Policy Implications to Improve the Business Environment to Encourage Female Entrepreneurship in the North of Vietnam

Previous articleNext article No AccessComparative Perspectives Symposium: Challenges to Women's LeadershipWomen’s Leadership in Vietnam: Opportunities and ChallengesTruong Thi Thuy HangTruong Thi Thuy HangInstitute of Human StudiesVietnamese Academy of Social Sciences Search for more articles by this author Institute of Human StudiesVietnamese Academy of Social SciencesPDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Signs Volume 34, Number 1Autumn 2008 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/588432 Views: 460Total views on this site Citations: 9Citations are reported from Crossref © 2008 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Dao Nguyen Women’s Participation in Public Administration in Vietnam: A Case Study of Policy and Practice from 1986 to the Present, International Journal of Public Administration 45, no.11 (Jun 2021): 23–36.https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2021.1938117Ngoc Tung Vu, Do Na Chi Vietnamese University Students’ Motivation and Engagement with Participating in Extracurricular Activities to Develop Employability, (Sep 2022): 227–244.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-3959-4_12Haeyoung Jang, Ngoc Tram Oanh Nguyen, Seung-Ho Kwon Women’s empowerment and transnational consumption of Hallyu in Vietnam, Asian Journal of Women's Studies 27, no.22 (Jun 2021): 184–207.https://doi.org/10.1080/12259276.2021.1924482Susan Elizabeth Mate, Matthew McDonald, Truc Do The barriers and enablers to career and leadership development, International Journal of Organizational Analysis 27, no.44 (Sep 2019): 857–874.https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-07-2018-1475Devin K Joshi, Rakkee Thimothy Long-term impacts of parliamentary gender quotas in a single-party system: Symbolic co-option or delayed integration?, International Political Science Review 40, no.44 (Jun 2018): 591–606.https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512118772852Hong Tien Vu, Tien-Tsung Lee, Hue Trong Duong, Barbara Barnett Gendering Leadership in Vietnamese Media: A Role Congruity Study on News Content and Journalists’ Perception of Female and Male Leaders, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 95, no.33 (Aug 2017): 565–587.https://doi.org/10.1177/1077699017714224Nguyen Hoang Anh, Hoang Truong Giang, Hoang Bao Tram A Review of Women's Entrepreneurship in Vietnam Taking into Account Socio-Cultural Norms and the Institutional Ecosystem, SSRN Electronic Journal (Jan 2016).https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2905163Sandra Kurfürst Networking Alone? Digital Communications and Collective Action in Vietnam, Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs 34, no.33 (Feb 2019): 123–150.https://doi.org/10.1177/186810341503400305Prof. John Watson, Prof. Elizabeth J. Gatewood and Dr Kate Lewis, Cuc Nguyen, Howard Frederick, Huong Nguyen Female entrepreneurship in rural Vietnam: an exploratory study, International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship 6, no.11 (Mar 2014): 50–67.https://doi.org/10.1108/IJGE-04-2013-0034

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PurposeThis study aims to explore the impact of social, financial and institutional factors on women’s entrepreneurship in Vietnam, emphasizing motivation’s role in addressing challenges. Women’s entrepreneurship holds economic significance, driving local economies and creating opportunities. Government efforts to support women entrepreneurs have increased, but research on this in developing economies, especially in Vietnam, is limited.Design/methodology/approachThe paper investigates women’s entrepreneurship in Vietnam, examining social, financial and institutional influences and emphasizing motivation in overcoming challenges. Using a qualitative approach, it conducts in-depth interviews with 28 female entrepreneurs, analyzing data thematically. Methodologically, the study uses purposive sampling, triangulation and member checking to enhance credibility.FindingsFindings reveal key motivations like financial incentives, self-achievement and social impact. These motivations empower women to overcome financial constraints, skill gaps, limited support and societal perceptions. This research guides women entrepreneurs to enhance success through learning, persistence, skill development and self-awareness.Originality/valueThis paper presents a novel exploration into women’s entrepreneurship in Vietnam, offering original insights into the interplay of social, financial and institutional factors, with a spotlight on motivational drivers. It provides unique perspectives on their motivations, challenges and support mechanisms. The study’s contribution lies in its comprehensive understanding of women’s entrepreneurship dynamics in a developing economy like Vietnam, offering valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners and academics alike. Its originality lies in its holistic approach and nuanced examination, enriching the discourse on women’s entrepreneurship in emerging

