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Public Administration in Singapore: Managing Success in a Multi-Racial City-State

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Public Administration in the NICs

Abstract

As one of the ‘four little dragons’, Singapore’s rapid economic growth and success during the past two decades is well known (Woronoff, 1986; Kelly and London, 1989; Vogel, 1991). One of the major factors contributing to Singapore’s political stability and economic prosperity is the quality of its public administration (Quah, 1982a, pp. 42–75; 1984a, pp. 206–16). Indeed, its public bureaucracy and bureaucrats are perceived to be honest, efficient and effective in the performance of their functions and duties. How accurate is this perception? What are the major features of public administration in Singapore? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the public bureaucracy in Singapore? What challenges does it face and what are the prospects for the future? In addressing these questions, this chapter attempts to provide both a description of and explanation for the nature of public administration in Singapore.

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Authors
  1. Jon S. T. Quah
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public and Social Administration, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Ahmed Shafiqul Huque (Associate Professor) & Jermain T. M. Lam (Associate Professor) (Associate Professor) &  (Associate Professor)

  2. Hong Kong Policy Research Institute, Hong Kong

    Jane C. Y. Lee (Chief Excecutive Officer) (Chief Excecutive Officer)

Copyright information

© 1996 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited

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Quah, J.S.T. (1996). Public Administration in Singapore: Managing Success in a Multi-Racial City-State. In: Huque, A.S., Lam, J.T.M., Lee, J.C.Y. (eds) Public Administration in the NICs. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-24873-5_3

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