INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES AND DECENTRALIZATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN CONTEMPORARY VIETNAM

Tóm tắt

In terms of developmental institutions, Vietnam’s economy has made significant progress in transitioning to a market economy. However, in both thinking and practice, at central and local levels, the inertia of centralized planning, bureaucracy, state subsidies, and the "ask-give" mechanism still persists widely and remains difficult to overcome. The institutional and management mechanisms for social development across most sectors, administrative levels, and localities remain largely closed or inflexible, constrained by outdated practices that no longer align with the dynamic nature of socio-economic development. In terms of decentralization and delegation of power between central and local authorities, as well as across different levels of government, since 2016, responsibilities and powers of stakeholders have been legally defined across five major areas. This has partially met the demands of institutional reform, ensured unified state management under the Government, and contributed to enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of administration while promoting proactivity, creativity, and accountability at all levels of government. Nevertheless, in practice, decentralization and delegation still face numerous shortcomings, with new issues arising alongside long-standing unresolved problems.