SME business associations of vietnam 11 case studies

SME Business Associations of Vietnam 11 case studies Biên tập bởi: The Online Management Training Company SME Business Associations of Vietnam 11 case studies Biên tập bởi: The Online Management Training Company Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company Phiên trực tuyến: http://voer.edu.vn/c/d5c04e0b MỤC LỤC Bat Trang Ceramics and Pottery Association The Can Tho Business Association HCMC Young Business Association Ho Chi Minh City Shoes and Leather Association Binh Phuoc Cashew Association The Hanoi Union of Associations of Industry and Commerce Da Nang Women’s Business Club Nam Dinh Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Association Nam Dinh Women’s Business Club 10 Thanh Hoa Women’s Business Association 11 Hai Phong Land Transportation Association Tham gia đóng góp 1/54 Bat Trang Ceramics and Pottery Association FOREWORD The existence of well functioning Business Associations in a society plays a key role in the development of enterprises By representing business interests and providing specific services to their members they can achieve social and economic improvements for their members and the private sector in general The Vietnamese government recognizes the importance of Business Associations for a well functioning market economy and is therefore promoting their establishment and development Numerous new associations have been founded recently to the point where there has been a sort of “association boom” Many of them thrive and grow, but many also face challenges Since 2003, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) have worked together to support and promote business associations among small enterprises in Vietnam A Resource Guide was developed in 2004 to support small businesses in establishing and building strong, efficient associations In 2006, the Resource Guide was complemented with a comprehensive Trainers’ Manual During the training of facilitators, it became clear that the training material needed to be complemented with real examples of business associations in Vietnam Therefore, ILO and VCCI, under the PRISED project, undertook to illustrate the current state of associations by documenting their recent history and current situation The case studies presented in this publication have been undertaken by Tang Van Khanh and To Ngoc Anh, OCD Consultants Pictures were taken by Nguyen Na Son Jenny Ikelberg and Kees van der Ree of the PRISED project initiated the publication and developed the concept and methodology of the case studies Important guidance was provided by Pham Xuan Mai, President of Institute of Management and Technology Promotion (iMT) and Vice-Chairman of the Shoes and Leather Association of Ho Chi Minh City, who contributed the concluding remarks The final editing was done by Richard Pierce (English) and Do Thi Tu Anh (Vietnamese) It is truly hoped that these case studies will inspire trainers, consultants, association leaders and members themselves in their efforts to increase the role of Business Associations and improve the services that the associations provide 2/54 Bat Trang Ceramics and Pottery Association A portal for export and a business model for the traditional craft village Background For hundreds years, Bat Trang, on the north bank of the Red River, has been wellknown for high-quality ceramic and pottery products Visitors today see a very dynamic and active craft village that has become the symbol of vitality for the traditional crafts market carved into the long history of Vietnam Bat Trang traditionally produced crockery for the local market only But gradually, foreign tourists learned about the village and began seeking out its products Today, more and more visitors and crafts dealers are bringing Bat Trang products home, giving them a strong national and international reputation The lasting result is that households, once the basic unit of production, are improving business practices and expanding into large companies And perhaps most important, they are exporting more In recent years, production in Bat Trang has developed significantly to meet this increasing demand and at last count the village had over 60 small and medium-sized enterprises A full 60% of the 1,000 households were involved in the ceramics business Their products are now shipped worldwide including to highly competitive markets such as Japan, the US, Italy and Korea By 2001 the market had reached a level of development where producing families identified a need for a body with more power to protect the Bat Trang trademark and the rights of small and medium-sized production households The Bat Trang Ceramics and Pottery Association (BTCA) was born, a voluntary social and professional association for businesses, entrepreneurs, households and other stakeholders to institute greater professionalism in all aspects of the business Membership was extended to peripheral services too, such as trading houses and tourism in Hanoi (for much-needed foreign customers) BTCA is a non-profit organization which is not an authority and does not interfere in the ordinary business practices of its members It provides crucial services to its members and supports the development of the market Member services BTCA members form a mixture of pottery and ceramics companies and households, as well as tourism companies and other supporting businesses This forms a vital network at many levels As a traditional village, Bat Trang attracts tourists for its historical and cultural role, and this network helps spread the word The group also includes 3/54 network members experienced in ceramics and pottery as well as international artisans to promote these products abroad There are even press and PR components providing greater exposure Yet while BTCA strongly encourages