Government gets on Facebook

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The Government Portal is trying out a fanpage on Facebook called "Thong tin Chinh Phu" or Government information.

Vi Quang Dao, director-general of the portal, told the media that the page would carry news about the Government faster and to a wider audience.

It would feature press releases, information about instructions from the Prime Minister and his deputies and Government activities.

A fanpage called Dien dan Canh tranh Quoc gia, or National Competition Forum, is also being tested.HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The Government Portal is trying out a fanpage on Facebook called "Thong tin Chinh Phu" or Government information.

Vi Quang Dao, director-general of the portal, told the media that the page would carry news about the Government faster and to a wider audience.

It would feature press releases, information about instructions from the Prime Minister and his deputies and Government activities.

A fanpage called Dien dan Canh tranh Quoc gia, or National Competition Forum, is also being tested.

The fanpages are part of a Government resolution that focuses on boosting administrative reforms related to information technology use.

Le Manh Ha, deputy head of the Government Office, said if e-governance is to become popular, online procedures must be simple and convenient.

The deputy head asked for intermediate applications for people to communicate with authorities on mobile phone base, as well as, increasing constant supervision of people.

One hundred public services are to be provided online by the end of 2016, the resolution targets.

It also seeks to integrate the public services offered by ministries, agencies, and localities on the national public service portal.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Hung said it is necessary to improve the IT skills of both government workers and the public.

His ministry would work together with the Ministry of Education and Training to develop appropriate training programmes, he said. — VNS

The fanpages are part of a Government resolution that focuses on boosting administrative reforms related to information technology use.

Le Manh Ha, deputy head of the Government Office, said if e-governance is to become popular, online procedures must be simple and convenient.

The deputy head asked for intermediate applications for people to communicate with authorities on mobile phone base, as well as, increasing constant supervision of people.

One hundred public services are to be provided online by the end of 2016, the resolution targets.

It also seeks to integrate the public services offered by ministries, agencies, and localities on the national public service portal.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Hung said it is necessary to improve the IT skills of both government workers and the public.

His ministry would work together with the Ministry of Education and Training to develop appropriate training programmes, he said. — VNS

Source: bizhub.vn

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French firm to sell smartphones, tablets in VN

HCM CITY  (VNS) — Archos, a French electronics firm which makes smartphones, has entered the Vietnamese market via its partner PetroVietnam General Services Joint Stock Corporation (Petrosetco)

Established in 1989, Archos has developed a variety of products, including digital audio players, portable video players, digital video recorders, and netbooks, in addition to personal digital assistants, and a tablet that uses Google Android and Microsoft Windows. It also makes smartphones and smart home devices.

Archos will launch its feature phone, smartphone and tablet in Viet Nam at a price ranging from VND590,000 (US$25) for a feature phone to VND6 million ($250) for its tablet and high-quality smartphone. — VNS

Source: bizhub.vn

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Outsourcing IT service boosted among state agencies

The Government is aiming to boost the hire of information and technology services in state agencies. — Photo thongtincongnghe.com

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The Government is aiming to boost the hire of information and technology services in state agencies, according to a resolution released on October 7.

Accordingly, state agencies can choose between full or partial service packages related to hardware, software, transmission lines and solutions to provide online public service.

The government also will allow ministers, deputy ministers, governmental agencies and the People's Committee chairperson to assign contracts and choose short-term hiring prices (under 12 months) if there are not enough conditions to determine a fixed price.

The Vietnam National Committee on Information Technology adopted the hire of information and technology services in state agencies last year.

The Prime Minister also signed a decision to initiate contracts for information and technology services in state agencies, which took effect in February.

According to the decision, state agencies, which outsource information and technology services, must have requirements for service providers related to professional capacity, finance, technical and technological conditions, experience, and information safety and security.

