Channel NewsAsia 18 Sep 13;
SINGAPORE: Singapore has topped a list of 90 nations for being the most prepared country to respond to changes, according to a KPMG study.
Sweden and Qatar were ranked second and third respectively.
KPMG's second edition of the Change Readiness Index (CRI) covered 90 countries and evaluated their capabilities to respond to changes such as natural disasters, global competition, economic shocks and demographic trends.
Singapore was ranked first in the areas of enterprise and government capability to respond to changes and came in fifth for the people and civil society component.
KPMG's head for government & infrastructure in the Asia Pacific Satyanarayan R said: "Countries are being exposed to a vast array of changes -- globalisation, automation and rising costs among others -- and these create both opportunities and risks. We cannot underestimate the importance of a nation's ability to respond to change as this capability is vital to a country's success in building a sustainable economy and equitable society."
Among other findings, the CRI revealed that a country's wealth does not always translate to change readiness. A number of lower-income countries have been ranked as having greater change readiness capability compared to some of their more developed counterparts.
For example, several lower-middle income countries, including Panama and the Philippines, outperformed some higher-income countries in the rankings, placing above Italy, Poland, Brazil and China.
- CNA/gn
