Management Practices in
Singapore
Anna Smith
Paige Perry
Devon Dyer
Chandler Cruse
Sandy Tang
Tammy Nguyen
Angela Scioli
Top 25 most competitive countries in the world.
Singapore ranks 3rd behind Switzerland and the
United States.
Out of 183 countries, Singapore ranks fifth as
one of the least corrupt countries in the 2011
Corruption Perceptions Index where the United
States ranks 24th.
In the 2011 Bribe Payers Index, Singapore ranked
eighth (out of 28), and the United States ranked tenth
as countries least likely to take a bribe.
Employee/Employer Relations

Managers take a paternalistic attitude to
their employees

Bosses are treated with the same respect
one shows their parents
Employee/Employer Relations

May demonstrate a concern for
employees that goes beyond the
workplace and strictly professional
concerns

This may include involvement in their
family, housing, health, and other practical
life issues
Importance of Personal
Relationships at Work
 Personal relationships are the
cornerstone of all business relationships
 Business is a matter of being tied into
the proper network
 Relationships take time to develop
Importance of Personal
Relationships at Work
 This is a group-oriented culture, so links
are often based on ethnicity, education
or working for the same company
 Once you are recognized as part of the
group, you will be accepted and
expected to obey the unwritten rules of
the group
Typical Management Style
 Most corporate leaders in Singapore
prefer to stick to tried and tested
management styles and policies
 The majority of both government-linked
companies and private sector groups
have a top-down management style,
which, critics argue, has stifled creativity
and innovation in the workplace
Typical Leadership Style
 A typical Singaporean leader tends to be
performance-driven and authoritative, and
reactive rather than pro-active
 Described as intellectual, but not intellectually
stimulating
 A recent poll found Singapore chief
executives, especially those from the private
sector, to be uninspiring in general, and poor
at developing talent and grooming successors
Decision Making Practices
 Singapore is a hierarchical culture, so the boss
is considered to be superior to their
subordinates
 Subordinates do not ask their boss questions,
as it would indicate that the boss had not
done a good job of explaining what was
necessary.
 Subordinates will canvas other workers and
come to a group consensus of what should be
done and how it should be accomplished
View of Authority
 The group is regarded as more
important than the individual
 A strict hierarchy is always observed,
with respect and deference shown to
older and more senior people
 Age implies wisdom
Primary Means of Motivating
Employees
 Respect, type of work and career potential
are more important than variable pay and
bonuses in Singapore when it comes to
getting employees to give their best
 Getting respect from the boss comes close to
matching basic pay as the single most
important driver in motivating Singapore
workers
Common Types of Organizational
Structure
 As in all Asian countries, organizational
structures tend toward the hierarchical
 Many Singaporean companies originated as
family-run businesses; this adds weight to the
push for respect for seniority
 Within traditional Singaporean organizations,
all key decisions will be made at the very
senior levels, with those decisions being
delegated down the chain of command for
implementation
Role and View of Women in
Business
 Singapore's female managers are still
fewer in number despite of their rising
educational level and attainments when
compared to male managers
 Statistics show that Singapore women
are more likely to drop out of the labor
force after marriage and childbirth
Working Women in Singapore:
The 3 Paradoxes
The first paradox refers to the call to
women to be productive employees while
still retaining their traditional roles in the
family
 The second paradox discusses the conflict
between work and family
 The third paradox presents the barriers
that hinder women from moving up in
their careers

Appropriate Business Dress
Men wear suits only for the most
important business meetings because of
the tropical humidity and heat; a shirt and
tie is acceptable
 Women should wear blouses with sleeves
and skirts or pantsuits
 Avoid complimenting the appearance of a
business person of the opposite sex

Work Schedule

As a general rule in Singapore, office
employees work from Monday through
Friday from 9.00am to 6pm or 7pm,
depending on the company policies

It is not uncommon for Singapore
employees to work 9-10 hours during the
weekdays and half-day on Saturdays
Compensation Schedule


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Your salary must be paid at least once a
month (not necessarily on the first day of a
calendar month) and within the first 7 days
of each salary month
You cannot be forced to sign a contract of
service
If your employer ends your contract of
service, you should be paid within 3 days of
the end of your employment. If you end your
employment, you should be paid within 7
days of the end of your employment
Benefits for Employees
Sick/annual/maternity leave
 Incentives & bonuses
 Relocation assistance
 Healthcare benefits
 Retirement fund contributions
 Housing allowance
 Allowance for children’s education
 Childcare benefits
 Transportation reimbursements, etc.

Business Meeting Etiquette
◦ DON’T discuss religion or politics
◦ DON’T show anger or raise your voice
DON'T schedule appointments during
Chinese New Year
◦ DON'T be late
◦ DON'T disagree with someone who has a
higher rank than you
◦ DON'T sit until told where to sit
Business Meeting Etiquette
DO be very direct when communicating
 DO expect business to be conducted
formally
 DO take time to build personal
relationships
 DO make appointments at least two
weeks in advance
 DO be patient throughout negotiations
 DO exchange business cards using both
hands and treat them respectfully

References
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Bala, S. (2005, February 15). Singapore needs to think outside of the box. Retrieved from
http://www.singapore-window.org/sw05/050217ft.htm
Business culture in singapore. In (2012). World business culture CDA Media. Retrieved from
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Employee hiring guide for singapore. In (2011). GuideMeSingapore.com Janus Corporate
Solutions Pte Ltd. Retrieved from
http://www.guidemesingapore.com/incorporation/hr/employee-hiring-guide
Employment rights and conditions. (2012, February 06). Retrieved from
http://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/employment-rightsconditions/employmentact/Pages/default.aspx
The law society of singapore. (2008). Employment law. Retrieved from
http://www.lawsociety.org.sg/public/you_and_the_law/employment.aspx
Ming, C. (2008, January 14). Bosses' respect almost matches pay for motivating staff: Poll.
Retrieved from http://www.asiaone.com/Business/News/ Office/Story/ A1Story2008011745385.html
Royal Thai Embassy, Business Information Center. (2009). Labour and employment. Retrieved
from website: http://bic.thaiembassy.sg/node/13
Singapore: Cultural etiquette. (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_sg.htm
Women in singapore. In (2011). The three paradoxes:Working women in Singapore. Singapore:
Aware. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Singapore