The outsourcing can help State-run agencies and companies remove the need for large investments in high-tech facilities by spending on their specific needs. — VNS

Source: bizhub.vn

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IT outsourcing grows strongly

Lam Nguyen Hai Long, CEO of Quang Trung Software City, said the software outsourcing industry had been growing rapidly. — Photo bizlive

HCM CITY (Biz Hub) — Viet Nam's strong growth in the IT sector, low-cost and easily trained workforce, and support infrastructure for offshore outsourcing has made it a an emerging destination for IT outsourcing services, speakers at a conference held in HCM City said yesterday.

Lam Nguyen Hai Long, CEO of Quang Trung Software City, said the software outsourcing industry had been growing rapidly.

Speaking at the coun-try's first conference on IT outsourcing, Long said that HCM City and Ha Noi ranked 18th and 20th respectively among the top 100 most attractive global cities for software outsourcing, according to a 2015 report by Tholons, a leading strategic advisory firm for global outsourcing and research.

Nguyen Cong Ai, vice president of KPMG Vietnam, said a survey conducted by KPMG and QTSC of 80 business executives in the IT industry in Viet Nam pointed out that 98 per cent of polled firms rated Viet Nam as an attractive market for ITO businesses and indicated that they would invest in expanding business in the country.

Rising labour costs in other ITO hubs like China and India could trigger more opportunities for Viet Nam, he said.

Viet Nam has a skilled labour force with more than 40,000 engineers graduating each year from 290 universities across the country, in addition to 160,000 Vietnamese studying overseas.

Vu Anh Tuan, general secretary of the HCM City Computer Association (HCA), said that Viet Nam's further integration in the global economy, via foreign trade agreements, including the Trans-Pacific-Partnership Agreement and ASEAN Economic Community, would also help improve the country's infrastructure and the quality of labour force as well as business opportunities for out-sourcing firms.

However, delegates at the conference said that though Viet Nam's labour force was indeed professional, language competency remained a barrier for the industry. They said it was still difficult to recruit a large, skilled software team in the country.

Another problem is the low awareness about intellectual property rights and copyright issues, they said.

Ai urged enterprises to co-operate more with universities and colleges, and encourage them to provide more practical training curricula to match businesses' requirements.

To develop the domestic ITO industry, the Government and IT enterprises should work together to improve certain areas affecting the industry, including taxes, human resources, infrastructure and marketing, he added.

Representatives of IT firms at the conference urged improvement in the stability, speed and bandwidth of the electricity, telephone and internet infrastructure in the country.

Yuko Adachi, vice president of research at Gartner Asia-Pacific, said that domestic IT firms should also work closely with other providers, industry associations and government agencies to address concerns over data security.

The environment of offshore IT outsourcing is dramatically changing due to increasing cost pressures and uncertainty in the global economy, as well as emerging digital technologies such as automation and smart-machine-enabled services, she said.

ITO companies must prepare for the new competition from smart machine-enabled services, she added.

Ai said he agreed with Adachi, and urged Vietnamese firms to create a breakthrough in the smart machine field and not to rely on low-cost labour as a way of doing business, which would be inefficient in the long run.

Tuan said firms need to focus more on improving product quality and intellectual property rights as well as hiring qualified human resources to meet customers' requirements and capitalise on opportunities the TPP agreement will bring.

Organised by the QTSC and HCA, the two-day Viet Nam ITO conference attracted about 400 local and international business leaders, government representatives, entrepreneurs and education representatives. About 100 of that number were international investors and vendors from the US, Japan, Europe, Australia, Korea, Singapore and other countries. — VNS

Source: bizhub.vn

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Japanese eye co-operation with Vietnam IT sector

Speaking at Japan ICT Day celebrated in HCM City on Wednesday, Nguyen Doan Hung, VJC's chairman, said Viet Nam and Japan have had fruitful co-operation in the IT sector in recent years.— Photo citinews

HCM CITY (Biz Hub) — Japanese information technology firms want to strengthen co-operation with their Vietnamese counterparts, especially to develop applications for social infrastructure and offshore business, according to the Viet Nam-Japan IT Cooperation Club (VJC).

