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A military presence in enterprise development
Should former military leaders head Singapore's enterprise development?
By Kelvin Teo ⋅ April 11, 2009
SINGAPORE - What do SPRING Singapore (Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board) and A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) have in common? Their leaders are alumni of our military. Mr Philip Yeo, the previous chairman for A*STAR served as a Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defense. Now, he is at SPRING Singapore. His successor at A*STAR, Mr Lim Chuan Poh, a retired Lieutenant-General, was formerly the Chief of Defense Force.
Thus, it is not uncommon for retiring military leaders to be posted to positions within our government ministeries and statutory boards. The question is if such a practice is ever sound?
The main worry is that such military personels having been in the military for the most part of their lives may lack the necessary industrial experience. And this is reflected in the feedback by recruitment agencies on the non-attractiveness of scholars who serve in the military for their entire career.
Ideally, the head of a research agency should have relevant Research and Development background in addition to industrial experience. Indeed, it is a worrying trend for a research agency like A*STAR to adhere to a narrow set of criteria in nurturing potential R and D talents.
Bloggers who engaged Mr Philip Yeo during his rare venture into the blogosphere have tenuously pointed out the fact that a 3.8 GPA or first class honors is not sufficient to determine the ability of a budding researcher. In addition, others have also pointed out that the current A*STAR policy of funding PhD studies is out of touch with the reality of how PhD programs are run in academic and research institutions. The fact remains that it is easy to get into any PhD program with decent grades and external sources of funding. The equation changes completely when the candidate requires funding from the institutions that he is applying to. Thus, wouldn’t requiring A*STAR scholars to secure some sort of funding from the institutions they are applying to save a substantial amount of tax payer’s money?
The lack of experience aside, another source of concern is that these former military men may transplant their bureacratic practices into their new organizations, which are supposingly centres of innovation. Innovation and bureacratic control are like oil and water, running contrary to each other. The progress of these organizations will inevitably be stymied by the bureaucracy.
The civil service adopted the an old practice that has been discarded by Shell Petroleum - the Current Estimated Potential (CEP). A military leader who is an SAF overseas scholar would definitely have a high CEP. Thus, one really wonders if the same CEP is used in deciding where to post these leaders after they retire from the military.
If CEP is used in determining the posting, such a practice is indeed flawed. After all, CEP is based on performance in a battery of tests a student takes when he is in high school, and his performance while in service. But CEP cannot determine the ability of a scholar to successfully manage an organization that is totally different from the one he used to work in.
In the face of the fact that people with necessary experience and expertise are needed to manage government bodies charged with R and D and innovation, one questions the wisdom of bringing in former military scholars to lead such bodies. Is there a dearth of truly qualified leaders in Singapore? Or the government merely prefers one of its own to lead? Another pertinent question to ask is - is such a posting scheme a form of reward for the loyalty of these military leaders?
Comments:
1. DrHuangApril 11th, 2009 - 1:14 pm
Hi Kelvin,
You know the two questions below are rhetorical and you know the answers already!
Or the government merely prefers one of its own to lead? Another pertinent question to ask is - is such a posting scheme a form of reward for the loyalty of these military leaders?
Duh!?
--------------------------------------------
Latest Updates at Singapore News Alternative:
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5. Thai Protestors Were Orginally Looking For PM Lee
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>
A military presence in enterprise development
Should former military leaders head Singapore's enterprise development?
By Kelvin Teo ⋅ April 11, 2009
SINGAPORE - What do SPRING Singapore (Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board) and A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) have in common? Their leaders are alumni of our military. Mr Philip Yeo, the previous chairman for A*STAR served as a Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defense. Now, he is at SPRING Singapore. His successor at A*STAR, Mr Lim Chuan Poh, a retired Lieutenant-General, was formerly the Chief of Defense Force.
Thus, it is not uncommon for retiring military leaders to be posted to positions within our government ministeries and statutory boards. The question is if such a practice is ever sound?
The main worry is that such military personels having been in the military for the most part of their lives may lack the necessary industrial experience. And this is reflected in the feedback by recruitment agencies on the non-attractiveness of scholars who serve in the military for their entire career.
Ideally, the head of a research agency should have relevant Research and Development background in addition to industrial experience. Indeed, it is a worrying trend for a research agency like A*STAR to adhere to a narrow set of criteria in nurturing potential R and D talents.
Bloggers who engaged Mr Philip Yeo during his rare venture into the blogosphere have tenuously pointed out the fact that a 3.8 GPA or first class honors is not sufficient to determine the ability of a budding researcher. In addition, others have also pointed out that the current A*STAR policy of funding PhD studies is out of touch with the reality of how PhD programs are run in academic and research institutions. The fact remains that it is easy to get into any PhD program with decent grades and external sources of funding. The equation changes completely when the candidate requires funding from the institutions that he is applying to. Thus, wouldn’t requiring A*STAR scholars to secure some sort of funding from the institutions they are applying to save a substantial amount of tax payer’s money?
The lack of experience aside, another source of concern is that these former military men may transplant their bureacratic practices into their new organizations, which are supposingly centres of innovation. Innovation and bureacratic control are like oil and water, running contrary to each other. The progress of these organizations will inevitably be stymied by the bureaucracy.
The civil service adopted the an old practice that has been discarded by Shell Petroleum - the Current Estimated Potential (CEP). A military leader who is an SAF overseas scholar would definitely have a high CEP. Thus, one really wonders if the same CEP is used in deciding where to post these leaders after they retire from the military.
If CEP is used in determining the posting, such a practice is indeed flawed. After all, CEP is based on performance in a battery of tests a student takes when he is in high school, and his performance while in service. But CEP cannot determine the ability of a scholar to successfully manage an organization that is totally different from the one he used to work in.
In the face of the fact that people with necessary experience and expertise are needed to manage government bodies charged with R and D and innovation, one questions the wisdom of bringing in former military scholars to lead such bodies. Is there a dearth of truly qualified leaders in Singapore? Or the government merely prefers one of its own to lead? Another pertinent question to ask is - is such a posting scheme a form of reward for the loyalty of these military leaders?
Comments:
1. DrHuangApril 11th, 2009 - 1:14 pm
Hi Kelvin,
You know the two questions below are rhetorical and you know the answers already!
Or the government merely prefers one of its own to lead? Another pertinent question to ask is - is such a posting scheme a form of reward for the loyalty of these military leaders?
Duh!?
--------------------------------------------
Latest Updates at Singapore News Alternative:
1. National Service liability & Spore's open door FT policy
2. PAP To Hit Back In Blogosphere
3. Residential real estate repossessions rise in Singapore
4. Singaporeans Told Not To Travel To Pattaya
5. Thai Protestors Were Orginally Looking For PM Lee
6. Fiji political parties plan to get MM Lee as chief mediator
7. DBS opens Surat branch, to target SMEs
.
>
