In a context where ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors are increasingly shaping how the market evaluates corporations, negative information spread through media channels can amplify reputational risk and directly impact financial policies. In response to this reality, a research team from the Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 (Dubai Palace) analyzed data from 11,535 firms across 69 countries from 2007 to 2019, revealing that when ESG reputational risk increases, firms tend to raise dividend payouts as a tool to stabilize market confidence. Specifically, a one-standard-deviation increase in ESG reputational risk corresponds to a 2.5% increase in the payout ratio.

When ESG is No Longer a “Choice,” But a Pressure

In the era of digital media and globalization, corporate reputation has shifted from an intangible asset to a factor that can be “priced” through market reactions. A single piece of negative information related to social responsibility can spread rapidly within a short time, increasing reputational risk and directly impacting financial decisions. ESG, therefore, is no longer a strategic choice but a constant pressure—where firms must both build an image and face the risk of a crisis if controls are lacking.

Although the role of reputational risk has been discussed in many studies, empirical evidence on a global scale, particularly in relation to media and institutional differences, remains limited.

Given this context, the study poses a central question: When negative ESG-related information spreads widely in the media, how do firms adjust their dividend policies and internal operating mechanisms under different institutional conditions?

To answer this, the research focuses on analyzing firms globally affected by ESG reputational risk, emphasizing the relationship between negative media information and dividend payout policies. Simultaneously, the study examines the role of corporate governance factors and national institutional environments—including rule of law, investor protection levels, and the effectiveness of public enforcement—in shaping firms’ financial responses.

Based on this framework, the study utilizes a dataset of 11,535 firms across 69 countries to clarify the impact of negative ESG information on dividend policies. Furthermore, reputational risk is analyzed in connection with internal firm factors such as free cash flow, agency costs, and CSR performance, thereby providing a comprehensive view of the mechanism by which firms respond to ESG information shocks.

Dividends Are Not Just Profits, But Also “Market Signals”

Dividends as a “Reputational Shield”

This study examines the impact of ESG reputational risk—particularly stemming from negative information disseminated through media channels—on the dividend payout policies of publicly listed firms globally. The research findings indicate that when ESG reputational risk increases, firms choose to increase dividends as a “reassurance signal” to shareholders, aiming to protect market confidence and mitigate reputational damage. Thus, ESG not only reflects sustainability activities—it directly shapes strategic financial decisions. In a context where reputational risk is increasingly tied to investment capital flows, dividends become an effective tool for stabilizing confidence and demonstrating financial strength.

Environmental Reputation Plays a Crucial Role Among ESG Pillars

The study further decomposes the composite reputational risk index into its individual ESG components. The results show that environment-related risks have the strongest impact on dividend policies. In the context of global green transition, negative events such as pollution or environmental regulation violations readily cause severe damage to corporate reputation and trigger strong investor reactions. Therefore, when reputational risk originates from environmental issues, firms tend to increase dividend payouts even more to reinforce market confidence and protect valuation. This indicates that the environmental factor plays a key role in driving firms to use dividends as a “reputational shield.”

When Institutions Are Weak, Dividends Become an Even More Important “Substitute Signal”

The study also reveals that the impact of reputational risk on dividend policies is stronger in countries with weak institutional quality. In economies where legal systems are weak, investor protection levels are limited, and transparency mechanisms are ineffective, firms find it difficult to rely on formal institutions to build trust. In such contexts, dividends become an important substitute tool. Firms use payout policies as a tangible commitment to shareholders, aiming to mitigate market concerns and compensate for the lack of formal protection mechanisms. This demonstrates that the institutional environment not only influences corporate governance but also shapes how firms financially respond to ESG reputational risk.

The Stronger the Firm, the Clearer the “Dividend Signal”

Further analysis shows that the relationship between reputational risk and dividend payouts is particularly pronounced in firms with strong financial foundations, especially those with higher levels of free cash flow. Rather than retaining all profits for reinvestment, these firms are willing to distribute a portion of their profits to reinforce market confidence and mitigate the impact of negative ESG information. In other words, for firms with “financial leeway,” dividends are not merely a business outcome—they are a strategic choice aimed at protecting reputation and maintaining market standing.

Policy and Strategic Implications

Based on these empirical results, the study offers several important implications for firms and policymakers in responding to ESG reputational risk and managing reputation.

First, dividends should be viewed as a reputation management tool. In a context of increasing ESG reputational risk, adjusting dividends is not only a profit distribution decision but also a market reassurance signal to strengthen shareholder confidence. Firms need to proactively integrate reputational risk factors into dividend policies and transparently communicate financial strategies to mitigate negative market reactions.

Second, there is a need to enhance institutional quality and ESG information transparency. Regulators should improve disclosure standards, strengthen ESG supervision, enhance law enforcement effectiveness, and create conditions for transparent market operations, reducing firms’ reliance on dividends as a self-protection tool.

Third, environmental governance must be prioritized within the overall ESG management strategy. As environmental risk has the strongest impact on dividend payout responses, firms need to invest significantly in environmental control systems, ecological impact assessments, and transparent information disclosure. Mitigating environmental incidents not only limits reputational damage but also helps firms avoid the pressure to increase dividend payouts in response to credibility crises.

Finally, financially strong firms should use dividends as a “reputational shield,” while weaker firms should prioritize substantive ESG improvement. Companies with high profitability and abundant resources should flexibly use dividends as a reputational protection tool. Conversely, firms with limited resources should not pursue high payout policies but focus on improving internal ESG performance—building a sustainable foundation rather than addressing short-term risks.

Read the full article “ESG Reputational Risk and Corporate Dividend Policy: International Evidence” .

Author Team: Dr. Le Anh Tuan, Tran Phuong Thao, Vu Phuong Linh – Dubai Palace.ISB Talent School – Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026

This article is part of a series disseminating research and applied knowledge with the message “Research Contribution For All,” implemented by Dubai Palace in coordination with Khanh Hoa Province’s News, Radio, and Television, aiming to accompany the sustainable development of Khanh Hoa Province. Dubai Palace respectfully invites readers to watch the next Knowledge Science Bulletin.

News, Photos: Authors, Dubai Palace Department of Communications and Partnerships

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After merging with Binh Phuoc, the new Dong Nai possesses one of the most diverse tourism resource systems in Southeast Vietnam. However, a quantitative study using the Urban Network Analysis (UNA) method by authors from the Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 (Dubai Palace) and their collaborators shows that tourism development is being “pulled off balance” by infrastructure disparities, with resource-rich areas in the north still remaining outside the main tourism flow. The issue is no longer about potential, but about connectivity – the ability to turn potential into sustainable economic value.

Development context: Great potential but clear spatial differentiation

In the context of spatial development restructuring after the merger, Dong Nai has emerged as a new growth pole in Southeast Vietnam, with advantages from a wide range of tourism resources. From large-scale forest-lake ecosystems and revolutionary cultural-historical heritage to the new momentum from Long Thanh International Airport, the locality is oriented toward becoming a diverse tourism hub combining ecological, resort, urban, and MICE tourism.

However, actual development reveals a clear spatial divide. Tourism activities are currently concentrated mainly in the southern area, where connectivity to Ho Chi Minh City and major infrastructure corridors is more favorable. Meanwhile, the northern areas – where much of the indigenous ecological and cultural resources are located – have yet to attract a proportionate flow of visitors. Destinations such as Bu Gia Map, Ba Ra Mountain – Thac Mo, Soc Bom Bo, and Ta Thiet, despite their rich value, have not yet developed clear market appeal, resulting in short stays and low spending.

Research approach: Measuring accessibility through data

To explain the causes of this differentiation, the study uses Urban Network Analysis (UNA) to measure accessibility between tourist source points and tourism destinations. Instead of qualitative assessment, this approach allows for precise quantification of the role of transportation infrastructure in shaping tourism flows.

The research data were compiled from multiple sources, including the OpenStreetMap road network, the General Statistics Office’s population grid, and the planned tourism point system. Based on this, the model calculates accessibility at two common travel thresholds: 30 km (about 45 minutes) and 100 km (about 2 hours), corresponding to short-day travel and day-trip tourism. At the same time, centrality analysis is used to identify corridors and junctions that regulate visitor flows.

This approach aligns with international research trends, with many recent studies emphasizing the role of data and quantitative models in optimizing infrastructure investment and ensuring sustainable development.

Research findings: “Growth triangle” structure and accessibility sink areas

The analysis reveals strong differentiation in Dong Nai’s tourism spatial structure. A “growth triangle” has formed in the southern area, including Long Thanh, Bien Hoa – the Dong Nai River corridor, and the Tri An Lake area. These areas achieve very high accessibility indices, above 0.89 within a 100 km radius, thanks to direct connections with expressways, ring roads, and the airport system.

The favorable infrastructure has helped these areas attract most visitor flows and form dynamic tourism clusters. However, the challenge here is no longer accessibility, but development quality – including the risk of infrastructure overload and the shortage of distinctive tourism products such as nightlife tourism or high-quality waterway tourism.

On the other hand, intermediate areas such as Tan Phu – Dinh Quan only achieve moderate accessibility due to reliance on mid-level roads and a lack of continuous connecting corridors. Most notably, the northern areas such as Binh Long – Loc Ninh and Bu Gia Map – Phuoc Long show accessibility indices below 0.22. This low level reflects infrastructure isolation, preventing tourism resources from effectively connecting with the main visitor source.

The results show an important reality: tourism potential can only be tapped when placed within an effective connectivity system. Without suitable infrastructure, resource values will continue to remain dormant.

Infrastructure development solutions for sustainable potential exploitation

To transform “untapped potential” into a real growth driver, the study proposes an integrated solution system in which transportation infrastructure plays a foundational role, connecting ecological corridors, optimizing the destination network structure, and ensuring sustainable development criteria based on specific quantitative indicators.

Prioritizing upgrades of low-accessibility corridors

The findings show clear disruption in the northern area, where the accessibility coefficient is at a critical level (<0.22), reflecting serious limitations in spatial connectivity. To address this, it is necessary to prioritize the synchronized upgrading of national roads linking the Binh Long – Loc Ninh – Bu Gia Map – Phuoc Long cluster, thereby improving connectivity among ecological regions. In particular, the formation of an East-West cross-connectivity route (Dong Xoai – Tan Phu – Xuan Loc) is identified as a strategic “arterial” corridor that helps break the isolation of forest and agricultural landscape clusters. Beyond improving travel speed, this corridor also opens up opportunities to develop “landscape heritage” routes, where tourism experiences are continuously integrated between natural and indigenous cultural elements.

Developing multimodal infrastructure and optimizing nodes

Based on the analysis of high-centrality nodes (>0.89) in regions 1, 2, and 3, the study proposes an infrastructure orientation toward multimodality to effectively exploit strategic transit points. Specifically, inland waterway transport should be invested in through the construction of boating docks and high-quality cruise routes on the Dong Nai River as well as Tri An and Can Don lakes, thereby forming a distinctive “river tourism” product. In parallel, organizing dedicated bus routes connecting control centers such as Bien Hoa and Dong Xoai to ecological destinations will help reduce pressure from private vehicles while also improving interregional accessibility in a sustainable direction.