Speaking at Japan ICT Day celebrated in HCM City on Wednesday, Nguyen Doan Hung, VJC's chairman, said Viet Nam and Japan have had fruitful co-operation in the IT sector in recent years.

Kazunori Hamano, vice chairman & chairman of the International Committee, Japan Information Technology Services Association (JISA), said Viet Nam had been the preferred partner for Japanese firms in the last decade due to its competitive prices and good quality.

According to surveys by the Viet Nam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) and VJC, Vietnamese firms that do business with Japanese partners all enjoy good growth, averaging 77 per cent, and some even 300-400 per cent.

They mainly co-operate in software and services outsourcing, BPO (business process outsourcing), mobile application development, and cloud computing. The number of Vietnamese engineers working for Japanese IT projects in the first half of the year went up by 46.5 per cent year-on-year. JISA said Viet Nam is the second largest software outsourcing destination for Japan after China.

Hirotaka Yasuzumi, chief representative of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in HCM City, said in 2014 Japanese firms invested in 52 new IT projects in Viet Nam, accounting for 15 per cent of their total investment in the country.

Japanese firms expected to expand their investment in the IT sector in Viet Nam, especially in offshore businesses, he said.

But Viet Nam's IT human resources did not meet the expectations of Japanese firms, especially with respect to proficiency in Japanese, he said.

According to Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Hung, more than 400,000 workers work in the IT sector.

The country had made efforts to standardise its IT workforce based on international norms to meet the needs of both local and foreign enterprises, he said.

Japan was an important partner to boost the development of the country's IT sector, he said.

Japan ICT Day this year, titled "Collaboration on Internet of Things Applications for Social Infrastructure and Offshore Business," offered a good chance for businesses in the two countries to exchange information and explore co-operation in IoT, which was growing rapidly, including in Japan and Viet Nam, he said. — VNS

Source: bizhub.vn

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Web tech could ease congestion

"By 2020 there would be 50 billion mobile devices around the world connected to the internet and IoT used in daily life" said Chu Tien Dung. — File Photo

HCM CITY (VNS) — The rate of urbanisation in Viet Nam has increased from 16 per cent annually in the 1990s to 35.5 per cent now, and is projected to rise to 45 per cent in 2020, putting more and more pressure on urban infrastructure, a seminar on using technology to ease traffic congestion heard in HCM City yesterday.

"The answer to resolving the traffic problem is Internet of Things (IoT), a convergence platform for smart city traffic," Chu Tien Dung, chairman of the HCM City Computer Association, said in his opening speech at the 20th Viet Nam Information and Communications Technology Outlook.

He said by 2020 there would be 50 billion mobile devices around the world connected to the internet and IoT used in daily life.

A smart city traffic system should have a sensor system, connected infrastructure, and human resources, he said.

"With IoT, we can connect, supervise, search, manage and control everything. That should be perfect to make traffic better using IoT."

Dung introduced a model using IoT for smart traffic management with three components.

The first is information collection through cameras, tracking and assessing vehicle density and inputting meteorological data from around the city.

The information is then processed at the traffic control centre.

Finally, all the information about traffic congestion, flooding, the number of vehicles will be propagated through traffic boards, mobile devices, and radio to help drivers choose the best routes.

"A smart city where information and communication technology is applied to manage all aspect of life should be created to help drive the economy, address growth issues such as traffic and pollution, and provide citizen services in a timely, cost-effective way," Ho Huu Thang, technical director of the enterprise and public sector segment, Cisco Viet Nam, said.

He said in Viet Nam and many other countries around the world, separate management systems are built for each industry.

"They require huge investment, but they cannot connect with each other and cause great waste.

"Using [Cisco's] Smart City Connected Network, cities can address specific issues such as parking, lighting, public safety, pollution/environment … and roll out services based on their priorities."

