08 商团与部长对话会: 商团可以引领行业转型
19 Innovate and transform to stay relevant
CHINESE ENTERPRISE MCI (P) 162/03/2016
第三期 . ISSUE 3/2016
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一键之间、商机涌现 CHINESE ENTERPRISE
那些日理万机、忙忙碌碌、 飞不停的…，都在看我们的《华商》。 一个键、三秒内，电子版《华商》让忙碌的您随时随地，把握总商会的动态、 总商会的人脉。
Scan to access Chinese Enterprise online or visit www.sccci.org.sg
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卷首语 PRESIDENT’S NOTE 鼓励协作共赢 提升整体竞争力 瑞士洛桑管理学院近日发布了《2016年全球竞争力年鉴》，新加坡较去年滑落一个名次，位居全球第四。其中有两点 值得关注：一、针对我国竞争力下滑，专家普遍归因于高成本结构、人才短缺和区域竞争加剧；二、相比大型企业，我国中小 企业的生产力和效率明显滞后，而创业精神也落后于香港（名列第3）、马来西亚（6）、台湾（12）等地，排名35。 在总商会近期的部长及商团代表对话会上，成本、人力与区域竞争等主要挑战已备受关注，总商会也致力从行业层 面着手——凝聚行业力量、推动行业的整体提升，如鼓励业者突破狭隘的零和竞争，转向行业内甚至跨行业的协作，以将 各方资源优化整合、壮大力量，走进国际市场。总商会明年启动的商团中心就会将各行业齐聚一堂，共享资源，寻求协作共 赢。 随着我国经济转型，本地中小企业被视为主导未来经济的中坚力量，因此中小企业生产力、国人创业精神的滞后也不 容忽视。总商会在今年八月的中小企业大会中，就将以“创新”及“协作”为主题，鼓励企业在技术、经营模式、企业文化各 方面积极创新，同时寻找合适的伙伴合作，互惠互利。此外，总商会也积极引领年轻一代发挥有潜力的商业理念，激励创 业精神，以为未来经济奠基。
在维持经济竞争力时，我们既要兼顾企业与行业层面的发展，也要具备短期与长期的规划，国家才能取得稳健发展。
raising overall competitiveness through collaboration for Mutual Benefit in the IMD Competitiveness Yearbook 2016 released recently by institute of Management development in switzerland, singapore’s ranking has slipped one notch to 4th place. there are two noteworthy points herein. firstly, the decline is primarily attributed to high cost structure, shortage of talent and regional competition; secondly, productivity and efficiency of local sMEs lag markedly behind large corporations. the same goes for entrepreneurship (ranked 35th) vis-à-vis regional counterparts like hong kong (3rd), Malaysia (6th) or taiwan (12th). in sccci’s recent ministerial and trade association dialogues, challenges pertaining to costs, manpower and regional competition have been addressed at length. the chamber responds with a sectoral approach – uniting sectoral strength and promoting overall sectoral upgrading. We encourage businesses to leapfrog the narrow mindset of zero-sum competition and look for intraor even cross-industry collaboration, so as to optimise resources, boost sectoral strength and internationalise. for instance, the sccci-led ta hub launching next year will gather numerous sectors under one roof to share resources and strive for win-win collaboration. as singapore’s economy reforms, local sMEs are now considered stalwarts of the future economy, and hence the lagging of sME productivity and entrepreneurship should not be overlooked. sccci has thus set “innovate” and “collaborate” as two specific thrusts of the sME conference this august – to encourage innovations in skills, business model and corporate culture, and collaboration with suitable partners for mutual benefit. to lay a foundation for the future economy, sccci also encourages entrepreneurship by actively leading the younger generation to develop their potential business ideas.
星
这 与 续
in the quest of competitiveness, both sectoral and business developments, and planning for the shorter and longer term, should be taken into consideration. this would help to achieve stable growth of the nation.
会长 Thomas Chua, SCCCI President 请到总商会网站 www.sccci.org.sg 阅读电子版《华商》。 Chinese Enterprise can be viewed online through the Chamber’s corporate website www.sccci.org.sg
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编辑顾问 Editorial Advisors Thomas Chua Kee Seng Teo Siong Seng Charles Ho Nai Chuen Lim Geok Khoon
蔡其生 张松声 何乃全 林玉勤
目录 CONTENTS
出版统筹 Publications Supervision
谭宝锠 Tham Poh Cheong 主编 Chief Editor
英文编辑 English Editor 胡爱兰 Fiona Hu
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以球会友，为善最乐 总商会举办“欢庆成立110周年高尔夫 球赛”，成功地为总统慈善挑战活动筹 集15万元善款，回馈社会。
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商团与部长对话会: 商团可以引领行业转型 商团代表在与贸工部及国家发展部政 务部长许宝琨对话会中反映行业转 型的挑战，及针对新财政预算案中的 行业转型政策提出疑问。
助理编辑 Assistant Editor
李胜保 Lee Sin Poh
Focus on SMEs
华商焦点
梁廷昭 Leong Teng Chau
撰稿 Staff WriterS
胡爱兰 Fiona Hu 李胜保 Lee Sin Poh
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Innovate and transform to stay relevant A*STAR puts forward solutions and avenues that may help companies to achieve productivity improvement, focusing on automation, robotics and Internet-of-Things (IOT).
Corporate strategies
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Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau
企业可在竞争中寻求合作 财政部长王瑞杰鼓励本地企业在竞争 的同时也积极寻求合作机会，以推动 行业的整体发展及国际化。
Slow payments by local firms on the rise In view of deteriorating payment performance among local firms, Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau proposes three recommendations on how SMEs may improve their cash flow.
行销
中小企业
ECONOMIC REVIEW
特约撰稿 Contributors
廖荣顺 Liau Eng Soon 新加坡商务信贷资料中心
Marketing 黄兆荣 Leonardo Wong
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设计 Design Egg Creatives
出版 Publisher
Chinese Enterprise is produced and designed by Egg Creatives Pte Ltd (Registration No. 200504905G) for Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Registration No. S61550014E). Copyright of the materials contained in this publication belongs to SCCCI. Nothing in here shall be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written consent of SCCCI and/or Egg Creatives Pte Ltd. The views expressed in Chinese Enterprise by authors and contributors are not necessarily those of SCCCI and no liabilities shall be attached thereto. All rights reserved. Editorial enquiries should be directed to the Editor, Chinese Enterprise, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, 47 Hill Street #09-00 Singapore 179365. Tel: (65) 6337 8381 Fax: (65) 6339 0605 E-mail: research@sccci.org.sg. Unsolicited material will not be returned unless accompanied by a selfaddressed envelope and sufficient return postage. While every reasonable care will be taken by the Editor, no responsibility is assumed for the return of unsolicited material. MCI (P) 162/03/2016. Printed by Innotech Communication Pte Ltd (Registration No. 199604880H).
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观商海
新加坡中华总商会 Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry 47 Hill Street #09-00 Singapore 179365 Tel: (65) 6337 8381 Fax: (65) 6339 0605 E-mail: corporate@sccci.org.sg Website: www.sccci.org.sg
真挚匠心，镌刻天地 罗健豪在毕业多年后重返建筑设计界 创业，立志在兴废无常的城市中打造 历久弥新的经典。他因而坚持成立了 本地极少数具备原型制作能力的建 筑设计公司。
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企业何必怕三高 中小企业老板若对PMET的“高学历、 高职位、高薪水”望而生畏，不为企 业栽培千里马，可能会错失大展宏图 的机会。 PMET怎么当诸葛亮 PMET要加入中小企业，能不能当诸 葛亮，有两点很重要。一是心态，二 是定位。
Trade Association Feature
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Launching a new initiative for the crane industry iRecord, a new initiative of Singapore Cranes Association, aims to enhance work safety performance through a more comprehensive assessment of operators’ capability.
Retailers re-strategising to counter current challenges With recent departures of once vibrant home-grown retail brands coupled with the continued weakness in the economy causing Singapore’s retail industry to lose its sparkle, some contributing trends, facts and figures surveyed tell the story.
Chinese Entrepreneurial Spirit
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Remembering Teo Tong Wah An exemplary Chamber personality who has contributed indelibly to the achievements of the Chamber and demonstrated resilience of the Chinese entrepreneurial spirit in his own remarkable way.