all businesses and households in the village to join the association for the services it offers, they not limit support to members only If a business or household meets export standards and is certified by a quality control body, they may still use the BTCA brand name and export their products via the Association or via the newly-established Bat Trang Exporting Promotion Center (BTEP) Partnering for growth Understanding the importance of institutional linkages in the development of business associations, BTCA partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank, which funded a US$15,000 project for small and mediumsized enterprises BTCA has also received support form the Mekong Private Sector Development Facility, a program of the IFC, in promoting the Association through inflight magazines on airlines bringing foreign tourists, flyers, and short promotional films in the EU and Japan In collaboration with the Hanoi Tourism Association, BTCA also invites tourists to Bat Trang to introduce the history of the trade and demonstrate traditional methods Members work with fine arts associations such as the Hanoi Fine Arts Association and the Vietnam Fine Arts Association as well, to share experience and technology in handicrafts The association also has international connections Together with the Jiangxi Ceramics and Pottery Association in China, BTCA organizes study-tours for about 20 members a year, and well-known Japanese artisans support members to attend trade fairs in Japan Other member services include: • Updating members on new technologies in production e.g more efficient baking technology and new shaping techniques • Connecting members to sign larger contracts • Supporting copyright protections • Moderating in labor disputes • Researching markets and promoting member products to international buyers typically beyond the reach of household businesses Carrying on tradition 4/54 “We help the households to send their children - the future artists of the village - to training courses on key skills for ceramics and pottery artists at reputable ceramic training agencies in Vietnam and abroad.” -BTCA Chief of Office, Mr Nguyen Trong Thu The association has a training budget of VND200 million per year, of which twothirds is provided by the Industry Extension Fund and the remainder by members To complement traditional in-house training from one generation to the next, the association provides vocational classes in ceramics, shaping and painting They have also partnered with the Hanoi University of Fine Arts to provide courses on sculpture and recently offered a three-month training on computer-aided 3D design and painting Fact Sheet Name of association: BAT TRANG CEREMICS AND POTTERY ASSOCIATION (BTCA) Year of establishment 2001 Number of members 250, including 200 households and 50 companies Type of organization Single sector: ceramics and pottery Term of General Meeting years Organization and staffing: chairman, vice chairmen, general secretary (full-time), staff (full-time) Services Provided • Disseminating new technology in ceramics and pottery production • Connecting members to realize large contracts • Helping protect copyrights for members and artisans • Acting as a moderator in labor disputes • Searching for market information • Promoting members on international markets • Trainings Funding 70% membership fees and service revenue30% donor contributions Services and Facilities Bat Trang Export Promotion Centre 5/54 Line Membership Representative Mr Le Xuan Pho, Chairman Contact Xom 3, Bat Trang, Gia Lam, HanoiTel: 84-4 874 3522, Fax: 84-4 874 3587Email: info@battrang-ceramics.orgWeb site: http://www.battrang-ceramics.org Turning points The Bat Trang Export Promotion Center: Bringing members a world of possibilities in export 2004 was a difficult time for Bat Trang Many producers had to shut temporarily because they could not find markets for their products Their products had failed to compete on the international market and the prevailing traditional way of doing business wasn’t enough In response, many companies in the village tried to develop websites to promote their products but without success Then BTCA partnered with the Mekong Private Sector Development Facility (MPDF) to develop the Bat Trang Export Promotion Centre (BTEP) This was a major step forward toward developing capacity in Bat Trang as well as good experience in brand promotion for small businesses in Vietnam There now over 30 companies making use of the Center’s services BTEP, as an arm of BTCA, manages the Bat Trang brand on behalf of members, markets member products, and provides a wide range of back-office services to promote export These include responding to buyer enquiries and orders, arranging shipment of samples, assisting in export packaging, quality control, export documentation, and shipment ''This is a very big chance for the businesses and people in Bat Trang Ceramics Village to promote Bat Trang’s products to the world.” - Mrs Ha Thi Vinh, the Director of Quang Vinh Ceramics and Pottery BTEP also keeps buyers updated on the latest developments in products and production capacity, working with suppliers to ensure that they meet buyer demand for quality, packaging, labeling and timely delivery This kind of support is of great importance since producers in Bat Trang, while being skilled in ceramics and pottery production, have insufficient skills in foreign languages, marketing and trading, all crucial in the export market 6/54 A new web presence Following its establishment, BTEP developed a business portal at www.battrangceramics.org to support the free flow of business information, to search for information to disseminate to members, and to more easily introduce buyers to Bat Trang products The portal presents a wide range of topics about sellers and