Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Positions?

Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Positions?
January 6th, 2011 | Author: Contributions

Foreigners are said to be more articulate, outspoken and better influencers while Singaporeans are said to be very result driven and excel more in their performance but sometimes lack that charisma, dynamism & exposure that are highly valued to lead in these organizations.

Most of Singapore professionals in mid career now were part of an education system, which had shaped them into industrious and capable individuals.

The extensive focus on academic results and performance excellence instead of a more balanced education that also develops social skills, innovation, character and creativity have however made them less impressive or attractive to the bigger global corporations.

As early as primary school, Singaporeans compete based on graded academic performance but missed out on those critical values that would give us that competitive edge to move us from followers to leaders.

This is a great deficit for the current generation of Singaporeans. After 40 years of governance and developing its education system, Singapore now must import it’s Doctors, Professors, Surgeons, Professional Managers, Architects/System Engineers, Customer Service Practitioners and Professional Researchers from less developed third word nationals like India, China and the Philippines. Some would argue that this is unavoidable since we do not have enough people & talent.

Why do we not have enough people & talent?

Education System

At pre university levels and high school, we focus more on performance & grades instead of building leadership, character and driving innovative thinking among our young Singaporeans.

Our local universities still insist on quotas and excellent grades for entry into prestigious courses like Medicine, Law, Accountancy & Research instead of doing extra in nurturing, prioritizing and accepting more of our prospecting local students into these courses while maintaining the same standards in educating & grooming them into professionals.

Low Birth Rates

In the earlier years of the PAP administration, Singaporeans were strongly encouraged to have smaller families as the PAP rolled out their population control policies & ran nation wide campaigns to curb birth rates. Ironically, that plan has backfired now and resulted in us having to import from abroad and seek the comfort of living among aliens who now wants to claim Singapore as their home too.

Foreign Talent from less developed countries

That talent pool has now extended beyond developed nations into less developed countries like India and Philippines who in retrospect should be looking at Singapore instead for Talent.

Foreign Indian Expats (FIE) for example are crowding top management positions in International banks and MNCs here. It is fair game if the FIE’s hired on fair ground but the recent rise of the FIE’s in Singapore is a result of mostly FIE’s here hiring more FIE’s from India.

The FIE’s knows our government is often promoting the need for Foreign Talent. Once hired into Senior Management Positions, they will bring in, introduce & recommend more FIE’s from India into Senior Positions here giving their fellow countryman more exposure to leadership & bigger roles. That leaves Singaporeans with fewer opportunities to grow into these positions.

Singaporeans can generally accept American /European/Japanese leadership in these MNCs as these leaders are from more developed countries. The Americans/Europeans & Japanese also owned or were practically the brainchild of these Multi National Businesses since its origin to its globalization. We can learn a lot from such innovative and talented minds. In contrast, India where these FIEs are from is nowhere close in terms of innovating or globalizing anything more than “Bollywood”

Oh yes, I see it happening now and I know these FIEs love Singapore and are really enjoying the “class above the rest living” they get here in this sunny Island. They seek Permanent Residence here but most I believe would not plan to stay here for too long. They don’t really want to nationalize their children here. They don’t put their children to Singapore Public Schools or do National Service. They would move out once they get a better job and shift to the next Country Operation that may hire FIEs at the top.

We should really rethink about conveniently granting them permanent residence here. They are already pushing property prices up and taking up spaces and opportunities in a very inflationary way. Furthermore, it will be harder for them to truly integrate, as their loyalty & value systems are questionable and very different.

Sometimes I wonder, if they are just here because Singapore seems to be the country now in Asia that gives them that much welcoming comfort & opportunity. Perhaps all that talk and hype that the PAP leaders build around the need for Foreign Talent could have swelled their heads so much that they really think they are more talented and would rise up to leadership positions better than Singaporeans.

For us Singaporeans, we can perhaps learn how these FIEs survive, wriggling their way & their tongue to success. While some say that FIEs are able to speak or articulate better than us, I find from my own personal experience that they are seriously overrated, over compensated and overly trusted here. There are some good ones who are truly talented but not most of them.

I can’t help but wonder whether they are just a bag full of air with a gifted mouth. If they are really that talented, why is India still so backwards in terms of Infrastructure & Progress? Even if they are that smart, do they have the right values & integrity? Can we trust them enough to lead an organization when they can’t even lead their own country out of poverty, corruption and a failing infrastructure?

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

Why PAP not doing anything to produce such FT in sg???????????

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

If you ask me, the blame should fall on the results and grades-oriented education system and the mentality of the baby boomer generation who constantly tell their kids to work hard, study hard and become a lawyer/doctor/engineer/etc and not encourage them to follow their true talents.

Thats why we have so many followers and too little leaders.

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

It's quite common and in my opinion, acceptable for MNCs in SG to have FTs in senior management positions.
Most of these MNCs are foreign companies and they would feel more comfortable having someone from their country of origin or someone who has worked for many years in one of their companies overseas to run the company in SG.

The more interesting question is why so many GLCs in SG hire FTs in senior management positions.
Is it because all the really talented people are in the cabinet, civil service or stat boards?

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

They came here and settle down comfortably, then they go back and bring somemore their own people here. You get one in a senior position, the rest of the chain from top to bottom will slowly change to their own kind. The simple logic is FTs hires FTs.

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

They believe that FTs are familiar with their own country and target business environment, as well as the "in and outs" of those countries.

But for those that I have come across..... There are but few, and very very expensive but normally they are already earning alot so dont take up the offer by SG companies.

As i gotten to know one in particular, this individual is nicknamed by their locals as "DP" meaning "Drill Practice", looks like a gun but cannot fire and make the kill, good to see only.

