Vietnam Shifts Data into National Strategy
Professor Bert George says Vietnam is moving from simply collecting government performance data to using it for strategic national planning, a shift he
Vietnam has built a highly data-driven public administration over more than a decade. According to Professor Bert George of City University of Hong Kong, the country now faces the challenge of turning that operational strength into strategic direction.
Professor Bert George, from the Department of Public and International Affairs at CityUHK, argues the big question is no longer about data collection but its strategic value. "Vietnam has mostly focused on its operational capacity," he says. "But now we have performance indicators across provinces, cities and central ministries."
From Metrics to Meaning
George suggests the next reform emphasis is shifting from measurement to data-empowered national strategy. A central commission for strategy and policy has been appointed to align government activity. "They’re not measuring for the sake of measurement … it’s really about embedding data strategies into the overall whole-of-government strategic approach," he explains. George describes this shift as "quite a game changer", particularly evident over the past two years.
A Three-Pillar Model
George outlines Vietnam's emerging model as a whole-of-system approach built on three pillars.
The first is integrated strategy. "One of the mistakes many countries make is that they have hundreds of strategies," George explains. Vietnam's response is aligning actors around a shared purpose to avoid contradictory plans.
The second pillar is talent development. Effective reform requires a professional, strategically-minded civil service that can compete with the private sector for skilled workers.
The third is trust, which George links to stability, clarity, and transparency for investors. He is candid on corruption, calling it a "huge issue". He believes tackling it requires enforcement, incentives, proper compensation, and professionalisation.
Pragmatic Reforms
These changes are unfolding within a one-party system. George points to a pragmatic reality. "A big part of what they’re doing is also empowering the private sector," he says, aiming to reduce public sector dominance. Universities and international partners have been brought into the process, which George calls "a recipe for success". Officials insist modernisation must reflect national identity, creating a "Vietnam system" that reflects its values.
George warns against over-reliance on key performance indicators (KPIs). "KPIs have their value, but reformers should be very careful about what you’re throwing away," he says. Excessive focus can discourage experimentation.
He believes Vietnam's future reform depends on continuous strategising: "Keep stable what ought to be stable, and keep flexible what ought to be flexible." Collaboration with academics and experts, including those from CityUHK and AVSE Global, is a key enabler. Despite challenges like corruption and bureaucratic rigidity, Vietnam's shift from measurement to meaning offers a case study in governance innovation.