华商焦点
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IN THE LEAD
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以球会友， 为善最乐。
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在欢庆 110 周年之际，总商会不忘回馈社会，于5 月 13 日假裕廊 乡村俱乐部举办“欢庆成立 110 周年高尔夫球赛”，成功为今年 的总统挑战慈善活动（President’s challenge 2016）筹集15 万元善 款。本届赛事主宾为荣誉国务资政吴作栋先生。大赛共吸引36 支 队伍报名参加，其中 18 支队伍由商团会员组成，在角逐“总商会 杯”的同时也促进了各个商团间的交流。大赛的冠军最终为新加 坡金钻珠宝商会夺得。
6 1 赛前聚餐，蓄势待发。 2
大赛主宾、荣誉国务资政吴作栋挥杆，英姿飒爽。
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总商会副会长黄山忠。
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中国驻新加坡大使陈晓东。
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盛邦裕廊集团 (surbana Jurong) 国际业务总裁、前新加坡企业发展局局长张永昌。
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西北区市长张俰宾。
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新加坡金钻珠宝商会脱颖而出，荣获“总商会杯”。领奖的商团代表为Sheth rajesh Pravinchandra（左一）、何乃全（左二）、黄明亮（中）、叶观生（右二） 及姚贤周（右一）。
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新加坡五金机械公会荣获大赛亚军，由总商会蔡其生会长（左三）颁奖。领奖的商 团代表为林振强（左一）、胡进胜（左二）、柯建华（右三）、李德隆（右二）及 柯福隆（右一）。
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新加坡中华总商会夺得大赛季军。领奖的商团代表为吕立岩（左一）、吴中庸 （中）、林惠璋（右二）及李思亮（右一）。
华商焦点
IN THE LEAD
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华商焦点
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IN THE LEAD
商团与部长对话会: 商团可以引领行业转型 许宝琨部长在对话会中解答商团代表的疑问，鼓励商团积极进行自我提升。 寻求协助的商团须具备一定的 转型条件与能力 帮助本地传统行业转型是今年财 政预算案的焦点。为了帮助行业转型及 提高生产力，政府推出了总值45亿元的 转型计划，更承诺通过升级版的“本地 企业与协会发展计划”(lEad-Plus) 在未 来五年拨出三千万元帮助提升商团能 力。这些计划是否能克服商界所面对的 挑战，并有效推动转型？政府又将如何 将资源分配予不同的商团？ 5月6日，总商会举办了一场商团与 贸工部与国家发展部政务部长许宝琨对
话会，与数十家本地商团代表针对财 政预算案中的行业转型措施进行对 话，促进政企双方的沟通了解。标新 局助理总裁周沐丽、标新局能力发展 部署长杨妙玲及财政部经济计划处 主任陈薏冰也参与了对话会。 蔡其生会长致欢迎词时表示： “所谓万事起头难，虽然许多商团都 有意求进，但不知道如何开始转型。 我有两个建议。首先，我们可以从其 它商团的成功经验获得启发。例如， 总商会在今年9月23日将举办第四届 商团大会，并邀请了德国的成功企业
家与商团领导人分享如何提升企业竞 争力——德国在欧洲虽然是商业成本 最高的国家之一，但却也同时保持高 度竞争力，值得本地商界学习。第二个 建议是汇聚需求，共享资源。例如总商 会筹备中的商团中心 (ta hub) 是很好 的平台，可帮助商团更有效发挥协调 的功能及群集效应。除了提升本身行 业的实力，也能推动跨领域的合作，创 造更多的商机。”
当前挑战：成本高昂、人力短缺与经济低靡 对话会上，出席的商团代表各自反映了行业转型所面对的挑战并传达其诉求：
增加援助金额 商团作为非营利组织，资 源相当有限，希望政府可 以把“本地企业与协会发 展计划” （LEAD）中对商 团项目的资助顶限从70% 提升至更高水平。
检讨人力政策 对于本地人不愿从事的行 业，政府应检讨同时施行 人头税及紧缩外籍劳工 配额的必要性。高昂的人 头税容易造成恶性循环 效应，导致其它相关行业 的商业成本也随着上涨。
提升商团的员工 培训能力
公平看待各行业 与企业：
一些商团有意自行策划 员工培训计划，但担心 无法获得获得劳动力发 展局（WDA）的认可及 津贴。
政府在推动具备潜力的重 点行业转型时，不应忽略 了其它行业（特别是传统 行业），在强调行业转型 时也不应忽略个体企业的 提升。
更具行业针对性地 检讨商业成本
流动资金问题
由于厂房租金高昂，某些 行业虽然积极采用自动 化生产，但在经济不景、 出口量减少的情况下，提 高生产力有可能反而导 致产能过剩，需要大量厂 房放置多余产品，间接加 剧了成本负担。
政府虽然推出中小企业流 动资金贷款计划，并愿意 为企业承担50%的违约 风险，但贷款仍须经由银 行评估及批核。在经济不 景、业绩不佳时，银行在 批核贷款上依然保守
华商焦点
In the Lead
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在蔡其生会长（左一）主持下，商团代表与贸工部及国家发展部政务部长许宝琨（左二）展开深入对话。出席对话会的政府部门代表包 括标新局助理总裁周沐丽（右二）、财政部经济计划处主任陈薏冰（右一）。
“作为行业的领头羊， 商团商会必须与时并 进，不断提升和加强实 力，才能更好地带领商 家和企业，向正确目标 迈进。” ——总商会蔡其生会长
寻求政府资助的商团应先展示自身价值 针对行业转型的难题，贸工部政务部长许宝琨指出，随着人口老化、世界各 个新兴经济体的发展导致外籍员工来源的减少，提高生产力和自动化才是本地 企业生存的长远之计。他认为，来自不同行业的商团应紧密地合作，例如通过共 用办公地点，激发不同领域之间进行互补的潜能——正所谓“三个臭皮匠，胜过 一个诸葛亮”。由于资源有限，他呼吁商团在争取政府的进一步协助时，自身须 先具备推动行业转型的条件与能力。 另一方面，升级版的LEAD-Plus计划预计政府将派遣官员到20个商团，协助 进一步推动转型与国际化，因此各商团都希望可以从中受惠。对此，标新局助理 总裁周沐丽认为，这些商团首先须符合三个条件方可获选：一、商团须具备已可 以帮助行业转型的计划；二、有关计划必须具备长期的持续性；三、商团在行业中 的代表性及影响力，例如会员商家人数在有关行业所占的比重。 （文\李胜保）
总商会生产力主管袁世亮讲述商团中心(TA Hub)的最新进展，鼓 励更多商团加入以共享资源及推动行业转型。
总商会名誉董事、新加坡木材厂商总会会长蔡成宗向政府部门 代表反映该行业的经营状况及挑战。
华商焦点
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IN THE LEAD
企业可在竞争中寻求合作 财政部长王瑞杰鼓励本地企业在竞争的同时也积极寻求合作机会，以推动行业 的整体发展及国际化。
总商会蔡其生会长在向财政部长王瑞杰提问时指出，由于政府近来注重高增值行业，一些中小企业业者特别是传统行业的老板忧心 忡忡，担心政府忽略了他们。
团结即力量：传统企业应携手国际化 政 府 近年以推动本 地企业国际 化为要务，但在偌大的国际市场中，本 地小商家该如何觅得立足之处？其实 答案早已昭示于预算案的主题中—— “携手并进，共创未来”。在4月26日 由联合早报举办的财政预算案商业论 坛上，王瑞杰部长即鼓励本地传统行 业业者在竞争的同时也展开合作，壮 大力量，携手开拓国际市场。 “ 许 多大 国 的 行业 竞争力非常 强，原因就在于携手合作。十多年前我 到中国温州参观，来到了一个很大的 展览室，里面卖的都是打火机、太阳眼 镜等。这里出产的打火机占据全球的 七成市场。当时还在贸工部的我于是 问道： ‘你们的贸工部是如何把所有商 家的打火机都放在一起展示？’他们 却说这不是贸工部做的，是商家一起 合作，目的是通过设立一站式销售点， 让国际买家更方便选购。那我又问他 们：‘你们不是 竞争对手吗？为何会 合作？’他们答道，有竞争才有进步，
而那里的产品有这么多不同的设计， 因此大家也就来学习，看谁能做得最 好。而且他们不只竞争，也有合作。怎 么合作呢？于是他们带我去参观一家 做螺丝的工厂。因为当地所有的打火机 制造商都用这家厂的螺丝，成功把他 们的成本降低到一块钱——在美国卖 价一百块钱的打火机在日本成本十块 钱，而在温州就只需一块钱。”
些行业通过分享设备缓解土地租金等 成本压力。
