Why we need Taiwan - by Alethios - Public Service

I recently had the opportunity to spend a week on a research trip to Taipei. I attended a ‘smart cities’ conference and met with many Taiwanese city managers, business leaders, government officials, and several other wonderful locals with whom I hope to stay in touch. I returned home more excited about the future than I have been in years. Infrastructure Right from exiting the plane, I was impressed by the pragmatism on display; their arrivals custom hall looks a little dated, but is clearly designed and staffed to move people through quickly and efficiently. It stood in stark contrast to my departure experience at Auckland Airport, which is undergoing a seemingly continuous process of refurbishment. It’s a place with frequent additions of beautiful wood panelling and artwork, but also one where structural inefficiencies are left unaddressed while new ones are added1. While form too often trumps function in the West, pragmatism is on clear display in Taiwan. Driving from the airport in

I recently had the opportunity to spend a week on a research trip to Taipei. I attended a ‘smart cities’ conference and met with many Taiwanese city managers, business leaders, government officials, and several other wonderful locals with whom I hope to stay in touch. I returned home more excited about the future than I have been in years. Infrastructure Right from exiting the plane, I was impressed by the pragmatism on display; their arrivals custom hall looks a little dated, but is clearly designed and staffed to move people through quickly and efficiently. It stood in stark contrast to my d