their products and displays an online showroom In addition, it allows buyers to place orders for sample products as well as to place orders for shipment The site is also set to enable buyers to track their orders online Core BTEP services • Customer – seller liaison This is the most important function provided by BTEP, for both members and clients Full-time staff are professionally trained, speak excellent English and have extensive understanding of Bat Trang products and manufacturers They are able to assist buyers and sellers in all steps of export, such as inquiry, negotiation, ordering, packing, quality control, and delivery • Monitor’s producer designs and production processes to ensure they are in line with customer requirements • Arranges packaging of products from different producers and ensures that products and packages are ready for point-of-sale display This conforms to standard packing sizes, uses appropriate packaging for ceramics and pottery and environmentally-friendly materials to suit customer requirements BTEP assists in arranging freight to suit importers’ requirements either by air or sea, and consolidation or full container shipment It also helps arrange insurance for all shipments against breakage or loss • Assists in quality control by reserving reference samples and guiding producers during the production phase It also arranges full third party quality control including inspection, laboratory analysis and testing for compliance with company, national and international standards by international inspection companies such as BVQI, TUV and SGS (http://www.sgs.com/) For each export support service, BTEP will charge local producers 3% of contract value, applicable for both members and non-members with priority given to members In addition, it charges international importers a small percentage of the contract value This is emerging as an important revenue source for BTCA as a whole Lessons learned • BTEP was established just in time 2004 was a difficult time for the Bat Trang ceramics producers Many small producers had to close Although many were quite dynamic in looking for markets both via traditional and modern methods, 7/54 this did not bear fruit Producers simply hadn’t grasped modern methods And they developed only static websites, which, by virtue of their basic structure, don’t necessarily attract customers They provide only limited information without allowing clients to place orders But the online portal at BTCA now fills this gap • BTEP’s services are exactly what the producers from a traditional village like Bat Trang lack Namely export services, which require proper foreign language ability, knowledge of export procedures and standard requirements in packaging beyond the capacity of local businesses • BTEP created an alliance of small, formerly competing producers to fulfill large orders Individual producers no longer have to spend time searching for markets and negotiating with buyers They may instead concentrate on production, their strong suit Buyers are assured larger quantities, improved export procedures and greater quality control • Looking to the future, Vietnam’s accession to the World Trade Organization will further expose Bat Trang to international recognition of its brand name This will benefit producers markedly, as larger foreign markets now have easier access to these products But this will also create a greater need for legal protection of the Bat Trang trademark 8/54 Though the Club is still relatively new, it has developed a wide network of member clubs in all 10 districts of Nam Dinh Province It is the only such organization Most member clubs are run effectively and are closely linked Member enterprises work in ‘symbiosis’ for greater efficiency and mutual benefit For instance, a bran mill in the organization sells its byproducts to a poultry farm for food at preferential prices The club is also very strong in rural areas where businesswomen face serious difficulties in transportation, market information, market access and business skills The group has, in fact, reached a point where government and non-government organizations rely on them for implementation in some cases In larger affairs, members of the Club have also joined the Asian Regional Program for Expansion of Employment Opportunities for Women-Vietnam Chapter, organized by ILO Japan, and have collaborated with the Swiss Development Corporation (SDC) Nam Dinh Urban Development project offering trainings in entrepreneurship Lessons learned • The success of the club, as mentioned earlier, is greatly owing to the support of donor projects through various training programs The local leadership of the club has been able to make good use of this support to establish a solid network of smaller clubs at lower levels • The club also benefits from working with the Women’s Union for political support and resources And in terms of organizational structure, the organization’s smaller ‘modules’ help woman-owned SMEs participate more actively in a less intimidating environment • Still, like most other associations, the Club has to answer the question of financial sustainability Current support from the Women’s Union and donor projects assures operating finds for now, but members also need a new means of generating revenues 40/54 Thanh Hoa Women’s Business Association Thanh Hoa Women’s Business Association Standing apart form the crowd Background Thanh Hoa Province is in the north central region of Vietnam In 2007 the population was over million It has about 3,000 small and medium-sized enterprises and there are about 20 civil society associations in the province, unusually high compared to the rest of the country Where most women’s civil society business groups tend to come under the Women’s Union, Thanh Hoa has something different: a separate