Reflection

The most difficult part of the course is most definitely the writing of the proposal. The topic of our group's proposal is the low fertility rate in Singapore. While the issue attracts interest, it is not an easy topic to tackle. This is quite evident from the fact that years of research have been put into it by various organizations and institutions comprise of top-notch researchers and policy makers, yet there's no forth-coming solution.

The experience of writing the proposal and preparing the presentation, however, has allowed me to pick up a new skill. Hari and I conducted our first interview with Research Fellow Dr. Yap Mui Teng. The interiew was important as it provides us with valuable insights to the problem. Our final proposal is largely based on the suggestion of Dr. Yap and further research on the specific issues Dr. Yap brought up during the interview. Conducting the interview also allowed me to learn how to formulate questions and communicate with the interviewee to obtain information I required. I believe that the experience will be helpful for me if I'm ever required  to interview someone in the future.

The group work also enhanced my ability to work in a group. My major course of study does not require much work in a team. The major difficulty we faced as a group was conducting group meetings. As we have different schedules and commitments, it was difficult to find a suitable time for our frequent meetings. This was overcome by conducting our meetings online at Google Hangout which help tremendously in moving the project forward as we can work together eventhough we are not able to meet physically.

Blog #4 Evaluating Intercultural Behaviour

In this blog post I would like to talk about the slightly unusual topic of 'The Hand'. Recently I have come across a Malaysian short film on youtube showcasing some of the things found 'Only in Malaysia'.

I'm not sure what a foreigner will feel about Malaysians after watching the video but this is the kind of video that a Malaysian will watch with a nod and a knowing smile.

One thing that stood out for me in particular about this video was the segment on the all-powerful 'Hand'. In Malaysia, raising one's hand while showing the palm in a sort of waving manner could mean a lot of things. When done towards a neighbour you meet on your way out to work, it could mean 'Good Morning'. It could also mean 'Thank You' when you gesture it towards someone that just sold you the morning paper or done you a small favour. The same gesture can also be interpreted as 'Good Bye' or 'Excuse Me'. And it is used very often by pedastrians and motorists as a way of saying 'Please give way'.

As a Malaysian, 'The Hand' is a habit and something so common that I don't give it a second thought. After I came to Singapor, however, I find that it is not an universal sign shared by everyone. This is particularly apparent when crossing the roads. In Malaysia, you hold out your hand towards the motorists in a way of saying 'Please let me cross' because, unlike in Singapore, the zebra crossing is not a law everyone follows. If someone do indeed stop to let you cross, you hold up your hand again as a gesture of gratitude.

So, it seemed rude and strange to me initially, in Singapore, that people do not appear to show their appreciation or acknowledgement for the drivers that stop for the crossing pedastrians. But perhaps there's more to the situation than just the hand gesture. In Singapore, it appears that it is the duty of the driver to stop at the zebra crossing whereas in Malaysia, it is out of courtesy for a driver to do the same. Thus, it occurs to me that 'The Hand' is also a product of certain values that Malaysians hold. (I wouldn't go as far as to say that people in Singapore don't appreciate drivers stopping for them at the lights or zebra crossings but I do think there is some fundamental differences in the mind set of Malaysians and Singporeans when it comes to the issue.)

I think it interesting that such a simple hand gesture has come to mean so many things. I believe that the hand gesture may have evolve from the multi-cultural society in Malaysia. While both Singapore and Malaysia pride themselves as being multi-racial and multi-cultural societies, Singapore has a higher degree of homogeneity compare to Malaysia in terms of language. So, perhaps the hand gesture came about as a way of communicating with people who speak different language and has became universal because of its convenience and effectiveness.

Blog #3 Application Letter

Kuok Foundation House, Room 524

21 Kent Ridge Crescent

Singapore 119280

16 September 2012

Human Resource Department

ISK Singapore Pte. Ltd.

39, Tuas West Drive

Singapore 638406

 
Dear Sir/Madam:

I am writing to apply for the position of Lab Technician as advertised in JobStreet.com. I have great interest in the job advertised and I believe that my qualifications and strengths would fit the criteria you are looking for.

I am a Chemistry undergraduate from the National University of Singapore in my final year with particular interest in analytical testing. Through my study and work experience, I am familiar with many standard lab testing instruments such as UV and IR spectrometer, AAS and GC. While I had not work intimately with testing in polymeric materials, I am a fast-learner and could work well with most computerized instruments. I can tolerate long and tedious work hours in the lab though I also enjoy stimulating and challenging tasks.

From my various cross-cultural experiences, I have gained respect and understanding of the work ethics and habits of people from different cultural background. I was involved with the Japanese dance club in NUS during my years in university and had served as its Vice President and subsequently President. My involvement with the club allowed me opportunity to interact and work with staff and members of organizations such as the Japanese Association of Singapore. I also had the privilege of participating in the student exchange program and had spent a semester of study in Hong Kong, a fast-paced cosmopolitan with culture as diverse as Singapore.

My contact details are indicated below. Please do contact me if you would like to talk with me or schedule an interview.

Sincerely,

Chin Wei Ling

Ph: +65 84351724

Email: chin_weiling@live.com

Blog #2 Resolving Interpersonal Conflict

The scenario:

Victor and Sarah were employees of the same company working in different departments. One day, Victor posted on his Facebook complaining about Sarah's department. Victor claimed that the department was slow and inefficient. Victor was unhappy with Sarah's department because they provided him with some misinformation which got him into trouble with a client.

Sarah saw Victor's Facebook post. Upset by the post, Sarah told her colleagues of his complaint. Since then, employees from Sarah's department were cold towards Victor and were often relunctant to work with him.



In this hypothetical scenario, the main source of conflict comes from Victor's complaint on Facebook. It is unprofessional to bad mouth your colleagues, superiors or clients especially in an online platform such as Facebook where people can easily access the information.

While Sarah is upset by the post, she should not have divulge the information to her other colleagues without first investigating the cause of the problem. She could've ask Victor for his reasons and resolve the matter.

The discontentment between employees of the two departments could cause problems in the efficient functioning of the company. If you are the manager or an employee of one of the departments, what would you do to resolve this conflict?

Blog #1: Effective Communication Skills

Communication is an essential skill that every living human being needs to learn. Our lessons in communication had probably started since we were born. As babies, we cry and laugh to get our parents’ attention. As toddlers, we learn to speak and to tell people what we want. As school children we learn to write and convey our thoughts on paper.

The prime objective of schooling is education but perhaps what is also important is the opportunity for people to improve their communication skills. The first day at school was awkward for most people maybe because we were in a room full of people that we don’t know how to communicate to. As we move from the school setting to work, communication gets more complicated. There are more layers of relationships to deal with and each requires a different approach. In school there are teachers and friends while in workplace there are superiors, colleagues, clients, subordinates and many others. A poorly worded email or careless attitude could have disastrous results.

I think that the intention of this course is to highlight the key aspects in capturing the attention of our audience and delivering our message to them to achieve an intended result, in short, effective communication. As a university student, I had many experiences where communication has great implications on the situation, such as group assignments, extra-curricular activities and quite often in dealing with the administrative departments of the university. I believe that cultivating effective communication will help me not just in my future career but is also useful to me now.