Research & Publications

Publications

In Time for the Future: Singapore’s Heads of Civil Service on Change, Complexity and Networked Government
Published by Civil Service College, Singapore
ISBN 978-981-08-4464-6 | Publication date: November 2009 | S$15 (before GST)

Contact cscollege_cgl@cscollege.gov.sg if you wish to purchase a copy

This collection of speeches provides a glimpse into how two Heads of Civil Service of Singapore have communicated their ideas on change, complexity and networked government to their colleagues in the Singapore public sector and beyond, over the last decade. In Time for the Future also reflects how Singapore’s ideas on public sector reform have evolved over time: from an emphasis on pursuing efficiency gains and process improvements, to a focus on operating government in a more integrated, synergistic manner, to more recent ideas on developing strong anticipatory capabilities in the public sector.

View the table of contents and the Introduction

World Cities: Achieving Liveability and Vibrancy
Published by World Scientific
ISBN 978-981-4280-71-6 | Publication date: August 2009 | S$42 (before GST)

Order your copy at http://www.worldscibooks.com/socialsci/7398.html

Jointly commissioned by the Civil Service College and the Institute of Policy Studies, this book on world cities focuses on the major challenges that these cities face in key areas such as governance, environmental and ecological sustainability, social inclusiveness, infrastructural development and financial solvency. Based on case studies from cities in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific, the book throws new light on themes ranging from urban planning to behavioural economics, while the discussion as a whole is framed by the basic premises of good governance and sustainability. These essays by top academics and scholars, professionals, practitioners and policymakers — such as Sir Peter Hall, Professor Vuchan R. Vuchic, Liu Thai-Ker and Anne Scheinberg — from different parts of the world collectively present their beliefs and best practices on how to strike the balance between growth and sustainability, while seeking a betterment of the quality of life for the people who live in these cities. Edited by Ooi Giok Ling and Belinda Yuen, World Cities is an invaluable resource for researchers, city planning professionals and related practitioners, as well as policymakers in environment, urban development and urban planning economics.

Forthcoming Publications

Proceedings of the Symposium on Rethinking Poverty and Social Mobility
Following the Symposium organised by the Civil Service College in collaboration with the Economic and Social Research Network, CGL will be publishing the Proceedings on "Rethinking Poverty and Social Mobility". It will feature presentations of the plenary speakers — Professor Sheldon H. Danziger, Professor Emeritus Robert Haveman, Professor Lee Hye Kyung and Professor Cheng Li-Chen — as well as summaries of the workshops. The Proceedings will be available in the first quarter of 2010.

Policy Innovations Book
This work-in-progress book project began in April 2006, and is an effort to capture Singapore's policy and developmental experience, as told by policy practitioners. The authors of the chapters are drawn from across the Singapore Public Service, and the chief editor of the book is Mr Ravi Menon, Fellow at the Centre for Governance and Leadership and 2nd Permanent Secretary (Trade and Industry). This book seeks to fill a gap in the literature on Singapore's developmental experience — telling the internal story of balancing trade-offs, constant adaptation, and pragmatic innovation.

As part of the writing process, the authors met with thought leaders, opinion makers and experts in respective fields to seek feedback for their working drafts. The broad themes featured in the book include "The Basics: Sovereignty, Security, Stability", "Getting the Macroeconomic Fundamentals Right", "Expanding Economic Opportunity", "Optimising Resources, Building Infrastructure", and "Strengthening the Social Compact".