Blackbox Research

29/03/2024

Blackbox wishes you a reflective Good Friday and a peaceful Easter weekend

07/03/2024

It has been a couple of weeks since Blackbox issued its rapid-response reflections report on DPM Lawrence Wong's Budget announcement (find the report in the comments), and with the Committee of Supply (COS) debates nearing their end, it has been fascinating to see so many key themes of the immediate citizen reaction we captured continue to echo through the parliamentary debates.

In its contribution to the COS debate, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) elaborated on their initiatives to “strengthen, uplift, and care for Singaporeans”. Together with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), they commit to supporting workers in taking on better jobs, helping businesses become more competitive, and fostering more progressive and inclusive workplaces – all being core areas of focus to the respondents we spoke to in our study.

⬆️ 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗨𝗽𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: Citizens hailed the Budget's significant investment in SkillsFuture SG, reflecting a shared priority with MOM's launch of the Overseas Markets Immersion Programme (OMIP) and the enhanced Career Conversion Programmes (CCP). This strategic alignment underscores the critical importance of continuous learning and global exposure in securing Singapore's future economic competitiveness.

💰 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿-𝗪𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀: Our report highlighted citizen calls for more nuanced and targeted relief measures, and MOM's commitment to uplifting lower-wage workers through enhanced Progressive Wage Credit Schemes and Workfare Income Supplement Schemes certainly goes some way to addressing this. This synergy points towards a concerted effort in ensuring a more inclusive growth path, where benefits are felt across all societal spectrums.

🏠 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: In our reflections report, while the Budget's short-term relief measures were acknowledged, citizens expressed concerns over long-term solutions, especially regarding housing affordability. MOM appears to have recognised this, promising stronger support for workers and businesses that facing rising costs, emphasising the need for policies that not only address immediate pressures but also secure long-term economic resilience.

Budget season may be coming to an end, but Blackbox will continue to provide our perspectives at the intersection of public sentiment and public policy. As always, feel free to connect with us on [email protected] for a discussion on how we can leverage our range of services to help you make decisions that matter.

05/03/2024

: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻-𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
Providing a responsive, efficient, and empathetic service to meet citizens’ expectations has become a foremost priority for public sectors in recent years, not least due to the impact of digitalisation in reshaping the possibilities in service delivery.

This is why Blackbox and Qualtrics built measures of with government into the heart of . We asked Singaporeans about their experiences when interacting with government services, revealing insights such as:
1️⃣ How often do they access public sector services?
2️⃣ What services are most used? Least used?
3️⃣ Are they getting the help they need at the first time of asking?
4️⃣ Are they treated with respect during interactions?
5️⃣ How do they prefer to access government services: online, in-person, or by call/text?
6️⃣ And how do the expectations and perceptions of Singaporeans towards government service delivery change from Gen Zs through to retired seniors?

𝗦𝘄𝗶𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱! 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗦𝗚 𝗱𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://bit.ly/sensingsg

29/02/2024

Digital security has risen in importance for all companies, but in the world, holistic and robust is paramount. Safe to say, then, there’s a lot more to it than blocking websites, fixing printer jams, and restarting your computer! 🚫

To find out more, this time in our at Blackbox series, we’re following Hassan, our sensei of digital defence, as he undertakes:

⚠️ 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀: Protecting our digital kingdom from sneaky villains ️
🔍 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: Finding the perfect tech solutions to keep us all productive
🛡️ 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Equipping us with knowledge to ward off online threats
💻 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Decoding the language of computers and solving those pesky glitches

So, the next time you roll your eyes after being told “We’re working on it!” when you follow up on your IT ticket, spare a thought for our digital guardians – the unseen champions keeping threats at bay! 👨‍💻

27/02/2024

Last week, our rapid-response report on citizen reaction towards the revealed that the announcements were seen as among the most striking and surprising moves.

