Singapore is one of the Asian countries, which according to Sun (2012) has witnessed tremendous growth. It is one of the countries that with a rising middle-class and low rates of unemployment. The economic success of Singapore has even made the government to issue bonuses to its citizens because of the surplus revenue. Nevertheless, Singapore grapples with a significant social problem; low fertility rates. This research proposal attempts to highlight some of the dominant factors that have caused Singapore to have such low fertility rates in spite of the country experiencing significant economic success. Secondly, the proposal analyzes current literature to provide a background of the problem. Thirdly, the data collection methods that will be used in the actual research will be described. Next, the proposal analyzes the type of research design the study will use as well as the various methods of data analysis. Lastly, the proposal will highlight the ethical issues that might emerge during the study as well as the limitations of the existing studies.
Literature Review
Westley, Choe & Retherford (2010) posit that much of the problems that Singapore experiences presently and the country’s readily acceptance and integration of foreigners into the country can be linked to the city-state’s severely low fertility rates. The country has flexible immigration policies because it seeks to augment the severe labor shortage, which the country experiences. Labor shortage is not the only challenge that Singapore experiences but it is also faced with increased elderly dependency ratios as well as the feminization of the elderly population (Westley, Choe & Retherford, 2010). The increase in the elderly population has led to heavy investments in health and social services.
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To delve into specifics, Straughan (2013), states that Singapore has been having a below-replacement total fertility rate from the mid-1970s to today. Initially, Singapore’s fertility rate was six children per women particularly in 1957 but it dropped significantly to a replacement level of 2.15 by 1975. Asher and Nandy (2009), assert that some of the factors that contribute to the low fertility rates include the use of family planning methods and higher ages of marriage and childbearing.
Focusing on Straughan’s (2013) study, the author says that the short 47-year post independence history of Singapore resulted in the transformation of both economic and social indicators. The fast rate of industrialization and urbanization transformed Singapore from a third-world country to first world. Straughan further points out that Singapore’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose from $5 billion to $55 billion within a stretch of approximately thirty years (1960 to 1990). Within the same time, the indigenous per capita GDP grew from S$3,455 to S$13,150 (Straughan, 2013). According to Straughan, Singapore attained a GDP of US$182, 233 million by 2009. Seeing the potential that the country had, the governed embarked on intensive industrialization programs aimed at manufacturing good for export. Since the country had limited natural resources and geographical space, it relied predominantly on human labor to facilitate the economic shift.
Straughan points out that the strategy which the government adopted in an attempt to change the economic structure of the country had undesirable implications on the Singapore family. The fast rate of industrialization increased demand for skilled labor. The demand resulted into formal training as well as paid work for both men and women. According to Straughan, the employment of women changed their perceptions towards life. For the first time, women no longer thought about marriage and parenthood as being the most important goals in their life. On the contrary, the women also began pursuing formal education to attain skills so that they could enter the workforce and gain economic independence. Straughan provides interesting statistics concerning the average ages which people in Singapore used to get married. From the statistics the average age at which men used to marry was 26.9 but the average shoots up to 30 in 2010. On the other hand, the median age for women was 23.1 in 1970, which rose to 27.7 in 2010.
Jones (2007) study dubbed “Fertility Decline in Asia: The Role of Marriage Change” attempts to investigate the number of women who remain single in Singapore in relation particularly to countries in Europe. Jones claims that when different experts talk about fertility issues in Asia, they tend to ignore the factor of marriage and instead talk about fertility in marriage. The intention of Jones is to correct the supposed misguided perception of the experts because marriage is a crucial factor in the discussion about fertility. To speculate using Jones’ perspective, perhaps the experts think that everybody ultimately gets married and that the reason why there are low fertility rates in Singapore is as a result of problems occurring within the marriages. Jones disputes this notion and cites that discussions concerning fertility rates in Europe in the early twentieth century considered marriage as a prominent factor that had implications on fertility.
The use of the term ‘single women’ in Jones’ study means women who remain unmarried by the end of their reproductive and do not have any children. It is important to note this aspect because some women may remain single but have children out of wed-lock. Jones points out in his study that over 15 percent of women remain unmarried by the end of their reproductive period in Singapore. According to the author, a majority of the women who remain unmarried are those that have attained post-secondary education. That means that education among women contributes significantly to the low rates of fertility in Singapore. Although young people are also delaying marriage in Europe, the number of individuals that have attained marriage age and are single is not as high as that of those in Asian countries, Singapore in particular. Jones also presents a very interesting aspect of relationships among young people in Singapore; cohabitation. It is a relationship where young people decide to stay together but do not commit themselves. The author says that cohabitation has become prevalent in Singapore although such relationships do not necessarily result into the bearing of children. In fact, women who are in such relationships take a lot of caution by using contraceptives to avoid getting pregnant.