Traffic congestion has worsened in major cities in Viet Nam, especially HCM City and Ha Noi. According to the National Traffic Safety Committee, in the first six months of this year, there were 1,783 traffic accidents in HCM City, in which 344 people were killed and 1,549 others were injured.

HCM City now has 877 traffic lights but only 4 per cent are linked to the Traffic Management Centre.

There are 383 public cameras around the city, which are managed by different agencies. — VNS

Source: bizhub.vn

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IT application among Ha Noi firms remains low

IT application among small- and medium-sized and state-owned enterprises in the capital city of Ha Noi remains low. — Photo baocongthuong.com.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — An information and technology (IT) survey of nearly 200 enterprises in Ha Noi showed that IT application among local small- and medium-sized and state-owned enterprises remains low.

The survey was carried out by the Ha Noi Department of Information and Communication and related agencies.

The survey showed that Ha Noi companies spend only from 0.15 per cent to 0.3 per cent of their revenue for IT operations.

Most enterprises are equipped with between 10 and 100 computers and had their computers connected to the Internet.

Enterprises also increased using anti-virus software for information security, however, most of these have not applied information security solutions for network systems, host computers and datas.

Under 10 per cent of enterprises in Ha Noi hold periodic evaluation on information safety of their IT system, according to the survey.

Ninety per cent of enterprises had website application and used free email systems.

Many enterprises applied management software in human resources, financing and accounting, customer relations, goods purchasing, inventory and projects.

However, these software are mostly not managed well and were used incoherently.

The Politburo issued Resolution No.36-NQ-TW in July, 2014 on boosting IT development and application to serve the nation's sustainable development and international integration.

To implement the Resolution, the capital city determined IT development and application a strategic priority in order to enhance production and business efficiency, lay the foundation and motivation for socio-economic development and quicken the city's industrialisation and progress.

Effective application of technology will help enterprises govern better with software which allows enterprises to work more effectively, increase efficiency, save costs, create new motivation and lift an enterprise's position, e-newspaper VietnamPlus qouted Nguyen Ba Quynh from Microsoft Viet Nam as saying. — VNS

Source: bizhub.vn

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FPT win $34 million contract in Bangladesh

FPT IS and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) sign a US$33.6 million contract to provide Integrated VAT Administration System for Bangladeshi government in Dhaka, Bangladesh on September 16. — Photo baophapluat.vn HA NOI (Biz Hub) — FPT Information System Company (FPT IS) beat five international contractors to win a US$33.6 million contract to provide, implement and maintain the Integrated VAT Administration System (IVAS) for the Bangladeshi government. The contract was signed by FPT IS and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) of Bangladesh in Dhaka, Bangladesh on September 16. This contract accounts for one-tenth of $310 million of trade between Viet Nam and Bangladesh in the first six months this year. FPT IS will implement the project IVAS in 12 months and give maintenance service in the five following years. FPT IS's technician will carry out solutions on software, infrastructure and management services for more than 320 local tax agencies under NBR. Due to limitation in IT application, indirect tax collection of Bangladeshi government has faced many difficulties, which affected its collection and statistics activities. IVAS will help Bangladeshi government lift the country's VAT collection from $4.5 billion last year, accounting for 3.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) to $8 billion, or 4.5 per cent of GDP, by 2020. The winning of IVAS confirmed that Vietnamese technology and information (IT) capacity could meet requirements of big projects in foreign countries, said FPT IS chairman Do Cao Bao at the signing cermony. The victory is not only for FPT IS but also of the country's IT sector in the global market, opening cooperation opportunities between Viet Nam and Bangladesh in particular and the Southern Asia in general, even if India, a IT giant, is located in the region. Md Nojibur Rahman, chairman of NBR, said that this is an important project for the board, which will help the Bangladeshi government to increase its state revenue. "We are optimistic that the cooperation between FPT and its consultant units will make the project successful," the chairman said. FPT IS has also won many contracts in foreign countries including Cambodia, the Philippines, Laos, and Myanmar. — VNS Source:bizhub.vn

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40 Vietnamese leading IT companies to be announced

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — A list of 40 leading Vietnamese information and technology (IT) companies will be announced at an awards ceremony on October 8 in Ha Noi, announced the Viet Nam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA).