携手合作，降低成本 王瑞杰籍此呼吁本地商会探讨如 何让企业更好地合作，也更好地进行 竞争。他强调，由于新加坡市场不大， 许多企业必须通过国际化扩大市场， 才可以相对减低单位成本(unit cost)。 针对备受关注的成本上涨问题，王瑞 杰说明，随着经济的发展，薪金和土 地价格的上升是无可避免的趋势。在 降低成本上，除了采用机器人和自动 化设备，企业间的合作也是重要的途 径。新加坡的食品制造业和家具制造 业设立的食品中心(food hub)和家具 中心(furniture hub)就是佳例——这
行业的挑战与机遇 在预算案论坛的另一环节中，四 位不同行业的代表分享了他们的行业 挑战与转型经验，其中包括大华食品 工业董事经理白毅柏、建煌基建工程 公司董事经理颜毓莹、仟湖鱼业集团 执行主席兼总裁叶金利及金山岭饮食 集团主席洪鼎良。本文摘录颜毓莹、 白毅柏二人的分享。 （文\李胜保）
他 也 透 露 ，未 来 经 济 委 员 会 (committee on the future Economy) 已 设立了由财政部高级政务部长沈颖和 总商会会长蔡其生领导的中小企业工 作小组，旨在探讨如何更好地支持本 地中小企业转型和发展。
华商焦点
IN THE LEAD
颜毓莹
白毅柏
总商会董事、建煌基建工程公司董事经理
总商会总务委员会主席、新加坡食品厂商联合会主席、 大华食品工业董事经理
现在企业面临洗牌，谁能生存下来必然有它的道 理。现在整个建筑业也面对很大的成本问题，例如人 头税在1998年约30元，现在是650元，今年七月还会 再上升到750元。业者在当年的金融风暴还挺得住，但 现在的成本高了这么多，挑战更大了。 此外，目前市场的工程并不多，尤其私人发展商 的项目很少，大多都是政府工程，一些企业也已经面对 员工过剩、现金流等问题。而且，在成本上升的同时， 竞标价却走下坡。在工程不多的情况下，跨国企业也进 入本地市场竞争，如果这些跨国企业“吃不饱”，就会 和中小企业展开竞争。以前的跨国企业对两、三千万元 的工程是没兴趣的，但现在就未必了。这种竞争的结 果是不言而喻的，就像如果外国名牌手提袋和本地制 造的手提袋价格是一样的话，那相信大多人都会选购 前者。所以在竞标工程时，我们要尝试在价格上维持 优势。 针对王部长所说的企业合作，很多建筑业业者是 有进行伙伴合营 (Joint venture) 的，但不同企业文化 还是需要时间磨合，而且这种合作要双方能力可以互 补、拉长补短，这才有意义，不然还不如自己独立来 做。再说到大型合作的可能性——例如把几间中小企 业资金结合、和大型企业拼一拼，如果要这么做的话， 这些公司之间文化必然要非常契合。不过真的可以这 样做吗，需要这样做吗？这是个可以思考的问题。 在这些挑战下，我建议业者要每天改变思考模 式，不断问自己新的问题，并找出新的答案。企业家要 有毅力，要坚信没有什么是不可能的。况且我们已经 走到了最糟糕的情况，情况不会更坏了，只要坚持下去 必然会雨过天晴。
行情虽然不好，但食品业比较不一样，因为民以 食为“先”，所以受的影响没那么大。舞台站久了就是 你的，所以企业最低限度必须生存下来。不过，新加坡 这个舞台太小，同行是竞争不了的，必须要走出去。食 品公会在十几年前就已经在改变，走向国际，参与国外 考察的也从当初的几家公司增加到目前的50多家。用 福建话说： “不去无米，要去却又黑又寒。”所以要在 脚上放弹簧，逼着自己向前跳！ 在国际市场上，我们可以善用电子商务开拓市 场。例如，我们食品商在中国义乌开的第一家展馆在 一年半的努力后，如今进入了天猫电子商务平台。上 个月，我们还在淘宝做了一个活动，且不说卖得如何， 从曝光率来看，在三天时间就获得了两百多万点击 率——接近新加坡一半的人口。此外，我们还有其它 可以掌握的机遇，例如亚细安经济共同体到了2030年 可能成为是世界第四大经济体。从前在一些周边国家 要缴30%的税，现在已是零关税了；虽然他们还是有保 护措施，但机会显然增加了。不过，新加坡的币值要稳 定，钱币不能太“硬”，不然很难做出口。 食品商公会的会员也不断努力，通过包装及创新 设计为产品增值、创值。例如大华本来是卖酱油的，但 现在也在网上卖肉骨茶！又如我在亚洲旅馆展 (food hotel asia) 看到有人展示布料，我就奇怪：这不是食品 展吗？一问之下发现这是质地特殊的布料，酱油污迹可 以一抹就完全去除了，变得像新的一样。可见各行各业 都在创值求变。
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真挚匠心， 镌刻天地 多年后重返建筑设计界创 业的他不志在进行高产量 的创作，只盼在兴废无常 的城市中，能以慢工细活， 打造历久弥新的经典。他 因而创办了本地极少数具 备原型制作能力的建筑设 计公司。
中小企业
FOCUS ON SMEs
木条窗花鳞次栉比，温煦晨光缓 缓而入。这家坐落在 Mount Emily 山 丘上的Wild rocket餐厅不仅仅以其 菜肴闻名，而且设 计 独具一格，不少 游客慕名而至。这是汇集两颗真挚匠 心而成— —一位是以“现代化新加坡 料理”蜚声国际的刘伟仁主厨(Willin Low)，另一位则是曾担任餐厅内部设 计的罗健豪。 罗健豪 是设 计公司 ProducE Wo r k sh o P的 合 伙创办人。创办三 年以 来，这 家 企 业一直 坚 守 一 个 理 念——与其名“生产”意旨相符，生产 出兼备知识与实体价值的设计。它因 而坚持保留一项特色，即成为本地唯 一具备原型制作(prototyping)能力的 建筑设计公司，以1：1的产品原型向制 造商或建筑商证实设 计理 念的可行 性。具备了这一能力，他们得以突破 纸张或电脑绘图的局限，将设计的构 思以真实样本呈现于眼前，让建筑承 包商对设计理念达到完全的理解。 “有了这一环节，我们可以向承 包商证明设计并非只流于天马行空的 想象而是可以落实的，而且还能在合 理的价格范围内完成。”
一切设计旨在体现核心价值 然而，这一坚持也给ProducE团 队带来不少挑战。例如，新加坡在划 分行业用地上有严谨的规定：设计行 业属于专业服务领域，业务可设于属 第一商业区（B1），但若要把原型制作 这一环节提升到全面的木工生产，就 必须把业务设于远离市区的工业区， 但这样一来就不利于吸引人才及集中 在市区的大量优质客户。 这一切坚持 都源于ProducE对 完美设计的追求。罗健豪表示，要做 出创 值 的 设 计，就 必须 秉 持 宁 详 勿 略、宁拙毋巧的敬业心与责任心，而 不是 仅仅 关 注 产 量及寻求更多的订 单与营利。正如英国前总理丘吉尔所 说： “我们虽然在营造建筑，但建筑也
中小企业
FOCUS ON SMEs
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会重新塑造我们”。设计的终极目标 是要传达客户的身份——或是企业的 灵魂，或是住户的个性。 “所以我们创业时的信念是：宁 可慢下脚步来也一定要做好每一件作 品。真正的设计产品可以包含许多价 值，例如客户可以借助我们的设计建 立品牌与企业形象。设计过程因此也 包含了我们与客户双向的沟通与了解， 不只是设计者的单方面的工作。”
在政策需要与鼓励创意间取得平衡 得 以 重 新 投 身 设 计 行 业，他 认 为自己是非常 幸 运 的。2 0 0 5 年，当 他从伦敦建筑联盟学院(architectural association school of architecture)考取 建筑设计学士学位后，并未立即从事 设 计，却辗转于各个行业间，曾任石 油经纪人、航运经纪人、财务咨询顾 问等职位，多年后才与志同道合的友 人一同创业。他指出，由于建筑业的 安全考量，新加坡的绘测师执照入门 门槛较高——必须至少拥有硕士学位 才可以考取绘测师执照。但由于当年 家境拮据而无法继续升学，毕业后只 能黯然转行。 “相比之下，在一些国家，不具 绘测师执 照的设 计师 可以 选 择从事 纸上设计，再交由绘测师审核。但如 果把建筑设计专业的门槛设得太高， 那就 会把许多优秀 但不具 执 照的设 计师和理念排之在外。例如，刚刚离 世的伊拉克籍建筑设计界翘楚Zaha Hadid正是一名从事纸上设计的建筑 设计师，因为设计理念超前而不为国 家所取，反而多年后在国际舞台大放 异彩。这反映了许多人才都在制度的 限制下流失。或许我们应该考虑像许 多西方国家那样，采用双层筛选制， 在最初的征稿阶段欢迎所有设计人才 参与，然后再将作品由专业绘测师筛 选。” 他指出，在新加坡，未考取绘测执照 的设计师正面对相似的困境。例如在
审核项目设计的过程上，与许多国家 相反，这里的设计须先交由市区重建 局（URA）的第一轮筛选，才轮到来自 相关领域的评委审核。然而，由于后 者才真正理解建筑的内容和需求，因 此许多有潜力的设计理念都有可能在 初选中就已被淘汰了。
新加坡需要属于自己的设计师 罗健豪信誓旦旦表示，ProducE 的一个长期目标是成为可以在国际市 场上代表新加坡的设计师，甚至放眼
建筑设计界的最高荣誉——普利兹克 建筑奖(Pritzker architecture award)。 “但本地在培养设计人才这方面确实 有待提升。许多国家的标志性的大项 目— —滨海湾、滨海湾花园、名胜世 界、都是交由外国设计师来做，但这 些设计究竟有没有展现新加坡文化的 精髓和集体记忆，还是只是呈现另一 个西方的城市？新加坡是个与传统脱 节的社会，许多传统建筑特色都在无 声无息中慢慢消失，其中一个关键因
根据鸟巢的概念设计的Wild rocket 餐厅内景，令食客宾至如归，倍感温馨。（图片来源：ProducE WorkshoP）
