SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Overview

Name:

Ms Christine Ngoc Ngo

Email address:

234695@soas.ac.uk

Thesis title:

Vietnam: The State and the Political Economy of Industrialization, Technology Upgrading and Capability Building

Year of Study:

2010-2013

Internal Supervisors

• Mushtaq Khan

PhD Research

Although Vietnam has achieved high rates of economic growth for a period of two decades and attained a middle income status in 2010, much of the country’s structural changes do not appear to address its underlying political conflicts, pervasive market failures, speculative investment activities and increasingly robust global competition. In assessing Vietnam’s industrial failure and success, this research project starts by asking: what are the factors that drove the process of technological upgrading and capability building in a transitional economy such as Vietnam? The analysis of rents and rents seeking are employed to set up the analytical framework for three key industries’ assessments. They are the motorcycle industry, the textile-garment industry and the telecommunication industry. My initial investigation has uncovered some rudimentary understanding in the development of these three industries. While the textile-garment industry provides a unique case of a failed industry due to rapid trade liberalization and damaging rent-seeking activities, the telecom industry offers some insights to the making of a successful industrialized sector. This success could be explained by a long period of protections by the government, effective rents management and credible threat of foreign competition. The motorcycle industry, in contrast, imparts a distinct example of the Vietnamese government’s failure to provide Schumpeterian and learning rents for upgrading. However, some accidental rents occurred due to the Vietnamese government’s failure to enforce its policies have led to significant learning and capability building opportunities for local firms. The final outcome of this research will shed light on the Vietnamese industrial policies necessary to further Vietnam’s development success.

PhD Publications

Under Review

• Ngo, Christine. “Industrialization and the Triangular Rent-seeking Relationship between Vietnam, Japan and China in Vietnam’s Motorcycle Industry.” Asian Economic Journal.

Paper Presented

• Ngo, Christine. “Technology Upgrading in Vietnam’s Motorcycle Industry from the Political Economy Perspective of Rents and Rent Seeking.” Delivered at the Second “Engaging with Vietnam: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue” Conference, Vietnam National University and Monash University, Ha Noi, Vietnam, November 30 and December 1, 2010.

Papers in Progress

• Ngo, Christine. “Assessing Industrial Policy in Developing Countries: A Proposed Alternative Analytical Framework.” [Draft Available]
• Ngo, Christine. “Industrial Policy and the State in Export-Led Growth Regime: A Literature Review.” [Draft Available]
• Ngo, Christine. “The China Factor in Developing an Export Oriented Textile-Garment Industry in Vietnam.”
• Ngo, Christine. “Industrial Success in the Telecom Industry in Vietnam: Rent Seeking, Capability Building or Luck.”
• Ngo, Christine. “Political Settlement as Cause and Effect in Vietnam’s Industrial Development.”
• Ngo, Christine. “Reformation of Vietnam’s State-Owned-Enterprises under the Pressure of Trade and Market Liberalization Paradigm”
• Ngo, Christine. “ ‘State versus Market’ Debate and New Evidences from Vietnam’s Industrialization”