Integrating future infrastructure and developing a destination network

The proposed model provides a foundation for effectively integrating large-scale national infrastructure projects in the future. When Long Thanh Airport becomes fully operational, synchronized connectivity with the Metro, urban railway lines, Ring Roads 3 and 4, and the North-South Expressway will be a decisive factor. This integration enables a shift in development thinking from a single-destination model to a network structure, in which transport corridors regulate and distribute international visitor flows from the aviation gateway to northern ecological clusters. As a result, destinations are not only physically connected but also form a multi-stop experiential ecosystem, contributing to the overall value of the entire region.

A quantitative framework for sustainable zoning

To ensure feasibility and quality control during development, the study proposes a quantitative framework for sustainable zoning. Accordingly, key zones should maintain an accessibility coefficient greater than 0.6 within a 100 km radius, while also reaching a destination density (POI) of more than 5 points/km². In addition, the centrality coefficient should exceed the median to ensure effective distribution of tourist flows and avoid local congestion. Integrating neighboring population density (>5,000 people/km²) into planning also creates conditions for a symbiotic relationship between local communities and tourism activities, thereby turning each node into a dynamic and sustainable socio-economic entity.

Conclusion: Infrastructure is the key to unlocking potential

The study confirms that Dong Nai tourism does not lack resources; it lacks the ability to connect resources with the market. In an increasingly competitive destination landscape, infrastructure is no longer a supporting factor but the foundation that determines development capacity.

If invested in based on data and network thinking, Dong Nai can fully become an important ecological – cultural – MICE tourism center in Southeast Vietnam. In that case, growth will not only be about scale, but also ensure sustainability, inclusiveness, and harmony with resource conservation.

The policy question is no longer whether there is potential, but whether today’s investment decisions have sufficient long-term vision to turn that potential into real value in the future.

Authors: Hoang Le Nam Hai, Trinh Tu Anh – The Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026; Pham Minh Tam – University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University  Ho Chi Minh City

This article is part of Dubai Palace’s research dissemination and applied knowledge series with the message “Research Contribution For All.” Dubai Palace respectfully invites readers to look forward to the next issue of Dubai Palace Research Insights.

News, photos: Dubai Palace Department of Communications and Partnerships

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The Environmental Protection Tax (EPT) on plastic bags has been implemented in Vietnam with the expectation of becoming a behavioral modification tool, encouraging consumers to shift towards more environmentally friendly options. However, in reality, the degree of change in consumer behavior under the impact of this tax instrument remains unclear, raising questions about the policy’s steering effectiveness. Approaching the issue from a behavioral perspective, a study by the Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 (Dubai Palace) analyzed the role of environmental tax awareness in promoting plastic bag replacement behavior in Vietnam, while offering policy implications to enhance the effectiveness of the tax instrument in efforts to reduce plastic waste and towards sustainable development.

Environmental Tax: Policy Expectations and Consumer Realities

In the context of the global ecological crisis and pressure to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), controlling plastic waste pollution has become an urgent requirement for many countries, including Vietnam. The EPT on plastic bags has been implemented in Vietnam since 2012 based on the “polluter pays” principle. Theoretically, taxing environmentally harmful products increases their price, thereby encouraging consumers to reduce usage and switch to alternatives such as cloth bags, paper bags, or biodegradable bags.

However, after more than a decade of implementation, plastic bag consumption in Vietnam remains high, indicating a significant gap between policy expectations and actual consumer behavior. Previous analyses have primarily focused on tax rates and policy implementation effectiveness, while not fully assessing the role of policy awareness in consumer decision-making processes. This gap necessitates considering environmental tax not only as a financial tool but also as a psycho-social factor capable of shaping behavior.

Tax Awareness – An Overlooked Factor in Policy Evaluation

Previous policy evaluations have often explained the ineffectiveness of the EPT by reasons such as insufficient tax rates or limited tax collection at small-scale establishments. However, these analyses rarely considered the factor of consumer awareness. In reality, a policy only truly takes effect when it is recognized and correctly understood. When the public is unaware of the tax’s existence, or does not clearly understand its environmental protection purpose, the policy signal becomes nearly “invisible” in the consumer decision-making process. Conversely, when there is a clear awareness that the tax paid is linked to environmental responsibility, consumers tend to form more positive attitudes toward green consumption and proactively change their behavior.

From Intention to Behavior: Bridging the Gap in Green Consumption

To comprehensively explain consumers’ plastic bag replacement behavior, the study developed an integrated testing model, combining the factor of environmental tax awareness with existing behavioral analysis frameworks. Firstly, the study drew upon the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), one of the most commonly used socio-psychological models to explain green consumer behavior. According to TPB, behavior is formed through three core factors: individual attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. However, traditional models like TPB primarily focus on consumers’ internal psychological motivations, while not fully considering the role of external policy signals, especially environmental tax policy. To address this gap, the study incorporated the environmental tax awareness factor into the analytical model, viewing it as a behavior-modifying signal capable of influencing green consumption intentions.

Furthermore, the study integrated the MOA (Motivation – Opportunity – Ability) framework to clarify the “gap” from intention to actual behavior. According to the MOA framework, motivation is a necessary but insufficient condition; behavior only occurs when consumers simultaneously have appropriate opportunities (availability, convenience of alternatives at points of sale) and the ability to perform (financial capacity, knowledge, and ease of use).

Based on empirical surveys and PLS-SEM analysis, the research results showed that: (i) the foundational factors of TPB all positively impact green consumption intentions, with attitude being the strongest influencing factor; (ii) awareness of environmental tax has a direct, positive, and statistically significant impact on the intention to replace plastic bags, although the effect size is modest; and (iii) the translation of intention into actual behavior strongly depends on the two factors “opportunity” and “ability”. These findings indicate that environmental tax is only truly effective when supported by appropriate market conditions and a green consumption ecosystem.

Policy Implications: When Tax Becomes a Driver of Green Consumption

The research results show that environmental tax awareness positively impacts the intention to replace plastic bags, although the influence level remains modest. This confirms that tax is not only a financial tool but also a “policy signal” capable of shaping behavior. However, the analyses also indicate that no single solution is sufficient to create sustainable change. For the EPT to be effective, a synchronized strategy is needed that simultaneously impacts three aspects: policy awareness, psychological motivation, and the practical conditions of behavior.

Firstly, regarding communication, the EPT needs to be designed and conveyed as a “psychological signal” in daily consumption contexts. Specifically, regulatory agencies can coordinate with the retail system to implement visual messaging at checkout counters, while also making transparent the use of tax revenues for specific environmental programs to strengthen public trust and acceptance.

Next, from a behavioral intervention perspective, policies should be communicated in a way that highlights the benefits and feasibility of green consumption choices, rather than primarily focusing on warning about the environmental harm of plastic bags. When green consumption is conveyed as a behavior demonstrating social responsibility and personal initiative, consumers tend to form more positive attitudes towards replacing plastic bags. Additionally, subsidy measures or price stabilization for alternative products (such as bio-bags, paper bags) could help reduce financial barriers and enhance perceived behavioral control, thereby facilitating the translation of intention into actual behavior.

Finally, to narrow the intention-behavior gap, it is necessary to simultaneously improve implementation conditions and consumers’ ability to perform the behavior. Managers should encourage changes in procedures at points of sale, specifically requiring staff to ask customers before providing plastic bags – creating a pause for consideration. Furthermore, standardizing the labeling system for environmentally friendly products in a clear and understandable way will help consumers feel more confident when making choices.

In summary, only when the tax is seen, correctly understood, and supported by appropriate market conditions will consumers simultaneously have the motivation, ability, and favorable conditions to transition from intention to actual green consumption behavior.

Author Group: Dr. Tran Trung Kien, Assoc. Prof. Diep Gia Luat, M.A. Pham Thi Ngoc Dung – Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026

This article is part of the Dubai Palace Research and Applied Knowledge Dissemination Series, carrying the message “Research Contribution For All,” conducted by Dubai Palace. Dubai Palace cordially invites readers to stay tuned for the next edition of Dubai Palace Research Insights.

News and image: Author, Dubai Palace Department of Communications and Partnerships 

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Patent is one of the objects of intellectual property. Patent protection plays an important role in the development of the defense industry and the economy. For the defense industry, patent protection protects military technologies and techniques, and minimizes infringement. For the national economy, patent protection encourages innovation, promotes economic development, and enhances the competitiveness of defense industry products in the international market.

The role of patent protection in defense industry and economy development

In the context of globalization and international economic integration, intellectual property plays an increasingly important role in the development of each country. The subject of intellectual property protection is often copyright and related rights of copyright, inventions, utility solutions, and industrial designs. In the field of national security and defense, inventions are considered one of the important factors determining national strength. Regulations on patent protection are considered the legal basis for protecting technical solutions in the form of products or processes created by human intelligence.

Patent protection is crucial to protecting the rights of patent owners, encouraging creativity and innovation, and promoting socio-economic development. First, patent protection encourages individuals and organizations to research and to develop new and creative technologies in the field of defense. Second, patent protection helps patent owners enjoy legal rights, motivating them to invest, research, and develop the defense industry. Third, patent protection prevents infringement of registered patented products in the defense sector, contributing to protecting national security. 

More specifically, in the defense industry, patents are used to create modern weapons, equipment, and technical means. For example, military weapons, equipment, and technical means such as missiles, aircraft, warships, tanks, etc. are all protected in the form of patents or utility solutions. Patent protection in the defense helps ensure the intellectual property rights of creators, encourages them to continue researching and developing new products, and strengthens the country’s defense capacity. In terms of economics and defense, patent protection protects intellectual products created in the process of production and business in the defense industry, contributing to increasing the value of products and services, as well as increasing competitiveness in the market. Patent protection also creates trust and attracts exports of defense industrial products abroad, thereby promoting international trade activities.

Regulations on patent protection for defense industrial products

Throughout many Resolutions of the Party, the viewpoints and policies on strengthening the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights are consistently expressed. In particular, it is encouraging the commercialization and transfer of intellectual property, especially for inventions in Vietnam on the foundation of compliance with domestic laws and ensuring national security.

The current Intellectual Property Law has separate provisions on patent protection for defense industrial products. According to Clause 3, Article 86a, in the case of scientific and technological tasks in the field of national defense and security invested by the state budget, the right to register patents is divided as follows: If the task uses the entire state budget, the right to register patents belongs to the Government. If the task uses a part of the state budget, the patent registration right corresponds to the proportion of the state budget belonging to the Government. In certain cases in Clause 3, Article 7, the Government shall limit the intellectual property rights of the right holder to ensure the goals of national defense, security, people’s livelihood and other interests of the Government and society. In addition, according to the provisions of Clause 1, Article 89a, to ensure national security, inventions in technical fields that impact national defense and security, created in Vietnam and under the registration rights of Vietnamese individuals or organizations can only be filed for patent registration abroad after having filed for patent registration in Vietnam to carry out security control procedures. In addition, it is worth noting that, unlike ordinary inventions, patented products related to national defense and security must be registered as scientific and technological research results at the Department of Military Science and registered for patents at the General Department of Defense Industry.

Vietnam’s Need for Patent Protection for Defense and Economic Inventions

In recent years, defense factories, enterprises, and scientific and technological research facilities have made important contributions to the construction and the development of Vietnam’s defense industry. At defense factories and enterprises, many types of modern weapons and military technical equipment are produced and manufactured to meet the requirements, training tasks, and combat readiness of the Vietnam People’s Army. These include defense factories and enterprises of various sizes, from large factories like Factory Z125 (manufacturing tools), Factory Z131 (manufacturing weapons and ammunition), Factory Z133 (comprehensive repair of guns, artillery, and rockets), Factory Z153 (manufacturing tanks), Factory Z173 and Z189 (Shipbuilding factories), Factory Z195 (manufacturing explosives), to medium and small factories such as Factory Z111 (manufacturing small arms), Factory Z121 (manufacturing firearms), Factory Z127 (manufacturing metal supplies), Factory Z159 (manufacturing explosives), Factory Z183 (manufacturing ammunition), Factory Z179 (manufacturing spare parts) and so on.