But our paper planners here who also know nuts about the business believed all the wayang sales speech. Then after sometime then learn the truth, very much trial and error...... still wasting time and money over and over again by engaging "chickens that dont lay eggs".

But well, those who are in office needs a story to tell inorder to survive and earn the monthly salary..... so all wayang together and hope for the best lor.

Thats why SG overseas business sucesses are disproportionate to the money, effort and time spent. IMO.

For MNCs in private sectors, the FTs are in general trial and tested. But some FT in consulting firms who are called "experts in the field", I take it with a few pinch of salt also.

jw5 said:

It's quite common and in my opinion, acceptable for MNCs in SG to have FTs in senior management positions.
Most of these MNCs are foreign companies and they would feel more comfortable having someone from their country of origin or someone who has worked for many years in one of their companies overseas to run the company in SG.

The more interesting question is why so many GLCs in SG hire FTs in senior management positions.
Is it because all the really talented people are in the cabinet, civil service or stat boards?

Click to expand...

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

jw5 said:

The more interesting question is why so many GLCs in SG hire FTs in senior management positions.
Is it because all the really talented people are in the cabinet, civil service or stat boards?

Click to expand...

jw5: Other than themselves - cabinet ministers, heads of stat boards and senior civil servants, they don't think there are smart chaps left in S'pore. They fail to realise there are many smart chaps outside their circle who would reject meaningless jobs in the GLCs whereby their brains would not be put to good use.

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

Unrepented said:

They believe that FTs are familiar with their own country and target business environment, as well as the "in and outs" of those countries.

But for those that I have come across..... There are but few, and very very expensive but normally they are already earning alot so dont take up the offer by SG companies.

Thats why SG overseas business sucesses are disproportionate to the money, effort and time spent. IMO.

For MNCs in private sectors, the FTs are in general trial and tested. But some FT in consulting firms who are called "experts in the field", I take it with a few pinch of salt also.

Click to expand...

Most of these FTs heading foreign MNCs based in SG are in their positions for a reason.
Either they have had very good service to the company, or they are very trustworthy or they have a lot of knowledge about the products and services offered.
Some of them if they come to SG or Asia for the first time, would naturally be a little like a fish out of water regarding the environment or market. It does not mean that they are incompetent or overpaid or puppets, etc. Of course, some of them are.

Agree about the overseas business success of some SG companies. Even if they are successful eventually, some of their start up and recurring costs are astronomical compared to their sales. Of course, they would argue that they need to get scaleability globally first, then the fruits will start to show later. Not many do even after several years.

As for FTs in consulting firms, some are really bullshitters. If you know your business, it's quite easier to call them out after a short discussion. And not only FTs, some locals too.

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

GoldenDragon said:

jw5: Other than themselves - cabinet ministers, heads of stat boards and senior civil servants, they don't think there are smart chaps left in S'pore. They fail to realise there are many smart chaps outside their circle who would reject meaningless jobs in the GLCs whereby their brains would not be put to good use.

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Agree, GD.
In fact, they probably in their arrogance think that they have managed to get all the local talent available, hence there is none left elsewhere. After accounting for the successful business people they know, that's probably why they think that getting FTs is essential to SG's viability.

Unfortunately, since they and their families and friends hardly ever associate with these FTs, they are oblivious to the real quality coming in.

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

for any kickstart of govt policy, 'top' people will get the GLC ceossss to help out.

After getting all the FT in Sg or into top mgt, any complaint about govt policy or against FT, they will breed out illusions like Sporn not articulate, lack of grace etc.

Nowadays, for any news in the media, just treat it like drinking water. Drink it and later on, pee it out and forget about it. The media love to find a reason to justify the 'top' people crazy decision.

I hope one day there won't be any mass FT killing sporn. U might even hear govt defending them... lol !!! Letting them lose some steam.

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

cathylmg said:

They came here and settle down comfortably, then they go back and bring somemore their own people here. You get one in a senior position, the rest of the chain from top to bottom will slowly change to their own kind. The simple logic is FTs hires FTs.

Click to expand...

Very true, that is why you see how some companies are turned to company of their own kind with predominantly their race being employed. And they always gang up with their own kind. I very scared to work for such company!

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

PRC talent is the best. Take my word for it. Whether senior or junior - from EP to WP, PRC all the way!

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

EssaiveE said:

If you ask me, the blame should fall on the results and grades-oriented education system and the mentality of the baby boomer generation who constantly tell their kids to work hard, study hard and become a lawyer/doctor/engineer/etc and not encourage them to follow their true talents.

Thats why we have so many followers and too little leaders.

Click to expand...

This is the result of constantly following the notion of neo-confucious teaching. Where morality can be studied and ideas can be just "born" from reading and not exploring.

The early PAP focus on grades for 2 main reasons, to produce workers to bolster the economy and to developed an obedient population. However, that is a short term solution that result in the main population been deemed second rated by those who are better equiped as a person.

Is PAP going to do anything about it? They will not. Instead, they will just squarely blame it on globalisation and on tghe inablity of the individuals and not because of their policies and fearmongering that created the preesent situation.

The ray of light however is globalisation and self-realisation. Thanks to teh internet, Singaporeans become more self-aware and thanks to own selfrealisation, they are more willing to know what is best fvor themselves and not what others tell them off.

Re: Why do many MNCs in Singapore hire Foreign Talents for Senior Management Position

besotted said:

PRC talent is the best. Take my word for it. Whether senior or junior - from EP to WP, PRC all the way!

Click to expand...

PRC has 1.6 billion in population. if they do not have talent there, then PRC will be really be pathetic.