Singapore Culture Tips
+ Singapore is a multi-ethnic society accustomed to foreigners where Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions coexist beneath the veneer of a western, modern metropolis.
+ Face is an important cultural concept in Singapore, which roughly translates to reputation, and can be lost by openly criticizing someone, challenging someone in authority (especially if done in public), showing anger at another person or refusing a request by saying “no.”
+ A law passed in 1996 states that parent’s offspring must assume their financial responsibility, should the need arise. This is indicative of senior citizen’s high status and the challenges facing a small country as the next generation becomes more individualistic.
+ Singaporeans are group dependent and rely on facial expression, tone of voice and posture to tell them what someone feels. They often trust non-verbal messages more than the spoken word.
+ Many foreigners who live in Singapore think of it as “Asia Light,” since the culture is not as formal as in Japan or Korea – and in many ways it may appear quite Western.
+ The government recognizes two kinds of Singaporeans: “Heartlanders” are typically older, less educated, factory workers who are more comfortable speaking their native language. “Cosmopolitans” are highly educated, middle-class, business owners or employees of multinational corporations who are comfortable working in an English-speaking environment and often travel abroad.
+ Singapore prides itself on being corruption free; consequently, business gifts are not part of the culture. The government is so firm on maintaining their status as independent that officials may not even accept entertainment invitations.
- taken from RW3′s CultureWizard™ Country Profiles