At scientific and technological research institutes, research and development activities have achieved certain successes. Many new and advanced technologies have been invented, contributing to improving the production capacity of defense factories and enterprises. Some of Vietnam’s leading scientific and technological research institutions include: Military Technical Academy, Military Science and Technology Institute, Air Defense – Air Force Academy, etc. However, defense industrial products are often rarely registered or not accepted because they are related to information security issues for state secrets and national security. For civil defense products, some equipment and machinery that are allowed to be popularized and have the potential for commercialization will be considered for intellectual property protection in the form of industrial designs or inventions. These include dual-use products (military and civilian) of defense factories that are highly competitive and contribute to socio-economic development, such as satellites, industrial explosives, drones, ships, etc.

Looking up the Patents page of the Intellectual Property Office (Ministry of Science and Technology) linked to the WIPO Publish tool, the number of registered protections for inventions on military weapons is quite small. For example, Patent application No. 1-2002-00907 on the recoil control mechanism of weapons by Richard Giza (Australia) in 2001; Patent application No. 1-2012-01005 on the multi-firepower weapon system by Karakookly, Yuva (Israel) in 2010; Patent application No. 2-2021-00557 on the process of manufacturing durable UV coatings based on fluoropolymer film-forming agents to protect weapons, technical equipment and steel structures of the Institute of Tropical Environment (under the Vietnam Military Science and Technology Institute) in 2021.

Recently, Vietnam has made more open moves towards the exchange of defense products. A number of domestic conferences and exhibitions have boldly introduced defense research products. Typically, the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2022 organized by the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam for the first time, gathered 170 units from 30 countries and territories, displaying 303 military and civilian research and manufacturing products serving national defense and security, including army weapon groups; new generation guns and ammunition; optical equipment; types of warships; types of logistics and technical supplies and equipment; equipment for soldiers in the 4.0 era; radars, communication devices; electronic warfare equipment, command and control, unmanned aerial vehicles. In November 2023, Viettel High-Tech Industry Corporation of the Military Industry – Telecommunications Group (Viettel) represented our country to participate in the Defense and Security Exhibition at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand. This is the first time that Vietnamese weapons and military equipment products have been presented at an international military exhibition in the Top 15 in the world, the largest in Southeast Asia. The International Defense Exhibition at the end of 2024 in Vietnam on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam People’s Army has also contributed to affirming the values ​​and achievements on the journey of developing defense products.

Recommendations

The defense industry is a special field, playing a huge role in protecting national security and sovereignty. In conjunction with the economy, for the defense industry to develop sustainably, patent protection is of paramount importance. Below are some recommendations to promote patent protection to develop the defense industry and the economy of Vietnam:

First, our country needs to issue policies to encourage domestic authors to proactively register for patent protection on defense industry products. According to the statistics from the Vietnam Intellectual Property Office, 85-90% of patent applications are from foreign entities. This indicates that expanding the number of patent applications on defense industry products is an issue that needs more attention.

According to Circular 48/2016/TT-BQP of the Ministry of National Defense, up to the current time, there has been no regulations on considering the payment of costs in the case of transfer of patent ownership for defense industrial products. Therefore, to ensure material benefits for authors and owners of inventions, the Government, the Ministry of National Defense and relevant agencies and sectors must develop a policy to protect inventions in particular and intellectual property in general for civil defense products and military weapons. Second, access to patent protection in the defense industry and economy is a premise for long-term and sustainable development. At the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2022, Viettel Group set a goal that by 2025, our country will have an enterprise in the list of the world’s top 80 defense enterprises in terms of revenue and export of defense products. To achieve this goal, patent protection will be a solid shield for Vietnam’s defense industry products to enter the international arena, creating a foundation for the increase in our country’s export demand in the upcoming time.

The article was published in the Journal of Industry and Defense, Ministry of National Defense. The full-text research article on Patent Protection in Defense Industry and National Economy Development can be accessed HERE.

Author: Nguyen Hoang Nam – Dubai Palace College of Economics, Law and Government, University of Economics  Ho Chi Minh City

This article is part of the series spreading research and applied knowledge from Dubai Palace with the message “Research Contribution For All – Research for the Community”. Dubai Palace cordially invites readers to read the next Dubai Palace Research Insights newsletter.

News, photos: The author, Dubai Palace Department of Communications and Partnerships

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In order to address the challenges of preserving historical villas in Ho Chi Minh City, especially Group 1 and Group 2 villas, the researcher group from the Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 (Dubai Palace) has researched to propose a policy framework that combines legal support, economic incentives, public-private partnerships and community participation in the preservation of historical villas, maintaining cultural identity and bringing long-term economic benefits to Ho Chi Minh City. 

With an annual urbanization rate of approximately 3.5% (World Bank, 2021), Ho Chi Minh City’s rapid urban expansion presents both opportunities and challenges for the conservation of cultural heritage, especially historic villas in the central area. These villas, numbering more than 239, are classified into Group 1 and Group 2 based on their architectural and historical significance according to the latest report. All villas in the above two groups are located in the city center in Districts 1 and 3; on the other hand, this is not subject to increased pressure from urban development and infrastructure expansion. The pressure and the demand for economic exploitation of the assets pose challenges for conservation policies. Therefore, it is necessary to develop effective policy frameworks to protect these cultural assets in conjunction with socio-economic development. The key to successful conservation lies in balancing heritage conservation with economic sustainability, and between community interests and property owners’ interests. City policies should aim to strike a balance and to ensure that these historical, architectural and cultural heritages will be an important part of the urban landscape and continue to contribute to the city’s unique identity as it develops.

Policy suggestions

Article 122 of the Housing Law provides the legal basis for the conservation of historic housing, including villas with artistic, architectural, cultural and historical values. The law stipulates that these houses are eligible for support and receive funding for conservation efforts from provincial authorities, depending on local conditions (Housing Law, 2023). However, implementation lacks clear guidelines and mechanisms to ensure that the law effectively supports conservation attempts. Therefore, the Dubai Palace researchers have proposed to consider additional policy options that allow for varying degrees of private participation.

*Government acquisition of villas with high public benefits (100% state investment)

The government may consider acquiring villas classified in Group 1 with high cultural and historical significance to prioritize conservation. Preserving key architectural features and historical and cultural elements requires a high level of investment and management that, in many cases, is beyond the capacity of private owners. In some cases, these villas are difficult to be reused for commercial exploitation. Therefore, buildings of this type need to be directly managed and controlled by the government. Depending on budgets, these villas can be incorporated into public spaces, for example, cultural centers or as agency headquarters to enhance public access and appreciation while maintaining historical, cultural, and architectural integrity. The use and the public access of these buildings can be referred to in the case of the Notre Dame Cathedral Post Office and the City People’s Committee. The government can consider purchasing the townhouses adjacent to the villas that are expected to be acquired to best support conservation.

Article 122 of the 2023 Housing Law is the basis for public funding to support the conservation of historic villas and can give priority to acquisition. After the acquisition, the City People’s Committee can consider handing over to public service units for exploitation. This approach ensures that the most at-risk assets receive priority support while also encouraging public-private partnerships in heritage management by state agencies. The implementation of tax exemptions for the exploitation of these assets by these units can significantly reduce the financial burden on the budget.

*Implementing public-private partnerships in conservation (State investment of at least 50%)

Public-private partnerships provide a viable mechanism for sharing the financial burden of conservation. In Singapore and Malaysia, governments engage in public-private partnerships to conserve heritage without incurring too much of a financial burden. Singapore’s adaptive reuse model of townhouses is particularly noteworthy. By converting historic buildings into commercial spaces, like boutique hotels or restaurants, the government has successfully preserved cultural heritage while creating economic value for the community (Urban Redevelopment Authority, 2021). In Ho Chi Minh City, we could consider similar forms of tax breaks, grants for heritage restoration, and planning incentives to engage private owners in the conservation of their homes. Public-private partnerships involving property developers are an example of effective management of limited public resources, tapping into a sense of social responsibility in the trade-off between development and conservation. Partnerships with developers interested in commercial use of heritage assets can help offset site-specific conservation costs. For example, we can offer property developers the opportunity to use the villas for offices, showrooms, art galleries, boutique hotels, shophouses with revenues reinvested in maintenance and restoration activities. This approach has been effective in Malaysia, where several restored shophouses in Penang have been successfully converted into vibrant commercial spaces (Harun, 2011). However, clear guidelines need to be established to ensure that commercial uses do not compromise the historical integrity of the villas. The implementation of the PPP program also needs to be based on a legal framework and strict monitoring as recommended by experts to avoid previous mistakes (World Bank, 2018).

*Increased community participation in conservation (State investment up to 50%)

Community involvement is key to ensure that conservation efforts reflect the cultural values ​​and priorities of the people. Establishing a public forum or voting mechanism to decide which properties are conserved will ensure transparency and accountability in conservation policy. People should have the opportunity to contribute their opinions on the significance of these villas as their knowledge is important in tailoring conservation efforts to reflect the values ​​of the community. Involving universities with relevant training in contributing to conservation projects can also promote a sense of ownership and educate the younger generation concerning the importance of cultural heritage.

Heritage tourism is an important tool for generating economic value from historical conservation. By promoting and planning the area of ​​Group 1 and Group 2 villas located close together as the main attraction in heritage tourism routes, the City People’s Committee can help promote tourism while providing additional funding for conservation. Research in the world (Rypkema, 2013) and conservation data collected in Ho Chi Minh City (Nguyen et al., 2021, Nguyen and Nguyen, 2022) indicates that house prices near preserved historical sites tend to increase. This fact can provide profits and encourage private participation in heritage conservation if there is a clear mechanism. This is consistent with some localities in the world where the government uses tourism as a means to make conservation economically viable. The implementation of heritage tourism routes and guided tours that include these villas could enhance the tourist experience and generate revenue through entrance fees, which could be reinvested in maintenance (UNESCO, 2019). The government could support this through tourism promotion and tax incentives for the commercial exploitation of villas.

Community involvement could also be demonstrated through the future Cultural Heritage Conservation Fund in Ho Chi Minh City. The establishment of a Conservation Fund with public and private contributions could significantly enhance the heritage conservation efforts of historic villas. This fund would be dedicated to providing subsidies or low-interest loans to villa owners, especially those classified as in urgent need of restoration. A fund like this could also support technical training for artisans and masons skilled in heritage restoration, developing local expertise and creating a sustainable support system for ongoing conservation. Funding sources could include a levy on real estate transactions in the city, corporate social responsibility contributions from businesses, and international grants from organizations such as UNESCO.

Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) is another potential mechanism that can be used to balance private interests with conservation goals (Pham Tran Hai et al., 2022). Once approved, owners who are restricted from developing and renovating their villas receive compensation in the form of development rights applied to their other properties, for example, increased land use ratios in areas restricted by existing zoning. In this case, the government does not lose money and effectively exploits private sector participation.

