research methods presentation
TRANSCRIPT
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
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
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)
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
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)
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
Summary of results: variables
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.
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)
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
Summary of results: variables
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"
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)
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
Summary of results: variables
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
Summary of results: variables
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)*/
Takeaway & Implications• Majority are against a Foreign Population increase
• Significant Variables:
• Overcrowding• Job Competition• Safety