Perspectives on Vietnam’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Policies

215 Pages·2019·3.404 MB·English

by  Dao Thanh Truong

Perspectives on
Vietnam’s Science,
Technology, and
Innovation Policies
Dao Thanh Truong
Perspectives on Vietnam’s Science, Technology, and
Innovation Policies
Dao Thanh Truong
Perspectives on
Vietnam’s Science,
Technology, and
Innovation Policies
Dao Thanh Truong
VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities
Vietnam National University, Hanoi
Hanoi, Vietnam
ISBN 978-981-15-0570-6 ISBN 978-981-15-0571-3 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0571-3
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For my wife, Dang Kim Khanh Ly, and my sons
P
reface
Nearly 400 years ago, British philosopher, scientist, lawyer, and politician
Francis Bacon (1561–1626) made the famous statement: “Knowledge is
power.” Unlike other resources that deplete when used, knowledge—
especially pertaining to science and technology (S&T)—when shared and
disseminated, has a multiplying impact. With great achievements resulting
from the Industrial Revolution, Bacon’s statement has never been more
prescient. The role of S&T in human life today is undeniable. And just as
predicted by Karl Marx, science has become the direct production force.
With the development of scientific and technological revolutions parallel
to industrial revolutions, the irreplaceable position of science is further
affirmed. No country can develop without relying on S&T because they
are the tools for nations to strengthen and enhance their positions in the
global arena both economically and politically.
Innovation is the key factor determining a country’s development.
According to the global trend, businesses play a central role in the national
innovation system. Science, technology, and innovation (STI) can help
businesses make innovative products, processes, and services, but the gov-
ernment has to create an appropriate legal framework for this to take place.
In many scholars’ opinions, the current STI development policy of coun-
tries around the world is beyond the scope of traditional research and
development (R&D) policy. Proper planning of STI policies is not a sim-
ple matter and must be considered under various aspects, especially how
the country’s STI system is operating. What, then, are the links among the
factors in the system?
vii
viii PREFACE
In recent years, Vietnam has made impressive achievements in eco-
nomic and social development. Its gross domestic product (GDP) growth
rate for 2018 was 7.08%, the highest increase since 2008. The contribu-
tion of total factor productivity (TFP) to GDP growth reached 43.5%, and
the TFP average of three years (2016–2018) was 43.3%, much higher than
the average of 33.6% from 2011 to 2015.1 Vietnam’s growing economy
has helped to raise income, improve living standards, and create more
opportunities for cooperation and development for the country. Vietnam
officially became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in
2007, joined the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)
Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, and ratified the Comprehensive
and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in
2018. Ironically, these achievements also pose a challenge for the next
development orientation of Vietnam as the economy strives towards high
and sustainable growth. Vietnam is at the crossroads of development. On
the one hand, it continues to exploit the potential in areas such as increas-
ing investment capital, labor, natural resources, land, and so on. On the
other hand, the country needs to develop and promote S&T, the legal
corridor, and the quality of human resources.
The role of S&T development in Vietnam was soon confirmed in the
country’s legal documents. For example, Article 62 of the 2013
Constitution stipulates that “S&T development is the leading national
policy, playing a key role in the country’s socio-economic development”.2
In addition, the main task of the government’s Action Program to imple-
ment the socio-economic development strategy for 2011 to 2020, as well
as the five-year directions and tasks of national development from 2011 to
2016, articulates: “Science and technology development is really a key
driver of fast and sustainable development.”3
In recent years, interconnection and cooperation between the academic
sector (research institutes and universities) and enterprises in Vietnam
have been limited. S&T have not met current social needs and demands,
and have not been effective tools to implement the national strategic tasks.
A number of policy measures have been proposed and conducted to over-
come these issues, and these have seen some success. However, the success
is only reflected in some outstanding cases at a narrow scope. The new STI
policies are still traditional in the sense that the goal of developing R&D
activities is the main task, such as commercializing research results from
S&T organizations and encouraging institutes/schools to associate with
