Human and industrial relations in Singapore: the management of compliance

Abstract

In 1979 Singapore's People's Action Party (PAP) government, using all the considerable corporatist controls at its disposal, initiated and restructuring of the city-state's economy and an upgrading of its human resources. Predicated on the requirements of a 'high-tech' economy, both human relations in general and industrial relations in particular are being remoulded to achieve a cooperative and productionist-oriented population and workforce. Wilkinson and Leggett focus on the many developments in this programme of social engineering, identify some of the problems involved in its implementation, and tentatively assess its prospects.