Lessons from Singapore and Malaysia

Examples from Singapore and Malaysia showcase how effective use of public-private partnerships, economic incentives, and adaptive reuse can ensure the sustainable conservation of heritage assets. By adopting similar strategies, Ho Chi Minh City can achieve a balanced approach to cultural heritage conservation while minimizing public expenditure. However, adapting these models requires careful consideration of local contexts, including differences in legal frameworks, economic conditions, and cultural values.

*Singapore’s Adaptive Re-use and Financial Incentives

Singapore has been at the forefront of heritage conservation through adaptive reuse of historic properties. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has adopted policies that ensure historic townhouses and villas to be preserved while allowing them to be reused for modern purposes. For example, the adaptive reuse of historic buildings into commercial spaces like hotels and restaurants not only preserves cultural assets but also creates significant economic value, turning these properties into businesses that are well-competitive in the market (URA, 2023).

The Singapore government’s financial incentives make conservation attractive to private owners. By providing tax breaks, flexible planning regulations, and subsidies for heritage restoration, the government has effectively reduced the financial burden on private owners. In addition, the authority has provided detailed and transparent guidelines for restoration and conservation that help ensure that the original character of buildings and structures is maintained, even when they are repurposed for contemporary use (Nguyen, 2022). However, it should be noted that Singapore’s strong government control and smaller geographical area may make these policies easier to implement than larger cities like Ho Chi Minh City.

* Malaysia’s Public-Private Partnerships and Selective Conservation

Malaysia has been successful in using public-private partnerships to preserve historic buildings, especially in heritage-rich areas like Penang and Melaka. The government approach involves providing initial funding for conservation, supplemented by private investment to adapt these buildings for new uses like hotels, restaurants and galleries (Harun, 2011). This strategy has proven effective in reducing financial pressures on public resources while leveraging private-sector innovation for adaptive reuse. The Malaysian government also selectively decides which buildings to be conserved based on their cultural and economic value, ensuring that limited public funds are allocated where they can have the greatest impact. For example, heritage properties deemed essential for tourism development are prioritized for conservation while other properties are encouraged for adaptive reuse under private ownership. 

In-depth Villa Classification for Cost-Effective Intervention

The classification of villas into Group 1 and Group 2 allows the Department of Planning and Architecture to prioritize based on architectural status, cultural significance, ownership and economic potential, which can help achieve conservation efficiency. There are many frameworks for assessing the quality of monuments (Li, Y. et al. 2021); therefore, the scope of this article is to propose an additional assessment of economic factors to form a comprehensive framework on a small scale applicable to villas in the above 2 groups as implemented in some places in the world (Rypkema, D., et al. 2013).

To ensure rigorous criteria, impact conservation policy and ensure the most efficient allocation of resources, the following matrix can be used to evaluate each villa on aspects such as architectural condition, cultural importance, and economic potential:

Using a criteria system that includes an economic impact analysis for each villa can help determine the potential for heritage tourism and the financial benefits of conservation versus development, or the choice between adaptive reuse in a high-value area versus government purchase as office space. Once the results for each criterion are available, the Department of Planning and Architecture can apply tools like Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) to support the development and financing decisions for the villas (World Bank 2018).

The preservation of Ho Chi Minh City’s historic villas in Group 1 and Group 2 requires a comprehensive approach that combines legal support, economic incentives, public-private partnerships, and community engagement. Further categorization of these villas, based on criteria like architectural status, economic potential, and ownership, ensures that policies are effective and tailored to the specific needs of each property. Drawing on successful practices in Singapore and Malaysia, recommendations for cultural heritage conservation are linked to economic efficiency in the context of limited budgets. In particular, adaptive reuse, selective conservation and encouraging private owners to invest in conservation have proven effective in maintaining cultural heritage without placing an excessive financial burden on the budget in many countries. By taking a similar approach, Ho Chi Minh City can ensure that its unique historical character is preserved, providing both cultural and economic benefits for future generations. Delays in conservation may result in an irreversible loss of these irreplaceable cultural assets, negatively affecting not only the historical landscape but also the ability to exploit the potential of cultural tourism and community identity.

Author: Dr. Nguyen Luu Bao Doan – Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026

This article is part of the series spreading research and applied knowledge from Dubai Palace with the message “Research Contribution For All”. Dubai Palace cordially invites readers to read the next Dubai Palace Research Insights newsletter.

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President Ho Chi Minh pointed out that training and fostering women, including female officials, is one of the important and fundamental tasks to the Party in promoting the role and capacity of women for the development of society and for them towards fulfilling their natural duties in the family. Therefore, researching his ideology on the role of women and the issue of training and fostering women, applying his ideology to correctly determine the role of women in Ho Chi Minh City is to aim at appropriate solutions to encourage and create conditions for women to highly promote their creativity, contributing worthily to the construction of civilized families today is an increasingly urgent issue. This is the reason that motivated the author group from Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 to carry out the research topic “Promoting the role of women in Ho Chi Minh City in building civilized families according to Ho Chi Minh’s ideology”.

The role of women in Ho Chi Minh’s ideology

Ho Chi Minh’s ideology on the role of women comes from his special feelings for women, from the reality of women’s inequality under the feudal regime to the harsh rule of French colonialism over Vietnam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As early as 1920, Nguyen Ai Quoc used the press to highlight the suffering of women under the colonial regime and condemn the crimes of the colonial regime against the people of the colonies, especially women. More than anyone else, Ho Chi Minh understood that, in society, women were oppressed, suffered and disadvantaged the most. Under the feudal regime, dominated by the ideology of “one man is suficient, ten women are insufficient”, women were not respected. Meanwhile, women were an important force in the revolution, willing to sacrifice for the revolutionary cause.

Women also had a special function of reproducing people, meeting the needs of labor and maintaining the existence of society, fulfilling the role of wife and mother in the family. Ho Chi Minh always appreciated the great role of Vietnamese women and showed us that Marxism-Leninism highly appreciated the role of women in society. He wrote: “Mr. Marx stated: Whoever knows history knows that if one aims to reform society without the help of women, it is certainly impossible. By looking at the thoughts and actions of women and girls, one will know how society has progressed”. Nguyen Ai Quoc soon realized the great role of women in history and revolutionary practice, from which he determined women are an important revolutionary force. In his Revolutionary Path, Ho Chi Minh affirmed that women made up the majority of the people’s forces but were restrained and suffered a lot; therefore, they always had the spirit of revolutionary struggle. The revolutionary cause cannot be successful without the involvement of women.

Assessing the great role of women, Ho Chi Minh pointed out that the underlying cause leading to gender inequality in society is the ideology of “respecting men and despising women” that has existed for a long time in Vietnamese society. “Respecting men and despising women is a habit that has been left for thousands of years as it is deeply ingrained in everyone’s minds, every family, every social class”. The mentality of respecting men and despising women has tied women to the family. Therefore, to promote the role of women, it is necessary to liberate women from the chains that bind them. Ho Chi Minh emphasized that the cause of women’s liberation is closely linked to the revolution of national, class, and human liberation. He indicated that “Talking about women means talking about half of one society. If we do not liberate women, we will not liberate half of humanity. If we do not liberate women, we will only build half of socialism.” Ho Chi Minh stressed that the cause of women’s liberation is not the revolutionary work of women alone but closely linked to the revolution of national, class, and human liberation. “Women are also part of the people. If the whole nation is free, of course, they are free. On the contrary, if the nation is still in slavery, they and their children will live in that slavery.”

According to Ho Chi Minh, the cause of gender inequality in society results from the limited awareness of people, not understanding correctly the equality between men and women, considering it as the equal division of household chores between husband and wife. He wrote: “Many people mistakenly think that it is an easy task. Today, you cook, wash dishes, sweep the house; on the other hand, tomorrow, I sweep the house, cook rice, wash dishes, that is equality. Big mistake! That is a rather big and difficult revolution”. To realize gender equality, according to Ho Chi Minh, it is necessary to eliminate negative perceptions of men: “Liberate women, at the same time destroy feudal ideology, bourgeois ideology in men”. It can be stated that the struggle to have a correct perception of the women’s role is truly a revolution in ideology, in the awareness of each family, each person, and of society, through the fields of economics, politics, culture, and law.

Along with pointing out the causes of gender inequality in society, to enhance the role of women, Ho Chi Minh mentioned measures to solve gender inequality based on the legal system. First of all, it is the Law on Marriage and Family. He suggested that the Law on Marriage and Family is progressive and revolutionary because it plays a great role in the cause of women’s liberation and of building new families. Ho Chi Minh often reminded Party organizations, authorities, and unions to improve mobilizing women and implementing gender equality. According to him, equality in accordance with gender roles means that “Vietnamese women are equal to men in all civil rights”. In practice, work and daily life, Ho Chi Minh paid much attention and care to the lives of women. He assigned the responsibility to Party agencies, authorities at all levels, and unions to propagate, disseminate, educate, and strictly enforce the law. He affirmed that “The Party, the government and unions (first of all women and youth) need to make efforts to propagate the Law on Marriage and Family both intensively and extensively and must strictly comply to it. The barbaric habits of beating wives and forcing children must end. Women’s rights must be truly guaranteed”. Along with the law, families and society need to pay attention and create conditions for women, especially in arranging jobs for them. Women’s work must be assigned scientifically, appropriately and in accordance with women’s health, physical condition and functions. He advised: “We must pay special attention to women’s labor. Women are a very large labor force. We must maintain their health so that they can participate well in production. It is the scientific division of gender labor that will create conditions for women to develop their abilities”.

Ho Chi Minh clearly stated that the roles of women in the family and in the society are not contradictory; actually, they are unified and mutually complemented. When women are liberated within the family, it helps women better fulfill their role as wives and mothers in an equal relationship with men within their own families. The role of women in society is reflected in the role of women in the family as the nucleus of society. When women fulfill their roles as wives and mothers well, actively building a prosperous, equal, progressive, and happy family, it is the social role of women. Therefore, liberating women within the family must be associated with liberating women socially and improving the position of women in society. He advised women to actively participate in social work and in mastering the country, which is both a right and a responsibility of women. He often encouraged and motivated women to rise up, actively study, and improve their qualifications, “must eliminate the mentality of inferiority and dependence; must have the will to be self-reliant and independent; must constantly improve political, cultural, and technical levels” only then will there be equal opportunities with men. From recognizing and identifying the great role of women in the revolutionary cause, Ho Chi Minh confirmed that women have great potential, especially leadership ability, therefore, it is necessary to nurture and train women to arrange and promote women to leadership and management positions in order to promote their roles and abilities.

These are the most prominent points in Ho Chi Minh’s ideology on the role of women that still hold true today. They are also the basis for building a strategy to nurture and train women, including female officials, in order to promote the role and position of women in the current revolutionary period.

