Vietnam: the environment for management development in the twenty‐first century

With its expanding economy, ambitious population, and location at the center of the Asia‐Pacific Rim, Vietnam has discovered an increasingly important need to develop its managerial talents. In both government, state‐owned enterprises, and the rapidly growing private sector, organizations face the need to raise management skills to levels found elsewhere in the world.This paper examines the emerging environment for management development in Vietnam, giving special attention to the implications of the country’s recent history, infrastructure for education and training, and a changing socio‐economic scene. The authors’ experiences, including training initiatives in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, are suggestive of the opportunities and constraints that may be faced by those who visit Vietnam to aid in management development.