Books
Explore our collection of publications and books covering a wide range of topics on public service and governance.
Last updated 30 June 2026
Case Studies: Designing Change
Edited by June Gwee
Stories are powerful in presenting important insights about issues, events and people. Using storytelling as a narrative form in case studies is a compelling way to communicate real-life experiences and learn from them. Such case studies can highlight the challenges of public governance, policy development and implementation, and the dilemmas in decision-making. This collection of multi-layered narratives on change and innovation is useful to policymakers, public officers, students, researchers, and anyone who is interested in using case studies for education, training and capability development.
Navigating a Complex World: A Simple Guide for Public Officers
Edited by Peter Ho and Sheila Pakir
This book is intended as a primer for public officers on complexity and its applications to public policy. It recounts the steps the Singapore Government has taken to use complexity to better inform policymaking, from making long-term strategic planning more robust, to planning public transport infrastructure more holistically, to enabling senior citizens to age in place through improved community healthcare. It also examines what can be done in the years ahead to infuse an understanding of complexity across the public service.
Adaptive Governance for a Changing World
Edited by Wu Wei Nang; Various authors
Drawing from lectures delivered at the Civil Service College, Singapore, by leading speakers in governance and policy, economics, public engagement, and leadership and organisation development, this book highlights new pathways and possibilities for governments, along with innovative tools like design thinking and strategic futures. it represents an invitation for policymakers to practise adaptive governance - more resilient, responsive, collaborative and entrepreneurial - in a rapidly changing world.
Introduction to Industrial Relations in Singapore: Reflecting on the Past, Preparing for the Future
by Bernard Ting, Toh Book Kwan and Soh Tze Min
This book provides a brief history of the relationship between the Government employers and unions from 1945 to its current state. It also explores the relationship among tripartite parties through the case studies of Singapore Airlines (SIA) and PSA Corporation Ltd; and addresses the future of tripartism and how it may evolve amidst the various social and economic challenges facing Singapore.
Evidence-based Policymaking in Singapore: A Policymaker’s Toolkit
by Multiple authors
This book covers a collection of tools commonly used in evidence-based policymaking and how they can strengthen policy design and decision- making. These range from broad, cross-cutting policy measures to seemingly operational interventions which contribute to larger policy objectives. Examples from Singapore and other countries are used to illustrate key learning points.
Smart Regulation Field Guide
by Smart Regulation Committee and Civil Service College
This Smart Regulation Field Guide is meant to guide newer officers, with five years of experience or less through the design, implementation and evaluation stages of regulatory work. It can also serve as a useful reference for seasoned regulators.
Heart of Public Service: Our People
by Public Service Division
Heart of Public Service is a two-volume book-set that honours the institutions and officers of the Singapore Public Service. Touching on key milestones in our history and featuring stellar archival and contemporary images. Heart of Public Service is a testament to the relentless effort to build the best Public Service for Singapore. 'Our People' features 50 stories about public officers who have been a part of the key moments in our history. Featuring vivid and inspiring first-person accounts nad narratives, 'Our People' showcases the values that define the Public Service - integrity , service and excellence - as well as how public officers serve tirelessly and round the clock , from their hearts.
Heart of Public Service: Our Institutions
by Civil Service College
Heart of Public Service is a two-volume book-set that honours the institutions and officers of the Singapore Public Service. Touching on key milestones in our history and featuring stellar archival and contemporary images. Heart of Public Service is a testament to the relentless effort to build the best Public Service for Singapore. 'Our Institutions' traces the development of the Singapore Public Service through its driving goals and ideals. Written by a team of writers and researchers from the Civil Service College and other agencies, this volume shows how the Public Service has confronted crises, managed complexities and risen to meet our nation's most pressing challenges over the past five decades.
Case Studies: Building Communities in Singapore
Edited by June Gwee
This book contains four case studies on how public agencies design solutions to improve the quality of life for individuals and society by listening, observing and being empathetic to the needs of people. They describe how public officers have been able to think differently, find new paths and build resilient communities.
China's Socio-Political Reforms: Evolutionary or Revolutionary
by Various authors
This volume features selected essays by speakers at the Symposium. who explore issues considered vital to China's development today -- from China's social welfare structure to the evolution of non-governmental organisations and the emerging impact of the internet of Chinese public affairs. They offer deeper insight into the challenges that the Chinese government and its people face in their bid for social reform in the new century.
Foresight: A Glossary
by Various authors
What is a "black swan"? What are "wicked problems"? The work of imagining, anticipating and planning for the future has acquired a language of its own. This Foresight Glossary is a guide to the concepts, tools and methodologies commonly used in the Singapore Government foresight space. Each entry provides a definition and overview of a concept or term, along with a listing of resources for further information.
Upholding Integrity in the Public Service
by Civil Service College
Singapore's transformation from a corruption-ridden society to one of the cleanest countries in the world deserves closer scrutiny. This booklet summarises the major factors that have contributed towards Singapore's transformation into a clean country with low levels of corruption, namely strong political will against corruption, an effective anti-corruption agency, an independent judiciary, effective laws, a public service that eschews corruption and a zero tolerance towards corruption.
Liveable Sustainable Cities: A Framework
by Centre for Liveable Cities and Civil Service College
Liveable and Sustainable Cities: A Framework examines the roles of Singapore's pioneering leaders and their innovative policies and enabling processes with a view to discerning the broad principles that contributed to their ability to achieve successful transformation and balanced development. Beyond discussing Singapore's experience, this book takes a comparative look at the development journeys of selected international cities and concludes that there are broad universal principles of integrated master planning and dynamic urban governance which underlie successful cities.