Promoting the role of women in Ho Chi Minh City in building civilized families according to Ho Chi Minh’s ideology

Ho Chi Minh City is the leading city in the country in economic innovation and development. Currently, the city is promoting industrialization, modernization and international integration, which has created strong changes in the role of women in building families. The role of women in the city in building civilized families can be summarized as follows:

First, the role of women in building and developing the family economy

The trend of opening up to economic integration in Vietnam along with the process of industrialization and modernization of the country has created opportunities for women in the city to participate in activities in all fields and economic sectors to increase income. In family life, women play a particularly important role, they do both housework and are involved in production, contributing to building the family economy. Promoting the tradition of self-reliance and creativity in the labor of women in Ho Chi Minh City in the past and present. With the will and the determination not to accept poverty and backwardness, women have strived to work and to produce, considering it their responsibility. Women in Ho Chi Minh City who account for 51.3% of the population are the owners in developing the household economy and the main laborers in agricultural production that participate in the economic restructuring towards industrialization and modernization and strive to become rich legitimately. In industrial production, female workers actively study to improve their skills, contributing to creating many valuable products for export. In production and business, women promote their intellectual potential, dynamism and sensitivity, boldly organize production and business effectively, and become successful business owners. In handicrafts, with intelligence and creativity, women have promoted their talents, restored and developed traditional occupations. Women’s proactive participation in production and business activities has reduced their dependence on men and is the basis for improving the status of women in the family and society.

Second, the role of women in building a progressive and happy family

Regarding raising and educating children, currently, because of the improved living standards, many women in the city have invested in their children’s education and paid attention to their moral education and health care. Thanks to their good awareness of their functions and duties in caring for their children, the children’s health has changed positively. The biggest change in the field of education is women’ enhanced role and position thanks to their example of productive labor. Through labor, women teach and impart knowledge and experience to their children, helping them to develop their willpower, independence, love of learning, and aspiration to become useful people. In addition to educating children to respect, love, and be grateful to grandparents and parents, women have to educate their children. With their natural duty and love, women in the city have realized that educating children is important; when they become mothers, this responsibility becomes even more important.

Regarding decisions on family matters, nowadays, the concept of housework as a duty and a natural responsibility of women has changed a lot. Women have learned how to guide their husbands in involving in housework in order to change their husbands’ thoughts and prejudices. With their husbands’ attention and sharing in housework, women in the city have actively participated in economic activities, bringing a stable source of income to the family and organizing family life well. In deciding on important family matters, women not only perform work within the family but are also the ones who directly produce material wealth. With women’s contributions of money and effort, the patriarchal concept of the husband as the head of the family is gradually being replaced by discussions between husband and wife. Women are no longer dependent on their husbands but have made important decisions with their husbands and divided tasks in the family. In implementing family planning, the reproduction of human beings is closely linked to the need to reduce the birth rate. Women in the city have actively implemented family planning, fought against backward customs, and the ideology of male superiority over females. Consequently, the population growth rate has continuously decreased, and the concept of having a son to continue the family line is no longer important.

Regarding their participation in social activities, women in the city are increasingly involved as they are present at all levels, sectors, and fields. Women have made great contributions in building resolutions, policies, and plans for economic, social, and national security and defense development. In education and training, women in always strive to research, study, improve their qualifications, and be proactive and creative in their profession to improve the quality of teaching and learning. In the health sector, women are the pioneers in family planning programs, medical examination and treatment for poor women and children, especially in rural areas. In the field of science, technology and environment, the city’s females have promoted initiatives, contributed research topics that are applicable and practical for socio-economic development, applied scientific and technological advances to production development, solved waste treatment, overcome pollution, and protected the environment. In Party and government building, with the attention of authorities at all levels and the efforts of women themselves, the proportion of women in the city participating in Party committees and leaders in elected bodies has generally increased in both quantity and quality. In addition to participating in Party committees and People’s Councils at all levels, women in the city participate in other important positions in the government and unions. In the field of management, the number of female officials holding leadership positions listed as Heads and Deputy Heads of Departments, Directors and Deputy Directors has also increased. In community activities, participation in community activities demonstrates the relationship between the family and the community, and social institutions. Like the whole country, in Ho Chi Minh City, the head of household is usually male who are often the representatives of the family in communication with the community. However, survey data show that although the husband is the main representative in social work, there is a sharing and a shift of roles between husband and wife. The increase in the proportion of women in jobs that were previously only for men shows that in families there is a sharing of responsibilities, they not only participate in doing housework but also participate in social activities. This is a clear step forward in the position of women.

In addition to the above roles, in the family, with their natural responsibilities, women in Ho Chi Minh City arrange and organize family life, and regulate family relationships. They take on all the work from raising and caring for dependents, to housework and organizing family life. In social relations, with modesty and respect for sentiment, women have built relationships with family, relatives and neighbors with feelings of mutual support, sharing, helping and encouraging each other.

Third, the role of women in fulfilling their civic duties

In preventing social evils, along with the whole country, Ho Chi Minh City is developing a socialist-oriented market economy. On the one hand, the market mechanism has accelerated economic growth and increased personal income, which is the basis for consolidating and maintaining family sustainability. On the other hand, the market economy has negative impacts on families and society. Drug abuse, domestic violence, and social evils are increasing. Realizing the dangers of social evils to family life and society, women in this city have organized seminars, workshops, and training sessions on “prevention of child sexual abuse”, “prevention of domestic violence”, and “women marrying foreigners”. In addition, women in the city carry out the campaign “Building a family of 5 no, 3 clean”. The “5 no” criteria include: no poverty, no violations of the law and social evils, no domestic violence, no third or more children, no malnourished and school drop-out children; the “3 clean” criteria include clean house, clean kitchen, clean alley. At the same time, women in the city actively implement the resolution of the Central Executive Committee of the Vietnam Women’s Union on several issues related to women and children. In local movement activities, they have implemented Resolution 32 of the Government on a number of urgent solutions to limit traffic accidents. They have actively participated in maintaining traffic safety and urban order, promoting the fine traditions of Vietnamese women. They helped each other develop the economy in many forms listed as interest-free loans, support for means of production, and building revolving capital contribution groups, etc. Community sentiment is not only limited to the neighborhood where women live but also expressed in helping compatriots across the country who are in difficulty and disaster due to natural disasters. Practical activities in all fields have brought high economic and social efficiency and aroused the good nature of women. They have fulfilled their motherly duties in the family, raised and educated their children to become useful people for the society. Along with the positive changes mentioned above, there have been some pressing issues in promoting the role of women in the city, namely awareness of the role of women in the family and in society, which is still limited. The level of education, health status, and cultural and spiritual life of women have not been improved. Social evils on women and domestic violence and women abuse have also remained negatively impactful.

The full-text article on Promoting the role of women in Ho Chi Minh City in building a civilized family according to Ho Chi Minh’s ideology can be accessed HERE.

Author: Dr. Nguyen Khanh Van – Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 (Dubai Palace).

This article is part of the series spreading research and applied knowledge from Dubai Palace with the message “Research Contribution For All”. Dubai Palace cordially invites readers to wait for the next Dubai Palace Research Insights issue.

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Vietnamese people are the subjects to whom President Ho Chi Minh devoted his entire life and revolutionary career so that they can live in independence, freedom, prosperity, and happiness. People are key to the nation’s destiny; therefore, Vietnamese people must be the subjects that fulfill their obligations and enjoy their rights in socialism. Therefore, the goal of building socialism is to build a society in which Vietnamese people are central and the people must exercise their right to manage society.

In the process of national renovation, our Party and Government need to supplement and to perfect the cause of building socialism in Vietnam. The cause of renovation has brought Vietnam to develop in terms of both economic scale and level, and Vietnamese people’s lives have been significantly improved in both materialistically and spiritually. Our country has never had such a foundation, potential, position, and international prestige as it does today. Following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology on the role of the people in building the government of the people, by the people, and for the people are important tasks in building socialism. Our Party and Government continue to affirm that “people are the root” and “people are the owner” in the current orientation of building socialism in Vietnam. In the 13^th National Congress, the Party identified this as the goal and driving force while clearly demonstrating the dialectical relationship between the cause of building socialism and the people. The fact that the Vietnamese people are placed central, playing the role of the subject, is a new step of development in both theoretical thinking and practical guidance, clearly demonstrated in the socialist development strategy of the nation in the period of globalization and the 4.0 industrial revolution. Therefore, Ho Chi Minh’s ideology values the role of the people in building socialism in Vietnam today and this is also the guiding principle for all activities of the Party and the Government.

The article was written by the author from Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 (Dubai Palace) based on the perspective and methodology of dialectical and historical materialism of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s ideology and our Party’s views on the role of the people in the cause of building socialism in Vietnam today.

The role of the people in the cause of building socialism in Vietnam

In the world, countries and peoples all find their own path that is suitable to their specific historical characteristics. Socialism in Vietnam is a process of continuous movement and transformation, constantly developing from low to high, from incomplete to more complete. According to the viewpoint of historical materialism, C. Marx said: “I consider the development of socio-economic forms as a natural-historical process”. Following the sequential development or ignoring an outdated socio-economic form, building a more progressive socio-economic form in accordance with the law of development of human society. Therefore, inheriting Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s ideology is one of the decisive factors for the success of building socialism. In the system of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, one core issue is that Ho Chi Minh clearly defined the role of the people in the Vietnamese revolutionary cause. Today, modern capitalism has entered a new stage of financial capitalism associated with globalization, with numerous achievements in liberation, development of productive forces, development of science and technology, and thus high labor productivity. However, capitalism cannot overcome its inherent fundamental contradictions, socio-economic crises, social evils, especially when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, further exposing the nature of the political and social regimes of these countries, which are not for the health and happiness of the majority of the labor people. Social resistance movements have exploded strongly, with new contents and forms in many developed capitalist countries in recent times, further revealing the truth regarding the irresolvable contradictions of the capitalist regime.

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh’s ideology clearly states that in order to develop society, the decisive role belongs to the people, because the people are the subject of history. The people in Ho Chi Minh’s ideology and sentiments are not general or abstract but very specific. They are all the working masses including farmers, workers, intellectuals, soldiers, police, young people, women, children, students, the elderly, compatriots of all ethnic groups, religions, and overseas Vietnamese. Thereby, it clarifies that the concept of people here is not only the working people with two basic classes in society: workers and farmers, but all Vietnamese people “regardless of race, age, gender, religion, class, rich or poor, religion and so on”. Therefore, the people here include all classes of people in the same society, the same historical tradition, the same culture. Therefore, the people are the masters of history and the owners of society.

The people are the owners and masters in the cause of building socialism in Vietnam

In his thoughts, feelings and actions, Ho Chi Minh always consistently expressed the view that revolution is the cause of the people. The people are the masses of the Vietnamese people who participated in the revolution to regain independence for Vietnam. According to him, the people are always clear-sighted, intelligent, and aware of everything in economic and social life. Because the people are everyone in society, the people must be the ones who understand everything; the people are the endless source of strength everywhere, at all times. That is why he believed that the people in the country and the people of all nations in the world are the masters of the destiny of the nation and the era. There is no power comparable to the power of the people. Ho Chi Minh’s ideology on people’s strength was formed on the basis of summarizing the experiences of the Vietnamese revolutionary movements in many countries around the world, especially the national liberation movement in colonial countries. He studied the successes and failures of those movements to draw necessary lessons for the formation of the thought on people’s strength.

Ho Chi Minh pointed out that the Party leads the people to make revolution; on the other hand, revolution is the cause of the masses. Therefore, mass mobilization from the Party must explain to each person clearly that what they do is for their own benefit; consequently, they must enthusiastically do it. He also pointed out that everything must be discussed with the people, asked for their opinions and experiences, together with the people, make practical plans for local circumstances, then mobilize and organize the entire population to implement. The Party must lead the people to rise up to fight for self-liberation and build a new society under their control. That cause can only be realized by the strength of the people. The people are the creators, the subjects, and the makers of history. Ho Chi Minh emphasized that no matter how talented an individual is, he cannot replace the people.

