COVID-19 has disrupted the way we work and live, and much of the impact was felt in the heart of our Asian economy – our small and medium businesses (SMEs). Nearly 18% of East Asia and Pacific SMEs had to close between January and May 2020, and...
With 61 per cent of small and medium businesses (SMBs) in Asia Pacific reporting a fall in sales during the months of lockdown, and further waves and phased re-openings in place, there is an urgency to prepare your business for the long journey ahead.
For close to a decade, innovation in digital payments has helped close the gaps and address the challenges faced by both consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Spearheaded by Fintechs globally, the creation of effective, low-cost, customer-centric solutions, has made financial services more accessible and helped...
Digital transformation encompasses how organisations employ technology to re-imagine and re-invent their processes and offerings to achieve a competitive advantage across the business. Over the years however, “digital transformation” has been used as a catchall term that encompasses not only transformation but also the integration of digital...
As COVID-19 continues to impact the way we live and work, both organisations and employees have become used to our new routine of working from home. Business leaders have begun to look into the next steps for business continuity and a pressing question commonly asked is whether...
Back in the days of pre-COVID 19, the strategy to embed corporate culture in hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings had long been encouraged. In fact, tech companies have advertised free food, informal dress codes, play areas, unwind zones, and other perks...
SMEs play an extremely important role in many communities by providing essential services, employment and adding to economic growth. As the backbone of Singapore's economy and workforce, SMEs make up to 99 percent of businesses, contributing to nearly half (48 percent) of Singapore's gross domestic product (GDP),...
When safety measures to stay protected against COVID-19 were put in place at the beginning of the year, most individuals and organisations in Singapore – and across the globe – found themselves having to prepare IT systems, infrastructures, and daily routines to adjust to this “new normal”...
Stay-home measures implemented across the ASEAN region didn’t stop users from shopping. Some estimates noted that e-commerce takings in Southeast Asia soared 96 percent compared with the same period last year, for the week that ended on May 11. From online marketplaces to livestream sales, retailers have...
Without doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic is by far the most profound disruption to work life on record. As remote working has evolved from a nice-to-have, to a fundamental requirement, the Singaporean workforce is experiencing massive changes to the way they work, with most working within the four...