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素是教育体制对传统行业如小贩业、 木工业未给予足够的重视。然而，传 承着国家身份认同的正是这些行业。 因此我们也积极参与政府组屋等公共 建筑项目。一些建筑公司也还赏识我 们的设计能力，肯通过外包让我们参 与。但在竞标大项目时，本地公司为了 赢得项目，还是倾向于与外国设计师 合作。” 他认为，新加坡既然追求发展为 知识型经济体，设计领域这一块是不 能被忽视的。但受到今天高昂的商业 与人力成本影响，建筑商为了减低成 本，不愿追求创新的设 计，而趋向于 聘请国外的一般木工，将以前的设计 模型重复使用，因此许多建筑设计都 缺乏新意。
Focus On SMEs
“例如一些建筑商觉得，与其接 下一个要花时间去重新做的新设计， 倒不如接更多政府组屋项目。这也是 为什么我们要坚持做设计原型，因为 这十分有利于简化 建 筑 承 包商的工 作、说服他们接下有创意的项目。由 始至终，改变城市景观的不是实用主 义，而是大胆创新的想法，以及多元 的话语。”
总商会应广纳多元领域人才 回忆起自己的工作与创业经历，罗 健豪还是自觉幸运，尤其在工作和创业 的路上都获得不少贵人相助。进入职 场后，他在亲戚的指导下担任船运经纪 人，又获得机会与旧同学合作一同创 业。创业后，各行业的朋友也给予不少 支持、提供合作机会。但他认为，良好
的际遇不仅仅是因为运气。无论是在什 么行业，自身实力与良好的人际关系都 至关重要。 “正如马云所说，愚蠢的人用嘴 巴说话，聪明的人用头脑说话，智慧的 人用心说话。要建立起良好的人际关 系，还是必须以真诚为先。” 罗健豪创业后不久，也通过友人 的介绍加入了中华总商会。适逢总商 会110周年庆，他也担任了一项重点活 动——“新苗船：青年企业家邮轮交流 之旅” 的筹委会主席。 “这一邮轮交流之旅将在今年九 月举办，旨在鼓励区域各地的青年企业 家互相交流与学习，许多成功企业家、 政府官员和学者也受邀出席。例如，总 理公署部长陈振声将与青年企业家进 行对话会，通商中国总裁孙雪玲、中国 知名学者于丹教授等也将进行深入分 享。出席者还有机会与总商会的多名董 事如星雅集团执行主席吴学光、珍宝餐 饮集团总裁黄建铭、普华古柏会计师事 务所合伙人吴绍均等进行交流，是个 不容错过的学习机会。” 身为历史悠久的总商会里的一名 年轻成员，罗健豪也期望迎来110周 年的总商会能与时俱进，在不断变化 的局势中继续发挥商界领头羊的重要 角色。
PRODUCE 的办公室与工作室仅一楼之隔，将设计到模型制造的每个流程环环相扣。 （图片来源：PRODUCE WORKSHOP）
“总商会是很好的一个平台，除 了有助于年轻企业家扩大商业网络和 视野，也扮演着商界与政府部门之间的 沟通桥梁。例如我就曾通过总商会向 副总理尚达曼反映建筑设计业的许多 挑战并提出一些建议。总商会的成员 里也有许多很成功的企业，尤其有许多 已经传承到第二代、第三代的传统家 族企业，在商业管理方面都有许多值 得学习的地方。不过，时局变化如此之 快，总商会若要与时俱进，也必须海纳 百川。除了延续前人的心血，我们必须 继续吸引更多新一代的创业人士，以及 不同新兴行业的杰出企业家加入，这样 才能代表更广大的当代商界群体。” （文\李胜保；摄\黄兆荣）
观商海
企业何必 怕三高
BUSINESS EYE
在《三国演义》的故事里，刘备身边还 有关羽、张飞等人，为什么还要三顾茅庐 找诸葛亮？如今，许多中小企业的现有 团队其实也很不错，为什么还一定要请 PMET？
大家都知道高血压、高血糖、高 血脂“三高”有害健康，所以要尽量常 运动，保持饮食健康。很多中小企业也 对“三高”敬而远之。
行提升计划。借用《三国演义》的故事 做比喻，想当年，刘备也是中小企业，因 为有诸葛亮出谋献策，从此事业快速发 展，最后还可以和大公司的曹操抗衡。
前阵子，我在国会提到一些曾经 在跨国企业公司工作的PMET（专业人 员、经理、执行人员及技师）到中小企 业求职，老板因为他们的“三高”―― “高学历、高职位、高薪水”而犹豫不 决，PMET也觉得中小企业的环境和待 遇不太理想，陷入高不成低不就的困 境。中小企业找不到人才，PMET找不到 工作，这种现象会越来越严重，真令人 担忧。
当时，刘备身边还有关羽、张飞等 人，为什么一定要三顾茅庐找诸葛亮？ 许多中小企业的现有团队其实也很不 错，为什么一定要请PMET？
诸葛亮是超级PMET 一位中小企业的老板告诉我，为 了转型，他去上课，也请了咨询顾问， 最终还是要有经验丰富的PMET协助执
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以往，中小企业为跨国公司提供支 援服务，现在通过转型，可以成长为有 特色的新加坡企业。转型的过程中，老 板文武双全，也通过培训提升内部的管 理和技术团队，但专业知识和管理经验 毕竟有限，没有办法满足企业不同阶段 的需求，也很难突破现有的经营方式。 拥有跨国公司工作经验的PMET就像超 级助手诸葛亮，能满足不同阶段的需 求，把企业提升到另一个阶段。
PMET是老板的千里马 最 近，我碰 到 一 个曾经在 跨国 公司工作，后来选择加入中小企业的 PMET。她的老板原本要请行政助理。 不过面试时，老板发现她可以在拓展 公司业务上助一臂之力，所以不只以更 高的薪水聘请她，还让她担任经理， 管理总公司和分公司的日常运作。她 告诉我，这种成就感是前所未有的，加 上中小企业的职场生涯比跨国公司稳 定，让她更能兼顾事业和家庭。 企业提升和转型，老板们必须有眼界 和决心，还须按照不同情况，重用不同 人才。PMET可以是老板的千里马，和 老板并肩作战，赢得信任，发挥所长， 施展才华，帮助老板把无名小企业打 造成明星大企业，得到更大的成就感 和满足感。所以中小企业应该把握机 会，积极寻找他们的诸葛亮，千万别因 为怕“三高”而错失了人才！
自2014年7月31日，总商会会长蔡其生会长受邀为联合晚报《晚咖》专栏执笔。本文首次发表于2016年5月2日《晚咖》 专栏。 《华商》经《联合晚报》的许可转载。
观商海
16
BUSINESS EYE
PMET 怎么当诸葛亮 PMEt要加入中小企业，能不能当诸葛亮， 有两点很重要，一是心态，二是定位。
目前我国经济正处在重组阶段， 各行各业都在洗牌，大公司裁员，小公 司请人，PMEt（专业人员、经理、执行 人员及技师）要另辟疆场，中小企业也 想趁机招贤纳士，情况和三国时期差不 多。PMET要加入中小企业，能不能当诸 葛亮，有两点很重要，一是心态，二是 定位。
假如孔明去了曹营 诸葛亮追随刘备，一开始就要与 团队磨合。刘备三顾茅庐，关羽、张飞 很不服气。兄弟俩跟着大哥出生入死， 现在要听一介书生调遣，老臣子们的面 子实在放不下啊！诸葛亮的心态很好， 不争不辩，用事实说话。
PMET加入中小企业，磨合阶段和 诸葛亮的情形差不多。一些老臣子和 老板一起打拼，情如兄弟。公司发展到 一定规模，老板想继续提升，聘请专 业人士加入，如果不作出成绩，自然很 难赢得老臣子的认同。而能不能尽快 出成绩，就要看PMET的定位，如果自 身长处刚好弥补中小企业的短处，专 业人士就会有发挥所长的机会。试想， 如果诸葛亮 辅 佐的不是 刘备而是曹
曹兵来袭，在兵力悬殊的情况下运 筹帷幄，调兵遣将，火烧博望坡，杀退 十万曹兵，初步赢得了关、张的信任。 此后，诸葛亮又火烧新野、火烧赤壁， 不仅关羽、张飞等一众将领心服口服， 也帮助刘、关、张组建的中小企业快速 成长，最终与曹操、孙权抗衡，形成三 国鼎立的局面。 credit: neftali / shutterstock.com
操，不一定能充分施展才华。曹操身 边有一大群亲戚，而且文人、谋士、武 将非常多，诸葛亮去了曹操那里，估计 也说不上几句话。
练兵就是为了用兵 为了早出成绩，PMET加入公司后 要尽快融入新环境。我听到过一些专 业人士的抱怨，投诉小公司缺乏规章 制度，做事“乱七八糟”，其实这正是 老板请专业人士的原因。因为没有制 度，所以才请有经验的人来建制度； 因为“乱七八糟”，所以才要有人进行 规范。而且，不要忘记，练兵是为了用 兵，调整组织结构，完善规章制度，确 定操作流程，所有的努力最终都要体 现在经营业绩上。见到成果，即使作风 不一样也能求同存异。否则，折腾了半 天看不到结果，很难让员工佩服。 新加坡的经济一直在转型，今天 的热门行业，明天也许就会步入衰退。 对人生、事业有追求的PMET要早做打 算，主动留意谁是与自己合拍的“刘 备”，早做人生规划，不要等被裁后才 开始找“下家”。新加坡人力短缺，只 要是人才，总会有用武之地。
总商会会长蔡其生会长受邀为联合晚报《晚咖》专栏执笔。本文首次发表于2016年5月16日《晚咖》专栏。 《华商》经 《联合晚报》的许可转载。
商团特写
TRADE ASSOCIATION FEATURE
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LAUNCHING A NEW INITIATIVE FOR THE CRANE INDUSTRY A new initiative is in the pipeline, which aims to enhance work safety performance in the crane industry through a more comprehensive assessment of operators’ capability.