This paper reviews the status quo of women entrepreneurs considering the impact of socio-cultural norms and institutions on women’s entrepreneurship in Vietnam. First, we discuss relevant literature and provide an overview of women’s entrepreneurship in Vietnam. We analyse the impact of socio-cultural norms and institutional landscape on motivation to start and do business of Vietnamese women and identify critical facilitators and barriers that currently affect women entrepreneurs in Vietnam. Finally, we propose recommendations for changes to traditions and norms, and improvement of government policies in supporting women entrepreneurship in Vietnam.

Joan Brown, a college student in Atlanta, Georgia, wakes up in the morning to an electronic alarm clock before she microwaves breakfast, takes a hot shower, grabs a latte at Starbucks, and drives h...

This paper is an introduction to the special issue of Dalat University Journal of Science – Economics and Management on entrepreneurship in Vietnam. There are four papers in this special issue. The first paper examines the impact of institutions on entrepreneurship using data from the Provincial Competitive Index. The second paper utilizes a different set of institutional indicators from the World Bank’s Vietnam Enterprise Survey to assess the impacts of business environment on the development of SMEs. In both papers, the authors find that institutional factors such as entry barriers, lack of policy support systems, informal payment, provincial leadership, lack of access to finance, administrative and procedures, and tax inspections hindered the development of entrepreneurship in Vietnam. The third paper investigates the absence of medium-sized enterprises and the necessity for the development of such enterprises is critically important for Hochiminh City. Using primary and secondary data sources, the author presents a case study on two strategic sectors in the city. The result indicates that medium-sized enterprises are proven to be more effective than large-scale enterprises. The last paper focuses on social entrepreneurship in Vietnam. The authors use Hofstede’s measure of cultural differences to compare social ventures in Vietnam and the United States.

Women entrepreneurs can contribute significantly to economic development in Vietnam. But women face unique challenges in self-employment. These challenges have not been adequately studied. The objective of this study was to identify barriers to women entrepreneurship in Vietnam and propose recommendations to enhance this endeavor in the country. A survey that included nearly 200 women-owned businesses was conducted. This study found that women entrepreneurs are running businesses well. They are currently facing barriers, such as obtaining finance, work-home conflicts, lack of education and training in business and management skills. They furthermore indicated as their main support need the need for financial support, for business training and advice, and a need to network with other business owners and for marketing support. Practical recommendations are suggested for Government and women entrepreneurs to overcome these obstacles and to ensure that women entrepreneurs can sufficiently contribute to the economy and empower themselves economically.

This objective of this study is to examine the influence of age and gender on entrepreneurship in Vietnam's context. Although various studies have been conducted to examine age and gender differences in the entrepreneurial process, the results reveal inconsistencies. Moreover, the relationship between different factors and their role in explaining age and gender differences in the entrepreneurship activities still has no clear answer. Our analyses were based on data collected for the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Monitors (GEM) from individuals located in Vietnam with a sample of 2,118. Our findings show that female entrepreneurs had less household income and were likely to have more fear of failure in starting a business. Entrepreneurs tend to be older and young entrepreneurs have better education. The study also indicated that male entrepreneurs were likely to have more perception of the ease to start a business. Moreover, the number of male respondents who are currently entrepreneurs is higher and they are older. The contribution of this study is twofold. First, it provides empirical evidence on the age and gender differences in entrepreneurship. Second, it contributes to the understanding of the entrepreneurship environment in Vietnam, one of the most dynamic emerging countries in the East Asian region.

Recovery and Resilience: From Human Development Programs to Systems

This paper reviews the status quo of women entrepreneurs considering the impact of socio-cultural norms and institutions on women’s entrepreneurship in Vietnam. First, we discuss relevant literature and provide an overview of women’s entrepreneurship in Vietnam. We analyse the impact of socio-cultural norms and institutional landscape on motivation to start and do business of Vietnamese women and identify critical facilitators and barriers that currently affect women entrepreneurs in Vietnam. Finally, we propose recommendations for changes to traditions and norms, and improvement of government policies in supporting women entrepreneurship in Vietnam.

