Singapore's Smart Nation Initiative - A Policy and Organisational Perspective

Abstract

In light of an increasingly digitised and knowledge-based economy, Singapore introduced its Smart Nation initiative. As a policy initiative guiding Singapore’s digital transformation, the Smart Nation initiative relies on several policy tools or ‘enablers’ to achieve a range of economic, social, and urban policy goals. This case study will assess these policy tools and goals, situating them within the context of Singapore’s overall approach to economic development. More than simply a policy initiative, the Smart Nation initiative has also involved public administrative reform. In response to inadequate public interest as well as a perceived lack of pace in Singapore’s digital transformation, a centralised public agency, the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group, was formed to coordinate cross-government digitisation efforts. Singapore’s ongoing transformation into a Smart Nation has therefore involved both policy innovation and a reorganization of public administration processes. However, Singapore also continues to face challenges in its digitisation efforts, such as insufficient private sector participation or ground-up initiatives.