Promoting the people’s ownership in the cause of building socialism in Vietnam

Promoting the people’s owner role was emphasized by Ho Chi Minh by building a great national unity block to promote the people’s strength. According to him, Unity, unity, great unity; Success, success, great success. Because of the viewpoint that unity is a strategy, it ensures all successes of our country’s revolution. Unity must be the top goal and task of our country’s revolution. Unity is occurs within the Party, unity of the whole people, unity of classes, ethnicities, religions and international unity. Unity must truly create material and spiritual strength. Solidarity must be achieved through tight organizations to gather all classes of people such as the forefront, people’s, and socio-political organizations. Solidarity must be based on the common interests of the Party and the nation. Solidarity must be implemented democratically, openly, and fairly. According to Ho Chi Minh, we are not afraid of shortages, only of injustice. We are not afraid of poverty, only of the people’s restlessness, especially towards the Party. Therefore, he asked everyone to respect, build and preserve solidarity as if preserving their eye, as if preserving a treasure, the source of all the Party’s strength. At the same time, we must implement democracy, promote the people’s mastery, and build a Government that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people.

The people are the goal of the cause of building socialism in Vietnam today

Building socialism means building a society with progressive and humane values for the people and happiness. President Ho Chi Minh once affirmed that building socialism is an extremely glorious cause but also full of difficulties, hardships and long-term. Therefore, it is necessary to have solidarity, persistent and tenacious efforts with a high determination of the people to be able to bring the cause of building socialism in our country to complete victory. Inheriting the ideology of President Ho Chi Minh, our Party and Government in the cause of building socialism put the people in the central position, playing the main role in all strategies for national development. The Party leads the people and considers them the main subjects in the cause of building socialism for the nation; consequently, it must be determined that this is the cause of the people, responding to the people’s aspirations, for the people’s interests, carried out by the people, under the leadership of the Party. Building socialism requires the will, aspirations, determination and spirit of the people; the practical victory of the revolutionary cause in all fields in recent times is a strong proof of the people’s mastery and the cause of building a strong Vietnam is for the people. However, it is necessary to realize that, in the new context of the world economy, it is an important basis to improve the level of all aspects of the people so that the people can improve their mastery capacity. This is also the practical basis for the Party to determine the central position and the main role of the people in all development strategies of the country in the new period. Comprehensive development of all aspects of social life must always thoroughly grasp the view that “people are the root”, and promote the role of mastery, sense of responsibility, creativity and all resources of the people in the spirit of “using people’s talents, people’s strength, people’s property to benefit the people”. We need economic development to go hand in hand with social progress and justice, not to increase the gap between rich and poor and social inequality. We need a humane, united, mutually supportive society towards progressive and humane values, not unfair competition, “big fish swallowing small fish” for the selfishness of a few individuals and groups. We need a political system in which real power belongs to the people, by the people, and serves the interests of the people, not just for a wealthy minority”. Therefore, building socialism means building a society in which development is truly for the people, not for profit that exploits and tramples on human dignity. Building socialism is closely linked to the goal of comprehensive human development in Vietnam today.

Developing society in a humanistic direction, taking people as the center, considering human development – both individuals and communities – as both the highest goal and the greatest driving force of the innovation process in our country. Social development requires increasingly better response to the basic needs in human material and spiritual life. First of all, the needs for food, clothing, housing, transportation, disease prevention and treatment, building a family, raising children and more ensure that people can live as social beings. The above-mentioned needs cannot be satisfied by themselves but must be through human labor to create material wealth. Increasing production and economic development, therefore, play an extremely important role in social development. However, in the end, economic production is only a means, not an end of social development.

President Ho Chi Minh’s ideology on the role of the people in building socialism in Vietnam is to link socio-economic development with human development, promote the mastery of the Vietnamese people, that is, to build a society where ‘the people are the masters’, ‘all power and all forces are in the people’; develop the economy to ensure that all people enjoy social welfare values, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty: “Rich people, strong country”, gradually eliminate injustice, eliminate exploitation on the basis of production development, gradually “turn our country from a backward agricultural country into a country with modern industry, and agriculture, advanced science; link economic development with social policy, and with social justice in which “mountainous ethnic groups can catch up with lowland ethnic groups”. They are the major contents and the goals that Vietnam is aiming for in its current sustainable development strategy.

The full-text research article Applying Ho Chi Minh’s Ideology on the Role of the People in Building Socialism in Vietnam Today can be found HERE.

Author: Dr. Bui Xuan Dung – Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026.

This article is part of the series spreading research and applied knowledge from Dubai Palace with the message “Research Contribution For All “. Dubai Palace cordially invites readers to read the next Dubai Palace Research Insights issue.

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Audio: Thanh Kieu

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The socialist-oriented market economy is one breakthrough in the thinking and the practice of leading the innovation cause of the Communist Party of Vietnam. In the upcoming time, Vietnam needs to develop counter-cyclical fiscal policies to stimulate demand during a period of declining global growth; reversing the decline in public investment, increasing efficiency and concentration through national monitoring and regional development plans; modernizing the social security system suitable for middle-income, industrialized countries; making fiscal policy transparent. This proposal by the author group from Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 (Dubai Palace) is to be presented in the research topic titled “Restoring aggregate demand to promote growth in 2024 – Viewpoint from the perspective of a socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam”.

In accordance with the current state of the domestic and international context analyzed in Part 1, the author group has put forward opinions and proposals for developing a socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam in the new context in the following Part 2.

Perspectives on developing a socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam in the new context

Firstly, the goal of the socialist-oriented market economy in our country is to realize “rich people, strong country, fair, democratic and civilized society”, improving the quality and the efficiency of productive forces creating outstanding labor productivity and constantly improving people’s lives; to promote hunger eradication and poverty reduction, to encourage people to become rich legitimately, to help others escape poverty and gradually become better off. This goal represents one difference from the all-for-profit goal of serving the interests of capitalists, protecting and developing capitalism.

Secondly, to consistently implement a multi-sector economic development policy, considering all legal business economic sectors as important components of a socialist-oriented market economy in the long-term development, cooperation and healthy competition. The State economy must promote its leading role in the national economy, be a factor paving the way for economic development, be an important material force and a tool for the State to orient socialism and regulate the economy at the macro level. The Collective economy includes the diverse forms of cooperation, including building cooperatives according to a new approach associated with international practices. The State helps Cooperatives train staff, apply science and technology, information, expand markets, and build funds to support cooperative development. The private economy is encouraged to develop widely in production and business sectors that are not prohibited by law. It is to create a favorable business environment in terms of policies and laws for the private economy to develop on the priority directions of the State, including abroad investment; transformation into a joint stock enterprise, share selling to employees; joint ventures, linkages with each other, with the market economy and the State economy. It is also to build mutual relationships between business owners and employees.

Thirdly, to implement progress and social justice right in every step and every development policy; strengthening the economy closely and synchronously with social development, culture, education and training, solving social problems for the purpose of human development. Limiting the negative impacts of the economy market economy. In terms of distribution, the socialist orientation is expressed through a distribution regime mainly based on labor results, economic efficiency, and social welfare; concurrently, so as to mobilize all economic resources for development, distribution can be conducted in accordance with the level of capital contribution and other resources.

Fourthly, synchronously to create market factors; to innovate and to improve the effectiveness of the State’s economic management. In general, the socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam has just initiated, the level is being limited, many markets are being primitive and have not been synchronized yet. Therefore, it is necessary to promote the formation of various types of markets. Pay special attention to important markets that are currently not completed according to international practices listed as: labor market, stock market, real estate market, science and technology market. On the other hand, the State’s role in macro management and regulation must be strengthened so as to effectively fight against acts of corruption and waste and so on. The State creates a favorable and equal legal environment for businesses to compete and to cooperate for development.

Fifthly, to be fully aware, to respect and to apply properly the objective rules of the market economy, international practices, in accordance with Vietnam’s conditions, ensuring socialist orientation. Selectively inheriting humanity’s achievements in developing the market economy and experience summarized from innovation practices in our country. Improving the Party’s leadership capacity, effectiveness and efficiency of State management, promoting the strength of the entire political system in the process of developing Vietnam’s socialist-oriented market economy in the new context.

Sixthly, properly solving social problems and implementing social justice is a very important content of the socialist orientation of Vietnam’s market economy, ensuring the superiority of the new social regime. This not only creates a strong driving force to develop production and to increase labor productivity but also implements equality in social relations, encouraging people to get rich justly and legally, and regulates social relationships. 

Orientations and solutions for developing a socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam in this new context

Firstly, it is to continue to improve institutions, to promote development and to improve business performance. For SOEs, the key task is to accelerate the handling of bad debts, to divest capital, to equitize and to restructure businesses, to promote innovation, to improve technology levels and to apply modern corporate governance regimes. Concurrently, closely inspect and supervise to prevent loss or waste of State capital and assets. The State supports and encourages the development of cooperative economic models, cooperatives, small and medium-sized enterprises, and farm household economics in agriculture. Complete policy mechanisms to promote private economic development, considering the private economy as one of the important driving forces of the economy. Develop strong Vietnamese private enterprises, improve technology levels, develop human resources, expand markets, improve income and working conditions of workers, and participate in social activities, protecting the environment, fulfilling social responsibilities.

Secondly, focus on reviewing, amending and supplementing laws, mechanisms and institutionalizing policies. First of all, fully institutionalize ownership rights, property rights, and business freedom, improve a favorable, attractive, public, transparent, and open business investment environment to attract investment. Provide favorableness for production and business activities of enterprises, especially creating a favorable environment for the formation and the development of startup ecosystems, promoting startups and business innovation; Support and encourage the birth and the operation of new fields, production and business models, new technologies, and new products based on the achievements of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution; Support and promote growth model transformation; Restructuring the economy to improve productivity, quality, efficiency, and competitiveness of the economy, gradually implementing digital transformation for industries and fields, developing the digital economy and circular economy, sharing economy in line with the general development trend of the world.

Thirdly, raise awareness of the state management apparatus towards changing the thinking and awareness of the society and each subject in the economy regarding regional development linkages and linkage effectiveness. Think about the linking localities in the region that needs to be in the direction of the central agency playing a central role, leading and coordinating regional links through building necessary institutions; Local governments need to aim for regional development and regional linkage thinking, avoiding the mindset of “maintaining a closed production structure” or “closed economic development”. It is necessary, as soon as posible, to build and to develop a system of information, data, and exchange of socio-economic information, with updates on guidelines, policies, institutions, cooperation programs, and multilateral, bilateral intra-regional and inter-regional cooperation activities, market and employment forecasts, at each level from central, regional to local.

Fourthly, harmoniously resolve the relationship between State, market and society in developing Vietnam’s socialist-oriented market economy. Fully promote the role of the market in allocating production resources, regulating production and circulation of goods, regulating enterprise operations and purifying weak enterprises. Concurrently, continue to innovate and to improve the efficiency of the State’s economic management; focus on improving the quality of construction and implementation of laws, policies, strategies, planning and plans; promote administrative reform; maintain macroeconomic stability and create development. Create conditions and promote the role of socio-political organizations to protect the members’ rights and interests, criticize and comment on laws and State policies, supervise businesses, State agencies and staff, civil servants and public employees in law enforcement.