VINASA did reveal that 18 of these companies are working in business process outsourcing (BPO), IT outsourcing and offshoring areas; and 15 companies provide software and solutions services.

The awards' jury board includes representatives from the Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and IT experts.

The board had initially planned to choose 50 companies for recognition out of the award's 87 nominees, however only 40 companies met the award's criteria.

VINASA will also publish profiles of the 40 companies for distribution amongst 1,000 big domestic and international organizations and companies.

The publication is considered a handbook for foreign organisations and enterprises that want to analyse and work within Viet Nam's IT sector, said Mai Liem Truc, chairperson of the jury board.

The awards held last year garnered positive commentary and feedback from Vietnamese and foreign organisations, said the chairperson. — VNS

Source: bizhub.vn

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Risk and benefits of offshore IT outsourcing

Image provided by Getty Images (Purestock)

If you're considering offshore outsourcing, be sure to be aware of both the pitfalls and the advantages

Some say it’s a blessing, some say it’s a curse. Views on outsourcing seem to swing to extremes especially after the recession.

Outsourcing, an inevitable phenomena in the era of the globalization, is now under strict scrutiny in developed economies like the United States.

Despite all the criticism it’s facing, IT outsourcing is still in a growing phase.

Lucrative benefits

While outsourcing may not be for everyone, if properly executed you could find yourself spending less money and still getting high-quality work. Here are some other advantages:

Less stress: Efficiently managing an entire in-house development team can be exhausting, and it can be even more exhausting when you have to manage a team that is working on the other side of the world. Luckily, most offshore outsourcing firms provide project managers to guide the entire project, rather than relying on the company that hired them to take the reins. This reduces the amount of work for the customer, which in turn alleviates a tremendous amount of stress.

More time to focus on core functions: One fewer project to manage means more time to focus on other activities such as business development and marketing. Often, when you run an in-house development team, especially at a small firm, your time is geared towards managing rather than focusing on other business goals. Allowing someone to take this part over for you will open your schedule to pursuing other areas that may need some work.

Minimum liability: Offshore outsourcing equals no direct liability over the employees at the company you hire. If you aren’t satisfied with those who are working on your project, you can easily replace them with a better match without any consequences.

Little investment on infrastructure: If you decide to outsource your IT development, you don’t need to invest in infrastructure and technology that takes a chunk of the capital expenditure. Instead, that money to can be spent in developing other core areas of your business.

Shared risk: Outsource firms often specialize in analyzing risk mitigation factors. There are certain elements that you might not know that the firm can easily recognize and fix. Determining and preventing all possible risks is essential to achieving success.

Risks and limitations

Outsourcing is still in the experimental stage, where new methods are replacing old ones to create a strong and more failproof service. Here are some areas that still need work:

Risk of confidentiality: Before hiring an outsourcing firm, do your homework. Make sure their references check out and that they have no previous history of leaking information. This is always a concern when outsourcing. Take the proper precautionary legal measures to avoid any misuse of your sensitive data. Better safe than sorry!

Lack of quality: This often happens when you choose a vendor that doesn’t have a proper development process or enough experience. Those who experience this often go for the “cheaper” outsourcing firms, which in turn can end up hurting you and costing you more money. Look through the vendor's portfolio to see the type of work they do and how complex it is. This will give you a sense of their capabilities and experience.

Weak customer support: Service providers without good experience in managing outsourcing relationships may fail to deliver good customer care. If they are working for more companies than they can afford, you won’t get enough attention and the end result will be disappointing.

