International VIETNAM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY Labour Organization in Vietnam Women’s Entrepreneurship Development in Vietnam The Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC) Women’s Entrepreneurship Development in Vietnam The Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC) September 2007 Copyright © International Labour Organization 2007 Table of contents Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. Nevertheless, short excerpts from them may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or FOREWORDS....................................................................................................... 3 translation, application should be made to the Publications Bureau (Rights and Permissions), International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland. 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INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 13 accordance with the licences issued to them for this purpose. I.1 Background ............................................................................................................................ 13 I.2 Key research questions .......................................................................................................... 14 I.3 Methodology ......................................................................................................................... 15 Women's Entrepreneurship Development in Vietnam I.4 General profile of interviewed enterprises ............................................................................ 16 ISBN 978-92-2-020619-5 I.5 Limitations of the reseach ...................................................................................................... 17 First published 2007 II. GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE POLICY ENVIROMENT FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN VIETNAM ...................................... 18 II.1 Definitions of WomenLed Businesses and Female Entrepreneurs ....................................... 18 II.2 Gender statistics ................................................................................................................... 18 The designations employed in ILO publications, which are in conformity with United Nations II.3 Policy and legal framework for enterprise development and gender equality ......................... 20 practice, and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the International Labour Office concerning the legal status of any III. GENDER PERCEPTIONS OF ENTREPRENEURS .................................... 24 country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. III.1 Growth-oriented versus livelihood-oriented female and male entrepreneurs ........................ 24 The responsibility for opinions expressed in signed articles, studies and other contributions rests solely with their authors, and publication does not constitute an endorsement by the International III.2 Priorities, needs and perspectives of female and male entrepreneurs ..................................... 27 Labour Office of the opinions expressed in them. IV. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES .................................................... 32 Reference to names of firms and commercial products and processes does not imply their endorsement by the International Labour Office, and any failure to mention a particular firm, IV.1 Access to business development services ........................................................................... 32 commercial product or process is not a sign of disapproval. IV.2 Future needs for business development services ................................................................ 37 IV.3 Supply of business development services to male and female entrepreneurs .................... 39 ILO publications can be obtained through major booksellers or ILO local offices in many countries, or direct from ILO Publications, International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva IV.4 Capacity and interest to address needs of male and female entrepreneurs ......................... 42 22, Switzerland. Catalogues or lists of new publications are available free of charge from V. BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS .......................................................................... 43 the above address, or by email: [email protected] V.1 Membership of groups and associations ............................................................................... 43 Visit our website: www.ilo.org/publns V.2 Benefits of female and male members ................................................................................. 45 V.3 Leadership of business groups and associations .................................................................. 46 Printed in Vietnam V.4 Capacity and interest of business associations to address to needs of female and male entrepreneurs .................................................................................................................... 47 VI. CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................ 48 VII. RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................. 49 Annex 1: Map of Vietnam ................................................................................. 51 Annex 2: List of interviewed enterprises ........................................................... 52 Annex 3: Questionnaire for entrepreneurs .......................................................... 56 Foreword Annex 4. Questionnaire for BDS providers and business associations .............. 67 The International Labour Organization (ILO) is committed to decent work for everyone and pays special attention to promoting gender equality in the world of work. In this context, the ILO's Enterprise Department and in particular its team working on Women's Entrepreneurship Development and Gender Equality (WEDGE) have made equal opportunities for men and women in enterprise development the focus of a series of studies undertaken in recent years. This particular study looks at the development patterns of women- and men-owned businesses in Vietnam. It focuses on the needs amongst women- and men-owned businesses for business development services and on the role of business associations. The report identifies recommendations to improve access to effective business development services for women entrepreneurs and to strengthen their representation. The ILO is actively involved in promoting small enterprise development as a means of job creation and poverty reduction in Vietnam. It works closely with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) on a wide range of small enterprise development strategies, including value chain upgrading, public private partnerships and business development service delivery. The ILO in Vietnam promotes women's economic empowerment and supports the implementation of the Gender Equality Law (2007) within the framework of the “One UN” approach. It has introduced a number of gender equality tools, including the training package on GET Ahead for Women in Enterprise, and provided training for many women and community leaders. The ILO would like to thank the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council for the excellent cooperation during the research. We are grateful to Irish Aid and SIDAfor their support to women entrepreneurship development in general and this study in particular. Rie Vejs-Kjeldgaard Director ILO Office in Vietnam 3 Foreword Acknowledgements Women entrepreneurs in the world and in Vietnam in particular are The study on “Women’s Entrepreneurship Development in Vietnam” was creative, active and self-confident. They are facing a lot of gender conducted by the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC) of the constraints, but the spirit of Vietnamese women entrepreneurs has been Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with valuable support of the highly appreciated since Vietnam has the new reform policy. International Labour Organisation. We are greatly indebted to a large number of people who assisted in carrying out the field research and Over the last few years, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and drafting the report. Industry (VCCI) together with the International Labour Organization (ILO) have committed themselves to the promotion of women's economic This report was written by a group of experts headed by Ms. Pham Thi Thu empowerment and entrepreneurship. The overall business development Hang. We would like to sincerely thank all members