SMU Centre for Management Practice

On July 19, 2024, CrowdStrike, one of the largest players in the global endpoint detection and response software market, pushed a single configuration file as an update to its Falcon Sensor program. This program is commonly used by Microsoft enterprise computers running on the Windows platform. The file update was meant to enable Falcon to detect if hackers were using novel ways to hack end-user machines, but it caused a logic error that led to computers crashing around the world. Students are asked to put themselves in the shoes of an Information Technology (IT) Support Technician at Singapore’s Changi Airport Group (CAG), who has been sent to assist the ground crew of Kuaifei, an airline operating at the airport. They will need to analyse how the incident was discovered, mitigated, managed, and communicated. This case is intended for use in an enterprise solutions management course in an information systems undergraduate programme. #SMUCases #Microsoft #Windows #CrowdStrike #FalconSensor #ITIL #technicalrootcauseanalysis #incident #responseprotocols #crisiscommunicationstrategies #multistakeholdercoordinationframeworks https://lnkd.in/g2xVfRyB Kiruthika Ramanathan | Rafael J. Barros | Thomas Lim

On January 1, 2023, Singapore began imposing Goods and Services Tax (GST) on low-value goods costing S$400 or below. Under the Overseas Vendor Registration (OVR) regime, GST-registered overseas suppliers of low-value goods to consumers in Singapore must charge and collect GST at the prevailing rate (9% as of 2024). The implementation of GST on low-value goods came at a time of significant shift in consumer purchasing behaviour from brick-and-mortar stores to e-commerce, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new measures aimed to ensure equitable taxation and maintain a level playing field, enabling local businesses to compete fairly with international e-commerce sellers and platforms. As early as 2017, the Government explored various approaches to impose GST on transactions conducted over the digital economy as outlined and discussed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Eventually, the vendor collection model, which is also used in Australia and New Zealand, was adopted because it was assessed to be the most effective and efficient taxation model for Singapore in terms of GST collection, compliance and administrative costs, and feasibility of implementation. Recognising that suppliers would need time to adapt, the policy change was officially announced in 2021, two years before it was implemented. A year into the implementation of GST on imported low-value goods, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) and Ministry of Finance, Singapore Customs looked back on the two years of dedicated effort they had invested into the entire process. They believed the seamless rollout, achieved without major issues and a high level of transparency, could be attributed to meticulous planning, early and regular communication, massive outreach efforts, and extensive consultation with businesses like UPS. Ultimately, it demonstrated Singapore’s commitment to aligning tax policies with the ever-evolving global business landscape. The case study on Singapore’s implementation of OVR is co-authored by Annie Koh, PhD, Sin-Mei Cheah (Dr) and Themin Suwardy. It is available at https://smu.sg/mqgk. #SMUCases

Tree-planting and preservation of nature reserves are ways of greening the urban environment, but wildlife can flourish therein and venture out into human-populated areas. Sayd Randle recounts Singapore’s experience of managing the coexistence of wild boars and otters with humankind, and how cities such as Houston and Hong Kong balance urban development with ecological sustainability. Find out more at https://lnkd.in/gwebUBVE #SMUAMI #heuristics #Singapore #healthcare #medicine #digital

Southeast Asia’s mega metropolises are set to invest heavily in urban transit systems to solve their gridlock woes. For instance, in Indonesia, the recently operational high-speed train between Jakarta and Bandung has sparked a glimmer of hope in easing the longstanding issue of massive traffic jams. Shoeb Kagda has the details at https://lnkd.in/gdWAWeDV Tags: https://lnkd.in/gccpHBHe. #SMUAMI #trafficcongestion #Indonesia #transportation #urban #trains #southeastasia

Learn how the Singaporean multi-dining concept chain JUMBO Group tried, failed, and finally succeeded in digitalising what has largely been a pen-and-paper business. The benefits–better cost control, responsive customer service, and accurate decision-making–are worth all the trouble. Thank you for your contribution, Xuesong Geng, Andrew Chin 秦铭汉, and Thomas Lim! #SMUAMI #digital #F&B #technology #decisionmaking #growth #customerservice #costcontrol https://lnkd.in/gbbQdZPS

In India, a ‘perfect storm’ comprising heavyweight telecom firms, digital technology innovation, payment systems evolution, and widespread smartphone adoption has changed the digital landscape. Understand how India got to where it is now in its digital evolution, as well as the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead as the economy shifts from cost minimisation to technology development. Thank you for your contribution, Rajendra Srivastava, Vijay Shankar Somasundaram, and Aman Rajeev Kulkarni! ISB Centre for Business Innovation #SMUAMI #leadership #digital #India #payment #technology #upi https://lnkd.in/gaEFMfMZ

Ayala Corp: Corporate Social Responsibility - Its Role in Philippines Taskforce T3 for battling Covid-19 This teaching case delves into how Ayala Corporation played a pivotal role in supporting the Philippines' national response to the COVID-19 pandemic, through its proactive involvement in Task Force T3—a public-private partnership focused on testing, tracing, and treatment. Ayala established multiple testing labs to expand testing capacity, collaborated with government entities and private organisations to coordinate a national strategy, and prioritised public health over profit. The company also demonstrated its commitment to social responsibility by securing job stability for employees, supporting partner workers, and waiving rents for small businesses during lockdowns. Ayala's actions showcased ethical leadership and underscored the potential of corporations to drive societal progress through transparency, collaboration, and a stakeholder-focused approach. #crisismanagement #SMUcases #projectmanagement https://lnkd.in/gAVhHTHn Lieven Demeester | Lipika Mukherjee Bhattacharya

Faced with high transportation costs, long lead times, and high write-off costs a pharmaceutical supply chain director explores centralised distribution through a regional distribution centre in Singapore. this strategic move could reduce costs while keeping existing service levels and streamline operations across key markets in Southeast Asia. An analysis shows that optimising the supply chain network can circumvent constraints on product shelf-life and minimum order quantity. More importantly, the shift to the regional distribution model unlocks the company’s growth potential by allowing product launches and by reinvesting cost savings into marketing. This case study is co-authored by Alan Zeller, PhD., Pascale Crama, and Sin-Mei Cheah (Dr) and is available at https://lnkd.in/gXw-JuFv. #SMUCases

Greening initiatives and the cutting of carbon emissions would help cities manage the ‘triple-H’ of Housing, Heat, and Health. Rising temperatures and increasingly unaffordable housing create physical and mental health issues, which necessitate socially and environmentally just policies to address the needs of the vulnerable and marginalised. Learn more in this article. Thank you, Loretta Lees (MAE, FAcSS, FRSA) for your contribution! Boston University Initiative on Cities #SMUAMI #urbanisation #housing #heat #health #mentalhealth #carbonemissions #vulnerable #marginalised #people #sustainability https://lnkd.in/gvyXkMt7

Electric cars help reduce greenhouse gas output from the road transport sector, which accounts for 75 percent of global transport emissions. How does promoting electric vehicles and micromobility, as well as tracking emissions from cars and incentivising driving behaviour, reduce emissions? Mark Stevenson, Ferdinand Balfoort, and Darius Balfoort  give a lowdown on this. Urban Analytica Pty Ltd #SMUAMI #sustainability #vehicles #electricvehicles #emissions #transport #ghg #EVs https://lnkd.in/gcqsb3UB