Research methods presentation

Attitudes towards Foreign Talent Foreign Labour

Motivation • Social Media

• Lack of Distinction between Foreign Professionals and Foreign Labour

• Political and Social Consequences

literature review: hypotheses1. Singaporeans have a negative attitude towards foreign

professionals and foreign labour 1. Discovered from existing literature

2. Singaporeans have a larger negative attitude towards foreign labour than foreign professionals1. Lack of research conducted on comparison of

attitudes

literature review: key terms

non-Singaporean individuals who establish residence, either

temporarily or permanently, in Singapore (Alvarez-Galvez, 2014)

immigrant

foreign professionals foreign labour

key terms

High-Skilled: • “higher status in society, receive

competitive salaries, housing allowances, and allowances for their childrens’ education” (Mathi & Mohamed, 2011)

Lesser-Skilled: • “lower status, enjoy fewer

privileges, but have good contracts” (Mathi & Mohamed, 2011)

foreign professionals foreign labour • “Work permit holder who

is unemployed on short-term contracts and whose privileges are limited” (Mathi & Mohamed, 2011)

Methodology: survey qns • Modelled after “Attitudes towards Immigrants and Immigrant Experiences:

Predictive models based on regional characteristics” (New Zealand) & ‘Singaporeans’ views of foreigners and their contributions” Straits Times survey May 2012

• Measure attitudes towards foreign professionals and foreign labour

• Measure variables that might show difference in attitudes between foreign professionals and foreign labour

• Paired sample t-test —> Significance • Bar Graphs (% difference in response) —> Direction

• 5 Point Likert Scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree)

Methodology: survey qns • Pilot survey of 40 people • Online survey on social media platforms and individuals

surveyed 1"Below"15"years"

old"0%"

2"15"1"19"years"old"10%"

3"20"1"24"years"old"61%"

4"25"1"29"years"old"5%"

5"30"1"34"years"old"

2%"

6"35"1"39"years"old"2%"

7"40"1"44"years"old"4%"

8"45"1"49"years"old"2%"

9"50"1"54"years"old"3%" 10"Above"55"years"

old"11%"

Chinese'58%'

Indian'23%'

Others'10%'

Malay'9%'

Ethnicity Age

Variables that might show difference in attitudes between foreign professionals and foreign labour

Language (Speaking with a foreign accent)

Overcrowding

Job competition

Living conditions (Safety)Frequency of interaction

Results

Summary of results: attitudes

Percentage (%) Foreigners Foreign Professionals Foreign Labour

Reduce 45.73 37.80 37.20

Remain the same 41.46 40.24 39.02

Increase 12.80 21.95 23.78

Q: For each of the following groups, please tell us whether the number of people coming into Singapore should be increased, reduced or remain the same?

Summary of results: variables

Mean Std Dev Std Error Mean

95% CI of the Diff (Lower)

95% CI of the Diff (Upper)

t df Sig. (2-tailed)

v52 Feeling when foreign professional

speaks to you in a foreign accent + v53

Feeling when foreign labour speaks to you in a foreign

accent

0.012 0.716 0.056 -0.099 0.124 0.220 160 0.826

Paired Samples Test

• (p < 0.05, significant) 1) Variable: Foreign Accent• Not Significant






v53 Frequency of interaction with foreign

professionals + v54 Frequency of interaction with foreign

labour

0.205 2.383 0.188 -0.166 0.576 1.092 160 0.277

2) Variable: Frequency of Interaction • Not Significant

Paired Samples Test






v46 Foreign professionals

cause overcrowding

on public transport + v51 Foreign labour

cause overcrowding

on public transport

-0.360 1.186 0.093 -0.545 -0.176 -3.854 160 0.000

Paired Samples Test

3) Variable: Overcrowding• Significant


0" 5" 10" 15" 20" 25" 30" 35"

Strongly"agree"

Agree"

Neutral"

Disagree"

Strongly"disagree"