Gubhaju and Moriki-Durand (2003) study gives a background in regard to the fertility rates in Singapore, the factors that have caused the decline in the fertility rates, the consequences, as well as the steps that the government has put in place to rectify the situation. The authors point out that in the onset of the 20th century, there was an explosion in the population of countries all over the world. Experts had predicted that the total population of people on earth would be 16 billion by 2025. The projections made several governments to visualize challenges of controlling such a large population in the future. Therefore, leaders, those of Singapore included, devised strategies of controlling the population. People were advised to embrace different family planning methods, so that they raise families which they can manage easily. As already mentioned, women in Singapore on average bore six children but the number reduced to almost two but presently, a significant number of them chose to be independent. The consequences of the low fertility rate are the same as those mentioned in Westley, Choe & Retherford (2010) study. Additionally, a majority of the factors that are attributed to the low fertility rates are the same as those discussed in Straughan’s (2013) study.Gubhaju and Moriki-Durand (2003) say that the government is trying to come up with numerous efforts aimed at raising the fertility rate in Singapore. One of the ways is that the government has created awareness, where people have been told about the implications of the low fertility. Secondly, the government is giving young people incentives to woe them such as grants, cash bonuses and childcare subsidies.
Strengths of the Studies
To begin with Straughan’s study (2013), which seemingly is the strongest, its strength lies in the consistency in the presentation of the subject. Straughan presents vital background data and defines how the statistics relate to low fertility rates in Singapore. For instance, he points out that Singapore has witnessed growth in its GDP as a result of industrialization and urbanization. However, the economic transformation strategy has caused a social problem. By reviewing Straughan’s work, one can see the connection between the country’s GDP, its economic strategy, and the low fertility rates in the country. The strength of Jones’ study is that it tries to focus on a specific gender as well as a specific factor; marriage. The study does not only criticize different stakeholders for omitting the issue of marriage in the fertility debate, but also presents statistics to back up the assertions. This study is an important conclusive investigation of one of the factors that most likely contributed to low fertility rates in Singapore. Although the Gubhaju and Moriki-Durand (2003) study is general in nature, it provides a crucial background of the problem. Through the background, individuals can understand the genesis of the low fertility rates in Singapore. The study, although descriptive in nature, gives some of the factors that lead to the low fertility.
Weaknesses of the Studies
Perhaps the most evident weakness of the studies is that all of them seem to be qualitative. That means that the authors obtain their findings from a collection of equally qualitative studies. It would have been better if some of the studies were quantitative. That would mean that researchers carry out actual investigations to seek the responses of samples under study. The problem with the qualitative studies is that people may become skeptical to use them because of the perception that the studies contain the opinions of the authors. The main reason why the studies may be unreliable is that they do not show how they collected the data as well as how the data was analyzed. In such a manner, the person reviewing the study finds it easy to follow the information and justify the findings.
Research question; what are the specific and individual factors that lead to low fertility rate in Singapore?
Research Design and Data Collection Methods
The actual study will involve an experimental design (Lundberg, 2003). It is because the study aims to find the factors that lead to low fertility rates among Singaporeans. The main aspect that the study will investigate are the reasons why people, especially young people do not get married or get married at later years. It is because the low fertility rates have been attributed to late or no marriage among young people in Singapore. The study will involve both primary and secondary sources to collect data (Olsen, 2011). To begin with the secondary sources, the research will entail collection of information from both published and unpublished sources. Published sources will include textbooks, journals, and research articles. Some of the unpublished sources will include internet sources. Nevertheless, the internet sources will need to be credible. Some of the credible internet sources will include various established organization’s websites such as that of the World Health Organization (WHO), and government websites.
Before the beginning of the study, it will be prudent to obtain background information on the topic. Therefore, going to the library will be necessary. Since many studies concerning the subject may be available, it will be essential for the various sources to be skimmed through to establish the most suitable studies. Such a strategy will also save time. It is prudent for the actual study to focus on getting views from the respondents rather than taking a lot of time establishing the background of the problem. Additionally, the studies that will be used in the actual research will need to be current (2013-2018). It is because the subject at hand needs to be discussed using latest information that gives an overview of how the situation looks today. It will not be prudent to discuss a current problem using information from old sources. For the background of the problem it is fairly admissible to use one or two old sources to see how the situation looked like in the past.
Concerning primary sources, the actual study will go into the field (investigation of the relevant population) to find out how the real situations looks like. The prominent methods that will be used to collect information will be the use of questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires will be issued for marking both in the presence and absence of the researcher. The questionnaires which will be marked in the absence of the researcher are those that will be issued through the internet. The objective of the issuance of the questionnaires through the internet is to ensure that as many people as possible respond to the subject as well as reduce the costs of travelling. On the contrary, the questionnaires that will be issued in the presence of the researcher will target the sample populations that are not far away.