Women’s Business Association The idea originated when a local director of a hospitality company and women entrepreneurs sought a single “roof” under which they could exchange experience in business They also sought a forum where they cold exchange market ideas and support one another With the support of other associations and agencies, and the initiative of the core group, the Association was founded in September, 2005, at a general meeting This became the Thanh Hoa Women’s Business Association At first, it was difficult Membership was low and those who did come had to travel far And funding was scarce However, with the strong support of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Women’s Union, the Association began to gain momentum They immediately began raising awareness to establish the reputation and image of the association, collaborating with different agencies, organizing management trainings and other key events Members have since organized several study tours and forums and on marketing, raising capital and management It is now a totally stand-alone association Members have worked hard to attract more businesses and the question of how to bring benefits to members is always the focus of the discussions They recently added 40 new members to their rolls and are presently at 100 Member services The Association has developed four ‘clubs’ at the local level Together they address managerial skills building and knowledge, market research, business law, enterprise law and investment law A delegation also went recently to the APEC meeting on women business leaders This included a trade fair, for which the delegation brought three 41/54 displays This offered a rare chance for local businesswomen to learn and to market their project to the world Association members have also participated in a high profile delegation to Laos, the US, Japan, France, Germany and Austria Other issues addressed by Thanh Hoa Women’s Business Association: • Attracting capital investment • Women and economic integration • Exchanging experience in business and supporting each other As a result of the Association’s work, members are more self-confident, experienced and knowledgeable, and their businesses attract more clients Their success has caught the attention of the local government, which has since added women to their ranks on the People’s Committee Harnessing the power of BAs to reduce poverty To support poor women, the Thanh Hoa Women’s Business Association has facilitated micro-credit services from the Agriculture and Rural Development Bank, the Social Policy Bank, the National Employment Fund, and international donor projects The group has disbursed VND 997,247,000,000 worth of loans to 248,436 women to invest in household businesses and stabilize their family lives And as good corporate citizens, the Association also contributes to charity, raising their profile and setting a good example Fact Sheet Name of association: Thanh Hoa Women’s Business Association Year of establishment 03/07/2005 Number of members Approximately 100 members in sub-associations, Type of organization Business Association Term of General Meeting years Organization and staffing: Executive Board: Chairwoman, Vice Chairwomen, 15 commissioners 42/54 Services Provided • Information provision: newsletters, legal documents dissemination, website, seminars, market information • Business consultancy • Training, basic computer training • Trade Promotion: trade information provision, exhibition, business opportunity exchange Services and Facilities Line Membership Provincial Woman’s UnionVietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry - VCCI Representative Mrs Trinh Thi Phuong Loan, Chairman Contact Address: Floor 4, No Phan Chu Trinh St, Dien Bien Ward, Thanh Hoa City, VietnamTel: 037.714490Fax: 037.850721 Turning points The lasting achievement of the Thanh Hoa Women’s Business Association has been to create a healthy business environment where enterprises can cooperate and support each other in looking for markets, tightening organization, developing business channels and streamlining production What the Association does will promote its image and reputation to attract new members and create more opportunities for women entrepreneurs Lessons learned • Thanh Hoa Women’s Business Association has defined certain specific targets based on the nature of member businesses These relate to capital sources, business administration capacity and experience, customer relations and market information But there are still gaps in administration, planning and finances The office is also small and limited in its capacity and members must still find time away from family In some cases, businesses lack business information but the Association itself cannot provide what they need • Most of the member businesses start with little or no experience so they lack basic knowledge and skills in business administration The mutual support among the members helps them catch up They become more self-confident, knowledgeable and experienced in doing business • Education and capacity of the Association’s members differ from one area to the next so the group should be specific to the locality This also creates a chance and an enabling environment for woman entrepreneurs to speak up 43/54 • The support of other related organizations to the Association is important For instance, the Provincial Women’s Union should have measures to support enterprises, put the activities of the Association in its mission, contribute to development and organize trade promotion for the Association’s members 44/54 Hai Phong Land Transportation Association Hai Phong Land Transportation Association A model for policy advocacy Background Hai Phong Land Transportation Association (HATA) brings together transportation companies in the Hai