Socio-economic development in each region usually reflects the habits of indigenous people and cultural characteristics. In Thua Thien Hue, the cultural space largely affects the Hue business environment.
Hue people are frugal, courteous and noble (Hue is the most recent former royal capital of Vietnam). Hue culture is filled with reminiscence and poetry. Hue people are not strong and steadfast in wealth-making. They are very humble and thus you hardly find any rush here. This very lifestyle also effects business development here. Inconvenient, time-consuming administrative procedures are partly rooted in the caution and modesty of Hue people.
On the way to become a centrally run city with strong development in industrial parks and Chan May - Lang Co Economic Zone, Thua Thien Hue province still has a lot of concerns. What the province is concerned about most is that Hue culture may be impacted by industrial activities. Hue people are very proud of their cultural identity. It is impossible to turn a former capital city into a dynamic and bustling economy in a short time. This also partly explains why the province’s PCI declined in the latest three years.
The PCI Research Group under the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) highly appreciated the efforts of Thua Thien Hue province’s leaders in enhancing the province competitiveness index. “This locality officially considers PCI an objective in its annual plans and 5-year plans. The province was committed to dealing with weaknesses, especially regarding land, to create a more favourable environment for businesses. PCI report and data have contributed significantly to the province's decisions on resource allocation and operational transparency," said the VCCI’s PCI Report 2012.
Despite efforts for better competitiveness, the province’s 2012 PCI dropped eight places (from the 22nd position to the 30th position in the ranking). This touched the self esteem of Hue people, and provincial authorities reviewed the entire apparatus and made changes, even transferring personnel in some departments.
Nguyen Van Cao, Chairman of Provincial People’s Committee, is seen by the business community as an aggressive and dynamic economic governor. He is quick at answering queries from enterprises. However, according to businesses, Thua Thien Hue province must keep its service to the business community at a high level.
Le Dinh Khanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Investment, said, to raise PCI, provincial authorities need to increase the numbers of meetings with businesses from the current quarterly or semi-annual events. Management boards of industrial parks and economic zones should meet businesses every month. “It is too late for a company to make a complaint or present a difficulty to authorities after a quarter or half a year,” he noted.
Le Thien Tiep
Vietnamese