Foreign"labour"

Foreign"professional"

They cause overcrowding on public transport.






v43 Foreign professionals contribute to Singapore by filling up jobs Singaporeans shy away from + v48 Foreign

labour contribute to Singapore by filling up jobs Singaporeans shy away from

-2.000 1.757 0.138 -2.273 -1.727 -14.442 160 0.000

Paired Samples Test

4)Variable: Job Competition• Significant


They fill up jobs Singaporeans shy away from. i.e. job competition does not exist

0" 10" 20" 30" 40" 50" 60"

Strongly"agree"

Agree"

Neutral"

Disagree"

Strongly"disagree"

Foreign"labour"

Foreign"professional"






v42 Foreign professionals

make Singapore less

safe + v47 Foreign labour

make Singapore less

safe

-0.807 1.227 0.097 -0.998 -0.616 -8.347 160 0.000

Paired Samples Test

5) Variable: Living Conditions (Safety)• Significant


They make Singapore less safe.

0" 10" 20" 30" 40"

Strongly"agree"

Agree"

Neutral"

Disagree"

Strongly"disagree"

Foreign"labour"

Foreign"professionals"

6)Variable: Comfort Level • Significant

0"

10"

20"

30"

40"

50"

60"

70"

80"

90"

Chinese2born2in2Singap

ore"

Malay2born2in2Singap

ore"

Indian2born2in2Singap

ore"

Another2race2born2in2Singap

ore"

Chinese2born2in2China"

Malay2born2in2M

alaysia/Indonesia"

Indian2born2in2India"

Another2race2not2born2in2Singap

ore"

1" 2" 3" 4" 5" 6" 7" 8"

Very2Uncomfortable"

Uncomfortable"

Comfortable"

Very2Comfortable"

Summary of results • Attitudes towards foreign professionals and foreign

labour are the same (both negative) • About 60% of Singaporeans are against an increase in

foreigners


Variable/)A+itudes)toward2 Significant)Difference2

Foreign)Professionals2

Foreign)Labour2

Foreign(Accent, No, Neutral, Neutral,Frequency(of(Interaction, No, Neutral, Neutral(,Overcrowding(, Yes, Agree, Strongly(

Agree,Performing(unpopular(jobs, Yes, Strongly(Disagree, Strongly(

Agree,Living(condition((safety)(, Yes, Strongly(Disagree, Agree(,

Summary of results • Singaporeans are generally comfortable with having

colleagues, employees, next-door neighbours and close friends who are Singaporean but are uncomfortable with non-Singaporeans (from China, India, Malaysia/Indonesia, other countries)

HypothesesHypotheses) Result-) Accept/Reject)Hypothesis*I:*-Singaporeans*have*negative*a4itudes*towards*foreigners--

Singaporeans*do*not*want*more*foreigners*in*Singapore.-

Hypothesis*II:*-Singaporeans*have*more*negative*a4itudes*towards*foreign*labour*than*foreign*professionals*-

We*have*strong*evidence*to*prove*the*literature,*but*we*cannot*prove*that*our*hypothesis*is*correct.-

Possible Explanations• Stereotypes of foreign labour threatening our safety are

further amplified by mass media, e.g. Little India riots • Overcrowding in public transport - infrastructure not

improving to accommodate influx of foreigners

Removal of variables

Variables)Removed)/ Reason)/Integration*of*foreigners*into*Singapore*/

Not*a*binary*variable*or*continuous*variable*//

Ethnicity*/ Unrepresentative*sample*size*(too*many*Chinese,*too*few*Malays)*/

limitations• Small sample size

• Unrepresentative Sample

• Social Desirability Bias

Takeaway & Implications• Majority are against a Foreign Population increase

• Significant Variables:

• Overcrowding• Job Competition• Safety

Discussion Question

How can the data presented benefit policy-

makers?

Thank You!

Q & A

Research methods presentation

Government & Nonprofit

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