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to explore the motivators and barriers faced by successful women entrepreneurs in Vietnam, a country with high rates of early-stage and established business ownership by women. By integrating the push-pull theory with macro, meso, and micro-level factors, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the factors influencing female entrepreneurship in this context.Design/methodology/approachThe data for this exploratory qualitative study were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 31 successful female entrepreneurs in Vietnam. The analysis was conducted using NVivo software, employing thematic analysis to identify the motivators and barriers associated with women’s entrepreneurship.FindingsThe findings indicate that women are motivated to start businesses by push factors like job dissatisfaction, economic improvement, and family support, as well as pull factors such as time flexibility, autonomy, and personal development. Barriers are identified at different levels: micro-level challenges include lack of financial support, inadequate skills, and work-life balance issues; meso-level barriers involve insufficient training programs, and macro-level barriers are shaped by gender prejudice. Notably, specific to the sectors, the lack of business training is a major challenge for women in consultancy, tourism, and retail sectors, alongside financial constraints in retail and services.Originality/valueAs a theoretical contribution, this study presents a novel model that integrates push/pull theory with macro, meso, and micro-level factors to analyze the motivators and barriers for female entrepreneurship. This integrated model offers a comprehensive view of women’s entrepreneurship in Vietnam’s transitional economy, enhancing understanding of their motivations and challenges, addressing existing gaps, and suggesting practical implications.

Global Value Chains in the Time of COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

Small-scale mining is the main source of income for about 100 million people in Asia, Africa and South America. However, the processing of raw materials during this mining activity results in the release of large amounts of mercury to the environment, creating serious environmental problems. Small-scale mining, or artisanal mining, is exploitation using only shovels, picks and hammers, carried out by individuals or small groups. A wide variety of commodities are exploited in this way, ranging from gold, diamonds, precious stones, tin, coal, dimension stones and slate. Small-scale mining is often carried out by labourers with virtually no knowledge of safety procedures. Tunnel cave-ins leading to loss of life are common, and the widespread use of mercury in gold extraction causes many long-term health problems for the miners. It is estimated that about 650 tonnes of mercury are annually released during small-scale mining to the environment, and this figure is likely to increase in the future. Mercury is highly toxic and its use causes health problems not only for the miners, but also to the entire population in areas where small-scale mining takes place. Some miners are aware of the dangers of using mercury, but have no knowledge of recycling procedures. Several international organisations, such as the World Bank, UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation), ILO (International Labour Organisation) and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), have launched programmes to examine the problems associated with small-scale mining. Progress so far has been slow, and much more international awareness of the global mercury pollution of the environment from smallscale mining is required. The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) has worked as consultant to the World Bank on projects involving small-scale mining in Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Laos, and has also undertaken programmes concerning small-scale mining in Lesotho for UNDP and in Tanzania for the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). This paper reports on some of the initiatives carried out in Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia, to secure and sustain the small-scale mining industry in these regions.

In a critical review of seven prominent flagship reports from five international organisations – the International Labour Organization (ILO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Bank – this article explores how the policy narratives set out during 2019 and early 2020 have characterised the major future of work challenges associated with new technologies and inequality. It identifies some similarities in viewpoints, including about the unevenness of job changes caused by new technologies and about the declining labour income share, a key measure of inequality. However, there are major points of differentiation. The ILO, OECD and UNDP express serious concerns about the interaction between new technologies and growing inequalities, on the one hand, and a rise in precarious work, concentration of corporate power and erosion of labour bargaining power on the other. Also, UNIDO emphasises the inequalities in technological capacities between developed and developing countries, which make it difficult for markets to distribute the gains from growth evenly. While the World Bank makes some concessions, it remains less open to real-world heterodox evidence about how labour markets function in society. The World Bank aside, there is a growing consensus that labour institutions around the world need to be reinvigorated in order to respond to the challenges facing the future of work.

Environmental and economical ethics collide: Business as usual after COVID-19 or shifting towards a planetary health perspective?