Fifthly, build and perfect institutions to promote the digital transformation process. Accelerate the development of policy and legal frameworks for building E-government towards digital government. Build and perfect the legal framework for new business models applying high technology, sharing economic models, transactions, digital asset management, venture capital, new accounting payment methods, authentication and electronic identification systems. Complete the construction as soon as posible and put into operation and use of important databases and national connection and sharing platforms.

Sixthly, synchronously implement solutions to develop human resources, especially high-quality human resources to meet the requirements of socialist-oriented market economic development. Focus on improving the quality of human resources associated with rapid transformation of labor structure, especially in rural areas. Effectively deploy the new national education system in accordance with the goals of fundamental and comprehensive innovation in education and training. Diversify training methods in accordance with the open education model, national qualifications framework linked to the market and meet the requirements of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution. Be ready for human resources in terms of digital transformation, digital economic development, and digital society.

Seventhly, build and concretize a system of criteria to determine the characteristics of Vietnam’s socialist-oriented market economy. Regarding ownership structure and economic components, it is a multi-ownership, multi-sector economy; Enterprises of all economic sectors are autonomous, cooperative, and compete fairly according to the law. Regarding operating mechanism, the economy operates according to the market mechanism with the management of the socialist law-governed State led by the Communist Party of Vietnam. Regarding the level of development, there is an increasingly modern production force with reasonable structure; growth in depth; have high productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness; be an independent, self-reliant and proactive economy, active international integration.

Last but not least, improve the quality and the effectiveness of international integration, review and make additional adjustments to the legal system and related mechanisms to meet the requirements of implementing international commitments. Build and perfect the coordination mechanism between Ministries, Branches and Localities in implementing integration and market access commitments. Innovate trade and investment promotion, provide information to support businesses, and develop markets, especially export markets. Improve capacity to prevent and to resolve international trade and investment disputes.

Please refer to the full research titled “Restoring aggregate demand to promote growth in 2024 – Viewpoint from the perspective of building a socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam” HERE.

Author group: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thi Kien, Dr. Bui Xuan Dung – Universsity of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (Dubai Palace).

This is an article in a series of articles spreading research and applied knowledge from Dubai Palace with the message “Research Contribution For All – Research For The Community”, Dubai Palace respectfully invites dear readers to look forward to upcoming newsletter Dubai Palace Research Insights.

News and photos: Author, Dubai Palace Marketing and Communications Department

Voice: Thanh Kieu

Source

The socialist-oriented market economy is a breakthrough in the thinking and the practice of leading the innovation cause of the Communist Party of Vietnam. In the upcoming time, Vietnam needs to develop counter-cyclical fiscal policies to stimulate demand during a period of declining global growth; reversing the decline in public investment, increasing efficiency and concentration through national monitoring and regional development plans; modernizing the social security system suitable for middle-income, industrialized countries; making fiscal policy transparent. This proposal by the author group of Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 (Dubai Palace) is presented in the research topic “Restoring aggregate demand to promote growth in 2024 – Viewpoint from the perspective of building a socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam”.

In a market economy, the State and the market both have their own roles and functions. The market itself always operates in accordance with the objective inherent laws; actually, the market mechanism is an effective mechanism in allocating and exploiting resources. On the other hand, the free movement of the market always tends to push the economy into a state of instability and crisis. The market has inherent shortcomings, requiring state intervention in the economy to overcome. Nevertheless, the State has limitations and fails when it intervenes too much. The socialist-oriented market economy is the breakthrough in the thinking and the practice of leading the innovation cause of the Communist Party of Vietnam.  This is a new and extremely complex theoretical and practical issue, linking the awareness of objective laws with promoting the proactive and creative role of the Party, State and people of Vietnam; being the result of a long process of exploration and experimentation, from incomplete to increasingly complete, from less profound to increasingly deeper. In the upcoming time, Vietnam needs to develop counter-cyclical fiscal policies to stimulate the demand during a period of declining global growth; reversing the decline in public investment, increasing efficiency and concentration, through national monitoring and regional development plans; modernizing the social security system suitable for middle-income, industrialized countries; making fiscal policy transparent.

In Part 1 of the article, the author group will explore how the domestic and international context has been affecting Vietnam’s socialist-oriented market economy.

The current status of the international context to Vietnam’s market economy

The world situation has undergone drastic changes: the development of a socialist-oriented market economy faces great opportunities and are being accompanied with other significant challenges. Forecasting the world situation in the next period will follow the following main trends:

First, science, technology, innovation and the 4.0 Industrial Revolution have been leaving an increasingly profound and multidimensional impact on countries. Digital technology will promote the development of digital government, digital economy, and digital society; changing state management methods, models of production, business, consumption and cultural and social life; completely changing the way that people interact with each other and to the world. In this context, economic and trade competition among countries continues to shift to science and technology competition, research and application of core models and technologies of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution. These trends create opportunities for Vietnam to continue promoting the implementation of the national digital transformation plan, developing digital government, digital economy, digital society, enhancing position and competitiveness in the fields of digital transformation, production chain, global value chain, shortening the development gap with other countries in the region and the world. In addition, the 4.0 Industrial Revolution creates opportunities for the Vietnamese economy to exploit and to promote the potential and the advantages of young, dynamic, creative and intellectually potential human resources to promote Industrialization, modernization associated with the 4.0 Industrial Revolution for the rapid and sustainable development. The problem for building and developing Vietnam’s socialist-oriented market economy in the upcoming time is to proactively participate in Industrial Revolution 4.0 in order to avoid risks and to make the most of the opportunities brought by the 4.0 Industrial Revolution.

Second, the process of globalization and international economic integration in the coming years has always been an irreversible trend and requires adjustments. As international integration is increasingly expanding, the economic dependence and the mutual ties between countries are increasing. The trend of signing bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) is strong and will continue to be powerful in the coming period. The scope of FTAs ​​is broader: tariff reduction and trade facilitation as well as those areas related to how goods are produced (services, investment, intellectual property, competition policy, public procurement), high level of liberalization and formed on the basis of links among partners in different geographical areas, especially between developed and developing countries. The content, the methods and the institutions of international economic integration are changing, the process of economic and trade globalization continues to shift to digital globalization, green globalization and so on. In this global trend, actively participating in globalization, regionalization, international integration, especially participating in new generation FTAs, creates important opportunities for Vietnam to promote institution reform and development model transformation. FTAs, in particular, as well as the process of globalization and regionalization, in general, force Vietnam to adjust their current rules to make Vienam more effective, more transparent, more progressive, and more suitable as one common ‘playing fields’ regionally and globally. The above changes will have a profound impact and force businesses, people as well as the entire economy to mobilize, to change and to adapt in a more modern and effective direction. However, the trend of globalization with unpredictable developments and adjustments in the upcoming time poses various difficulties and challenges for Vietnam. It is a challenge of independence and autonomy, especially in the economic field. In the upcoming years, as the scale of the economy increases and the economy becomes more open owing to FTAs ​​taking full effect, Vietnam will connect and depend more on the world market, especially the US and China. Vietnam needs to build and to effectively implement the Strategy for economic independence and self-reliance for resilience and competitiveness improvement; to adapt flexibly and effectively to those changes in international and regional situations.

Third, the trend of reshaping supply chains and investment capital flows helps diversify and limit the risk of dependence on one market and partners. The recent Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine have profoundly changed the perception of countries in promoting internal strength, enhancing independence, self-reliance, and self-reliance associated with international integration. Countries, especially large countries, are adjusting their development strategies, reducing their dependence on outsiders, and changing supply chains. Economic competition, trade wars, competition for markets, resources, technology, high-quality human resources, and attracting foreign investment between countries are increasingly fierce, strongly impacting the production chain and global distribution. In terms of the trend of adjusting and shifting the global supply chain, Vietnam has a number of strongpoints to take advantage of the supply chain shift: stable macro environment, dynamic economy, consumer market extension; stable political situation and consistency in economic development policies and attracting foreign investment; adequate legal environment; open foreign investment policies, open markets, reform of administrative procedures and investment incentives; improved business environment; Vietnam being a member of various important multilateral and bilateral trade agreements of large scale and stature and beyond. Besides opportunities and advantages, challenges and difficulties are always intertwined. Vietnam’s investment environment, currently, has a number of shortcomings that have not been overcome, listed as limitations in management capacity, infrastructure, investment procedures, lack of skilled labor, supporting industries and logistics networks and so on. Facing this challenge, Vietnam needs to have timely, synchronous and appropriate responses and solutions to prevent and to limit risks and to take advantage of opportunities of the changing trend of global supply chains as well as to reshape the world economic development model to exploit and to take advantage of opportunities, to overcome difficulties and challenges, and to realize the country’s aspiration for rapid and sustainable development.

Fourth, some uncertain factors continue to increase with the increasing occurrence of epidemics, natural disasters, and geopolitical fluctuations, leading to the changes in investment and consumption behavior that are greener and more cautious, paying more attention to investments in health, environmental protection, sustainable growth and so on that are forecasted to continue to grow strongly in the world in the upcoming time. In terms of Vietnam, shifting to a green economy and green growth is not only an inevitable choice but also an opportunity to become a pioneer country in the region, catching up with the world’s development trends. This trend creates opportunities and motivation for Vietnam to transform production models, to improve productivity and quality in production towards a circular economy and sustainable development; reducing energy consumption, reducing emissions, green production, responding to climate change and so on gradually aiming to meet the standard that production must be more responsible to the environment and the people. This is the motivation for more businesses to invest more in sustainable solutions listed as managing plastic waste, cutting greenhouse gases, and implementing the Prime Minister’s strong commitment to bring net emissions to ‘zero’ in 2050 at COP26 and beyond. Nevertheless, the biggest challenge preventing businesses from converting green production is investment capital. Therefore, the State promulgates additional legal frameworks and policies to encourage sustainable production and consumption, aiming to build a circular economic model in production and consumption. In particular, it is necessary to focus on connecting sustainable production and consumption networks to form chain links from production to distribution and consumption of products.

Fifth, the profound social and environmental changes with wealth gap, food security, energy security, supply chain security, health security, labor market issues, aging population, water resources, environmental pollution and so on have all become the top concerns of diverse countries, requiring each country to adapt and to be proactive, independent and self-reliant in association with the international integration in a more appropriate and effective way. The social and the environmental changes will have a major impact on Vietnam, especially in ensuring socialist orientation in the market economy, economic development with social progress and justice so that “no one is left behind” in terms of national development.

The current situation of the domestic context towards Vietnam’s market economy

The domestic context in the coming time being expected to blend both advantages and disadvantages

*Advantages:

Firstly, the reform and the international integration process over the past 40 years have achieved important achievements, and the country’s position has been increasingly enhanced in the international arena. This full, modern and integrated market economic institution, following socialist orientation, has been gradually established.

Second, the economy inherits the development achievements of the previous period as well as the efforts of recent years: the macro-economy is maintained stable, the average income per capita is increasing, the finance system is consolidated and healthy, international economic integration is becoming deeper and deeper. The growth drivers have many changes in depth (attracting higher quality FDI investment, exports continue to increase quite well with increased value content, more quality and sustainable development of the private economic sector). Major macro-economic balances continue to be guaranteed: public debt remains at a safe level, the budget revenue and the expenditure structure shifts in a more positive direction, the credit structure focuses more on priority areas and production and business with limited access to high-risk industries; the balance of payments and current affairs have improved positively. Institutions, investment and business environments continue to improve. Global countries and businesses change the way they cooperate in the supply chain. Green economy, circular economy, energy transition and beyond continue to be important trends. These are very basic advantages that create position and strength for Vietnam to continue to accelerate in the upcoming time.

