Comments on: What’s Lacking in Singapore? http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/ An online community engineer coping with the social media explosion Thu, 04 Dec 2008 06:11:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: Singapore Entrepreneurs » What is lacking in Singapore? Let’s start from student enterprise first http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-135 Singapore Entrepreneurs » What is lacking in Singapore? Let’s start from student enterprise first Thu, 18 May 2006 16:17:38 +0000 http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-135 [...] Reading Bjorn’s short entry on “What is lacking in Singapore”, a few thoughts came to mine. On some level, I have answered some of the questions through my earlier article “Finding the Golden Path: Can Singapore be a Silicon Valley?. A revised version of this article will be published in a technology innovation magazine. [...] […] Reading Bjorn’s short entry on “What is lacking in Singapore”, a few thoughts came to mine. On some level, I have answered some of the questions through my earlier article “Finding the Golden Path: Can Singapore be a Silicon Valley?. A revised version of this article will be published in a technology innovation magazine. […]

]]> By: bjornlee http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-134 bjornlee Sun, 30 Apr 2006 20:32:00 +0000 http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-134 Here's a would-be trackback that somehow didn't happen on the Wordpress platform: <a href="http://www.sgentrepreneurs.com/2006/04/what-is-lacking-in-singapore-lets.html" rel="nofollow">SG Entrepreneurs: What is Lacking in Singapore? Lets start from student enterprise first</a> Here’s a would-be trackback that somehow didn’t happen on the Wordpress platform:
SG Entrepreneurs: What is Lacking in Singapore? Lets start from student enterprise first

]]> By: Fergus Macdonald http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-133 Fergus Macdonald Sun, 30 Apr 2006 02:25:20 +0000 http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-133 Err...actually i haven't read Think and Grow Rich either, because i'm not that bothered about getting rich - bit it is widely regarded as one of the key books to read. He was appointed by Andrew Carnegie (multi millionaire) to study the 500 of richest men in the world, and analyse what key characteristics they had which made them rich! <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_and_Grow_Rich" rel="nofollow">(not sure if html works in comments)</a> In reply to Suhao - my initial thought is, why does it matter if the Singaporean government doesn't tolerate failures. Will they put you in jail if your product doesn't sell? Sure, they may not help in ways that other governments do - but a true entrepreneur just keeps trying. He's the guy standing on the street handing out flyers for his shop - not the boss sitting in the back with his feet up. Err…actually i haven't read Think and Grow Rich either, because i'm not that bothered about getting rich - bit it is widely regarded as one of the key books to read. He was appointed by Andrew Carnegie (multi millionaire) to study the 500 of richest men in the world, and analyse what key characteristics they had which made them rich!

(not sure if html works in comments)

In reply to Suhao - my initial thought is, why does it matter if the Singaporean government doesn't tolerate failures. Will they put you in jail if your product doesn't sell? Sure, they may not help in ways that other governments do - but a true entrepreneur just keeps trying. He's the guy standing on the street handing out flyers for his shop - not the boss sitting in the back with his feet up.

]]> By: bjornlee http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-132 bjornlee Sun, 30 Apr 2006 00:56:53 +0000 http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-132 Fergus, I haven't, but sicne you recommended it, i will be sure to go check it out. =) You should read Good to Great by Jim Collins too if you haven't, best business book i have read thus far and a must-read in Silicon Valley among other books Fergus, I haven’t, but sicne you recommended it, i will be sure to go check it out. =) You should read Good to Great by Jim Collins too if you haven’t, best business book i have read thus far and a must-read in Silicon Valley among other books

]]> By: Fergus Macdonald http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-131 Fergus Macdonald Sat, 29 Apr 2006 17:18:21 +0000 http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-131 Interesting points. I've noticed as well a slight aim to please lecturers and professors - not a desire to express ones thoughts or ideas. However, i still think that one of the main things that Singaporeans miss is initiative. They may have fantastic ideas, lots of support, enough capital and the know-how...but they simply don't do. If you look at any major entrepreneur or inventor - one of the key characteristics that differentiates them is their ability to try, try and try again. Edison tried thousands of materials before he found one that worked in a light bulb, Richard Branson lost loads of money and had many failed businesses before Virgin Records. I think that some Singaporeans can be too scared of failure to have the initiative to try. BTW have you read - 'Think and Grow Rich' by Napoleon Hill? Maybe a stupid question, but if you haven't you definately should. Interesting points. I’ve noticed as well a slight aim to please lecturers and professors - not a desire to express ones thoughts or ideas. However, i still think that one of the main things that Singaporeans miss is initiative. They may have fantastic ideas, lots of support, enough capital and the know-how…but they simply don’t do.

If you look at any major entrepreneur or inventor - one of the key characteristics that differentiates them is their ability to try, try and try again. Edison tried thousands of materials before he found one that worked in a light bulb, Richard Branson lost loads of money and had many failed businesses before Virgin Records. I think that some Singaporeans can be too scared of failure to have the initiative to try.

BTW have you read - ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill? Maybe a stupid question, but if you haven’t you definately should.

]]> By: suhao http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-130 suhao Sat, 29 Apr 2006 16:19:35 +0000 http://www.bjornlee.com/2006/04/29/whats-lacking-in-singapore/#comment-130 Talked to two exchange students today and they both commented that there is lack of creativity in the NUS classroom. Students responded in a way that tried to "please" their tutors/lectures, in other words, they do not really discuss the issues but only answer in such a way that they think their professors prefer. But what is good about Singapore is that it is very efficient compared to many first-world countries. Talked to two exchange students today and they both commented that there is lack of creativity in the NUS classroom. Students responded in a way that tried to “please” their tutors/lectures, in other words, they do not really discuss the issues but only answer in such a way that they think their professors prefer. But what is good about Singapore is that it is very efficient compared to many first-world countries.

]]>