After spending around two weeks in Singapore, my understanding of conducting business and engaging with local communities has been significantly broadened. Due largely to the various business meetings and tours as part of the CIBS program, engaging with individuals provided insight into the vibrant and diverse culture of the region that primarily features elements of economic growth and social stability.
When conducting business in Singapore, the importance of building relationships before engaging in any kind of business transaction is crucial to build trust and respect with the local community. Through asking questions to both speakers of multinational businesses and workers in the community marketplaces, it was almost more important to familiarize oneself with the personal life of a potential partner as it was when engaging in a business activity. Singaporeans demonstrate a high level of respect and humility for individuals from all cultures and experiences when engaging in business negotiations, always seeking to understand a potential partner?s motives and values before their financial contribution. Despite this worldly approach, Singapore is a highly competitive business environment that requires a great deal of preparation and understanding of the environment due to its diverse cultural differences and unique blend of these Asian ethnicities.
Engaging with local communities first-hand during program trips was an invaluable experience as their values were expressed through their friendly and welcoming gestures to locals and foreigners alike. Singaporeans are extremely adaptable and accepting of differing perspectives that allowed visitors to feel comfortable and fully immersed into the community that made every next interaction more insightful and influential. Due to the highly concentrated environment within areas like marketplaces and shopping centers that decorated the region, being flexible within the fast-paced lifestyles of the local community was essential to fit in and truly immerse oneself in the environment. After visiting several regions of Singapore, the variety of skills and knowledge of workers and residents was evident in various subjects including arts and crafts, cuisine, and history.
Regarding my change in perspective after exploring Singapore, my understanding of how many opportunities regarding recreational and business can arise directly from embracing different cultures and ways of life. Despite the region?s small proportion to other successful regions, its strategic location and well-developed infrastructure offers unique potential as a global economic powerhouse and serves as an example of maximizing resources and maintaining a healthy balance between economic development and environmental sustainability. In comparing my initial impressions to my final thoughts of the program trip, my initial impressions were more accurate than I had thought, specifically on engaging with individuals in the local community. Exchanging thoughts with workers and other visitors provided me much more value than I had initially expected as I could compare my personal thoughts of the region to others that have had experiences in other Asian countries.