Phong area One of its main functions is to reduce competition within the goods transportation sector, to set common freight rates to prevent price ‘dumping’ and participate in removing obstacles in land transportation policies The organization has one chairman, two vice chairmen, two standing commissioners and one Secretary General, who is in charge of the association’s office All board members are owners/directors of member enterprises as well There is one administrative staff member Revenues come mostly from membership fees based on fleet size Other income comes from transportation insurance premiums Otherwise, revenue is difficult to generate The organization grew out of the fact that long-distance land transportation companies could not survive in a climate of over-regulation by the government And corruption was increasing That finally prompted businesses to come together and create a better environment on their own Hence, the Association was founded in April 2003, in the context which the Government issued the Decision 15CP on settling violation of land transportation regulation Decision 15CP In the early days, HATA had 81 members It was able to successfully advocate for the removal of a number of unreasonable regulations on the transportation of commodities But then many enterprises left the group rather than pay membership fees By July 2006, 40 enterprises remained, 38 of which were private businesses and two of which were joint-stock companies Together they managed over 1000 vehicles capable of transporting super-long and heavy loads at about 70% of imported and exported goods via Hai Phong Port Member outreach and enrolment is low and there is no specific plan to expand Enterprises that apply for membership have said that they learned about the group on their own and not from any outreach As a part of recent advocacy campaigns, however, HATA’s name and presence have grown in newspapers and television, and conferences are common However, such public presence is more to call for support on policy rather than to attract new members 45/54 Traditionally HATA has not had a long-term strategic development plan Its operations are mainly directed by the General Meeting annual operating plan But with the support of the EU’s Vietnam Private Sector Support Program last year, HATA is developing a strategic development plan The organization has certain strong points as well, such as full-time staff that are experienced and committed to development And the vice chairman of the association is enthusiastic and experienced in advocacy They have also initiated some pilot member support services But the need remains for a long-term development strategy and diversified services, especially those that create long-term benefits for members Member services Trainings HATA has cooperated with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in Hai Phong to send members to management trainings with city bodies to organize trainings on transportation safety Yet these have seen lower HATA member attendance, partly because there is little incentive and no recognition that might make HATA’s members stand out among non-members HATA also offers an information service, consolidating new policies and regulations into a short, easy-to-understand format Other services include legal assistance and consultancy, for example, when members violate transportation laws This consultancy is normally in the form of legal support to minimize fines However this type of assistance is “reactive” only and doesn’t provide more long-term benefits to members The Association is also preparing a proposal to use 10 of land in Dinh Vu for parking, which it will rent to enterprises Members will enjoy a favorable price or payment scheme Fact Sheet Name of association: Hai Phong Land Transportation Association (HATA) Year of establishment May 2003 Number of members 40 Type of organization Provincial business association, single sector: land transportation 46/54 Term of General Meeting years – Second General Meeting in June 2007 Organization and staffing: Total number of Executive Board members: (no women)Chairman: 1Vice Chairman: 2General Secretary: – full-timeMembers: 03Staff: full-time (1 woman) Services Provided Training, with supportInformation ProvisionPolicy Advocacy Funding Membership fee Services and Facilities Line Membership VATA Representative Mr Trinh Quang, Chairman Contact Mr Pham Trong Thinh, Standing Vice Chairman, Secretary General18 Tran Hung Dao, Hai PhongTel 031 810837HP 0912759698 Turning points Policy Advocacy Among the greatest difficulties facing transportation businesses in Hai Phong are an overwhelming regulatory climate and lack of transportation infrastructure A larger organization would give shippers a common voice This takes the form of advocacy, most recently for the removal of sub-licenses on trailers, removal of excessive height limits on containers transiting bridges, an increase in the speed limit on motorways, and removal of certain tolls Advocates follow a comprehensive process, reviewing existing regulations, conducting field investigations, reviewing best practices in other countries, developing proposals, using mass media and conferences to disseminate the proposal, and finally direct dialog with policymakers Two typical examples of policy advocacy were to change the position of tollbooths on National Highway No and to change height regulations for loaded trucks to fit HC40 containers (‘high containers’) Advocacy to change these height regulations for loaded trucks to fit the “high containers” best illustrates the policy advocacy model by HATA Reviewing existing regulations and conducting field investigations 47/54 In the HC40 campaign, the basic regulation addressed land transportation of ‘super long’ and super heavy goods ‘Super-long’ goods are over 