Hidden costs: Although outsourcing is known for cost-effectiveness, hidden costs may stem during the development period. These costs arise from unanticipated changes that demand some quick adjustments. Setting a clear outline of cost and potential extra charges upfront should be done before signing a contact.

Communication and cultural barriers: Lack of understanding the cultural differences between the company and outsourcing vendor may cause problems in communication. Set clear expectations for both parties in the beginning to decrease the chances of this happening.

If you're considering offshore outsourcing, be sure to be aware of both the pitfalls and the advantages. Choosing an efficient, trustworthy vendor with an impressive history is the most important factor determining the success of outsourcing.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/

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Mobile apps lead the IT trend

Mobile applications ranked highest in a VietnamWorks' recent survey of IT trends that draw the most attention. — Photo thongtincongnghe.com

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Mobile applications ranked highest in a recent survey of information and technology (IT) trends that draw the most attention, chosen by 64 per cent of respondents.

The survey was conducted by online employment recruiter VietnamWorks.com ahead of the Tech Insider Expo to be held this month. The results were revealed late in July.

VietnamWorks carried out the survey to determine which IT trends drew the most attention among nearly 500 people working in the IT field in Viet Nam.

The result also matched global IT trends, based on a survey by IT research and advisory company Gartner last year, which showed that the most popular IT trends were management activities through mobile devices and mobile apps.

Another trend that interests people working in the IT field is "big data," accounting for 55 per cent of VietnamWorks' respondents.

Big data has become hotter in recent years among enterprises with huge data resources, according to VietnamWorks.

Big data can result in greater operational efficiency, cost reduction and risk reduction.

The trend of business start-ups also drew much attention, being voted on by 46 per cent of the survey respondents.

When asked about hi-tech trends, 61 per cent of respondents voted for SmartHome technology.

The technology makes household chores easier with smart electronic home appliances that may also conserve energy.

According to a study by iControl Networks, a provider of home-technology solutions, the number of SmartHome devices on market will rise from 1.9 billion units in 2014 to nine billion units by 2018.

Other hi-tech trends include the application of robot technology to daily life, security technology and virtual reality technology.

VietnamWorks will organise the Tech Insider Expo in Ha Noi and HCM City this September to host workshops discussing hot topics in the IT field and to present exhibitions for technological advances.

The event expects to draw more than 3,000 people and 40 IT companies along with well-known speakers in the IT field. — VNS

Source: bizhub.vn

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Vietnam aims to build strong Info-technology outsourcing brands

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam is one of most competitive choices in the world for ITO (information technology outsourcing), according to market survey from Gartner, thanks to low labor costs, personnel stability and the “golden population” period.



Great advantages

Gartner noted that the labor cost in Vietnam is just equal to half of that in India. Meanwhile, Vietnam has entered the golden population period meaning for every two people or more working, there is only one dependent person.

Lam Nguyen Hai Long, deputy director of the Quang Trung Software Park, cited a series of advantages that could make Vietnam the world’s leading ITO provider. 

Vietnam produces 40,000 IT bachelor degrees every year. Besides the tax incentives offered to investors and the policies on human resource development, the government also encourages investment in high-tech zones and software parks.

Regarding the service fee, Long said though the ITO service fee has increased recently, the service fee is still lower than in Eastern Europe and India. 

The inflation rate of below 10 percent could also be a great advantage for Vietnam.

Great rival

Luong Thanh Binh from FPT Software, one of the Vietnamese largest software firms, noted that in the US, Vietnamese IT service firms now enjoy opportunities to compete equally with the large technology firms from India and China. 

Meanwhile, Vietnam has been chosen by Japanese firms as the top priority destination for ITO. According to Japan Information Technology Promotion Agency (IPA), 31.5 percent of Japanese firms plan to outsource IT services to Vietnam. 

Meanwhile, the figures are 20.6 percent for India and 16.7 percent for China.

The 2015 report by Tholons showed that HCM City (ranking 18th) and Hanoi (20th) in Vietnam both have been listed among the 100 most attractive addresses for ITO.

