Commenting on bus companies seeking to transform their appeal to jobseekers as many of its current crop of drivers are nearing or have reached their retirement age, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan who does transportation research proposed that to attract and retain talent, bus operators may want to look at engaging substitute drivers to take over some employees’ duties and provide more paid holidays to the full-timers in order to appeal to “the overall lifestyle of these positions”.
Commenting on some people having to use cheques when they were moving out or into their units, SMU Assistant Professor of Finance (Education) Aurobindo Ghosh said, “Cheques can be used for down payments for houses, security deposit with letters of intent for tenancy agreement, et cetera.
In a commentary, SMU Associate Provost (Undergraduate Education) and Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Michelle Lee discussed why people often purchase more than they need. She explained that the immediate gratification people expect from a product often leads to misguided purchase decisions. Assoc Prof Lee highlighted how businesses fuel consumerism and offered advice on mindful, intentional consumption to avoid creating clutter, regret, and environmental harm.
In an interview, SMU Associate Provost (Undergraduate Education) and Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Michelle Lee, weighed in on how attitudes towards consumption are changing, and what consumers and businesses can do to play their part. She noted that attitudes of the past, albeit driven by scarcity, was much more sustainable as compared to today.
In an interview, SMU Assistant Professor of Finance (Educaiton) Aurobindo Ghosh discussed the phasing out of physical cheques in Singapore. He highlighted how the two new electronic payment methods set to replace them offer enhanced convenience and security.
The movement of localised Chinese officials reflects a focus on mitigating financial risks and addressing debt crises. It indicates that China's top leadership recognises the need for more professional financial officials to handle issues such as local debt, financing, and bond issuance. SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian analysed that in the past, Chinese local officials prioritised GDP growth as their main directive, often paying little attention to local debt burdens and repayment issues.
Commenting on the new express feeder bus service in Tampines, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan said the move was likely made to alleviate the concerns of some residents. “It’s likely that authorities don’t want certain residents to feel constantly disadvantaged because their homes are a bit further away from transport hubs and have to constantly endure longer commuting times even on their respective shuttle buses within their estates.
Commenting on how younger workers are using social media to push for pay transparency, SMU Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources Shereen Fatimah said that pay transparency is a “double-edged sword” as it may give rise to discontent among workers. “When pay differentials become public information, it creates perceptions of inequalities among co-workers which could lead to resentment, disengagement at work, and a lack of collaboration among peers,” she said.
Commenting on gender stereotypes in the workplace, SMU Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources Kenneth Tai said that gender norms expect men to be assertive, controlling and confident. By contrast, women are often expected to be gentle and sympathetic to others’ needs, he said. “Research has shown that women who behave more (rather than less) assertively are likely to be penalised, such as being perceived as more demanding, less likeable and less likely to be hired,” Assoc Prof Tai said.
Commenting on the significant decline in reliability on the East-West MRT Line, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship Terence Fan opined that this is likely due to the disruptions in September. However, he noted the Land Transport Authority's data remains positive. “Interestingly, despite the recent East-West Line incidents, the overall MRT network reliability, including the East-West Line, still surpasses the million-kilometre mark.”