Established in 1975, singapore cranes association (sca) aims to promote the development of the mobile crane industry by promoting free market for crane operators and companies, a safe working environment, cooperation amongst members, a high-quality workforce and technology upgrading for all industry stakeholders. More than half of the crane companies in singapore are members of the sca. sca is also a member of sccci.
cranes are a ubiquitous feature of singapore’s urban landscape. they inhabit every construction site and tower above like monster machines at container terminals. for such heavy lifting activities, however, work safety is paramount. accidents which occur during lifting operations are primarily due to the operator’s error or the lack of adequate skills and experience. the ability to operate and perform a lifting operation correctly and adeptly requires a mastery of skills and training. new initiative to ensURe woRK saFety in cRane opeRations
With this overall objective of work safety for the crane industry in mind, the singapore cranes association (sca) has set up irecord, in partnership with kEYfields, in conjunction with the national Work safety and health campaign 2016,
the irecord is a national database to track the crane operators’ experience level and their safety track record, and is set up in collaboration with Work safety and health council, Ministry of Manpower and sPring singapore. Key oBJectives oF iRecoRd
• • •
Enhance the overall work safety performance of all crane operators improve the work of the crane industry and work towards operational productivity by encouraging crane operators to continually upgrade their skills gain strong support from relevant government agencies such as MoM and Wshc to make irecord a platform for operators’ licence renewal.
“THE IRECORD WILL REPRESENT THE FOUNDATION TO ESTABLISH INDUSTRY CREDENTIALS OF CRANE OPERATORS. THE INTEGRITY AND CREDIBILITY OF IRECORD DATA – WITH INPUTS FROM THE RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND SYSTEM SET UP BY KEYFIELDS, WILL ALLOW THE TEAM TO ACHIEVE AN IMPACT ON THE SAFETY OF THE CRANE INDUSTRY.” –SCA President Jimmy Chua
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商团特写
seRvinG as an indUstRy enaBleR
the irecord, accessible through the online platform, will serve as an enabler to: • Allow SCA’s stakeholders the ability to view the operators’ profile and identify eligible candidates; • Allow operators to review their own training history and upgrade their skills; • Enable employers to gain access to current and future employees’ training and assessment history with recognised accredited Training provider (aTp) to reduce risks of unnecessary worksite accidents which could lead to work stoppage and negatively impact productivity and profitability. With this database, employers would be able to select suitable candidates needed to operate the tonnage of crane based on the operators’ experience and training received. this registry will serve as a continual training programme
TRADE ASSOCIATION FEATURE
to ensure that crane operators are adequately trained and continue to maintain good safety records.
expensive and dangerous equipment which could cause dire accidents if not handled properly.
crane operators will also be able to tap on the irecord platform to showcase their work experience and relevant skills and safety records to potential employers. this would help to increase their employability over the long term.
the implementation of irecord is not from ground zero. it is part of kEYfields’ itMs resource Management module. irecord is only the beginning for the crane industry. We already have plans to automate the other aspects such as Job Management, fleet Management and other modules at a later phase.
estaBlishinG indUstRy cRedentials – the BiG pictURe
looking forward, the sca, with the strong support from relevant government agencies, aims to mould irecord into a platform for the operators’ licence renewal. Jimmy chua, sca’s chairman, said: “the irecord will represent the foundation to establish industry credentials of crane operators. the integrity and credibility of irecord data – with inputs from the respective government agencies and system set up by kEYfields, will allow the team to achieve an impact on the safety of the crane industry.” valentino Yap, Executive director of sca, commented: “looking at the big picture, the irecord is a critical tool and platform for the crane industry to support the construction sector in attaining a safer work environment, improving productivity by having better crane operators and enabling better overall business performance for all stakeholders.” kEYfields’ general Manager kenny tan also said: “We would like to thank sca for selecting kEYfields as part of the irecord team. this project is a milestone for the crane industry especially for the operators. the operators are handling
in future, there is a potential business model for irecord to serve the crane industry in other countries.” BeneFits FRom the ta hUB initiative
on top of irecord, sca is also looking forward to more industrial upgrading initiatives as it relocates to join trade association hub (ta hub) in 2017, together with some 15 other tas. this initiative, launched by sccci, will gather tas from different industries under one roof to promote industrial upgrading and crossindustry collaborations. this would help sca to scale up its capability from several aspects. a major benefit is that sca will be able to enjoy the benefits of a formal office space, such as being able to organise events and conduct training programmes for its members. should its members need assistance on administrative matters or registration of irecord database, having proper facilities would also help sca to play an effective role. on top of that, locating in the ta hub would help sca to build a better presence among crane operators, companies and relevant government agencies, and enhance its role as a conduit and facilitator between the industry and government agencies. this is to promote industrial safety and productivity, as well as to provide better support to the construction sector.
中小企业
FOCUS ON SMEs
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INNOVATE AND TRANSFORM TO STAY RELEVANT contributor
Liau eng soon director, industry development group (sME), agency for science, technology and research (a*star)
What solutions can help companies, including SMEs, automate, innovate and transform, and eventually achieve productivity improvement? A*STAR puts forward solutions and avenues that may help companies in this endeavour.
WinTer is coMing according to a statement released by Ministry of trade and industry on May 25, singapore is expected to see real gdP growth of between 1 per cent and 3 per cent in 2016. slow growth and uncertainties in the economic outlook require companies to innovate and transform themselves to stay competitive. in his budget speech earlier this year, Minister for finance heng swee keat said: “innovation is the engine of value creation and growth.” it is fundamentally about new ways of doing things and about adopting technology to meet various needs better. the government is committed to helping local companies, especially sMEs, automate, innovate, and transform. how can companies seize these opportunities? let me suggest a few paths. auToMaTion and roBoTics as companies find it increasingly difficult to hire workers for tedious and mundane jobs, one solution they will look to is automation and
robotics. using automated systems can reduce human errors in repetitive work such as counting. staff can then be re-deployed to other valueadded jobs. for example, a*star’s institute for infocomm research (i2r) developed a robot-assisted shelf reading system that moves by itself to scan rfid-tagged items and count them automatically. it can be used in warehouses or in retail shops for stocktaking and the information can be sent back to the office real-time. this system has been tested at the Pasir ris Public library with positive reviews from the public and library staff. the healthcare sector can also benefit from automation and robotics. a local company, getech automation, collaborated with a*star’s singapore institute of Manufacturing technology (siMtech) and singapore Polytechnic to co-develop a bottle dispensing system. this system is believed to be the world’s first to automatically load, pick, assemble, and label bottles and has been deployed in the kk Women’s and children’s hospital (kkh) since March 2015. Working alongside an existing conveyor system, it taps on
radio frequency identification (rfid) technology to provide an automated drug dispensing, tracking and delivery system. the system meets the high demands of kkh’s Emergency Pharmacy department. by cutting down on manual tasks, it has saved at least 8,760 man-hours per year for the hospital and enhanced patient safety as labelling and dispensing errors have been reduced significantly. if you are considering incorporating automation or robotics into your company’s operations, start by: -
auditing your manufacturing processes to identify mundane, repetitive or dangerous tasks that can be done better by robots/ machines;
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identifying areas where you can reduce waste, increase productivity and efficiency through use of automation; and
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assessing the return-oninvestment and time needed to recover costs, to decide if it makes financial sense to automate.
