Singapore's evolution: Time for the rise of the creative class?

Dear readers:

I sense a healthy discussion that is about to take place, and I would like to keep it warm in the oven. This post can be seen as a response to comments made by readers and an add-on to my earlier posts, the earliest one was on migrants and stayers, and the later one was on how to define talent objectively. I am grateful towards Mr Philip Yeo and other commentators who have offered their opinions thus far.

I developed this idea on the evolution of a society after multiple rounds of discussion with friends, who shared a passion for social development. After multiple rounds of joustings, we sort of came to a consensus regarding the evolution of a society. We dubbed the two phases the "know-how" phase and the "rise of the creative class' phase.

Allow me to start with the "know how" phase. The timeline of this phase is at the beginning of Singapore's development. Basically, the phrase "know how" is an apt term to describe our workforce. An engineer needs to KNOW HOW to engineer, a surveyor needs to KNOW HOW to survey as does a maintainance worker, who needs to KNOW HOW to maintain equipment. It is important for the workforce from the blue collar workers all the way to professionals to possess a KNOW HOW in their job scope. During the early phase of Singapore's development, the government was trying to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and it is imperative for Singapore's workforce to possess a KNOW HOW in their respective skills.

It doesn't come as a surprise that older generations, who have lived through the "KNOW HOW" era of Singapore's early development, place a premium on qualifications. My grandmother used to exhort the values of doing well in school, urging me to play less and study more. A person's qualifications is seen as an indicator of his hierarchy in society. Professional degree holders with KNOW HOWs in their profession rank above technical workers possessing KNOW HOWs in their technical work. It's human nature to strive to be the top, hence the aforesaid premium on professional KNOW HOWs.

Fast forward till today, the picture is completely different. Cheaper foreign labour have seen the relocation of Multi National Cooperations overseas. Our neighbours are now catching up, and they have the added advantage of natural resources. There's even talk of constructing the Kra canal that will undercut Singapore's lifeline as a port city, although that depends on the Southern Thai separatists' willingness to accept the olive branch of peace. Now, there is a new catch phrase in town - ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Even the Singapore government is promoting it at SPRING. It is at this juncture that my friends and I suggest we are at the "rise of the creative class" phase. Now, a premium is placed on creative thought in developing profitable products, new busines models or completely new businesses. Creativity has got absolutely nothing to do with A grades or good qualifications for the matter. Look no further than EDB's poster boy, Mr Sim Wong Hoo, of Creative Technologies. His former number two, who heads InnoMedia is another example.

Perhaps, it's inevitable that the time has come for the innovative yuppies to steal the thunder. Academic pedigree breeds may find themselves sharing the same pedestal, or worse, knocked off it by the new creative kids on the block.