20m, width of over 2.5m and height of over 4.2m from the ground when loaded Businesses that wanted to transport them had to apply for a special license guaranteeing that trucks would clear bridges by at least 30cm (Based on the assumption that most ‘flyovers’ in Vietnam are at least 4.5m) HATA measured the distance between the road and the lowest point of all the flyovers on Highway and found that the lowest one, Niem Bridge in Hai Phong, had the lowest height, of 4.6m HC40s would pass well under this at normal speed The Association also proposed increasing the relative height of certain lower flyovers by lowering the road surface as a less-costly alternative to forcing the entire fleet to shift away from HC40 containers Reviewing regulations and common practices to develop a proposal After conducting further field investigations on the HC40 issue, HATA collected information on the regulations and common practices in other countries with similar systems They pointed to the fact that HC40s are in accordance with international standards at 2.8 to 2.9m The trailers are produced in accordance with ASEAN standards and imported from Korea, Japan and Taiwan They also indicated that such trailers and containers are used together in those countries as common practice Once they had enough information, they developed a proposal to change the regulation and also recommended lowering the road at certain flyovers They started a media campaign about the issue in Business Forum Newspaper, Labor Newspaper, Youth Newspaper, Agriculture, Transportation and Traffic, local Hai Phong Newspapers, as well as various programs on VTV1 and Hai Phong Television They also brought up the issue at business forums by VCCI and persuaded the clients as well as transportation firms to have a common voice Dialog with policymakers The group held dialogs with the Ministry of Transportation in 2003 and 2004 on the issue Equipped with sufficient evidence to make their case, they were able to influence MOT to change the regulations Their first point was to ask for removal of the special license in April 2003 and in June 2004 they asked for removal of a ban on HC40s One week later, MOT signed the decision Following-up change HATA did not stop there They continued to follow up on the implementation of the new policies to see that all partners, including traffic police and transportation management agencies, were in compliance Now, other associations have approached them to learn from their experience 48/54 One of the most important benefits which HATA brought to its members is policy advocacy to remove irrelevant legal or regulated barriers to facilitate the operations of members’ businesses With regards to this matter, HATA played a very strong role as a connecting point between member businesses and policymakers ” - Mr Pham Trong Thinh, Vice Chairman and General Secretary Lessons learned • One of the most important success factors for HATA has been collective effort in advocacy In addition, HATA has played very well the role of liaison between businesses and policymakers HATA listened to businesses, studied the policies and found a way to reconcile the two sides As a result, member businesses are more comfortable in the new environment, regulators are more involved in the dialog, and the work of traffic police is easier No single business would have been able to this alone • Transportation companies need parking and their next project, to secure use of a large tract of land in Dinh Vu as a depot, would allow members to store their containers and trucks at very low cost • Another remaining challenge is membership development To date, many enterprises have sought membership only when unfavorable policies or regulations immediately harm their interests Then, once they’ve gotten the policy changes, they withdraw to avoid commitment to standard rates, load limits, speed limits, and safety regulations CONCLUDING REMARKS The cases presented in the preceding pages illustrate the breath and diversity of business associations today They are old or new, large or small, consisting of men or women, with members from one sector or including people from a variety of professions, and with success stories and also difficulties The information presented does not permit a very thorough analysis, but is helpful in making the life of associations visible and understandable It also provides some insights into what works well, and what are the main obstacles to count with when promoting associations The facts about the start-up phase of associations as reflected in some of the case studies give a comprehensive picture of how Business Associations (BA) in Vietnam come into being They underlines both the objective necessity for such organizations in the market-based economy as well as the maturity of part of the business community in getting together to solve common problems Relevant cases are those of HATA, BTCA and BPCAS In many cases, the initiatives and support of Government authorities and development agencies have been crucial for BAs to start and build up their capacity in delivering services for their members, such as in the case of the Nam Dinh Women’s 49/54 Business Clubs, BPCAS and BTCA Most business associations for women in the case studies take the shape of informal business clubs and not enjoy full legal recognition (except Thanh Hoa Women’s Business Association) Nevertheless, they have proven helpful particularly in support for women entrepreneurs thanks to their connection with the Women’s Union network and considerable support from international donor projects The activities undertaken by associations are initiated mainly to respond to the immediate needs of the members Most BAs not have a clear vision and a consistent long-run plan or documented development strategy In some cases, members