中小企业
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FOCUS ON SMEs
a repair process called the laser Metal deposition (lMd) which deposits fully dense metallic materials on highly complex surfaces, for repair of a large variety of high value components.
inTerneT oF Things (ioT) another technology trend that is disrupting industries is the internetof-things (iot). iot is a network of physical objects that are connected with one another through the internet, and respond to internal states or external conditions. With machines and devices talking to one another, many tasks can be automated. it also means there are huge amounts of data that can be collected and analysed. according to gartner, the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company, the iot sphere is growing at a breathtaking pace, from 6.8 billion objects in 2016 to a projected 20.8 billion by 2020. iot presents a world of opportunities to companies, both in enhancing their business operations, as well as in areas such as supply chain management, remote monitoring and maintenance, energy efficiency, business process automation, and health and wellness. one good example of the use of iot is in machine monitoring. in industries that deploy machines all over the country, routine checks are usually
carried out by skilled technicians or engineers who examine the machines on-site. for example, a company that leases vending machines would have to send technicians to make regular checks on how the machines are doing. With a*star siMtech’s iot-enabled system, the health of a machine can be monitored automatically and remotely. data such as acoustics, vibration, electrical discharge, temperature and pressure, is collected from machine by sensors, and sent wirelessly to a computer to give an indication of the machine’s health. this real-time monitoring and realtime feedback allows maintenance engineers to be immediately alerted when machine conditions degrade or if failure is impending. thus, preventive measures can be taken where possible. remote monitoring also means that precious time need not be lost on physical examinations of machines. a*star’s industry partners in the aerospace and equipment maintenance service space have incorporated this application into their production processes.
here are some questions to ask before adopting iot for your work processes: -
have you consulted key stakeholders and evaluated the value expected from using iot?
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What are the potential security threats, and how do you plan to overcome them?
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how would you manage data confidentiality, authentication and access control?
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do you have expertise to comply with regulations and legal issues related to iot?
preparing For The FuTure oF ManuFacTuring (FoM) Manufacturing is no longer just about making physical products. to help singapore keep pace with major developments in manufacturing, an a*star led future of Manufacturing initiative was launched last november with participation from companies, trade associations, and public sector agencies. one of the key thrusts is to establish public-private partnership platforms to catalyse the adoption
中小企业
FOCUS ON SMEs
and knowledge transfer of advanced manufacturing technologies to industry. the platforms are designed to address the different needs of multinational corporations (Mncs), large-local-enterprises (llEs), and small and medium-sized enterprises (sMEs). some of the platforms include facilities to test-bed advanced manufacturing technologies and bring together end-users, technology suppliers and technologies/capabilities from a*star’s research institutes. these platforms will equip our manufacturing companies with new capabilities so that they can stay relevant and create greater value. consider the following before you adopt advanced manufacturing technologies: -
cost-benefit analysis of adopting such technologies,
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skilled labour to utilise or operate these advanced technologies,
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impact of such technologies to your workforce, and
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any process, mindset or culture that needs to be changed.
WorKing TogeTher For TransForMaTion companies do not have to go through the process of innovation for transformation alone. there are various government schemes to assist with funding and other resources to help companies retool and revamp their operations. government agencies such as a*star can partner local companies to adopt technology and innovate for revenue growth, codevelop new product and services, and drive further growth and expansion.
A*STAR’S ASSISTANCE SCHEMES FOR LOCAL ENTERPRISES GET-UP SCHEMES • operation and technology roadmapping (otr): companies can work with consultants from a*star to develop a technology roadmap aligned to their business goals. •
technical advisor (ta) scheme: companies can appoint a*star’s scientists as technical advisors in their companies to facilitate research collaborations with a*star.
•
technology for Enterprise capability upgrading (t-up) scheme: second scientists/engineers from a*star to work in the company to jointly develop new products/processes, or set up in-house r&d departments.
READY-TO-GO (RTG) TECHNOLOGY PACKAGES • Pre-developed tools and process innovations for implementation, which can be customised for individual companies’ needs. HEADSTART • a scheme that allows qualifying local companies to enjoy royalty-free and exclusive use of a*star’s intellectual property (iP) from a*star for the first 18 months. COLLABORATION COMMERCE MARKETPLACE • this e-portal aims to connect local sMEs, Mncs, research institutes, and institutes of higher learning, to help bridge technology gaps.
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运筹帷幄
22
CORPORATE STRATEGIES
SLOW PAYMENTS BY LOCAL FIRMS ON THE RISE In view of deteriorating payment performance among local firms, Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau put forward three recommendations on how to improve SMEs’ cash flow.
Established in 2005, singapore commercial credit bureau (sccb) operates a database of local enterprises and their credit history to provide clients with the insight needed to build trust and improve the quality of business relationships with their customers, suppliers and business partners. using an online access bureau Platform, sccb caters to members’ seamless extractions of commercial credit reports and other bureau-related functions. sccb is positioned as an initiative to enhance greater business transparency and risk management, thus fostering stronger credit responsibility in singapore. sccb operates under d&b singapore.
Q1 payment performance weakened
a recent study of the singapore commercial credit bureau (sccb) on the payment trend of local companies revealed that payment performance of local firms has deteriorated considerably for the 1st quarter of 2016. More firms are facing cash flow woes as prompt payments accounted for less than 50 per cent of all payment transactions. slow payments have accounted for more than 40 per cent of all payment transactions. More worrying is the growing trend of firms resorting to partial deferment of payments as a means of circumventing cash flow issues. sccb’s findings revealed that partial payments have hit a 4-year peak in Q1 2016. manaGinG healthy cash Flows a healthy cash flow is the lifeblood of any business. Poor management of cash flow is often cited as a major reason for business failures, and not due to the common misconception of
Less than 50% of all payment transactions are prompt payments
lack of profitability. in an increasingly competitive and volatile business landscape, it has become imperative for firms of all sizes and industries to respond effectively to one of the greatest business dilemmas of managing healthy cash flows. Benefi ts of healthy cash fl ows healthy cash flow would enable your company to operate with the comfort and capabilities to handle the operating costs. this is especially true for startups and sMEs with great potential to expand, but due to their neglect on financials, are constantly tight on finance and have lower credit ratings. as a result, they are unable to acquire more funds from investors or banks. this causes companies to forego opportunities to grow and expand. however, if a company has healthy cash flows and is strict on its financials, this will likely lead to surplus of cash flows. With this excess cash flow, a company can function proactively by investing
More than 40% are slow payments for all payment transactions
Increasingly, firms are using partial deferment of payments to circumvent cash flow issues
运筹帷幄
Corporate Strategies
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Overall Payment Performance (Q1 2010 to Q1 2016) 70.00% 60.00% 50.00%
Overall Prompt Payment
40.00%
Overall Slow Payment
30.00%
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Q4-2012
Q3-2012
Q2-2012
Q1-2012
Q4-2011
Q3-2011
Q2-2011
Q1-2011
Q4-2010
Q3-2010
Q2-2010
Q1-2010
20.00%
Overall Partial Payment 16.00% 14.00% 12.00%
Overall Partial Payment
10.00% 8.00% 6.00%
in growth, enable a company to plan strategically and navigate its way out of any unforeseen eventualities to ensure business continuity. However, for businesses that experience a credit crunch, their first move would often be to introduce ways to increase revenue, cash liquidity and aggressively reduce costs (layoffs and retrenchment) as a turnaround strategy to improve cash flow. With the introduction of the new budget in 2016, companies that experience such a credit crunch would be offered some reliefs. In 2016, the introduction of the new budget focuses on three key strategic thrusts to address challenges in the economy: (1) Adopting an expansionary fiscal stance; (2) Industry Transformation Programme; and
(3) Supporting people through change. Some measures taken to address these three key strategic thrusts include increased corporate tax rebate, wage credit scheme and new SME loan scheme. These measures introduced will help SMEs and businesses decrease their operating costs and provide SMEs with more confidence to borrow and expand their businesses. Given the recent increasing trend of payment deferment by firms, these measures are indeed timely, helping to alleviate the burdens faced by SMEs. However, the underlying cash flow problem would remain if SMEs do not proactively manage their cash flow to ensure an excess of cash flow. Therefore, there is a need to introduce measures to ensure sustainable excess cash flow.
