National scientific research topic: The role of social enterprises in Vietnam’s social development, Ministry of Science and Technology, 2019-2021

VID INSTITUTE PARTICIPATES IN RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL LEVEL RESEARCH TOPIC “ROLE OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISES FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN VIETNAM”

In addition to participating as a key member of this Nation-level Research Project, VID Institute also conducts field research activities for the topic such as surveying questionnaires for social enterprises in the whole of Vietnam, co-organizer of national level seminars on the topic.

The social enterprises sector is confirmed to have the potential to help the State solve some market failures when the private sector is not interested in solving social problems, not interested in investing in no potential markets with low income. Besides, the public sector cannot solve all social and environmental problems and challenges such as providing public services, creating jobs for everyone, socializing for disadvantaged groups, ensuring public social justice, and creating a more ethical and healthy business environment. This is the niche market that Social Enterprises participate in to remove this market gap.

Five years since the Business Law with article 10 on Social Businesses took effect, assessing the impact of the legal concept on Social Businesses as well as considering how the social enterprise sector can play a role in solving Social and environmental issues both in breadth and depth are needed. This is the main reason to carry out the Nation-level scientific project “Social Businesses meet the requirements of social development in Vietnam” code KX.01.44/16-20.

The general objective of the topic is:

• Identify the role and position of social businesses in the market economy;
• Assess the development status, contributions of social businesses and the shortcomings and limitations in mechanisms and policies for social businesses in Vietnam;
• Proposing a system of solutions to promote the development of the social business sector to meet the requirements of social development in Vietnam.

The specific objectives of the Project include:

• About the theory
  • Clarifying the concept and content of social businesses, factors affecting the social businesses sector to meet the requirements of social development.

• About practical experience
  • Studying the experience of developing the social business sector in some typical countries including the United Kingdom, Singapore, Korea and Thailand, thereby drawing lessons for Vietnam in promoting the development of the social business sector to meet the requirements of social development.

• About the situation
  • Analyze and properly assess the development status, roles and contributions of the social enterprise sector in Vietnam;
  • Assessing the factors affecting social businesses in Vietnam, in which the legal and policy framework is the main factor. Assessment of inadequacies and limitations in mechanisms and policies for social businesses in Vietnam.

• About policy recommendations
  • Provide views, goals, and orientations to help promote the social business sector in Vietnam to 2035 in the context of social development requirements.
  • Propose policies and solutions to promote the social business sector to contribute to Vietnam’s social development, implement the national socio-economic development strategy for the period of 2021-2025, with a vision to 2035.

The final product of the Project, in addition to the adjustment of some contents of the Business Law 2020 related to Social Businesses. The summary report has been edited to be published as a monograph published by the National Political Publishing House in 2021. The book is co-edited by Assoc. Dr. Bui Duc Tho and Assoc. Dr. Truong Thi Nam Thang.