2017 marks the 50th year of Singapore's national productivity drive. This book provides a comprehensive account of the phases, milestones and activities of the productivity drive from its humble beginnings in 1967. The coverage ranges from the assistance that Singapore received through the United Nations Development Programme and the Japan–Singapore Productivity Development Project, to the national campaigns and programmes to build competencies in enterprises and the workforce.

The various developments are placed in the context of the economic environment and the priorities of the country at different points in time. This makes it clear why certain policies were implemented and why the productivity drive was transformed as Singapore progressed from a developing country to a developed country. Drawing insights from the 50-year history, the book concludes with a list of issues for reflection.