Public Administration and Policy (Sep 2018)
Why Singapore works: five secrets of Singapore’s success
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain why Singapore is a success story today despite the fact that its prospects for survival were dim when it became independent in August 1965. Design/methodology/approach – This paper describes the changes in Singapore’s policy context from 1959 to 2016, analyses the five factors responsible for its success and concludes with advice for policy makers interested in implementing Singapore-style reforms to solve similar problems in their countries. Findings – Singapore’s success can be attributed to these five factors: the pragmatic leadership of the late Lee Kuan Yew and his successors; an effective public bureaucracy; effective control of corruption; reliance on the “best and brightest” citizens through investment in education and competitive compensation; and learning from other countries. Originality/value – This paper will be useful to those scholars and policy makers interested in learning from Singapore’s success in solving its problems.
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