In regard to conducting of interviews, this method of data collection will apply to both people who are close as well as those who are far away. Interviewing of people who are far away will be made possible through the use of various technological tools and techniques such as video and teleconferencing. Since the questionnaires will also be administered to people who are not close to the researcher, it is prudent that interviews also follow the same approach to eliminate any bias in the study. However, it is important to mention that the use of interviews has more advantages than questionnaires. The disadvantage of the questionnaires is that they limit the respondents to the choices provided by the researcher. On the contrary, interviewees give their personal opinions in regard to the subject at hand.
Lastly, it is essential to mention the type and composition of the sample that the study will incorporate. Most of the people that the study will target are those that are aged between 30 and 40. The assumption is that people that fall between such an age range have attained the age of marriage. The suitable place to find people with such ages will be different places of work. That means that the study will involve people working in different settings. It is also important to mention that the study will involve both men and women who have attained the marriage age. The study will seek to find whether the respondents are married and if they are not, they will be expected to provide reasons why they are not married and whether they have plans to get married.
Research Analysis
The first form of analysis that the study will incorporate is thematic analysis. This type of analysis will be essential considering that there will be two genders involved in the study. The views of men and women will be analyzed separately before comparisons are made. Although responses within the two genders may vary significantly, it is important to get the general factors that affect each of the genders. The organization of the data into themes also makes it easier to be understood (Pruneau, 2017). Also this type of data analysis is suitable for descriptive data. The second type of data analysis will be regression analysis. This technique will mainly be useful in the analysis of quantitative data. For instance the respondents across the different genders may give various reasons as to why they do not prefer getting married. The use of regression analysis will show the prominent reasons across both genders by analyzing the numbers. Secondly, regression analysis will also show the variations in the responses between the two genders. To save time, various computer software such as Microsoft excel and SPSS will be used to analyze the data.
When data is analyzed, it also has to be presented in an orderly format for easy understanding. The actual study will also use different techniques to present the analyzed data. The most prominent tools that will be used include bar graphs, line graphs, and pie charts. One of the reasons that will necessitate the use of such tools is the need to present the data in a visually appealing manner, a factor that creates interest for individuals to review the study. Just like in data analysis, data representation will also involve the use of computer. The data will be keyed in the computer and the desired presentations will be generated automatically.
Ethical Issues
The subject of marriage is usually a private issue. As such many people would rather not reveal their status to other people. For instance, if some of the respondents are engaged in cohabitation types of relationships, they will not want the information to reach third parties. Owing to such factors, before the study is initiated, permission will have to be sought from relevant ethics bodies which will analyze the objectives of the study before they grant permission. Since the study will to a large extent, be conducted among employees in several organizations, permission will have to be sought in advance before the researcher visits the various places of work. It will also be important for the employees to be provided with copies of the questions to eliminate any fears and suspicions. Most importantly, nobody will be compelled to participate in the study against their own will. That means that participation will be voluntary (Artal & Rubenfeld, 2017). Even so, the researcher will explain to the respondents the objective of the study and also assure them that their information will not be accessed by third parties. It will also be necessary for real names of respondents or organizations not to be used to avoid any implications for those involved in the study.
Limitations of the Study
Although the objective of the study will be to provide real responses of those individuals who choose to remain single or marry at later years, the actual study may have several limitations. One prominent limitation is that the study may focus too much on the responses in regard to the causal factors and ignore to seek solutions from the respondents. Since it is the respondents who experience the problem, it is prudent that they are asked to propose solutions to the problem. Therefore, a vital area for future study involves seeking solutions from the respondents.
References
Artal, R., & Rubenfeld, S. (2017). Ethical issues in research. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology , 43 , 107-114. doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2016.12.006
Asher, M. G., & Nandy, A. (2009). Managing prolonged low fertility: the case of Singapore. Journal of Asian Public Policy , 2 (1), 4-16.
Gubhaju, B. B., & Moriki-Durand, Y. (2003). Below-replacement fertility in East and Southeast Asia: consequences and policy responses. Journal of Population Research , 20 (1), 1-18.
Jones, G. W. (2007). Fertility Decline in Asia: The Role of Marriage Change. Asia-Pacific Population Journal , 22 (2).
Lundberg, C. C. (2003). Research design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches. Organizational Research Methods , 6 (3), 404.
Olsen, W. (2011). Data collection: Key debates and methods in social research . Sage.
Pruneau, C. (2017). Data Analysis Techniques for Physical Scientists . Cambridge University Press.
Straughan, P. T. (2013). Delayed Marriage and Ultra Low Fertility in Singapore-The Confounding Challenges to Social Stability. CSC-IPS The Population Conundrum-Roundtable on Singapore’s Demographic Challlenges , 3 .
Sun, S. (2012). Population policy and reproduction in Singapore: Making future citizens . Routledge.
Westley, S. B., Choe, M. K., & Retherford, R. D. (2010). Very low fertility in Asia: Is there a problem? Can it be solved?
