SMU Adjunct Lecturer Kevin Cheong attributes the weaker-than-expected demand for Lady Gaga concert tickets and hotels rooms in Singapore to a general slowdown in consumer spending due to geopolitical and economic uncertainties. He explained that factors like fan intensity and recent hits influence concert "fever,", but the current climate leads consumers to prioritise essential travel over luxury indulgences. He also noted that regional tourists are becoming more discerning, exploring domestic travel or other destinations like Thailand or Bali.
In a move to curb profit-driven and arbitrary cross-regional law enforcement actions - commonly referred to as "distant-water-fishing" - targeting businesses, China has launched a special campaign since March to regulate law enforcement involving enterprises. SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian said the campaign helps correct negative practices that affect the business environment. Compared to last year, private sector confidence has started to recover.
The Temasek Shophouse on Orchard Road is slated to reopen by Q4 2025, with expanded spaces dedicated to events supporting social and environmental causes. Commenting on what could spark public interest in philanthropy, SMU Associate Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) and Academic Director of SMU's Business Families Institute Kenneth Goh noted that people are often drawn to businesses not just for their overt social impact messaging, but for the social experiences and emotional connections these businesses create.
SMU's Lee Kong Chian School of Business Adjunct Lecturer Kevin Cheong stressed that true employee empowerment requires more than advocacy - it must be clearly defined and supported to drive daily behaviours. He identified four key elements: meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. Rather than making broad declarations or penalising failure, Dr Cheong recommends a gradual, project-based approach that allows for mistakes and ensures adequate resources. He cautioned that without proper support, employees may disengage.
Over 3,000 jobs are expected to be added to Singapore's public transport industry as systems become smarter and more connected. In an interview, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan discussed why job opportunities are expanding more significantly in the rail sector compared to the bus sector.
The 55th round of the DBS-SKBI Singapore Index of Inflation Expectations survey, conducted in March 2025 by SMU's Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics (SKBI), revealed that Singaporean consumers are divided on inflation's future direction, indicating uncertainty in upcoming spending patterns that businesses should anticipate. SMU Assistant Professor of Finance (Education) and Principal Investigator of the SKBI project Aurobindo Ghosh explained that this uncertainty arises from both global protectionist measures and domestic economic concerns.
SMU Assistant Professor of Operations Management Bhavani Shanker Uppari and another academic conducted a study titled "Impact of solar lighting kits on the lives of the poor". The study found that distributing free solar-plus-battery kits to rural households in Ghana has positive effects on expenditure patterns, children's education, safety, and security. The authors said that off-grid electricity can be an effective solution for those waiting for grid electricity to become accessible, cheaper and reliable.
SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian said that in upcoming China-United States (US) negotiations, the US will likely demand increased imports of American Products and services due to China's persistent trade surplus with US, while China may request eased export controls on semiconductors and advanced technological equipment to China. He noted China's consistent US policy of emphasising mutual benefits from cooperation and harm from confrontation, suggesting broad negotiation potential if a strategic adversarial relationship is avoided.
SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami stated that physical flyers are most effective for locally relevant services like tutoring or car washes. While acknowledging the significant waste due to low interest rates of recipients, he noted that low production and distribution costs can still make them worthwhile due to potential high profits from small conversion rates. Despite digital marketing's prevalence and advertising fatigue, Assoc Prof Ramaswami pointed out that digital ads best target those already looking to buy or sell.
The US-China trade war has temporarily cooled as both countries agreed on Monday (May 12) to reduce previously imposed high tariffs by up to 11.5% over the next 90 days, following their first formal trade talks in Geneva. SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian noted that the scale of US concessions exceeded expectations. Tariffs have largely returned to pre-April 2 "Liberation Day" levels, except for the initial 34% reciprocal tariffs on Chinese goods, of which 10% remains.
