DYNAMIC GOVERNANCE IN SINGAPORE

Kuliah 5 GSPKN MAKSI

Dynamic GovernanceHow the chosen paths, policies, institutions, and structures adapt to an uncertain and fast changing environment so that they remain relevant and effective in achieving the long-term desired outcomes of society.

1. Characteristics of Dynamic Institutions Energetic and quick executions in pursuing goals Entrepreneurial, innovative and fresh ideas in handling issues Effective and adaptable in continuously responding to

changing conditions 2. Need for Dynamism

Uncertain and unpredictable global environment Rapid technological developments Peers and competitors are moving fast and frequently

Three critical governance capabilities

1. Thinking ahead — the ability to perceive early signals of future developments that may affect a nation in order to remain relevant to the world;

2. Thinking again — the ability and willingness to rethink and remake currently functioning policies so that they perform better;

3. Thinking across — the ability and openness to cross boundaries to learn from the experience of others so that new ideas and concepts may be introduced into an institution.

Framework for Dynamic Governance System

Singapore’s government action

i. building the economy,

iv. building social systems and practices

v. building up security and defense

ii. managing population growth and the labor market,

iii. building up physical infrastructure,

Cultural Foundations: InculcatingPrinciples of Governance

Understanding Culture Values and Beliefs that Shaped a Nation

Three key beliefs drive public sector policy making in Singapore:1. the belief that a strong economy is fundamental to

the viability of all other policies, and that continued economic growth is the number one priority

2. the belief that state is central to Singapore’s long-term stability

3. the belief that policy makers must be future-oriented to be effective

Cultural Foundations: InculcatingPrinciples of Governance

Singapore’s institutional culture is based on five core values:

(i) honesty and integrity,(ii) people as the main resource,(iii) results orientation,(iv) self reliance, and(v) domestic stability.

Principles: Defining and Establishing Good Governance

Public Sector Governance Principles in a Political Context

Socialization and the Transmission of Culture and Values

Implications and Challenges of Singapore’s Governance Culture

Policy Execution: Developing andImplementing Paths

Policy Execution: Developing andImplementing Paths

Main Activities of Policy Execution1. Identifying issues for policy review a. Reacting to external crisis or policy consequences b. Identifying improvement opportunities c. Surfacing issues from consideration of future scenarios d. Identifying and sponsoring strategic issues e. Learning from leadership exposure to different views and practices

2. Influencing design of policy options a. Setting standards for policy analysis and design b. Recommending courses of action through staff analysis and papers c. Studying policy options through inter-agency project teams d. Engaging external advisers and experts e. Forming review committees and conducting public consultations

Policy Execution: Developing andImplementing Paths

Main Activities of Policy Execution3. Implementing policy decisions a. Selecting key leaders b. Structuring an appropriate organization c. Planning major strategies and the resources needed d. Initiating projects, processes and programs e. Monitoring progress and gathering feedback

Policy Adaptation: Embedding Learningand Adjusting Paths

Policy adaptationPublic Transportation and Car

Ownership Policy Managing Usage: Road Congestion

Pricing Electronic Road Pricing: Harnessing

Technology for Real Time Congestion Pricing

Quotas for Car Ownership and the Certificate of Entitlement

Catering to Part-Time Car Users: The Weekend Car Scheme

Lessons Learnt from the Experimentation and Innovation in Road Transportation

Policy adaptationHealth Care Policy Introducing Co-payment for Health

Care Services Differentiating Health Care Services

through a Tiered System Providing Information and Introducing

Competition in Service Delivery Going beyond Inpatient Treatment to

Structured Disease Management Exploring Emerging Health Care Policy

Issues Patterns of Learning and Policy

Adaptation in Health Care

PEOPLE AS KEY TO DYNAMIC GOVERNANCE

Process Innovation: Creating Agile Structures and Systems

People and processes are the main drivers of dynamic governance. For dynamic governance to be effectively institutionalized, organizational

processes must be designed and implemented so that the governance system can still continue to function even when there is a change in leadership

Organizational capabilities are embedded in processes that coordinate, combine and integrate the performance of various workers and units, enable learning and absorption of new knowledge, and induce continuous reconfiguration and transformation.

Processes define the required input resources, the tasks needed to be performed, the people responsible for performing the tasks, the required output, how the tasks and people performing them are to be coordinated and integrated to produce the required output, the rules governing its performance and management, and the customers who are to receive the output. They also define how quality and performance are measured, how errors are detected and corrected, and how improvements and changes are made.

There are 3 major organizational process created the capacity to continue transform (learn, improve, adapt): anticipating the future, allocating financial resources, applying systemic discipline.

Creating Processes for Dynamic Governance

Reframing

Leadership

Perception

Renewing Organzatio

nal Activities

Redesigning

Structural Linkage

Anticipating the Future

Applying Systemic Discipline

Allocating Financial

Resources

Creating ScenariosCrafting Strategies

Aligning BudgetAssessing Value

Enabling Integration

Engaging ChangeEnhancing Service

Purpose PracticesProcesses

Sustaining Dynamic Governance:Lessons and Challenges

Key Lessons and Principles:1. Good Governance is Dynamic, but Not Without Weaknesses2. Effective Political and Public Sector Leadership are Both Needed for

Good Governance3. Continual Learning and Effective Execution are the Key Drivers for

Dynamism4. Dynamism is not Merely about Speed in Problem-Solving; Even More

Important is the Speed in Perceiving and Capturing New Opportunities5. Dynamism is the Result of Building a Holistic Governance System with

a Strong Cultural Foundation of Values and Principles, and an Adaptable Structure of Critical Institutional Capabilities

6. Dynamic Governance Capabilities are Created by Able People, Stimulated by Agile Processes and Expressed in Adaptive Policies

7. Public Institutions Played a Crucial Role in Effective Dynamic Governance by Designing and Implementing Policies to Achieve Results

8. The Cumulative Effects of Systemic Improvements were Substantial, Even If Individual Policy Changes were only Incremental