Q1-2016
Q4-2015
Q3-2015
Q2-2015
Q1-2015
Q4-2014
Q3-2014
Q2-2014
Q1-2014
Q4-2013
Q3-2013
Q2-2013
Q1-2013
Q4-2012
Q3-2012
Q2-2012
Q1-2012
Q4-2011
Q3-2011
Q2-2011
Q1-2011
Q4-2010
Q3-2010
Q2-2010
Q1-2010
4.00%
Recommendations to Improve Cash Flow: A 360 Approach RECOMMENDATION #1 IMPROVE RECEIVABLES Evaluate payment terms Ensure a better balance between your suppliers’ versus your clients’ terms. For instance, if your payable is 30 days and your average receivable is 50 days, this would mean 20 days of floating capital. If your customers do not pay promptly, the number of floating capital days increases, which in turn leads to bad debt and financial stress. Therefore, it is prudent for you to reevaluate payment terms to explore the possibility of decreasing payable and receivable days.
运筹帷幄
24
enforce payment Enforcing strict payment terms and credit policies helps improve receivables and deter high-risk clients from defaulting on payments.
for instance, if you are currently managing a company that relies heavily on cash flow such as a construction company, bad debt is often a big issue. therefore, it is important to enforce strict payment terms for clients to adhere to. the key is in setting the tone right. if the client’s payment was overdue for more than a certain number of days, serious consideration should be given to cease the work until the outstanding payables are settled. for instance, work should be ceased completely if the payment is overdue by 20 days. notices informing clients of a possible discontinuation of work can be issued gradually in the event of non-payment after 5 and 10 days when payment is due. if this proves to be ineffective, consider ceasing partial work for the client 15 days after payment is due and put it to a complete halt after 20 days of overdue payment, to be resumed only after payment is made. this will usually decrease the bulk of bad debts. Re-evaluate your clients if your biggest client goes unexpectedly bankrupt, chances are your business will run into financial trouble. bankruptcy and slow payments can be predicted ahead of time using predictive scoring. based upon a pre-determined set of data points, businesses and credit professionals can predict both the potential for financial stress and severe payment delinquency. this risk management technique can help identify higher risk accounts in your portfolio and help rank customers with a credit score. While most business owners think that only new customers may be contributing to bad debt, according to a recent study by dun & bradstreet, 80 per cent of bad debt is day 0 Invoice sent
day 50 work stops completely
day 30 Payment Deadline
day 45 Partial work ceased
CORPORATE STRATEGIES
generated from accounts where you have had a business relationship for longer than 12 months. it is important to regularly monitor your existing customers’ financials given that the business landscape is ever-changing at a rapid rate. in other words, your initial credit evaluation cannot be expected to predict possible defaults down the road. once you familiarise yourself with these common pitfalls and adopt a comprehensive risk management strategy, your cash flows will improve significantly. Recommendation #2 incRease access to capital improve credit rating a good credit rating can be a strong determinant to obtaining better access to financial funding. it reflects the financial health and creditworthiness of companies. before extending any financial support, it is important to use these as key measurements for the potential risks which will be taken. it impacts your company’s ability to obtain access to funding, as well as obtain favourable interest rates. Most large corporations and government bodies have minimum business credit score requirements a company must meet before any contract can be awarded. in a sense, credit rating serves as a tool which provides a quick assessment of a company’s creditworthiness based on its overall fiscal balance sheet and trading risks.
there are two components to credit rating: 1)
financial strength: indication of tangible net worth (i.e. shareholder’s funds less any intangible assets)
2)
risk indicator: indication of the level of risk and is an overall evaluation of a firm’s creditworthiness. it takes
day 35 1st warning sent
day 40 2nd warning sent
into account financial conditions and several factors such as trade reference history, litigation records, management experience and any adverse listings. through the evaluation of both financial strength and risk indicators, credit ratings allow sMEs to minimise risks and maximise revenue, and evaluate a prospect’s current business and financial standing. therefore, to increase access to capital, sMEs should develop conclusive, fact-based strategies that will help themselves gain a competitive edge and transform themselves into nimble, customerfocused, more profitable businesses. this increases the financial strength of the firm and lowers the risk indicator as a sound business plan is an indicator of sustainable revenue, ensuring that the firm is able to pay back on loans. as a result, credit rating for the firm improves, therefore increasing access to capital. Recommendation #3 diveRsiFy FUndinG SMEs could consider diversifying their credit risk portfolio and obtain favourable interest rates.
besides approaching traditional financial institutions such as banks for funds, many P2P lending and crowdfunding platforms have surfaced in recent years (e.g. fundingsocieties, capitalMatch and fundedhere) to help companies raise funding if the company is looking for funds to diversify their businesses. Moreover, to encourage local sMEs to internationalise, the singapore government has supported more firms in their internationalisation efforts through various grants and assistance schemes such as the global company Partnership and Market readiness assistance programmes and has extended the double tax deduction for internationalisation scheme, till March 31 2020. this covers qualifying expenses incurred for activities such as participation in overseas business development and investment study trips. With such platforms and help available, sMEs will be able to lower their borrowing costs, thereby improving their cash flow.
狮城经贸
ECONOMIC REVIEW
25
RETAILERS RE-STRATEGISING
TO COUNTER CURRENT CHALLENGES by: fiona hu
Recent departures of once vibrant home-grown retail brands coupled with the continued weakness in the economy have caused Singapore’s retail industry to lose its sparkle. This article looks at some of the trends, facts and figures behind the phenomenon.
as the last quarter of the year approaches, i am always agog with anticipation. time to start wandering the shops and streets again – not in pursuit of a good bargain, but to arm myself with trusty cameras to take photographs of the christmas decorations that have made singapore a veritable winter wonderland of the tropics. having done this with great enthusiasm for four consecutive years, i could not help noticing a palpable difference last christmas. While there was obviously a concerted attempt to deck the halls and malls for the festivities, the efforts seem to have turned somewhat lacklustre. the decorations had been scaled down in some places, and were certainly not as elaborate. to my disappointment, in
other areas they were even practically non-existent. having said that, orchard road is still a great street; kudos go to the orchard road business association for its best dressed building contest every year to evaluate the buildings’ daytime and night-time decoration effects, plus a host of other activities. vanishinG cds
With the exception of the gss (every singaporean’s acronym for the great singapore sale held in mid-year), the festive season should in fact hold the greatest lure for shoppers from singapore and abroad. the reality is not as rosy. 2015 started to see the fraying of rough edges in the retail
scene. one casualty is the music retail industry, no longer a viable option with the ease of streaming through spotify. downloading of any kind of music through multiple platforms including the smart phone has become a way of life, and completely edged out physical stores selling cds. hence september 2015 saw the exit of hMv’s last outlet at Marina square. that cd shop, which once had six outlets, also called it a day at great World city earlier this year, leaving one remaining store at the shoppes of Marina bay sands. declining sales and rising rentals combine with disruptive trends to spell an unceremonious end to this part of the retail industry.
狮城经贸
26
ECONOMIC REVIEW
taobao.com has found a very loyal following even among singaporeans and especially from those in the younger generation who are even more privy to the draws of social media and making online purchases.
siGns oF the times
statistics tell yet another story. the last five years saw investors pouring s$10 billion into retail development here, banking on the continued robustness of the domestic economy, sustained consumer demand and influx of tourists from mainland china, southeast asia and india. alas, it was not to be. singapore tourism board’s figures on tourist receipts in 2015 came in at s$21.8 billion, this being a 7.6 per cent year-onyear decline. Mainland china tourists, affected by an economic slowdown and the crackdown on corruption, are no longer coming here in droves to sweep up the luxury brands with wads of hard cash. there is also an over-supply of retail space with vacancy rates rising from 5 per cent to 7 per cent in the past five years. regionally, cities like bangkok or Jakarta, and even closer home in Malaysia, have also upped the ante on their retail offerings, adding 20-25 per cent to the retail space within these five years. Many retail developments there also provide an attractive tenant mix. in singapore, more than 2 million sq ft of new retail space will be ready for occupation by end 2017. but the problem of finding tenants would loom large.
