining and even negative productivity growth, with low real GDP growth in recent years. In response, the government is pursuing renewed economic restructuring, limiting foreign labor inflows, targeting investments more selectively, and promoting productivity and innovation, so far with uncertain results. This paper suggests that Singapore should let market forces propel the economy toward services, domestic consumption and regional trade, led by domestic private enterprise. But the retreat from established state industrial and social policies will be difficult.
A key objective of the 2008 meeting was to bring different groups of scholars (representing various disciplines from management to area studies) together to advance both relevant conceptual frameworks and empirical knowledge about the specifics of sustainable knowledge governance in Asian societies in a globalised world. Additional papers written by staff members of the Centre for Development Research (ZEF) at Bonn University, Germany, were also included. ZEF has been at the forefront of critical reflections about the rise of knowledge as evidenced by the innovative works of its research group "Culture, Knowledge and Development". The current volume is a sequel to the earlier book Governing and Managing Knowledge in Asia, whose 2nd edition was published in 2010 (Menkhoff, Evers and Chay, 2010). Whereas the earlier book discussed conceptual issues and theories, the current volume leans more heavily on empirical research and detailed case studies. This clearly shows the advance in research on knowledge-based economies and societies. Topics related to knowledge such as knowledge policy, access to knowledge, dynamic governance, innovation systems, comparative advantages of local knowledge or learning clusters remain high on the agenda of policy-makers and business leaders in Asia-Pacific and elsewhere (Evers, 2003; Pan, 2004; ADB, 2007; Neo and Chen, 2007). Reflective, empirical-theoretical material on these issues is still rare. Therefore, this monograph is timely as it attempts to advance both conceptual frameworks and empirical knowledge about the specifics of moving towards sustainable knowledge governance in Asian business and society. We believe that the various chapters will offer valuable insights into the varied experiences of Asian countries such as Singapore,
The eclectic approach to migration transition presented in this article emphasizes that a country's net migration position evolves as it develops, but in ways that reflect its initial economic and sociocultural conditions and subsequent policies and economic progress. Not one but several turning points exist, influenced by economic factors such as level of development, wage differentials, and trade and investment ties, as well as social and institutional factors such as a nation's homogeneity and its migration policies. To exemplify, the migration experiences of various Asia-Pacific countries are compared.
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