New business and economic models in the connected digital economy

This paper discusses business models as a systemic phenomenon as opposed to traditional reductionistic approaches of business disciplines. It presents the ways connectivity change economic models due to the availability of consumption data as an economic resource, markets forming at consumption spaces, and how industries could disrupt one another when connected through consumption technologies. The paper further suggests that the challenges posed by connectivity results in the redrawing of traditional firm and market boundaries. It proposes for more research into modularity, transaction costs, the future role of the firm, and the necessary transformation of businesses to stay agile in a connected digital economy

Homo Datumicus : correcting the market for identity data

Effective digital identity systems offer great economic and civic potential. However, unlocking this potential requires dealing with social, behavioural, and structural challenges to efficient market formation. We propose that a marketplace for identity data can be more efficiently formed with an infrastructure that provides a more adequate representation of individuals online. This paper therefore introduces the ontological concept of Homo Datumicus: individuals as data subjects transformed by HAT Microservers, with the axiomatic computational capabilities to transact with their own data at scale. Adoption of this paradigm would lower the social risks of identity orientation, enable privacy preserving transactions by default and mitigate the risks of power imbalances in digital identity systems and markets

Servitization and operations management : a service-dominant logic approach

Managing organisational performance in sectors such as equipment provision has become increasingly complex as competition has heightened and firms have felt pressure to add value through the provision of services (Baines et al, 2007; Howard and Caldwell, 2011; Neely et al., 2011). This provision is commonly referred to as the servitization of manufacturing (Vandermerwe & Rada, 1988). By extending the traditional offering of equipment to include service activities however, underlying operational delivery systems and processes have become more complex to manage and co-ordinate. No longer are firms simply making and shipping products; they are now engaged in a more complex world of design and delivery (Neely et al., 2011). This study aims to explore servitization from a value perspective through the lens of Service-Dominant (S-D) logic, and to propose its implications for operations management

The Role of Families in Shaping Youth Social Participation: Evidence from Singapore

Youth participation in social groups is important in developing skills and experience for successful transition to adulthood. What kinds of families do youth who are active in social groups and who take on leadership positions come from? Using data from the National Youth Survey 2005, this research studies the social participation of Singaporean youth aged 15 -18. Through probit regression analysis, it examines how youth participation in Singapore is associated with two types of family characteristics. First, it examines the role of maternal education. As a proxy for social class, maternal education represents the roles of cultural capital formation and concerted involvement by middle class parents. Second, it studies the role of family challenge and support. Maternal education is found to predict both high participation and leadership. While additional family challenge induces greater participation, family support increases participation only when the level of support is high.youth participation; family challenge; family support; social class

Intergenerational Earnings Mobility in Singapore and the United States

This study compared intergenerational earnings mobility in Singapore and the United States by replicating the limitations in the Singapore National Youth Survey on the U.S. Panel Study of Income Dynamics. The mean estimated earnings elasticities are almost identical: 0.26 in Singapore and 0.27 in the United States. Transformed to 0.45 and 0.47 respectively to reflect permanent status, mobility in the two countries is moderately low compared internationally. The finding of similar mobility is not surprising given that the economic realities, welfare systems, education regimes, and labor structures in the two countries are similar. Policy makers face the daunting challenge of overcoming immobility and inequality while maintaining global competitiveness.Intergenerational earnings mobility; Singapore; United States

Service transformation and the new landscape of performance-based contracting: an executive briefing

Executive briefin

Service innovation and the role of science, technology, engineering and mathematics: ten challenges for industry, academia and government

"White paper, Centre for Service Research

The emergence of relationship-based retailing – a perspective from the fashion sector

Challenging the sceptical view that consumers would not buy apparel and accessories without feeling the fabric and testing for size and look, online fashion sales is growing fast. Yet, the myriad of recent business model developments in the sector depicts a disorderly environment lacking frameworks and typologies to facilitate understanding and explain different business propositions. In this paper, we report the preliminary findings of a work-in-progress study being developed in the fashion retail sector. Initial analysis showed a regular presence of relationship-based functionalities in current business models emerged in the electronic fashion retailing context. It is also possible to notice a widespread adoption of relationship-based functionalities across different business models in the sector. The models are presented under a conceptual framework developed to support and facilitate understanding of the core functionalities they implement. Furthermore, the study also identified click-and-mortar initiatives where fashion retailers integrate online relationship-based functionalities into their conventional brick-and-mortar operations. An interesting aspect observed in the study is the augmented scope of the relationships that fashion retailers are now able to explore. This is mainly due to the positioning of customers’ social networks into the retailers’ reach by the customers themselves, who now have easy access to their social contacts from the online, and sometimes in-store, environments they are interacting with

Social welfare in Singapore: rediscovering poverty, reshaping policy

10.1080/02185385.2012.759319Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development23135-4