2/03/2014

Low cost engineering the way to go


We need more top academics to endorse the virtues of low cost engineering to restructure our universities and economic strategies for growth. Recently there was a professor from NTU making very positive views on the superiority of India in low cost engineering. And reading between the lines, NTU may be considering introducing low cost engineering courses to produce engineers that are experts in this area.

With Singapore unable or finding it challenging to compete in anything of substance and quality, low cost engineering may be the way to go. We could tap into India’s low cost labour and production methods in low cost engineering to produce goods that can be marketed with a price advantage. The Tata Nano is an excellent car for our market given the smallness in size. There is really no need for super cars with super price tags as they would run out of roads by the time they squeezed into third gear. A cheap Nano is exactly what we need for a small city and buzzing from the HDB flats to the market or neighbourhood shops.

A Nano cost only US$8K. With the high COE prices, a Nano could still be priced below $90K. Quality should not be an issue. The reports by BBC that ‘Five of India's most popular small cars have failed crash tests conducted by a UK-based car safety watchdog’ should be no cost for alarm. The cars tested included models made in India by Ford, Volkswagen and Hyundai. For the price you can’t be expecting German quality right?
 

The cars could only be made cheaply by some cost cutting like stripping some safety features. There is a price for everything, A good quality car cannot be cheap. One cannot be dreaming of all the safety features and quality parts when one is buying low cost cars manufactured using low cost engineering and labour. There is a market for such low cost products. Not everyone can afford a few hundred thousands for an European or Japanese or even Korean made cars.
 

It is all about practicality and being realistic in the consumers’ expectation. Low cost engineering, low cost labour and low cost products can find its low niche even in an expensive first world city. We only need to have quality products and services in politics and govts. The rest of the industries can offer a range, from the best to the lowest cost products.
 

The only consideration is whether Singaporeans could cope with the income if they are trained in low cost engineering, producing low cost products and drawing low cost salary. For the super talents, there are many, some are thumping their chests to open up the economy to foreigners as they feel confident enough to take on the best in the world, they can continue to compete in the higher end jobs. Many would not even mind competing with fakes as they know that they are really good and fakes or foreign talents are no match for them. They will survive under all circumstances even outperforming cheats and fakes.
 

For the normal average Sinkies, they should lower their expectations and embrace low cost engineering as a new opportunity. With CECA they can become expats in India and compete with the brilliant Indian low cost engineers for jobs there. India is a continent and there should be no problem finding a job there.
 

We have been encouraging our people to downgrade, from housing, jobs and homes. So it is normal to downgrade our pursuit of knowledge from high tech to low cost engineering, from producing high quality goods and services to low quality engineering stuff. Never mind if we move from 1st World to 3rd World. We are nearly there. A low cost manufacturing hub.

Kopi level - Yellow

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nano for a nanny state - how apt.

Anonymous said...

The engineers in LTA should learn to draw with a ruler before attempting another major road improvement like the MCE

Anonymous said...

RB, I agreed with you 100%. We should get only the best in sinkie land and we should open all jobs for foreign competition including the political posts. We paid a good salary for top political and civil service and we should attract the best world wide. With a global population of 6.6 billion, I am sure we can get better on what we have, Tio Bo? But to be fair these political jobs must also come under the fair consideration framework too to set the level playing field for existing appointees.

Anonymous said...

Why not vote Opposition.
Let's reduce the cost of government.
And give our fellow Singaporeans a chance to show us they can do a better job than PAP.

Anonymous said...

Singapore should apply to join the 3rd World.

Anonymous said...

Not 100% market for low cost engineering and low quality products lah.

40% will be just nice.

60% will have high wages, high cost engineering, high quality and safety products.

Never forget this unique workable Sinkie 60:40 formula. It works whatever the circumstances.



Anonymous said...

Poor, daft, jobless and unhappy Sinkies and fake foreign talents should be kept at 40% or below.



Anonymous said...

At the very least you pay for value. You pay less and you get less. This is a fair deal.

A shitty deal is when you paid dearly for quality but got shitty stuff. That is cheating.

Anonymous said...

How about a low cost cabinet? Like India's? Or any other country? Some low cost Governments can still work wonders, without the hype?

After all, high cost governing also not doing very well in many areas.

Anonymous said...

the nano failed safety test.

http://www.livemint.com/Industry/NdW7mtpXK0vhBEk9s756qJ/Global-watchdog-says-Tata-Nano-other-Indian-small-cars-fail.html

b said...

our right to own land, own a private vehical, own a job have been taken away from us step by step the last 50years under this party. i think our citizenship right is the next to be taken away.