Singapore's Trade in Services Net Present Value (NPV) / MBA Resources

Introduction to Net Present Value (NPV) - What is Net Present Value (NPV) ? How it impacts financial decisions regarding project management?

NPV solution for Singapore's Trade in Services case study

At Oak Spring University, we provide corporate level professional Net Present Value (NPV) case study solution. Singapore's Trade in Services case study is a Harvard Business School (HBR) case study written by Julia Kou, Laura Bures, Debora L. Spar. The Singapore's Trade in Services (referred as “Singapore Enclaves” from here on) case study provides evaluation & decision scenario in field of Global Business. It also touches upon business topics such as - Value proposition, Emerging markets, Global strategy, Policy.

The net present value (NPV) of an investment proposal is the present value of the proposal’s net cash flows less the proposal’s initial cash outflow. If a project’s NPV is greater than or equal to zero, the project should be accepted.

NPV = Present Value of Future Cash Flows LESS Project’s Initial Investment

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Case Description of Singapore's Trade in Services Case Study

Focuses on the efforts of Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB) to grow the tiny island almost wholly through an expansion of its service economy. Between 1965 and 1990, Singapore achieved a remarkable rate of growth, largely by opening its economy to foreign investment and by providing these investors with a full range of business and infrastructural services. By 1990, however, the island is running out of room for expansion. To keep the economy expanding at its customary pace, the EDB crafts an ambitious strategy of regionalization. Under this strategy, Singapore plans to export its service economy, developing a string of overseas enclaves to replicate the business environment that, physically, can no longer expand in Singapore. In these enclaves, designed to rim the Southeast Asian region, foreign investors could enjoy the full range of services they had come to enjoy in Singapore. And, by providing investors in these parks with a full range of business, administrative, and infrastructural services, Singapore would become the ultimate service economy.

Case Authors : Julia Kou, Laura Bures, Debora L. Spar

Topic : Global Business

Related Areas : Emerging markets, Global strategy, Policy

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Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 6% for Singapore's Trade in Services Case Study

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 6 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10010579)	-10010579	-	-
Year 1	3458280	-6552299	3458280	0.9434	3262528
Year 2	3976394	-2575905	7434674	0.89	3538977
Year 3	3952322	1376417	11386996	0.8396	3318446
Year 4	3234771	4611188	14621767	0.7921	2562242
TOTAL			14621767		12682192

The Net Present Value at 6% discount rate is 2671613

In isolation the NPV number doesn't mean much but put in right context then it is one of the best method to evaluate project returns. In this article we will cover -

Different methods of capital budgeting

What is NPV & Formula of NPV,
How it is calculated,
How to use NPV number for project evaluation, and
Scenario Planning given risks and management priorities.

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Capital Budgeting Approaches

Methods of Capital Budgeting

There are four types of capital budgeting techniques that are widely used in the corporate world –

1. Net Present Value
2. Internal Rate of Return
3. Profitability Index
4. Payback Period

Apart from the Payback period method which is an additive method, rest of the methods are based on Discounted Cash Flow technique. Even though cash flow can be calculated based on the nature of the project, for the simplicity of the article we are assuming that all the expected cash flows are realized at the end of the year.

Discounted Cash Flow approaches provide a more objective basis for evaluating and selecting investment projects. They take into consideration both –

1. Magnitude of both incoming and outgoing cash flows – Projects can be capital intensive, time intensive, or both. Singapore Enclaves shareholders have preference for diversified projects investment rather than prospective high income from a single capital intensive project.
2. Timing of the expected cash flows – stockholders of Singapore Enclaves have higher preference for cash returns over 4-5 years rather than 10-15 years given the nature of the volatility in the industry.

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Formula and Steps to Calculate Net Present Value (NPV) of Singapore's Trade in Services

NPV = Net Cash In Flowt1 / (1+r)t1 + Net Cash In Flowt2 / (1+r)t2 + … Net Cash In Flowtn / (1+r)tn
Less Net Cash Out Flowt0 / (1+r)t0

Where t = time period, in this case year 1, year 2 and so on.
r = discount rate or return that could be earned using other safe proposition such as fixed deposit or treasury bond rate. Net Cash In Flow – What the firm will get each year.
Net Cash Out Flow – What the firm needs to invest initially in the project.