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰'𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗲. Check it out here: https://bit.ly/SkillsFuture-Budget2024

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁:
💰 What does the S$4,000 SkillsFuture credit top-up mean for mid-career professionals?
🎓 How will formal education subsidies help mid-career workers?
💼 What are the details on enhanced co-funding for employer-sponsored training?
🤝 Are soft skills finally getting their due in the SkillsFuture initiative?
🤔 What are the perspectives of different demographics on these recent announcements?

And if you missed our rapid-response Budget Reflections report, you can find it via the link in the comments.

Discover insights and perspectives on Budget 2024's formal education subsidies, soft skills integration, and the future of Singapore's workforce.

23/02/2024

We believe that the won’t be one of AI-dominance; it will be one of AI-Human bonhomie! Our latest article, "Beyond Automation", suggests concerns about widespread job displacement may be misplaced, pointing instead to a new paradigm where human-AI collaboration, not automation alone, drives innovation and progress.

📖 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://bit.ly/Beyond_Automation (7-min read)🌟

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁:
🔍 Is talk of the much-feared “robot takeover” really just a myth?
👩‍💼🤖 What are some of the hottest emerging AI-powered jobs set to enable humans and AI to thrive together?
🚀 And how did we at Blackbox put our money where our mouth is and leverage AI to bring out an in-depth, 65-page report on the within 96 hours of its announcement?

Artificial Intelligence has permeated our work lives but it won't replace us. The future is AI and humans working together in harmony. Find out why and how.

14/02/2024

This 💕 , we’re pondering if is leading to Artificial Romance. Last year, 7% of Southeast Asians told Blackbox that AI would lead to people having more virtual relationships than real ones, and a recent story in The Straits Times (link in comments) suggests they might be onto something!

Meet 25-year-old Chinese office worker, Tufei, who describes her “boyfriend” as everything she could desire in a partner: kind, empathetic, and engaging in lengthy conversations. “He knows how to talk to women better than a real man,” she says. “I feel like I’m in a romantic relationship.” The catch? He’s not real; he’s a chatbot on the Glow app, an AI platform by Shanghai’s MiniMax startup.

In a world where technology is bridging gaps like never before, these AI companionships raise intriguing questions about the future of human relationships. Will artificial intelligence redefine the very fabric of human connection? Will we be swiping right on robots now? 🤖 Only time will tell!

One thing is for sure, in a region with declining birth rates and ageing societies, many won’t welcome a trend where real-life Romeos find themselves competing with AI Casanovas. Generative AI may be able to make conversation seem perfectly synchronised, but for real love to flourish, we need the heart to skip a beat. ❤️

09/02/2024

🏮 We at Blackbox hope the Year of the Dragon breathes sparks of prosperity, good fortune, and exciting opportunities for all of you! 🧧 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗟𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 and enjoy a wonderful reunion dinner with your families!

08/02/2024

📢 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲: 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗲

Releasing insights reports on the trends shaping Asia is nothing new to us, but this report we produced with the help of UserCue is a genuinely unique one in how it embodies two things that are very important to us:
1️⃣ It provides expert insights on , a subject that is coming increasingly into sharp focus as the digital economy faces a seemingly endless torrent of threats, scams, and online harms; and
2️⃣ It demonstrates how AI solutions can be used to empower , enabling us to deliver richer insights and rapidly accelerate the speed-to-insight.

👉🏼 Read the report for free now! https://bit.ly/the-state-of-digital-trust-in-SG

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁
• 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁: This was a qualitative study into the state of Digital Trust in Singapore, conducted in Jan 2024
• 𝗪𝗵𝘆: Digital Trust – especially in Singapore – is an area Blackbox has studied closely in recent times, as safety and trust in the digital ecosystem come under unprecedented scrutiny. We wanted to hear from experts in the field on their current sentiments on Digital Trust in Singapore and their outlook and recommendations for the future.
• 𝗪𝗵𝗼: The 12 interviewees featured in the study are all experts in the Digital Trust ecosystem in Singapore. Each has at least 10 years’ experience in areas such as cybersecurity, IT infrastructure, law and regulation, digital policy, and e-commerce.
• 𝗛𝗼𝘄: We employed an integrated, AI-empowered research model where our Human Insights team were supported by UserCue’s specialised AI research platform, with the AI moderating the interviews directly, performing a deep cross-sectional analysis, and returning a final report to us – all within 24 hours of the final interview being completed. Except for a few hours of proofreading and design, that is the report you are about to read! We estimate 75 hours were saved vs traditional research methods.

