ETHOS Issue 14
February 2016
Last updated 30 July 2026
ETHOS Issue 14, February 2016
This issue examines evolving notions of merit, competence and reward, as economic and social needs become much more complex and even divergent. We explore ways to further strengthen Singapore's social compact and inclusiveness, even as we continue to pursue excellence and global competitiveness. Contributors to this issue include leading thinkers Professor Gary Solon and Laurence Lien and our own public service leaders such as Peter Ho and Peter Ong.
Editorial
Alvin Pang
Singapore's meritocracy is fundamentally pragmatic, but has the relentless pursuit of excellence and merit-based rewards — assumed to inculcate discipline and accrue optimal gains for all — in fact left some in society behind due to factors over which they have little control?
Meritocracy: Time for an Update?
by Tiana Desker
While the spirit of meritocracy is still important for Singapore, there may be a need to review our ideas about how it can be put into practice.
Striking the Right Balance
Ethos roundtable with Hamzah Sulaiman and Filimone Waqabaca and Mohammed Mosly
Participants from the 7th Leaders in Governance Programme discuss the prospects for maintaining an agile and prosperous society that is also responsive to diverse and increasingly complex needs.
What We Didn’t Know About Multigenerational Mobility
Interview with Gary Solon
Better income data has uncovered surprising insights about income mobility and income inequality, says the noted researcher and economics professor.
Economic Development and Social Integration: Singapore’s Evolving Social Compact
By Soh Tze Min
Is continuous meritocracy the key to balancing economic integration and social cohesion in a period of slowing growth?
Ownership, Opportunity and Outcomes
Interview with Laurence Lien
The community sector can become more confident in working with others to solve collective problems — but it will take practice, patience and leadership.
New Strategic Capabilities and Partnership Paradigms for Singapore’s Social Sector
by Cheryl Wu
Singapore’s social compact can no longer rest on Government alone; cross-sector partnerships may better address increasingly complex social needs.
Governance in an Age of Uncertainty
by Terence Poon
How should public policymaking and service delivery adapt to an era of greater uncertainty and complexity?
Embracing Complexity in Healthcare
by Clive Tan and Aaron Maniam
In a complex environment where centralised planning has limited effectiveness, simple rules may allow the system to evolve organically towards shared goals.
Simulations, Exercises and Games in the Civil Service
by Peter Ho
The former Head of Civil Service makes a case for policy gaming as a means to anchor learning, reduce surprise and surface diverse perspectives.
Gearing the Public Service for SG100
by Peter Ong
Singapore’s Head of Civil Service charts new directions for the public sector as the nation looks forward to its next decades of growth.
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