Step 1 – Understand the nature of the project and calculate cash flow for each year.
Step 2 – Discount those cash flow based on the discount rate.
Step 3 – Add all the discounted cash flow.
Step 4 – Selection of the project

Why Global Business Managers need to know Financial Tools such as Net Present Value (NPV)?

In our daily workplace we often come across people and colleagues who are just focused on their core competency and targets they have to deliver. For example marketing managers at Singapore Enclaves often design programs whose objective is to drive brand awareness and customer reach. But how that 30 point increase in brand awareness or 10 point increase in customer touch points will result into shareholders’ value is not specified.

To overcome such scenarios managers at Singapore Enclaves needs to not only know the financial aspect of project management but also needs to have tools to integrate them into part of the project development and monitoring plan.

Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 15%

After working through various assumptions we reached a conclusion that risk is far higher than 6%. In a reasonably stable industry with weak competition - 15% discount rate can be a good benchmark.

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 15 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10010579)	-10010579	-	-
Year 1	3458280	-6552299	3458280	0.8696	3007200
Year 2	3976394	-2575905	7434674	0.7561	3006725
Year 3	3952322	1376417	11386996	0.6575	2598716
Year 4	3234771	4611188	14621767	0.5718	1849491
TOTAL					10462132

The Net NPV after 4 years is 451553

(10462132 - 10010579 )

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Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 20%

If the risk component is high in the industry then we should go for a higher hurdle rate / discount rate of 20%.

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 20 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10010579)	-10010579	-	-
Year 1	3458280	-6552299	3458280	0.8333	2881900
Year 2	3976394	-2575905	7434674	0.6944	2761385
Year 3	3952322	1376417	11386996	0.5787	2287223
Year 4	3234771	4611188	14621767	0.4823	1559978
TOTAL					9490486

The Net NPV after 4 years is -520093

At 20% discount rate the NPV is negative (9490486 - 10010579 ) so ideally we can't select the project if macro and micro factors don't allow financial managers of Singapore Enclaves to discount cash flow at lower discount rates such as 15%.

Acceptance Criteria of a Project based on NPV

Simplest Approach – If the investment project of Singapore Enclaves has a NPV value higher than Zero then finance managers at Singapore Enclaves can ACCEPT the project, otherwise they can reject the project. This means that project will deliver higher returns over the period of time than any alternate investment strategy.

In theory if the required rate of return or discount rate is chosen correctly by finance managers at Singapore Enclaves, then the stock price of the Singapore Enclaves should change by same amount of the NPV. In real world we know that share price also reflects various other factors that can be related to both macro and micro environment.

In the same vein – accepting the project with zero NPV should result in stagnant share price. Finance managers use discount rates as a measure of risk components in the project execution process.

Sensitivity Analysis

Project selection is often a far more complex decision than just choosing it based on the NPV number. Finance managers at Singapore Enclaves should conduct a sensitivity analysis to better understand not only the inherent risk of the projects but also how those risks can be either factored in or mitigated during the project execution. Sensitivity analysis helps in –

What can impact the cash flow of the project.

What will be a multi year spillover effect of various taxation regulations.

What are the uncertainties surrounding the project Initial Cash Outlay (ICO’s). ICO’s often have several different components such as land, machinery, building, and other equipment.

What are the key aspects of the projects that need to be monitored, refined, and retuned for continuous delivery of projected cash flows.

Understanding of risks involved in the project.

Some of the assumptions while using the Discounted Cash Flow Methods –

Projects are assumed to be Mutually Exclusive – This is seldom the came in modern day giant organizations where projects are often inter-related and rejecting a project solely based on NPV can result in sunk cost from a related project.

Independent projects have independent cash flows – As explained in the marketing project – though the project may look independent but in reality it is not as the brand awareness project can be closely associated with the spending on sales promotions and product specific advertising.

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Negotiation Strategy of Singapore's Trade in Services

References & Further Readings

Julia Kou, Laura Bures, Debora L. Spar (2018), "Singapore's Trade in Services Harvard Business Review Case Study. Published by HBR Publications.