Size is not the Answer: The Changing Face of the Global City
Prepared by Joel Kotkin, with contributions from Wendell Cox, Ali Modarres and Aaron M. Renn
The research report, stemming from a collaboration between the Civil Service College, Singapore and the Center for Demographics and Policy at the Chapman University, shared the results of a study in which global cities were ranked based on eight categories: air connectivity; diversity; foreign direct investment; corporate headquarters; producer services; financial services; technology and media; and industry domination or hub status.
Case Studies in Public Governance: Building Institutions in Singapore
by June Gwee
This book is a collection of case studies on the development of institutions in Singapore. Each has been carefully selected to profile a particular sector: urban governance, education, social security, and industrial relations. These case studies highlight the importance of culture, leadership, and systems in building institutions. They demonstrate how interactions between people — leaders and employees — and the organizations they belong to may influence institutional culture.
China's Future: Transition or Transformation?
by Civil Service College (Various Authors)
A new political leadership has taken over at the helm of the world's second largest economy. The world is watching intently, as economic, social and political tensions continue to raise questions about China's future.
How will the new leadership balance China's thirst for economic growth with the need for fundamental social reforms? Can China build a "harmonious, middle class society" as it faces pushback from conflicting demands from the rich and poor, the urban and rural? Will the Chinese Communist Party heed calls for greater civic participation or will it be business-as-usual as it seeks to maintain political supremacy?
In this publication, CSC researchers examine key ideas presented by experts from the Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and Management-an institution closely involved in China's governance and policy reforms. They explore insights on the likely trajectory of China's governance, economic and social developments following its leadership transition.
Globalising Skills: Implications for Singapore Edited by Johnny Sung
by Phillip Brown, Andy Dickerson, David Finegold, High Lauder, Rob Wilson, Wu Wei Neng
Comprising selected papers from a series of roundtable discussions and public lectures, the book sheds light on the fundamental and rapid changes that education, training and labour markets worldwide are undergoing, and some of the most important challenges for contemporary workforce development in Singapore.
The Rise of Post-Familialism: Humanity's Future?
by Joel Kotkin, Anuradha Shroff, Ali modarres and Wendell Cox
This research report for the seminar on "The Rise of Post-Familialism: Humanity's Future?" looks into the causes, economic and social implications of childlessness, particularly in high income nations.
The research made extensive use of both primary and secondary data, including the landmark work of Wolfgang Lutz, as well as extensive reading on the history and trajectory of the family around the world. This was conducted primarily by Joel Kotkin and Zina Klapper who also relied on extensive interviews of residents of Singapore, and arranged discussions with experts working this field.
A Changing China: Emerging Governance, Economics and Social Trends
by Civil Service College(Various authors)
This volume, documenting the proceedings of A Changing China: Emerging Governance, Economic and Social Trends in September 2011, examines the factors shaping China's response to these challenges, and the ways in which China's leaders have sought to balance various stakeholder demands. It highlights how the growth and health of China's economy are deeply entwined with the functioning of its social, political, and environmental spheres.
Liveable & Sustainable Cities for the Future: World Cities Summit 2010 Conference Proceedings
by Centre for Liveable Cities & Civil Service College
Conference proceedings of the World Cities Summit 2010.
Virtuous Cycles: The Singapore Public Service and National Development
by Dr N.C. Saxena
This book addresses what makes Singapore's Government effective and why. What are the policy choices that Singapore has made, the institutional arrangements it has put in place, and the key policy decisions that have allowed Singapore to be an island of excellence in the area of public sector management and public service delivery? How has it created an enabling environment that empowers public service institutions to cope with and manage change? How has the capacity of the civil service been continuously developed to stay at the cutting edge? And finally, what are the lessons that other countries can learn from Singapore?
Rethinking Poverty and Social Mobility
by Civil Service College and ESRN
Documenting social development and poverty alleviation programmes in societies such as Singapore, USA and Taiwan, this volume examines the challenges of contemporary social intervention. It also highlights the impact of stagnating social mobility and the interconnected roles of the government, the community and welfare recipients in advancing social and economic goals.
World Cities: Achieving Liveability and Vibrancy
by Ooi Giok Ling and Belinda Yuen
How does a city make sound policy decisions on sustainability and governance while simultaneously promoting economic growth and development excellence? This book focuses on the major challenges that world cities are facing in such key areas as governance, social inclusiveness, infrastructural development , financial solvency as well as environmental and ecological sustainability.
Based on case studies from cities in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific, this collection of essays brings together some of the top academics, professionals and policymakers from the world over and presents their views on how to best strike the balance between growth and sustainability. The range of perspectives, ideas and depth of information makes this an invaluable resource for researchers, city planning professionals and policymakers in environment, urban development and urban economic planning.
Singapore's Heads of Civil Service on Change, Complexity and Networked Government
Speeches by Lim Siong Guan and Peter Ho
This collection of speeches provides a glimpse into how two Heads of Civil Service have sought to communicate their ideas on change, complexity and networked government to their colleagues in the public sector over the last decade. They share a common conviction: the need for the Singapore Government to continually anticipate, welcome and execute change; and for a public service that is in time for the future. These insights and values underpin the Public Service for the 21st century (PS21) movement that began in 1995, and continue to drive a wide range of critical service-wide initiatives.
Regulation and the Limits of Competition
by Civil Service College, Institute of Policy Studies and Economic Society of Singapore
This volume documents the proceedings of the Economics Symposium on "Regulation and the Limits of Competition". The Symposium focused on the two topics of Market Liberalisation and Regulation, and Promoting Competition.