“May the force be with you” – this popular quote attributed to star Wars can be applied to alibaba’s formidable e-commerce presence as well. for china’s “singles day” promotion, held on november 11 annually, alibaba chalked up sales of us$14.3 billion, 54 per cent higher than in 2014. back in 2013, alibaba recorded sales of us$5.6 billion on that single day. compare this to the online sales of us$1.7 million in the united states on cyber Monday in 2013.
stunned to see a huge sign with closing down sale glaring at me from the window display of a favourite lifestyle store, iwannagohome! Everything must go, said the ominous sign. Much to my chagrin, this big lifestyle store was moving out from both great World city and tanglin Mall. around the same period, news broke on promising home-grown brand raoul, which also could not sustain the hefty rentals amidst the harsh retail climate. its last store in Paragon was shut in singapore, and raoul has switched focus to its wholesale business in the united states and Europe. retail-wise, it only retains a concession space in robinsons, carrying only women’s clothing, and is available online too.
oUt oF siGht and mind
in november last year, the bleak retail industry was dogged by sobering news. home-grown fashion labels had hit a very rough patch. M)phosis, which was one of the more successful local labels, has shut every single store in singapore. at its peak, M)phosis had more than 30 outlets with stores in dubai, Japan, thailand, vietnam, australia, hong kong and the Philippines. on one of my frequent visits to great World city earlier this year, i was
maRchinG online
the other trend that cannot be ignored is the availability of almost anything in online stores, especially with china’s amazing taobao.com topping the charts in online sales. founded by the alibaba group in 2003, china’s largest e-commerce marketplace has really gone places. in august 2014, taobao. com had 500 million registered users and more than 60 million daily visitor sessions. besides being china’s most dominant e-commerce presence,
With more consumers preferring to make their purchases online and through the ease of their smart phones, and more online stores popping up to seize the day, the physical retail shops are taking a beating. less footfall, more closures and empty units in shopping centres and malls, are all flagging signs of the current retail climate. the pop-Up concept
With the relatively higher vacancies and the highly competitive retail scenario, pop-up stores have been springing up in malls in an effort to revitalise the shopfloor. these help to take up the slack of unused space in malls and shopping centres, and have been popular with online retailers too. Megafish has a number of pop-up stores, including at 100 aM in tanjong Pagar, and at centrepoint. these popups have short-term leases which work well for retailers, preferring not to lock in to a long-term lease. increasingly, pop-ups are making their presence felt, offering anything from fashion items to novelties and lifestyle products. seasonal Revival?
less than six months before singapore starts dressing up for christmas 2016 and i start to pound the shops for the annual photography exercise. this year, my early christmas wish is for good cheer all round, and to see some positive turnaround for the local retail industry.
华商精神
CHINESE entrepreneurIAL SPIRIT
27
Remembering Teo Tong Wah By: Fiona Hu
The first in a series which remembers Chamber personalities who have contributed indelibly to the capability and achievements of the Chamber, and demonstrated the resilience of the Chinese entrepreneurial spirit, in their own remarkable ways.
Mr Teo (Second from right) in an exchange with Mr Lee Hsien Loong in 2001, who was then Minister for Prime Minister’s Office, at SCCCI’s 51st council’s installation ceremony.
Teo Tong Wah was one of the stalwarts of the SCCCI I remember well. Many mourned his untimely passing on April 6 2007, when he lost his battle to cancer at the age of 62. Mr Teo was a person who was completely committed to his work at the Chamber, despite being preoccupied with his own business in the property field. He turned up at the Chamber many times a week, not merely to attend meetings but to see to every small detail of the work, whether it be in the renovation project for the Chamber, reviewing tenders, or looking through calculations to ensure their accuracy in order to safeguard the Chamber’s interests. Throughout it all, he went about his work quietly and unassumingly, and never clamoured for the limelight. During his years of service at the Chamber, Mr Teo was instrumental in helping the Chamber to complete several meaningful and influential projects. These included: the
establishment of a professional and effective Secretariat for the Chamber, the redevelopment of Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall into a historical monument and national education centre; and the development of the Samsung Hub office building in the financial district. All of these projects had tremendously enhanced the capability and achievements of the Chamber. Every one of us who has had the privilege to work with Mr Teo would unanimously agree that he was totally selfless and driven. Highly intelligent and resourceful, he was a wizard with figures. He was also razor-sharp and had a great eye for detail. Above all, he was always firm but fair and demonstrated great integrity. Speaking to Tan Chee Peng, who worked directly under Mr Teo in the property area, he was quick to describe Mr Teo as being totally responsible as a boss and whose “actions spoke louder than words”. “I really learnt a lot from Mr Teo. He was very dedicated
to the Chamber’s work although he had his own company to run, and he would come down once in every 2-3 days to scrutinise every detail of the renovation works.” He added: “I really respect Mr Teo. He had a very sharp mind and always knew how to ask the right questions. He taught me how to analyse figures and make the right calculations for tax payments and other matters. Often, he would even come down on Saturday afternoons to hold meetings with me.” Such was his dedication. Former Secretary-General Lim Sah Soon also spoke of Mr Teo with the greatest respect. “He was sharp, thorough and far-sighted as a mastermind behind several SCCCI projects such as the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall and Samsung Hub. He gave me the trust and confidence in the execution and accomplishment of several challenging tasks and projects at SCCCI. He was indeed a good and trusted helping hand to then President Kwek Leng Joo. He is exemplary as a selfless and dedicated leader who made a great difference to SCCCI.” His passing, nine years ago, was a tremendous loss to all who knew him, worked with him, and learnt from his counsel.
SMART SMEs:
INNOVATE. COLLABORATE. ACCELERATE. renowned military strategist sun tzu once said, “if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” the ancient saying could not be more relevant today as we are striving to stay ahead of the game in an ever-changing business environment. contemporary enterprises now need to identify not only external challenges but also their specialties and weaknesses, so as to embark on meaningful innovations of technology, mindset and culture to maintain competitiveness, and also to identify and collaborate with complementary counterparts for optimisation of resources to achieve win-win situations. themed “smart sMEs: innovate. collaborate. accelerate”, the 18th annual sME conference, 19th infocomm commerce conference and sME Expo 2016 are all designed to help sMEs better innovate and collaborate. More than 60 distinguished speakers will be present to conduct 28 tracks in the conference, covering numerous topics including sMEs innovation and internationalisation, regional trends, government-enterprise collaboration, family business succession, social media, financial technology and disruptive technology, amongst others. the conference will also see its first innovation inoculation tour to several research institutes through which participants can learn first-hand innovative technologies adopted across different sectors. gain invaluable insights at this event which will happen on august 17-19 2016 at the suntec convention centre, Exhibition halls 404-406. register today for your complimentary pass: www.sccci.org.sg/smeicc
How SMEs in Singapore can be future-ready as they undergo enterprise transformation through technology, innovation and international expansion? Hear the insights of DPM Tharman and some leaders from local traditional industries in their dialogue session. How do the next generation family business successors uphold the business legacy when they take over? How do they innovate the business to grow it and make it relevant in their time? What are some of the traditions that they retain from one generation to another?
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam Deputy Prime Minister & Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies
Mr Mervyn Pun CEO, Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd
The survival of business is constantly threatened in this age of digital disruption, as new technologies alter the way businesses operate. To risk losing market share or being obsolete, SMEs need to keep a vigilant eye on disruptive technologies, and be agile to incorporate them into business operations. Mr Anthony Tan Founder and CEO, Grab
智慧型中小企业： 在大规模和不可预测的全 球性浪潮冲击下，中小企业 对前景颇感忧虑。企业应如何 克服日益剧增的挑战，以及在未 来经济浪潮中谋求发展及抓住新 机遇？中小企业领导需具备哪些技 能与思维，才可立于不败之地？ 王海波先生
价值创新. 协作共赢. 增速升级.
北京网库互通信息技术有限公司 董事长
在数字化和互联 网驱动的新经济环 境下，新一轮科技变革 蓄势待发，企业需要站在 全新的起点通过科技创新、 管理创新及思维创新促进创新 增值，以取得持续发展。但企业究 竟应该如何进行创新，又应如何善 用大数据、网络通讯技术与群 众智慧加强运营效率？ 翟本乔博士 台湾和沛科技股份有限公司 总经理
在企业的转型过程中， 创新的精神、正确价值 观、坚定的信念都是不 可或缺的要素。研讨会 上，主讲嘉宾将与业者 们分享重塑业务格局 和带动行业发展应有 的魄力与心智，以求突 破传统桎梏，释放企业 的无限潜力。 郑振良先生 Royal T Group Pte Ltd执行董事
知名的战略思想家孙武曾 说： “知己知彼，百战不殆。”在 这瞬息万变的商业环境中，这句 话的意义尤为昭著。今日的企业 既须对外在的重重挑战了若指 掌，也须具备自知之明，洞悉自 身特有的优势与不足，如此才可 以对内展开具有意义的技术、思 维与文化创新，维持自身的高度 竞争力，同时寻找能力可以互补 的伙伴，进行资源的优化整合, 共创双赢。 因此，今年的第十八届中 小型企业大会、第十九届资信商 业大会、中小企业博览会2016 即以“智慧型中小企业：价值创 新·协作共赢·增速升级”为主 题，以推动企业创新及协作为宗 旨，邀请了逾60名重量级讲者开 办28场座谈会，覆盖的课题包括 中小企业创新与国际化、区域局 势、政企合作、家族企业传承、 社交媒体、金融科技、颠覆性科 技等，更将首次举办实地考察活 动，让参与者亲身了解创新技术 在不同领域里的应用模式。