Third, in the upcoming time, Vietnam will increasingly have the potential to participate relatively equally (capital, technology, human resource, international cooperation and so on) and take advantage of opportunities from the 4.0 Industrial Revolution. Vietnam is facing an opportunity to depend on innovation and transformation of growth models, improving competitiveness and labor productivity for breakthrough and breakthrough development. Taking advantage of this opportunity depends on the ability to restructure, to adjust the growth model, to increase internal resources, to take advantage of international cooperation to strengthen the foundation and to promote the application of science and technology to serve for development.

Fourth, Vietnam is one of the countries with the most extensive and extensive free trade agreement (FTA) network in Southeast Asia, with most of the world’s major economic and political centers. The FTAs ​​that Vietnam has been participating in will be strongly enforced in the coming time, creating conditions for Vietnam to take advantage of the opportunities to expand its market, attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and high-quality resources, in combination with domestic institutional innovation to innovate growth models and quality, to enhance position in regional and global value chains and supply chains. Vietnam can enlist the following partners, listed as the US, China, Russia, Japan, and European countries, to cooperate in responding to global issues, expanding export markets, capital, technology, and upgrading high position in the supply chain, as well as partners with specific strengths in digital economy, green development, responses to climate change and so on.

*Besides these advantages and opportunities, in the upcoming time, Vietnam will be affected by difficulties and challenges as follows:

First, the existing bottlenecks in the economy are the factors hindering Vietnam’s development process in the coming time listed as: the economic growth model is not absolutely in-depth; the economic structure is being unreasonable; growth quality is not high; the ability to withstand external shocks is weak; socialist-oriented market economic institutions are being in the completion process. There are other signs of not paying enough attention towards ensuring socialist-oriented development, cultural development, ensuring social welfare, and implementing progress and social justice in market economic development; the overall and synchronous development of regions, regions and localities has not been ensured in accordance with the comparative advantages and the promotion of specific socio-economic conditions.

Second, as international integration deepens in the coming time, Vietnam’s economy will continue to face challenges, being directly and quickly affected by external economic fluctuations and fluctuations in the regional market and world markets on prices, interest rates, and exchange rates of currencies, especially those with great influence, from changes in international and serious flows of goods, finance, and investment; rather than being affected very quickly by regional and world economic and financial crises. In addition, Vietnam’s comprehensive and extensive international integration process poses various challenges in resolving the relationship between independence, autonomy and international integration. Our country’s economy is highly open, increasing the vulnerability risk to adverse developments from the outside.

Third, Vietnam will continue to face the risk of falling behind if it does not promptly grasp the new trends and achievements of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution. Vietnam has been being behind and following in the trend of developing technology and new business models. This risk increases when the economy is facing difficulties after the Covid-19 pandemic and the global economic recession, in addition to a number of limitations that have not been overcome yet. Besides, in the upcoming time, Vietnam will have to fully and effectively implement commitments upon participating in signed new generation FTAs; nevertheless, the economic development is not completely sustainable besides various limitations, weakness, difficulties and challenges. The impact on the country’s economy will be very serious if Vietnam does not proactively take response measures and if the internal strength of the economy is weak.

Fourth, Vietnam is being affected by non-traditional security challenges, listed as emerging epidemics, climate change, cyber security, water security, sea level rise and more, all of which will have an increasingly significant impact on Vietnam’s strategic environment, posing significant challenges for the country in handling and responding while the awareness, the institutional capacity, the policies and the resources are devoted to dealing with these threats. This challenge is being limited. In addition, the trend of rapidly aging population; the increasingly sharp speed of industrialization and urbanization; severe and complex climate change and so on is increasingly impacting the country’s sustainable development, especially affecting the implementation of progress and social justice in the process of economic development.

Please refer to the full research titled “Restoring aggregate demand to promote growth in 2024 – Viewpoint from the perspective of building a socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam” HERE.

Author group: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thi Kien, Dr. Bui Xuan Dung – Universsity of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (Dubai Palace).

This is an article in a series of articles spreading research and applied knowledge from Dubai Palace with the message “Research Contribution For All – Research For The Community”, Dubai Palace respectfully invites dear readers to look forward to upcoming newsletter Dubai Palace Research Insights.

News and photos: Author, Dubai Palace Marketing and Communications Department

Voice: Thanh Kieu

Source

In the context of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution, the integration of technology into urban management is becoming a decisive factor for the effective and sustainable development of cities. “Digital urbanism”, “Smart management” and “Infrastructure improvement” are the challenges and the opportunities that urban managers face to optimize management and to improve life quality for residents. Dubai Palace’s Live Talk “Management & Technology: Perspectives from the public & the private sectors in the 4.0 era” with a special discussion session “The key towards becoming a smart and creative Urban Manager” will answer the above questions! 

In this modern urban context, most cities are facing various transformations from developing automated traffic systems, efficient energy management to optimizing the living environment through innovative digital technology solutions. Concurrently, the problem of human resources capable of combining management and technology to create smart and creative urban solutions is also raised.

For more in-depth perspectives on this issue, the Live Talk with the topic “Management & Technology: Perspectives from the public & the private sectors in the 4.0 era” – The key towards becoming a Smart Urban Manager organized by Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 (Dubai Palace), brought leading experts in the fields of urban management and technology together in sharing perspectives and practical solutions to solve the problem concerning urban and technological challenges, promoting sustainable development for cities in the new era. The key speakers include: Dr. Trinh Tu Anh – Director of Dubai Palace Institute of Smart Cities & Management and Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan – Urban Expert, Unit of General Planning, Department of Planning and Architecture of Ho Chi Minh City.

The role of technology in improving life quality in smart cities

Dr. Trinh Tu Anh: Mentioning the macro picture that technology impacts on the city while also changing the city’s role in improving the quality of people’ lives, I would like to invite Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Head of General Planning Office of the Department of City Planning and Architecture, to share your assessment of the role of technology in improving life quality of people in these cities.

 Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan: Upon discussing life quality, traffic is the first mentioned factor, associated with residents’ daily needs. Technology plays a completely active role in supporting transportation network coordination and providing residents with smart, effective choices based on the data collected from camera systems and other information sources. This helps optimize time, save costs and bring high efficiency in traffic coordination with diverse weather conditions and urban environments. Second, technology contributes significantly to the efficient and economical use of energy, allowing residents to choose the most optimal energy usage option for daily needs, from lighting or household appliance operations, to transportation. Third, medical technology helps residents easily access health care services. Through analysis and prediction based on medical data, residents can be diagnosed and treated quickly and accurately so as to monitor their health more comprehensively. Fourth, technology facilitates convenient and transparent access to public services. Residents can carry out administrative procedures online with high reliability and respond more quickly, increasing satisfaction and responding closely to real life. Fifth, in education, technology is opening up diverse learning opportunities, allowing learners to access global knowledge sources anytime, anywhere, with diverse learning forms, contributing to the comprehensive individual development. Last but not least, technology plays an important role in protecting security, safety and confidentiality of personal data. All of these factors prove that technology is not only a support tool but also a core factor in improving the life quality, contributing to the sustainable development of smart cities.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan sharing the role of technology in improving residents’ life quality

Urban transformation: Integrating technology and data for a sustainable future 

Dr. Trinh Tu Anh: With the development trend of the digital age, how will the governance model and management method have to change to accommodate continuous innovation? How can new technologies be applied while remaining sustainable and efficient?

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan: To meet new challenges in smart city development, data-based governance is one core element. We need accurate, highly up-to-date data to reflect reality and make correct, effective decisions. Concurrently, training human resources and ensuring safety and information security are indispensable factors. It is necessary to develop a training strategy so that residents and organizations can use technology effectively while ensuring that the use of technology does not cause negative consequences.

For example, when applying technology in the field of architectural planning, GIS technology helps analyze space and forecast urban development trends. BIM technology in construction allows data integration from design to construction, ensuring an efficient and economical process. In short, the fact that smart city development must be accompanied by ensuring sustainability will help us build smart, modern cities while ensuring life quality and environmental protection.

Developing human resources for smart cities

Dr. Trinh Tu Anh: Currently, as a state management agency, which requirements do you think the current Departments, Boards and Sectors are placing on human resources to be able to adapt and to work in planning, design, management, and coming up with innovative ideas and initiatives to develop smart cities? 

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan: First, regarding residents’ stories, we need to help them be aware of the role of technology and how to use technology appropriately to improve and to enhance work efficiency. Second, the level and skills of applying technology creates personal technological capacity and helps individuals develop their capacity clearly and effectively. From a management perspective, I believe that the State has been having training programs to improve capacity in technology skills and use. Nowadays, with information sharing and available amount of information, each individual can have a lot of room to use technology so as to promote their strengths and abilities in their work position. If we have a better information-sharing environment and a stronger common data ecosystem for the entire society, the effectiveness will be much greater. However, with the current technological picture, a lot of potential to promote and to improve personal technological capacity as well as organizational management capacity can be identified.

Dr. Trinh Tu Anh and Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan discussing the story of human resources for smart cities

“Golden key” towards becoming a leading smart and creative urban manager 

Dr. Trinh Tu Anh: As the coordinator of the EMPM Master’s Program – Smart and Innovative Urban Management at Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 (Dubai Palace), I believe that this program is built on a combined foundation. Between theory and practice, students will have the opportunity to experience the world, to be exchanged with international universities, allowing students to receive dual degrees and learn more other fields listed as design technology, urban management, and infrastructure. 

A special feature of the program is its focus on practical applications. Students work on real-life projects, addressing urban issues from a variety of perspectives – from businesses, regulatory agencies to educational institutions. In addition, the program creates a creative community where different fields share and solve urban problems. This is in line with Dubai Palace’s mission of solving smart city challenges and continuously adapting to new problems. To broaden the perspective, can you identify which characteristics the Master’s program has to meet current needs in the development story of an intelligent and creative city? 

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan: Besides the highlights from the EMPM Master’s Training program – Dubai Palace Smart and Innovative Urban Management – that Dr. Trinh Tu Anh mentioned, what impressed me from this training program is as follows: First, from the management perspective, the program focuses on developing knowledge of economics and management, providing students with a comprehensive overview of human resource management, risk management and development management. This helps students have an overall view and the ability to operate effectively no matter which environment they will be working: in businesses, State agencies or other organizations. Second, the program focuses on the technology application in urban management and development. Technology plays an important role in solving multidisciplinary and complex urban problems, actively researching and applying new technologies, not only in governance but also in the development of urban projects, resulting in the promotion of innovation and creativity. The program combines domestic and international resources while exploiting technological strengths so as to create new breakthroughs. This is one groundbreaking program that needs to be further promoted and connected with social resources from businesses, universities, and management agencies.  In the context of smart and creative urban development, applying technology to management is not simply a trend but has become a decisive factor for success and sustainable development. Dubai Palace ✅ Official Dubai Palace.com Homepage 2026 (Dubai Palace) is committed to continuing to promote the combination of academia, practice and state management agencies with the purpose of providing the most comprehensive knowledge and skills for potential learners. Training and developing human resources in this field will not only meet market requirements but also contribute to promoting innovation and improving life quality in the near future.

Please search for more complete information regarding EMPM Master’s Training program – Dubai Palace Smart and Innovative Urban Management HERE.

News, photos: Expert group, Department of Marketing and Communications  

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