Managers' Forum ~ Book Reviews

THE VIETNAM GUIDEBOOK
Reviewed by:  Jason Boylan

 The book I chose for South East Asia was The Vietnam Guidebook, by Barbara Cohen.  The author claims it to be the “first guide for tourists and business travelers.” It looked interesting from the start, and I chose it because I felt that this type of book would provide a broad understanding of the country and the Vietnamese people.  For many people, Vietnam conjures up thoughts of destruction, death and bewilderment. The Vietnam War was a horrific episode that many people can’t seem to forget.  However from the start, Cohen’s objective is an attempt to move beyond the war, and its implications in the belief that the war does not speak sufficiently for the country of Vietnam and its people.

The book shows that Vietnam is a country in transition, still recovering from the ruins of a lengthy battle with first the French and then the United States. Although postwar Vietnam had been inaccessible to Westerners for some time, the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam approved general tourism in 1987. The guidebook is just that, a guide for travel within the country. Included is everything from statistical information on population to information on restaurant and hotel accommodations. While interesting, I concentrated my reading to sections such as the Vietnamese people and lifestyles, social customs, and the economy.

The Vietnamese have a tradition of strong ties to the family and village.  Some of their traits include: politeness, sensitivity, modesty, and humility. When speaking, a standard gesture of modesty may include covering the mouth with a hand, notebook or napkin. Boasting is avoided and the Vietnamese often imply meanings, preferring to talk around a sensitive subject before coming to the point. Direct eye contact is avoided, they often find this western practice both bold and rude.

In 1982 Vietnam’s Foreign Minister, Nguyen Co Thatch, summed up the economic condition of his country: “Very bad but not worse.” Since those words were spoken, the economy may have gotten worse. Inflation in 1989 exceeded 700%. The country still has to deal with problems such as poor management, low investment, population explosion and natural disasters. Although the government of Vietnam is still officially communist, in recent years it has pursued an economic liberalization policy that is similar in many respects to that adopted by another Communist state, China. Market based reforms have been introduced, price controls in many areas have been scrapped; restrictions on foreign direct investment have been loosened; and there is talk of privatizing state owned enterprises. However the author shows that Vietnam has a long way to go before it attains the levels of other rapidly developing nations. At $210 per year, its GDP per capita is one of the lowest in the world, and much of the country’s infrastructure remains in tatters, the result of the war.

My expectations were pleasantly met after completing this read. Being a reference book it was very convenient to focus on the sections that were of interest and the most beneficial in the understanding of the culture and the people. I really liked  the author’s approach of getting beyond the horrible image of the country and appreciating its diverse culture and great beauty.

While I was reading this book I read an article about Vietnam that I thought was quite interesting. After reading about the severe economic difficulties I was surprised  to find out in the article that Vietnam is currently experiencing economic growth in excess of 8 percent.  Being strategically located in the heart of Southeast Asia, several automobile manufacturers have plans for production facilities in Vietnam by the year 2000. Names such as Ford, Chrysler, Daimler-Benz, Toyota and Suzuki are planning over $600 million of FDI in Vietnam. Taking advantage of the situation the Vietnamese government is insisting that foreign investors in the auto industry ensure that 30 percent of all the parts used in the vehicles are made locally within 6 to 10 years of establishing an assembly plant. If successful, the result could be a further surge of direct investment in Vietnam.
 

Cohen, Barbara M. The Vietnam Guidebook: The First Comprehensive New Guide to Vietnam, Harper and Row; New York, N.Y, 1990.

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