GDP Pie

Interesting article (here) recommended by a good friend of mine.

Confidence, wages going up

A survey by American Express and CFO Research Services of finance executives found companies in Singapore are looking to boost spending in areas such as advertising, manpower, information technology and business travel.
A WAVE of optimism has swept through Singapore, according to a slew of new surveys out yesterday which indicated that confidence is riding high among both companies and consumers.
Businesses here are set to raise spending, and with it the salaries and bonuses of their staff, while consumers are as confident as they were before the global recession hit in 2008.
A Hay Group poll has forecast salary rises of 3.2 per cent on average here this year, two-thirds more than last year, and higher bonuses of an average of 2.5 months, compared with 2.1 months last year.
A survey by American Express and CFO Research Services of finance executives found companies in Singapore are looking to boost spending in areas such as advertising, manpower, information technology and business travel.
And a MasterCard consumer confidence survey showed consumer optimism is at its highest level in the past decade.
'Companies have moved from simply surviving the present to investing in growth for the future,' said Mr Andi Budd, American Express vice-president and general manager, Global Client Group, Global Commercial Card, Japan, Asia-Pacific and Australia.
Strait Times 20/5/2010

Best infrastructure..attracts top talent?

SINGAPORE: Singapore is seizing the opportunity to position itself as a Home for Talent to drive business and innovation.
Helping to spearhead this towards becoming a global talent hub is the new Human Capital Leadership Institute (HCLI).
The new institute's governing body is chaired by entrepreneur Sunny Verghese.
The economy is recovering but the war is not over. The battle now is for the best talent to grow the business pie, said Singapore's Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong .
Launching the new Human Capital Leadership Institute with its chairman Sunny Verghese, Mr Gan stressed this means ensuring that Singapore has the hardware and software to grow "talent centres of excellence".
Mr Gan said: "This will then encourage more innovation for businesses in Singapore and across Asia. We will also provide companies with a supportive and holistic environment to nurture these talents into future leaders.
“Top local talents will want to remain in Singapore and global talents will want to come here because we have the best educational infrastructures to help them develop their leadership competencies and further their careers.
“Global companies will also invest and set up operations in Singapore because of the availability of a deep talent pool. Together with our strategic geographical location, unique multi-cultural attributes and world-class infrastructure, we believe Singapore is well-positioned to become this Home for Talent in the heart of Asia.
“Employers will hire only the best candidates with the right skills and attributes. The workforce needs to upgrade its skills and knowledge in order to remain competitive and marketable.
“Therefore, a key thrust of Singapore's economic growth strategy going forward is to enhance workforce capabilities by focusing on skills, innovation and productivity. To achieve this, we need to help companies develop progressive talent management and leadership capabilities."
That's where the Human Capital Leadership Institute will play a pivotal role.
It will offer the best-in-class executive education. CHANNEL NEWS ASIA 10/5/2010

Reform Party and Singapore Democratic Alliance?

Old folks in S'pore an asset

COMPARED with old folk in other Asian states, the elderly in Singapore are contributing both practically and financially to their families, according to a 2008 global ageing study by Oxford University. Unfortunately, they also get less support of the same kind from their children and grandchildren.

Said British gerontologist Sarah Harper, one of the researchers behind the study: 'We have this idea that older people are a burden on our society but that's because we tend to look at it through our tax system, that they are not in work.'

This is far from the truth, because the study showed that older people still made significant contributions towards their loved ones at home, she said on Thursday, in presenting the study at a conference by the International Consortium for Intergenerational Programmes.

Around 1,000 seniors each from various countries worldwide were asked if they had given financial and practical support to their family members over a six-month period. The study also asked respondents - aged above 55 - if their children or grandchildren had done the same for them.

The results showed that older folks in Singapore were giving more help to their children and grandchildren than the other way around.

Twelve per cent of Singaporean respondents said they offered support such as shopping for groceries, or helping their children clean the house.

Straits Times 30/4/2010