Commenting on Dyson's surprise layoffs in Singapore, SMU Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources Jared Nai said that Dyson probably chose not to give a longer notice period or more information to the union “for business reasons that only the company can answer”. “These actions harm the morale of its current employees and the reputation of the company with future potential employees, but presumably, it determines the tradeoff to be beneficial for its purposes,” he added, noting that the compensation is similar to the recommended norm.
In an interview, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan discussed the ongoing constraints in the aviation industry despite the sector’s rapid recovery and rising demand.
In an interview, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan shared insights on Grab’s decision to boost welfare spending for its top-tiered drivers to $4 million, and how this might impact the ride-hailing market through increased welfare spending by competitors like Gojek and Tada in order to try and poach more drivers. He also noted that Grab’s plan comes amid a growing number of drivers joining the platform, alongside an increase in CPF contributions for platform workers.
In a commentary, SMU Professor of Marketing Nirmalya Kumar discussed the persistent profitability challenges faced by gig economy firms, particularly ride-sharing and food delivery apps. While companies like Grab have projected positive free cash flow for 2024, the business model remains problematic due to high competition, limited pricing power, and consumer expectations of low-cost delivery. Prof Kumar highlighted issues such as environmental impact, labour exploitation, and the difficulty of monetising customer data through advertising.
In an interview, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan discussed the disruption on SMRT’s East-West line and how it has been managed. He pointed out that the incident would impact the mean kilometres between breakdowns, a key metric for evaluating the effectiveness of a train line's maintenance and operation.
In a podcast, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan explained how public transport fees are calculated and discussed what is the role of government subsidies as the fares go up by 10 cents per journey for adult commuters from 28 Dec.
The Makeover 2024 bringing together over 20 leading experts from 10 countries will be held in Ho Chi Minh City from 15 to 16 Oct. The conference themed "Foster Green Dynamics", will seek to identify the true role of artificial intelligence (AI) in green transformation strategies, address the paradox of rapid development in green strategy, and provide comprehensive growth strategies for businesses through practical lessons, alongside growth-centric rewards strategy for enterprises.
Commenting on nail salons engaging in unfair marketing tactics and hard selling, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami said that unlike banking or telecommunications services, it’s easy for customers to switch between different nail salons. So they try to "purchase" loyalty by getting customers to commit to discounted packages of multiple sessions, and “that has led to a lot of complaints in the past, especially when these services have closed down leaving consumers with unused sessions,” he added.
Commenting on the demand for resold mooncake boxes, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami said that buyers may have a genuine love for certain brands and want to collect an array of items or accessories under such brands, similar to how concertgoers collect merchandise for a concert. He added that the presentation boxes can be classic collector’s items, especially when the packaging keeps changing over the years, and that their value might appreciate over time.
Commenting on original equipment manufacturers (OEM) being sold on e-commerce sites under different brand names, SMU Professor Emeritus of Operations Management Arnoud De Meyer said that in the case of the Apple iPhone, the whole product is assembled by OEMs, from multiple electronics manufacturers and suppliers such as Foxconn and Pegatron. He said having an OEM was "very common practice" for companies – and thus unavoidable for consumers. Prof De Meyer also commented on the benefits of using OEMs, and explained, "It is all about focus and specialisation.
