Currently reading: Dynamic Governance

Written December 6, 2008 in Personal

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The current book I am reading is “Dynamic Governance: Embedding Cultures, Changes and Capabilities in Singapore” by Neo Boon Siong and Geraldine Chen.

In global academics, the study of government often revolves around the policies and the effects of such policies on the general populace. This book provides a brilliant insight to the impressive operations of the Singapore Civil Service (SCS) and how it defies all odds to be admired as one of the best institutions in the world.

One might say this is another effort by the government to boost its own standing, but reading of this booking shows the impressive analysis of the authors, who are by no means civil service officers. Both authors are well regarded academics in Singapore and they provide an interesting analysis to the operations of the SCS. Included in this book are excerpts from senior administrative officers as well as opinions from various Cabinet ministers, providing an all rounded insight of how the civil service operates and makes decisions.

The most interesting sections to me were the list of cases analysed, some of these include: the benchmarking of public sector salaries, CPF, education, public housing and scenario planning. Often Singaporeans critique government policies without understanding the important rationale behind such decisions. The careful analysis of Neo and Chen have attempted to clarify many burning issues of Singaporeans.

This is one book worth reading. If anyone’s interested, it can be found under the Singapore section with call number 351.5957 in the libraries.

Tags: Academics, Administrative Officers, Benchmarking, Cabinet Ministers, Careful Analysis, education, Geraldine Chen, Government Policies, Neo Boon Siong, Public Housing, Public Sector Salaries, Rationale, Scenario Planning, Singapore Civil Service, Singapore Section, Worth Reading