Stores are popping up for a few weeks to a few months and creating a buzz in cities such as New York and London. These pop-up stores are a cheaper alternative for retailers and marketers to showcase their products during a product launch or seasonal sale, doing away with the hefty one- or two-year rental
Just because we don’t see evidence of danger, doesn’t mean there’s no danger. – Professor J. Kevin Baird, Head of Eijkman Oxford Clinical Research Unit in Jakarta Malaria is long thought of as an African problem. Yet close to home, in the Asia-Pacific region, over 2 billion Asian lives are at risk of endemic malaria.
In ancient China, a marriage ceremony is a solemn and sacred occasion. Michelle Neo, the co-owner of Chinese Wedding Shop, happily shares her knowledge with anyone who steps into her retail stores. “We will try to explain to them all the customs, all the cultures and everything they wish to know even before they buy
“With an online business, there are three key success factors to get more buyers and sustain them: a powerful online presence, good customer service rapport and an efficient delivery arrangement.” — Ms Amanda Aida Atan, VIBES Mastery Success Academy The double-digit growth of the digital, social and mobile usage in Southeast Asia has transformed the modus operandi
Have you ever been in an online chatgroup that made you uncomfortable? Or have you ever seen online postings that you felt crossed a line in some way? What did you do? Think about the times when social media platforms caused you to stop and consider your own online presence. What were those postings and
A paper by Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael A. Osborne estimates that around 47 percent of total US employment is at risk of being replaced by computerisation within a decade or two. The chart below summarises key highlights from their paper, ‘The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerisation?’ (September 17, 2013): Probability
People often think that men take precedence over women in the business world. However, some say the future of startup belongs to women. What is your opinion? Undeniably, women still have a long way to go to surpass men in the startup scene, particularly in the tech arena. However, founder of Startup Asia Women (SAW),
In 2015, the World Bank ranked China as seventy-eighth in the world for overall “ease of doing business”. I believe this poor ranking is due to three regulatory obstacles in China: bureaucratic red tape, the inconsistent interpretation and enforcement of rules and regulations— which appear to be completely discretionary—and the fickle lawmaking environment. Before
It seems that people are craving for anything colourful. The rainbow cakes craze has been hitting bakeries and cafes around the world. But, stand aside, rainbow cake… Singapore has its own version of colourful steamed cake called 9-layer kueh, which is coated with a different colour on each layer, long before the entrance of rainbow cake.
In early March 2017, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced his target of a 6.5% economic growth this year. The Chinese government also aims to create 11 million new urban jobs in 2017. Plans are in place to keep cash within the country as Chinese companies spend close to 130 billion pounds in 2016 (S$226 billion,
Nowadays, it is hard to imagine the world without automation. ‘Doing more with less’ has become a maxim at every social stratum, all in the name of improving quality of life. Will there be a turn to the mutualistic symbiosis between man and machine? While this topic is still hotly debated, its impact on society
I love the convenience of a vending machine. With the vending machine, I can purchase what I want simply by pressing the button after inserting coins or notes. And I am fascinated each time the product pops out of the machine like magic. Furthermore, I won’t be stalked or pestered by commission-driven salespeople. I’ve experienced
Have you heard of The Food Bank Singapore (FBSG)? And do you know that apart from Singapore, the “food bank” also exists in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Hong Kong, and more? The names of the food bank may be different, but their purpose is the same – a non-profit and
Chinese people are called “hua ren” (華人), but do you know that the word “hua” (華) was derived from the beautiful clothing worn by the Han Chinese? Many people assume qipao (cheongsam) to be the quintessence of traditional Chinese dressing, but qipao is actually the traditional clothing of the Manchus, not the Chinese. The Han Chinese – the largest ethnic
By Vibrant Dot Staff Ben, 24, recalled spending much of his adolescence at Portland Place, London, near the BBC’s headquarters and Royal Institute of British Architects. Together with his mum, he endured some of harshest winters as they held silent vigil, everyday, round the clock, opposite the Embassy of China. Joined by volunteers comprising retirees,
On April 16, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) announced the activation of the denial order that bans US companies from selling parts and software to China’s ZTE Corporation (ZTE) for seven years. ZTE was found to have violated US sanctions against Iran and North Korea by illegally shipping telecommunications equipment to both countries. According
In late imperial China, public goods like basic education or bridge construction were mostly enabled with voluntary contributions of local notable individuals. They helped fill the gap in social needs and strengthened the spirit of charity among the locals through actions of giving. Philanthropy played an important role in ensuring the sustained functioning of society.
Unsurprisingly, Singapore has a rather avid gaming culture – just look around and you will see cybercafes full of teenagers clicking away and at home, teens and adults alike gaming late into the wee hours. You do not even have to look far: young children are playing with their parents’ mobile phones nowadays, and they
“My idea is this: I can’t save a generation of people now, but if one of the children becomes a significant person, more lives can be changed.” – Linus Lin, founder of Global Village for Hope On December 21, 2012, he didn’t expect the new Mayan calendar to bring about a new era for him. But
One in six deaths worldwide is due to cancer, while in Singapore, the figure is one in three deaths. According to the Singapore Cancer Society, about 37 people are diagnosed with cancer every day. In 2015, cancer made up 29.7% of the total deaths in Singapore, the highest among all other causes of death, as
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