The Political Economy of Vietnam’s Industrial Transformation (SpringerBriefs in Political Science)

This book presents an overview of political economic change in Vietnam during a period of significant social and economic change and an era of international turbulence. It combines various political economic perspectives to offer an integrated and comprehensive review of Vietnam’s recent development, discussing topics such as public administrative reform, labour markets and special economic zones, environmental management and other important contemporary issues. This concise and highly readable book includes a considerable amount of research, and as such provides valuable insights for scholars and researchers interested in political economic change and in Vietnam. Contents List of Figures List of Tables 1 Introduction 1.1 Political Economy 1.2 Very Late Industrialization 1.3 Vietnam 1.4 The Structure of the Book 1.5 Coronavirus Pandemic References 2 Opening of the Vietnamese Economy: Achievements and Challenges 2.1 Background of the Transition 2.2 Achievements 2.2.1 Increasing Influence in the Regional and Global Political Economy 2.2.2 Rapid Economic Development 2.2.3 An Attractive Destination for Investors 2.3 Challenges 2.3.1 Underperformance of the Public Sector 2.3.2 Public Workforce 2.3.3 Aging Population and Structural Unemployment 2.3.4 Dealing with China 2.3.5 Adverse Impact of Climate Change 2.4 Conclusion References 3 Public Administration Reform: Efforts and Reality 3.1 Background of Public Administration Reform in Vietnam 3.2 Problems of Public Management in Vietnam 3.2.1 The Low Effectiveness of the State 3.2.2 Corruption and Informal Payments 3.2.3 Unmeritocratic Administration 3.2.4 The Lack of Accountability in the Public Sector 3.3 Root Causes of Existing Problems of Public Management in Vietnam 3.3.1 Opaque Accountability of the Party and State 3.3.2 Patronage and Nepotism 3.3.3 Overstaffing in the Public Sector 3.3.4 Low Salaries in Public Sector Jobs 3.3.5 Poor Quality of Public Servants 3.4 Conclusion References 4 From State to Market: Evolving Ownership and Corporate Governance in Vietnam 4.1 Introduction 4.2 The Structure of the Economy in Vietnam Before 1945 4.2.1 The Economy Between 1946 and 1975 4.3 Ownership of Enterprises from 1975 to 1986 4.4 Post Đổi Mới Ownership 4.4.1 Fewer but Larger SOEs 4.4.2 A Comparison of State and Non-State-Owned Enterprises 4.5 Evolving Corporate Governance 4.5.1 An Alignment with International Best Practices and Asian Peers in Terms of Corporate Governance Is Overdue 4.6 Conclusion Appendix References 5 Labour and Special Economic Zones 5.1 Introduction 5.2 SEZs in Vietnam 5.2.1 Attitudes Towards SEZs 5.2.2 Gender Aspects 5.2.3 Trade Unions 5.3 Vietnam’s Labour Market 5.4 Conclusion References 6 Vietnamese Political Economy in an East Asian and International Perspective 6.1 Introduction 6.2 From a Low to a Middle-Income Country 6.3 Socio-Economic Development Objectives 6.4 Economic Growth, Productivity and Competitiveness 6.5 Trade as a Major Contributor to Economic Growth 6.6 A Rapidly Aging Society Engenders Cultural, Social and Economic Reforms 6.7 Corruption as a Damper to Economic Growth and Equitable Distribution of Wealth 6.8 Summary References 7 Environmental Impact 7.1 Introduction 7.2 The Shadow of the Past 7.3 Pollution 7.4 Water Management 7.5 Urbanization 7.6 Climate Change 7.7 Smart City Development and Resilience 7.8 Conclusion References 8 Conclusion 8.1 Should Strong Government or Market Forces Lead the Next Wave of Development? Reference 497558_1_En_3_Chapter_OnlinePDF.pdf 3 Public Administration Reform: Efforts and Reality 3.1 Background of Public Administration Reform in Vietnam 3.2 Problems of Public Management in Vietnam 3.2.1 The Low Effectiveness of the State 3.2.2 Corruption and Informal Payments 3.2.3 Unmeritocratic Administration 3.2.4 The Lack of Accountability in the Public Sector 3.3 Root Causes of Existing Problems of Public Management in Vietnam 3.3.1 Opaque Accountability of the Party and State 3.3.2 Patronage and Nepotism 3.3.3 Overstaffing in the Public Sector 3.3.4 Low Salaries in Public Sector Jobs 3.3.5 Poor Quality of Public Servants 3.4 Conclusion References