Growing Entrepreneurs -- Is controlled chaos a viable pursuit?
Date: 15 Nov 2003
Speaker: Mr Roy Sim
Time: 2:00 pm
Quick Links:
[ Quotes | Resource Materials | Guest Speaker ]
Speaker: Mr Roy Sim
Time: 2:00 pm
Quick Links:
[ Quotes | Resource Materials | Guest Speaker ]
To grow entrepreneurs vital to the new knowledge economy, the Government has encouraged Singaporeans to not only tolerate, but also embrace a little chaos. And to make clear its commitment to nurturing entrepreneurship, it has launched a series of political and social reforms, from liberalising censorship laws to reviewing the education system, all with a view to creating a more untidy, open, and economically viable order.
To what extent do these reforms enable entrepreneurship to grow and flourish? Can entrepreneurial skills be nurtured and taught? Can controlled chaos be created - or is this an irresolubly paradoxical state? How relevant - or self-defeating - ultimately, is a focus on the commercial and economic utility of entrepreneurship, if risk-taking inherently defines this value?
To what extent do these reforms enable entrepreneurship to grow and flourish? Can entrepreneurial skills be nurtured and taught? Can controlled chaos be created - or is this an irresolubly paradoxical state? How relevant - or self-defeating - ultimately, is a focus on the commercial and economic utility of entrepreneurship, if risk-taking inherently defines this value?
Quotes
"We cannot manufacture entrepreneurs, but we can create the environment and conditions that allow, encourage and facilitate entrepreneurship. The challenge for Singapore is to create the desire in enough Singaporeans to want to make it on their own rather than work for someone. This will require a change in the Singaporean mindset and will take time to achieve."
- The Economic Review Committee Report
"(Singapore's educators must produce) a new breed who have a certain ruggedness, an ability to respond quickly to situations, not to lose hope when the world is uncertain...Teachers have to create a somewhat less ordered and more open environment, even allow a little chaos, to nurture such qualities."
- Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister of State for Education and Trade and Industry
"By having been very effective in raising the standard of living and providing lots of jobs, Singapore has raised the bar to the point where necessity-based entrepreneurship has been virtually wiped out. That's a function of being a wealthy country."
- Jeffrey Goh, CEO of Lightspeed Technologies
- The Economic Review Committee Report
"(Singapore's educators must produce) a new breed who have a certain ruggedness, an ability to respond quickly to situations, not to lose hope when the world is uncertain...Teachers have to create a somewhat less ordered and more open environment, even allow a little chaos, to nurture such qualities."
- Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister of State for Education and Trade and Industry
"By having been very effective in raising the standard of living and providing lots of jobs, Singapore has raised the bar to the point where necessity-based entrepreneurship has been virtually wiped out. That's a function of being a wealthy country."
- Jeffrey Goh, CEO of Lightspeed Technologies
Resource Materials
Nurturing Entrepreneurship for Future Economic Growth
Author: Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister Of State For Education and Trade And Industry
Summary: Speech at The Stanford Global Entrepreneurs Challenge 2002. Discusses the need and strategies for nurturing entrepreneurship in Singapore.
Interesting: ***
Readable:****
Relevant:*****
Creative Destruction City
Author: Assif Shameen and Alejandro Reyes, Asiaweek, 24/3/00
Summary: Broadly outlines the economic imperatives driving the pursuit of entrepreneurship in Singapore, the reforms implemented towards this end, and the challenges this top-down initiative faces.
Interesting: ****
Readable:***
Relevant:*****
Singapore Adventure Story
Author: Jeffrey Goh, CEO of Lightspeed Technologies
Summary: A short interview on why Singapore lacks entrepreneurs, Far Eastern Economic Review, 17/10/02.
Interesting: ****
Readable:*****
Relevant:*****
Author: Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister Of State For Education and Trade And Industry
Summary: Speech at The Stanford Global Entrepreneurs Challenge 2002. Discusses the need and strategies for nurturing entrepreneurship in Singapore.
Interesting: ***
Readable:****
Relevant:*****
Creative Destruction City
Author: Assif Shameen and Alejandro Reyes, Asiaweek, 24/3/00
Summary: Broadly outlines the economic imperatives driving the pursuit of entrepreneurship in Singapore, the reforms implemented towards this end, and the challenges this top-down initiative faces.
Interesting: ****
Readable:***
Relevant:*****
Singapore Adventure Story
Author: Jeffrey Goh, CEO of Lightspeed Technologies
Summary: A short interview on why Singapore lacks entrepreneurs, Far Eastern Economic Review, 17/10/02.
Interesting: ****
Readable:*****
Relevant:*****
Guest Speaker
We're happy to have Mr Roy Sim join us at this session as a guest speaker.
Until 2002, Roy lived the life of a typical high-achieving young Singaporean. On the strength of his academic results, a couple of interviews and an aptitude test, he was awarded an overseas scholarship to study in a prestigious college in London. Graduating in 2000, he was set for a secure and bright future in a local Government-Linked Company.
Two years later, Roy decided to jump out of the Rat Race and suddenly found himself in a Zoo. For the past one and a half year, he has been running his own business. He has never felt more freedom nor been more frightened.
Until 2002, Roy lived the life of a typical high-achieving young Singaporean. On the strength of his academic results, a couple of interviews and an aptitude test, he was awarded an overseas scholarship to study in a prestigious college in London. Graduating in 2000, he was set for a secure and bright future in a local Government-Linked Company.
Two years later, Roy decided to jump out of the Rat Race and suddenly found himself in a Zoo. For the past one and a half year, he has been running his own business. He has never felt more freedom nor been more frightened.