just receive verbal or informal ‘direction’ at meetings Evaluations of activities and results are rarely done These are symptoms of the limited managerial capacity and sometimes low commitment of the leaders of the associations, explaining some of the ups and downs of BAs Most BAs focused on one or two services only Thus, some associations focus on training, others on policy advocacy, price and quality control or trade promotion This is often a good start, which needs to be followed by a strong portfolio of services based on members’ needs which must link to the purpose and future development of BAs Policy advocacy proves to be very important if not the most important activity of any BA In the case studies, that is the starting point that put many associations ‘on wheels’ It seems that successful associations develop a policy advocacy strategy aimed at identifying, analyzing and improving the laws and regulations that affect their members and must be firm to implement it In this regard, HATA offers a case with many learning points The association management in many cases pays insufficient attention to membership development and retention Only few have some sort of membership strategy At the associations with a mixed membership (corporate and individual, big enterprises and small ones, and different professions) a significant group of members often receive little attention This risks leading to a low level of participation and, in the long term, members could decide to withdraw Though the associations in the case studies have developed certain organizational set-up, it is far from being an efficient and professional one Some associations keep a very simple set-up, while others developed a comprehensive structure with large number of governing bodies compared to its size of membership and to its capacity of deployment In most of the cases, the activities of BA depend greatly on a few core members who are willing to support the association However, the proportion of membership in the sector/area is small, which makes if difficult to become effective in representation and advocacy Often, among the executives, even among Vice-Chairmen and Chairmen, only few have time and are actually dedicated for association work Improvement of these aspects will substantially increase the strength of BAs and level up its position in the eye of business community and public 50/54 In most of the cases, the association’s office is not sufficiently staffed and the remunerations and working conditions are not attractive This could lead to high staff turnover and the lack of necessary expertise required to serve the members properly In addition, most BAs have difficulty in generating operation funds For many, sustainable finance is a crucial issue and BAs have been looking for different measures to assure minimum resources The experience from these and other Business Associations in Vietnam provides ample evidence of the potential benefits members can obtain from building effective advocacy strategies and providing worthwhile services for enterprise development This publication has presented some of the experience of the associations but there is more to learn Below follows other successful activities of the associations: • The initiation and management of the Thanh Long infrastructure/industrial park project by the HUAIC • Organizing and branding Trade Fairs and Shows by Saigon Leather & Shoes Association (SLA) • Improving communication within BAs and with the world outside, using media and IT by HUAIC, YBA, BTCA • Generating income for BAs by running a commercial entity of HCM-YBA or developing a collective insurance premium rate (HATA) 51/54 Tham gia đóng góp Tài liệu: SME Business Associations of Vietnam 11 case studies Biên tập bởi: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://voer.edu.vn/c/d5c04e0b Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Module: Bat Trang Ceramics and Pottery Association Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://www.voer.edu.vn/m/b4b2b1d7 Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Module: The Can Tho Business Association Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://www.voer.edu.vn/m/a528acab Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Module: HCMC Young Business Association Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://www.voer.edu.vn/m/b4e43b86 Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Module: Ho Chi Minh City Shoes and Leather Association Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://www.voer.edu.vn/m/b9eff571 Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Module: Binh Phuoc Cashew Association Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://www.voer.edu.vn/m/cb6ade65 Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Module: The Hanoi Union of Associations of Industry and Commerce Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://www.voer.edu.vn/m/e34ab4bb 52/54 Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Module: Da Nang Women’s Business Club Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://www.voer.edu.vn/m/3c9d6c86 Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Module: Nam Dinh Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Association Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://www.voer.edu.vn/m/cb8987c3 Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Module: Nam Dinh Women’s Business Club Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://www.voer.edu.vn/m/bc723ed6 Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Module: Thanh Hoa Women’s Business Association Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://www.voer.edu.vn/m/2d68d9f3 Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Module: Hai Phong Land Transportation Association Các tác giả: The Online Management