businesses. Proper attention has not been paid to business innovation
PREFACE ix
activities. Despite being at the center of the national innovation system,
enterprises’ innovation is still not the focus.
So, what is necessary for Vietnam to rise?
It would require the planning and implementation of appropriate STI
policies, which play a very important role for the development of STI, as
well as the integration of international services for S&T development in
particular and the national economy development in general.
In terms of research, there have been many research projects on S&T
systems, R&D systems, innovation policies, and national innovation sys-
tems in Vietnam. In addition, there are studies on various aspects of inno-
vative policy, such as excellence centers, science parks, S&T enterprises,
innovative cluster, and innovation management. However, the overall pic-
ture of the STI system and the system development policies has not yet
been reviewed and analyzed deeply. Hence, serious research on the situa-
tion and proposing solutions to develop STI systems in Vietnam is
necessary.
This book is based on the research results of the two projects: “Research
and Analysis of Vietnam’s Science, Technology and Innovation System in
the Trend of International Science and Technology Integration” (Code
KX06.06/11-15)4 and “Management Policies on Social Mobility of High-
Quality Science and Technology Human Resources of Vietnam in the
Context of International Integration” (Code KX01.01/16-20),5 carried
out by Assoc. Prof. Dao Thanh Truong as the project manager. Some data
in this book have been published (in Vietnamese) by Thê ́Giới Publishers
in 2016, however the author has edited and upgraded it to provide a thor-
ough version. The book is a collection of the author’s desires, concerns,
and hopes for Vietnam’s S&T development in general and Vietnam’s STI
policy in particular. The author outlines a general picture of the current
status of the STI system in Vietnam, thereby frankly acknowledges the
shortcomings, and proposes policy solutions to each type of S&T institu-
tion. The author hopes that the insights can advance Vietnam’s STI devel-
opment goals in the context of international integration.
The book examines the concept of STI, provides an overview of
research works, and introduces the experiences of some countries regard-
ing building and developing STI systems. Significantly, the book shows
the reality of the force and quantity of each component of the S&T system
(research institute, university, and enterprise), using the analysis and evalu-
ation of survey data. This work aims to analyze the current status of STI
policies and identify the philosophy of existing policies to provide recom-
mendations and orientations on macro-level policies.
x PREFACE
Errors are inevitable in any book. The author looks forward to receiv-
ing comments from managers, researchers, interested people, and readers
everywhere. The support and exchange of ideas will be the motivation for
the author to conduct further studies on Vietnam’s STI system in the
international integration process.
Hanoi, Vietnam Dao Thanh Truong
Notes
1. General Statistics Office (2018), Report on socio-economic situation in
2018. Retrieved from: https://www.gso.gov.vn/default.aspx?tabid=621&I
temID=19037, accessed on 27 December 2018.
2. National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2013), The
Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (amended). Article 62.
3. Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2012), Resolution pro-
mulgating the Government’s Action Program to implement the socio-
economic development strategy for 2011–2020 and the directions and tasks
of national development in the five years from 2011–2015, issued on 24
April 2012.
4. This national-level project was implemented from 2013 to 2015 in the
framework of the national key S&T program KX06/11-15 on the interna-
tional integration of S&T.
5. This national-level project was implemented from 2016 to 2019 in the
framework of the national key S&T program KX.01/16-20 on key issues in
social sciences and humanities for Vietnam’s socioeconomic development.
c
oNteNts
1 Some Theoretical Issues About STI and STI Research in
the Trend of International S&T Integration 1
1.1 Overview of Research on STI in International S&T
Integration Tendency 1
1.1.1 Foreign Research on STI System 1
1.1.2 Domestic Studies on STI System 5
1.2 T he Theory of STI System in the Context of International
S&T Integration 8
1.2.1 Concept of Innovation 8
1.2.2 STI System 9
1.2.3 Structure of the STI system 11
1.2.4 STI Policy 15
1.2.5 Evaluation of Factors Hindering Innovation 20
1.2.6 R&D Activities 25
1.2.7 International S&T Integration 26
1.3 Approaches and Theories of Applied Research 29
1.3.1 Research Approaches 29
1.3.2 Theories of Research Use 31
1.4 M ethods of Information Collection and Processing 35
1.4.1 Methods of Information Collection 35
1.4.2 Methods of Information Processing 40
References 43
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