We hope you enjoy the report. As always, we are always keen to receive feedback – let us know what you think!

07/02/2024

𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿: 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗯𝗼𝘅 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴!
We love the discourse and engagement we have on social media, but don’t forget all the content you see here is merely an appetiser to the main dish! Our Blackbox Perspectives blog is where the magic happens! ✨ - https://bit.ly/bb-perspective-site Check it out, bookmark it, and subscribe for reminders!

As keen observers of economies and societies in , we believe everyone deserves independent, thought-provoking insights and analysis into the region's game-changing trends. This is why our dedicated content team publishes prolifically, using self-commissioned data and insights to deliver original, contemporary perspectives.

In the past few months alone, we've tackled diverse issues ranging from artificial intelligence, mental health and the pursuit of happiness, careers and financial planning, digital addiction, media consumption habits, sustainability, and even a bit of philosophy (because, why not??) - all of which we’ve presented in engaging formats including videos, articles, long-form reports, infographics, and more!

As long-time leaders in , we never stop at the surface, and nor should you. Dive into the latest trends, analysis, and viewpoints, and join the conversation. Your engagement fuels our commitment to continue delivering quality, impactful content.

06/02/2024

𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻: 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱

🌡 The year 2023 was scorching hot, literally. With an average global temperature of 14.98°C (58.96°F), it officially became the hottest year on record since measurements began in the 19th century, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service and now confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

"Temperatures during 2023 likely exceed those of any period in at least the last 100,000 years," said Samantha Burgess, PhD, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

🌍 The consequences of a hotter planet are already being felt worldwide, from more frequent and intense heat waves to rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Closer to home in Singapore, we just sweated through its fourth-warmest year on record. Needless to say, urgent action is needed to slow down further global warming. Fortunately, in much data we have uncovered for our clients, as well as through our public platforms and , we see healthy (and rising) community engagement in the community towards sustainability issues. To pick out one, in a 2023 Blackbox poll, climate change was recognised as the second-biggest global threat by Singaporeans.

We are seeing more public sector clients come to us to design and undertake studies to leverage on this public sentiment and ultimately translate it into more impactful, sustainable policy. Such efforts – and much more – will be needed in the years if we are to stop the mercury rising.

01/02/2024

🎓 What an uplifting time we had at yesterday's CoHASS Career Fair at Nanyang Technological University Singapore! Blackbox Research was pleased to be invited to engage with the inquisitive minds of NTU students ready to embark on the first step of their careers. We were heartened by how many young women and men stopped by our booth and attended our presentation to enquire about the world of . We were more than happy to share the nuances of the industry, as well as how Blackbox has gone beyond data alone to become Asia's leading provider of . 🌟

🙏 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗡𝗧𝗨 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲! We appreciate the opportunity to share our story and connect with the amazing talent pool at NTU. Until next time!

We left the fair with hearts full of hope and excitement, inspired by the potential of the passionate young talents we met. At Blackbox, we believe in fostering a culture of learning and development, and yesterday's experience at NTU was a powerful reminder of the bright future that lies ahead, not just for us, but for the industry as a whole.💡

📢 Are you ready to embark on a rewarding career in decision intelligence? Blackbox is growing fast, and we have opportunities for everyone, from entry-level to senior positions. If you're driven, curious, and ready to help people , we want to hear from you! Get in touch to join our team.

[email protected]