Singapore
Singapore
Jeremy Rifkin, economist and author of The New York Times bestseller ‘The Third Industrial Revolution’, has introduced a new economic paradigm by bringing to fore the relationship between changes in the environment, technology and the economies of the world. An adviser to the European Union, Mr. Rifkin believes in the need to ‘act as a single human family’. In our massively changing world, businesses, from established corporations to SMEs, are faced with common challenges never before experienced.
Canon Think Big examines the different global changes and their implications on business today.
In a 2013 report on Development and Globalisation, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Debit (UNCTAD) has highlighted how the global crisis brought a shifting balance in the world economy. Developing countries have caught up with more established economies like the US and those in Europe. Export-oriented economies have managed to survive by serving domestic needs. China in particular, has experienced a rebalancing of growth towards domestic demand.
The Singapore Business Federation through the Small and Medium Enterprises Committee (SMEC) has cited that “as an export-led economy with a small domestic market, Singapore has seen 2.8 per cent decline in total trade and 5.9 per cent contraction in GDP in Q3 2012.” However, domestic industries have successfully sustained the country in recent times. Amidst the gloomy global forecast, opportunities in Singapore are still rife and will continue to generate jobs in industries such as construction, hospitality and F&B.
The beauty of change lies in its capacity to bring about movement and progress. While forecasts have created negative effects on business, these also encouraged innovation among forward-thinking entrepreneurs. Technology has given SMEs the chance to compete.
“In the new era, everyone can potentially be their own manufacturer as well as their own Internet site and power company,” Mr. Rifkin said, pertaining to the possibilities associated with 3D printing technology. He adds “using computer aided design, software directs the 3D printer to build successive layers of the product using powder, molten plastic, or metals to create the material scaffolding.”
In this year’s Canon Business Technology Show, technologies that deliver more productive ways to work were introduced. These innovations were developed to enable businesses to decrease carbon footprint, streamline workflow, create more jobs and thrive.
Canon leads the cloud arena via the new generation imageRUNNER-ADVANCE series of machines, with its ability to scan to commonly used commercial cloud destinations such as Evernote, GoogleDocs, Salesforce.com and a variety of email platforms. The hardcopy documents that office users scan can also be converted into Searchable PDF and MS Office formats for quick and easy keyword search to serve users on a tight schedule. At the same time, the document conversion service supports more than 120 languages, including simplified & traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Global warming, higher levels of population, and the need for renewable sources of energy also affect businesses all around the world. The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) through the GEO–5 for Business Report, has outlined various global environmental trends that create both risks and opportunities for business. From construction, food, cosmetics, transportation and automation, consumers are now realising the value of green products.
Singapore Green Label CertificationCanon has been ranked consistently among the top 50 Global Green Brands based on an analysis by Interbrand. Globally, it has taken the initiative to assist in the proper disposal and recycling of its products. The Canon Recycling Programme promotes recycling of Canon ink and toner cartridges. It also encourages customers to contribute to building a more sustainable environment by passing on their used cartridges for proper recycling.
The Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE multi-function device has also been recognised for being green. Every stage of the imageRUNNER ADVANCE product life cycle including manufacturing components with reduced energy use and CO2 output, and even logistics are scrutinised and optimised to help conserve the environment. It has consistently been given the Singapore Green Label Certification since 2004.
Change is inevitable and it can happen faster than we expect it. To survive, the entrepreneur of today must embrace movement; shifting economies, climate change, volatile currencies and all, and make a commitment to find the hidden opportunities that come with them. Think ahead. Think about the greater good. Think big and move with the times.