Training Company URL: http://www.voer.edu.vn/m/9d5a22a7 Giấy phép: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ 53/54 Chương trình Thư viện Học liệu Mở Việt Nam Chương trình Thư viện Học liệu Mở Việt Nam (Vietnam Open Educational Resources – VOER) hỗ trợ Quỹ Việt Nam Mục tiêu chương trình xây dựng kho Tài nguyên giáo dục Mở miễn phí người Việt cho người Việt, có nội dung phong phú Các nội dung đểu tuân thủ Giấy phép Creative Commons Attribution (CC-by) 4.0 nội dung sử dụng, tái sử dụng truy nhập miễn phí trước hết trong môi trường giảng dạy, học tập nghiên cứu sau cho toàn xã hội Với hỗ trợ Quỹ Việt Nam, Thư viện Học liệu Mở Việt Nam (VOER) trở thành cổng thông tin cho sinh viên giảng viên Việt Nam Mỗi ngày có hàng chục nghìn lượt truy cập VOER (www.voer.edu.vn) để nghiên cứu, học tập tải tài liệu giảng dạy Với hàng chục nghìn module kiến thức từ hàng nghìn tác giả khác đóng góp, Thư Viện Học liệu Mở Việt Nam kho tàng tài liệu khổng lồ, nội dung phong phú phục vụ cho tất nhu cầu học tập, nghiên cứu độc giả Nguồn tài liệu mở phong phú có VOER có chia sẻ tự nguyện tác giả nước Quá trình chia sẻ tài liệu VOER trở lên dễ dàng đếm 1, 2, nhờ vào sức mạnh tảng Hanoi Spring Hanoi Spring tảng công nghệ tiên tiến thiết kế cho phép công chúng dễ dàng chia sẻ tài liệu giảng dạy, học tập chủ động phát triển chương trình giảng dạy dựa khái niệm học liệu mở (OCW) tài nguyên giáo dục mở (OER) Khái niệm chia sẻ tri thức có tính cách mạng khởi xướng phát triển tiên phong Đại học MIT Đại học Rice Hoa Kỳ vòng thập kỷ qua Kể từ đó, phong trào Tài nguyên Giáo dục Mở phát triển nhanh chóng, UNESCO hỗ trợ chấp nhận chương trình thức nhiều nước giới 54/54 [...]... Name of association: Hanoi Union of Associations of Industry and Commerce HUAIC Year of establishment 1996 Number of members - Over 1,000 businesses- 5 sectoral associations Type of organization Business Association Term of General Meeting 5 years Organization and staffing: Executive Board: 1 Chairman, 8 Vice Chairmen (2 women), 19 commissioners (6 women) Missions • Represent and protect legal rights of. .. for business through annual business forums in Vietnam 25/54 • Participates in linkages between business associations of ASEAN and India chaired by the Prime Minister of India HUAIC has also joined with domestic research institutes and associations such as VCCI, the industry and trade associations of Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and Can Tho, and associations in steel, tea coffee, sea food and wood to... organization of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Business Associations and Vietnam Leather and Shoes Association (LEFASO) To date, it has a total of 178 members but no clear strategy to attract new members The group enrolls new businesses through direct talks and word of mouth Membership fees account for 66% of total funding Training fees account for the remainder The association has an executive board of 35... of Associations of Industry and Commerce Big plans ahead for Hanoi’s private sector Background The Hanoi Union of Associations of Industry and Commerce (HUAIC) today is a product of the Doi Moi era, when government policy in Vietnam shifted toward open market reforms It functions as a facilitating institution for businesses in the market economy, representing and protecting their legal rights and offering... Center, the Department of Planning and Investment, the Department of Science and Technology and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry often seek it out when they want to carry out programs in Da Nang The recent development of the Da Nang Women’s Business Club has proved that the ‘personal dynamics’ of leaders is exceptionally important for the existence and growth of a business club 33/54 Nam... their business skills as well as to contribute to the development of the local and national economy YBA’s major goal is to become a professional business support organization to better meet the increasing needs of members and to help them compete when Vietnam enters the global market YBA is large It has 574 members, all of them owners or senior management of private companies With such a large number of. .. forward on all of these issues may be by hiring full-time staff independent of DOI This would afford members greater focus on management, which would allow for collection of membership fees, which could in turn be used for trainings The support of the DOI and other governmental offices would still play an important role in the development of BPCAS as well 23/54 The Hanoi Union of Associations of Industry... (NADISME) was established as a result of non-stop lobbying and encouraging of businesses and local authorities The Association fosters cooperation networking and mutual support It also improves efficiency, protects the legal rights of members, connects SMEs with government authorities, improves business policy and fosters deeper integration into the international economy Member services NADISME offers... charge of the office, is an SIYB Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) is a training program developed by ILO and implemented by VCCI master trainer with extensive experience working at the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) In addition there are four full-time staff (three women) 9/54 Member services One of the major characteristics of CBA’s services is its concern for the development of. .. information Technological support Business- government dialog Common purchasing price and quality control Membership (via cashew purchase quantity): 100%Services: None Services and Facilities Line Membership Vietnam Cashew Association Representative Department of Industry Contact Mr Ho Van Huu, Chairman of Binh Phuoc and Senior Expert of BP Cashew Association Office of Department of Industry14th Highway, Tan