The latest report by Cushman & Wakefield in 2015 showed that Vietnam has for the first time been ranked Number 1 in the world for BPO (business process outsourcing).

Vietnam’s 2014 White Book showed that software and digital content industry in 2014 achieved revenue of $2.6 billion.

Vietnam needs strong brand

Vietnam has good conditions to develop ITO services, but it still lacks a strong brand.

Nguyen Duc Hien from the Quang Trung Software Park noted that Vietnam’s ITO remains little known in the world due to inappropriate marketing strategies. 

The majority of Vietnamese software firms are small and medium sized, and do not have opportunities to do marketing overseas.

Tran Phuc Hong, deputy CEO of TMA, confirmed that foreign partners complained it was difficult to find information about Vietnam’s software industry in English. 

Meanwhile, India, Malaysia and the Philippines have been following highly professional strategies to introduce their software industry to the world. 

NLD

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Minister pledges to strongly develop technology market

Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan underlined a number of measures to build a technology market and promote the application of science-technology in agriculture and increase labour productivity and competitiveness at the Q&A session in the ninth meeting of the 13th National Assembly in Hanoi on June 12.

He said the ministry has created a legal foundation for the technology market in recent years, admitting that the biggest shortcoming is failing to build intermediary institutions and services in the field.

He affirmed that the ministry is taking steps to address this weakness such as organising national and international technology equipment fairs and promoting gatherings for businesses and scientists at technology exchanges in Hanoi , Hai Phong, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.

Besides submitting a national programme on developing the technology market to the Prime Minister, the ministry is seeking financial investment sources to shortly establish intermediary technology institutions in the market, he said.

He continued to say that close to 3 trillion VND (142.86 million USD) is spent annually on scientific research, but admitting that many of research projects have not been put to use. The minister explained that investment from businesses is essential to bring successful studies into reality while most of domestic enterprises are of small and medium sizes with limited financial resources.

The ministry is implementing the national technology renovation programme of the Government and the National Foundation for Science and Technology to support businesses to bring research outcomes into production as quickly as possible, he said.

In response to NA deputies’ concern about the lack of high-quality strains in the field of agriculture, the minister said his ministry has worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to study high-yield rice varieties. At the same time, he said these varieties are not used widely because few businesses are involved in commercialising rice strains. In addition, due to the small scale production, farmers tend to choose cheap imported hybrid rice seeds on the market. According to the minister, when large-scale production develops, quality rice strains will be used on a wide scale.

The two ministries have also coordinated in preserving valuable genes of Vietnamese plants and animals and pledged to support capable businesses to implement science-technology projects, he said.

In response to NA deputies’ questions about venture funds for high technology, the minister said although the High Technology Law contains regulations on a venture fund for high technology to support scientists, the fund has not been established as it is not stipulated in the State Budget Law and other relevant laws.

However, the Ministry of Science and Technology has made the first step by support the project for the private venture fund, which has sponsored nine start-up groups of students from universities. Five of the groups have found investors for their business with an investment of 200,000 USD each. This is a bright sign signaling the success of the model, he asserted.

Answering a question by Hoang Thi To Nga, representative of Nam Dinh province, on the progress of Hoa Lac high-tech park, the minister said obstacles in ground clearance caused the slow progress of the project.

Though, the park is expected to become operational in 2018 as scheduled, he pledged.

Regarding scientific measures to raise labour productivity, Quan said the ministry has mobilised over 800 billion VND for 390 projects to apply science and technology to production in 61 localities nationwide. The projects are showing good results, especially in mountainous and remote areas, he said.

Concluding the session, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung urged the ministry to focus on boosting the development of technology and the science-technology market, and seek way to end the wastefulness caused by impractical scientific research.

The NA Chairman also suggested that the ministry should coordinate closer with other ministries to develop the national product programme to supply the market with high-quality products with suitable price.

VNA

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