Commenting on Singapore’s competitive dining landscape, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami said that in a market saturated with cafes and local coffee shops, Luckin Coffee's app-based ordering system and takeaway model made it stand out, while allowing it to save on rent and automatically generate user data.
Crisis management simulations in executive education courses are now being recalibrated to address geopolitical instability, digital threats, and supply chain disruptions. SMU Professor of Communication Management (Practice) Augustine Pang stressed that the realism of crisis simulation exercises is a key advantage, as executives gain hands-on experience and practical skills that traditional classroom teaching often cannot provide.
SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan said in a CNA interview that the one-stop webpage launched by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is important for giving commuters real-time, cross-line information during maintenance or disruptions, helping to ease anxiety and build trust. He added that the initiative is a low-cost but effective way for LTA to restore commuter confidence, and suggested clearer thresholds for when delays should be formally announced.
Singapore’s business schools are seeing stronger and earlier-than-usual demand for their Master of Business Administration (MBA) programmes ahead of the 2026 intake, driven in part by tighter visa regimes in Western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Amongst the institutions that reported higher interest, SMU noted an increase in earlier enquiries from international full-time applicants.
Sharing his insights on the struggles of department stores in Singapore to survive, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami pointed out the difficulty of hiring retail staff willing to work long hours on their feet while providing personalised service to diverse customers. Assoc Prof Ramaswami also said that Singapore's status as a shopping destination for tourists had declined in the last decade for multiple reasons.
SMU Associate Professor of Strategic Management Ted Tschang said that when organisations do not set people up to use artificial intelligence (AI) reliably, employees will not trust it and will not adopt it. Assoc Prof Tschang added that becoming comfortable with AI takes time and practice, but most organisations rarely make time for this. He then suggested that human resources (HR) leaders create a space for safe learning and experimentation, and to do so effectively, HR leaders need to develop AI fluency.
Last 13 November 2025, SMU hosted the “Ho Bee Professorship in Sustainability Management Luminary Speaker Series 2025”, where Korean property technology Chief Executive Park Sungho discussed the digitalisation in real estate. SMU Associate Professor of Finance Hao Liang, recipient of the Ho Bee Professorship in Sustainability Management and Co-Director of Singapore Green Finance Centre (SGFC), also spoke at the event.
Sharing his insights as to why some department stores thrive while others struggle, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami said that stores must still attract footfall and repeat purchases, even if they have favourable business structures. Assoc Prof Ramaswami also noted the importance of a specific location and how layout, merchandise, ambience, service quality, and a clearly defined brand all influence a store’s performance.
Sharing insights on artificial intelligence (AI) in education, SMU Associate Provost (Teaching and Learning Innovation) and Associate Professor of Communication Management (Education) Tamas Makany and Ivy Seow, Senior Manager for Learning Design and Communications at the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) at SMU, said that what really matters is the creation of learning environments that are welcoming to learning opportunities. They explained, “classrooms once served as backstage rehearsals where mistakes and questions were welcome.
In an interview with CNA938, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan said the new rule of allowing door-to-door cross-border taxi trips between Singapore and Malaysia represents a significant convenience for passengers. He noted that the quota for licensed cross-border taxis will rise from 200 to 500, although no implementation date has been set. Asst Prof Fan also addressed concerns about comfort, distance, and cost, and said the change could help ease traffic and reduce inconvenience.
