Exporting Expertise: The Singapore Experience in Vietnam

• Main Authors: YEOH, Caroline, WONG, Siang Yeung, Vaidyanath, Amrit
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2004
• Subjects: Asian Studies; International Business
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/2881; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lkcsb_research/article/3880/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Infrastructure can be unreliable and administration subject to corruption in Asia’s rapidly emerging economies. This context presented Singapore with unique opportunities to export its ‘positive reputation’ to locations where these attributes are less certain. The strategic initiative is premised on the perception that Singapore’s good relations with multinationals, as well as ‘guanxi’, or connections, with Asian business networks, will give the industrial-township projects a marketing advantage. To complement the extensive literature on Singapore’s flagship projects in Indonesia and China, this paper takes a closer look at Singapore’s lesser-known project in Vietnam. Evidence from on-site surveys is presented. It finds that progress in this privileged foreign investment zone remains stymied by particular dependencies and challenges.