Is the future of human capital in Asia?

Human Capital is a Western concept, right? Adam Smith, A.W Lewis,
Arthur Cecil Pigou, Jacob Mincer, Gary Becker, from concept to theory
into practice. Yet it seems human capital is finding its true (most
real, even radical) future in Asia.

Take today. Lots of HR 2.0 stuff. Lots of stuff on engagement. Again.
And then this breaking news (more breaking and more news than the hung
parliament):

New Human Resource Capital Leadership Institute to
drive goal of global talent hub
. Singapore is seizing the
opportunity to position itself as a Home for Talent to drive business
and innovation through the launch of Human Capital Leadership Institute
(HCLI).’

This educational initiative involves attracting some of the top
business schools (including London Business School) as well as
multi-nationals (HR consultancies) from all over the world to come to
Singapore and be housed at the knowledge hub bungalows at Nepal Hill.
The aim is to combine academia and business, conduct ground-breaking
human capital research and to develop educational programmes that arm
Singapore’s  execs with the latest leadership and HR skills.

Arm?

‘The economy is recovering but the war is not over. The battle now is
for the best talent to grow the business pie,’ said Singapore’s
Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong, who, along with a governing body chaired
by entrepreneur and Harvard educated Sunny Verghese is backing the
project.

So let’s recap.

The new Singapore Human Capital Leadership Institute (HCLI) is
government backed. It doesn’t just bridge local academia and business,
it brings academia and business from all over the world into a central
purpose built hub. A hub that will conduct research and develop
educational programmes that will help position Singapore as a leader in
the human capital space.

What’s in it for the Western business schools and businesses?

‘Over the next few years, the initiatives by HCLI will generate
greater buzz and create more opportunities for all stakeholders in the
human capital ecosystem in Singapore and Asia.’

When are we going?

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