Chinese Entrepreneurs in Singapore: Paths to Success Due to economic hardship and the threat of Japanese invasion of China in the first half of the 20th century, many men left their homeland looking for success and opportunities abroad. One of the places where many of them emigrated was Singapore. This new and foreign place was fraught with obstacles; however, some of these Chinese men eventually achieved great success. The success of these Chinese entrepreneurs in Singapore was not only due to their personal determination, but also depended on their social ties and economic and political conditions. In the following essay, extensive reference will be made to the experiences of Ng Teow Yhee and Chew Choo Keng to illustrate the various combinations of complex factors that lead to their success. I will first begin with a discussion of the motivations and reasons why men chose to move away from their families in China. Secondly, the need for early social ties in Singapore and their early work experiences, which helped shape their perspectives and goals, will be discussed. Third, the effects of the Japanese invasion on the development and vitality of Chinese enterprises in Singapore will be examined. Fourth, the major trade developments made by the Chinese occupation, after the Japanese occupation, will be discussed. Finally, I will compare the management styles, strategies and beliefs of Ng Teow Yhee and ChewChoo Keng to illustrate how their personal characteristics contributed to their achievement of success. The early 20th century was a time when China was plagued by wars and economic uncertainties. As a result, migrants were forced to uproot themselves from their homeland to seek their fortunes abroad. Therefore, their motivation was basically economic, that is, to earn money to survive and donate it to poor families in China as support. In other words, “the motivation for emigration seemed to arise more from the push factors caused by China's poverty and lack of opportunity than from the pull factors then existing in Nanyang…”. (Chan & Chiang, 40) Two prime examples of men who sought their livelihood in Singapore due to the terrible conditions in their village were: Ng Teow Yhee and Chew ChooKeng. Ng was forced to leave his home in 1938, at the age of 15, due to the impending Japanese invasion. Du...... middle of paper ......general ties and economic and political conditions. This was illustrated chronologically using the experiences of Ng Teow Yhee and Chew ChooKeng: from the time they decided to leave China, to their first jobs in Singapore, to the years of Japanese occupation, to the post-occupation period. It can be seen that their childhood experiences and the life experiences gained along the way have helped them to succeed by providing them with a solid knowledge base on which to develop their businesses. While these were great examples of those who succeeded, it should be noted that there were many with the same determination who did not. Success depends on the combination of a number of complex factors. As such, success could not be guaranteed to all those who were innovative and risk-takers because they are not sufficient prerequisites for successful entrepreneurship. (Chan and Chiang, 35) Bibliography Chan Kwok Bun and Claire Chiang. Going out: Creating Chinese entrepreneurs. Singapore: Prentice Hall, 1994. Chew, Ernest and Edwin Lee. "Chapter 6: The Syonan Years, 1942-1945". A history of Singapore. Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1996.