Business values, management and conflict handling: issues in contemporary Singapore

This article reports the results of work being undertaken in Singapore withsome 300 managers and future managers in the public and private sector. Aswell as conflict handling the research has investigated the concepts of power,needs, assertiveness, personal and leadership styles and influencing styles inorder to paint a picture of the Singaporean manager of the future in the contextof a society at the crossroads of development from an industrial to post-industrial one.
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Business values, management and conflict handling: issues in contemporary SingaporeJournal ofManagement Business values, managementDevelopment14,4 and conflict handling: issues in contemporary Singapore56 Stephen McKenna and Julia Richardson Stansfield School of Business, Singapore Introduction This article reports the results of work being undertaken in Singapore with some 300 managers and future managers in the public and private sector. As well as conflict handling the research has investigated the concepts of power, needs, assertiveness, personal and leadership styles and influencing styles in order to paint a picture of the Singaporean manager of the future in the context of a society at the crossroads of development from an industrial to post- industrial one. Singaporean society and economy The picture of Singapore often seen by the outside world is of a structured and well-ordered society, theoretically and politically democratic and economically extremely successful, with anticipated economic growth in 1994 of 6 to 8 per cent. In many respects, however, Singapore is a society of considerable contradiction. A recent book highlights these contradictions in persuasive detail[1]. Regardless of the political context of Dr Chee’s book a crucial theme within it is the need for Singapore to develop socially in order to maintain its important position economically in Asia-Pacific. As well as this need to become a more sophisticated and cultured society, there is the need to develop the psyche of the individuals who comprise it. For example, Chee points to the need for “contentious debate” rather than “forced consensus”. He argues that in Singapore contention is frowned on and cites politics where, he argues, debate is absent as the government seeks to maintain control over the country, as it has done since independence. Singaporeans have been, and to some extent still are, dependent on the State for their basic safety and social needs. The government has committed itself to providing housing to all Singaporeans. The Central Provident Fund (CPF) provides some security for all of the population, while the government is extremely visible in the community and “matchmaking” couples of equivalent educational and social standing through the Social Development Unit (SDU) which can best be described as a government matchmaking body for graduates.Journal of Management In order to maximize the effect of this service there is also the SocialDevelopment, Vol. 14 No. 4, 1995,pp. 56-70. © MCB University Press, Development Section (SDS) which supplies the same service for non-0262-1711 graduates[2]. Despite this seemingly universal assistance, to a larger extent,higher level needs (self-esteem, actualization) are ignored. There is a Business values,materialistic ambiance about Singapore which is simultaneously promoted yet managementheld in disdain by the government, and reflects deeper uncertainty about the and conflictclash of traditional and modern values. It would be wrong, however, to believe that, while in the opinion of somedebate is societally restricted, individuals within Singaporean society feel thatsuch consensus is positive. Furthermore, they may have different inclinations 57towards conflict or contentious situations. In other words, the approach towardshandling conflict in the organizational world will reflect the individuals andpower structures within organizations as well as the societal context in whicht ...