The Ministry of Planning and Investment is cooperating with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to support Vietnamese enterprises in digital transformation, through a new programme.

According to the plan, 100 successful enterprises in ten industries will serve as models for nearly 100,000 companies. Therefore, these selected enterprises have to meet the highest standards so the other firms can learn and apply the digital transformation process.

The programme is different from other digital transformation programmes as it takes a more sustainable approach. The expert team will work with coordinators from the ministry and USAID to access, analyse and create digital transformation procedure handbooks for enterprises' actual demands.

On Wednesday, the programme launched the "Revealing Digital Transformation Roadmap for enterprises" conference involving Xuan Hoa Viet Nam and Tomeco Mechanic Electrical, two of the first enterprises participating in the programme.

Speaking at the event, Le Duy Anh, General Director of Xuan Hoa, said given the COVID-19 pandemic, digital transformation helps the company adapt quickly to the new working model, increase work efficiency and maintain competitiveness to provide services both in the domestic and international markets

“To survive the pandemic, businesses must optimise and produce efficiently. And as Viet Nam is trying to become the world factory in high-tech manufacturing industries, we still have to compete with Chinese enterprises and businesses in Europe, Africa and America,” Duy Anh added.

Given 97 per cent of Vietnamese enterprises are small and medium sized, innovation and adaptation are essential for them to increase business size and improve competitiveness.

Le Manh Hung, Director General for the Enterprises Development Agency, under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, said that companies are struggling in the digital transformation process, with some not knowing where to begin.

"This work normally requires a team of experts with both business and technology experience to help businesses develop plans," Hung said.

"However, with limited financial and professional resources, SMEs face many difficulties and challenges in building a digital transformation roadmap.

"The programme will support businesses in digital transformation in the 2021-2025 period to solve this problem."— VNS