ETHOS Issue 18
January 2018
Last updated 30 July 2026
ETHOS Issue 18, January 2018
This issue looks at the future of work and how technology is changing the future of work and employment. We gather views from global thinkers such as Gary A. Bolles and Peter Shergold as well as forward-thinking organisations like Grab and McKinsey, where Singapore's own Chan Chi Ling, Daniel Lim, Genevieve Ding, Andrea Phua, and the Ministry of Manpower share insights from the public sector.
Editorial
by Dr Alvin Pang
The future of work is less about who gets to do the work, but what work is worth doing and what tradeoffs should be made in so doing.
Public Service 4.0: What Might It Look Like?
by Peter Shergold
Digitisation and robotic process automation will revolutionise public administration—but the outcome will depend on how we choose to use them.
Governance Amid Technological Disruption: A Vision for an Agile Public Service
by Chan Chi Ling and Daniel Lim Yew Mao
A more agile, iterative and inclusive approach to policymaking and problem solving can help the public sector keep pace with change.
The Digital Social Contract and e-Legitimacy
by Max Everest-Phillips
New institutions are needed to manage both the potential and risks of digital technologies that will reshape our societies and how they are governed
The Digital Work Economy and Our Human Future
by Gary A. Bolles
Leading tech strategist Gary Bolles offers a balanced perspective on the impact of technology on jobs, institutions, learning and human development.
Supporting Job Growth and Worker Prosperity in a New Era of Automation
by Eoin Daly and Richard Dobbs
With the advent of advanced automation, governments have a critical role to play in responding to workforce transitions.
Making Technology Work for Workers
by Genevieve Ding
Technology, thoughtfully applied to complement and support the workforce, could deepen collective good rather than anxiety.
Trends and Shifts in Employment: Singapore’s Workforce
by Augustin Lee
Worldwide shifts in employment patterns may challenge the assumptions underlying current manpower policies.
Public Value through Private Partnerships: The Grab Story
by Zafrul Hashim
A five-year-old technology platform is harnessing public, corporate and individual partnerships to transform urban Southeast Asia.
Navigating the New Economy: A Future that Works
by Andrea Phua
Success in a changing world will demand more than technical skills: it will call for adaptability, empathy and a deeper sense of meaning.
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