Originally posted by Atobe:
The problem - with the Ruling Party a.k.a the (present) Singapore Government - is that [b]decision making is on a TOP-DOWN basis.
Any decision that affects a change in direction that affects any Singapore's 'Structural Policies' will be made from the PM's Office, who will make its decisions to every issue that is presented on a plate of Issues of the Day for decisions to be made.
From the details of the main issues that are thoroughly researched by the Employed Talents, the Prime Minister has to develop his 'PERSONAL' understanding of the issues presented, based on a 'PERSONAL DATA BANK of EXPERIENCE' from which decisions are evaluated and made.
Where 'PERSONAL EXPERIENCE' is lacking, more detailed studies will have to be developed, and until the 'COMFORT LEVEL' is reached for the issues that are to be decided.
With technologies and opportunities being available in fleeting periods of the 'competitive cycles' that are open for grabs by every country that is competing in technological supremacy and progress, can Singapore continue to depend on such highly centralised, Top-Down approach of management ?
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The number one factor for our loss of economic or technological competitiveness is precisely this top-down system of governing the country.
No leader is able no matter how brilliant to understand every aspect of issues and problems affecting the whole country. He must decentralize and delegate to people who do have the time, energy, passions to go into such matters.
No wonder we lost out in so many fronts over the past 20 years. Big projects were lost like disneyland earlier bid for setting up in Sentosa. We turned away many so-called uncompetitive or pollution projects when actually proper controls and understanding of technology hold the key to success.
Now many factories in Jurong are empty. Why? Only the top-down government kept away new ideas in using these empty factories.
Many IT and computer projects require mutiple disciplined solutions to problems. It is not just cost-effectiveness alone. It is total understanding of our strengths and weakndnesses that will allow us to make the right decisions.
For example, instead of waiting and giving excuses about cost benefits look at our empty lands, empty building and see whether we can introduce certain industries previously not cost-effective to create jobs with a gestation period to groom them to more upgraded projects spin off other upstream or downstream benefits.
I think that one convenient excuse is always about cost effectiveness without in fact knowing enough about the total cost-benefit equation from a greater perspective.