This project will implement a survey of 2,500 small and medium-sized non-state enterprises operating in the manufacturing sector of ten provinces Vietnam. The survey instrument, which will be up-dated as part of this project, consists of three modules: (i) a main enterprise questionnaire; (ii) an ‘employee module’; and (iii) an ‘economic accounts module’. A key output is a high-quality database, and on this basis the project team will produce a comprehensive report summarizing the main findings from the data and providing key insights into SME characteristics and dynamics.

The small and medium enterprise (SME) survey has been conducted six times, more recently in 2005, 2007, and 2009. The survey has been conducted under collaboration between three partners: the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) of the Ministry of Planning and Investment of Vietnam (MPI); the Institute of Labour Science and Social Affairs (ILSSA) of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam (MoLISA); and the Development Economics Research Group (DERG) of the University of Copenhagen.The survey has been funded by the Royal Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam (hereafter Danida) under the Business Sector Programme Support (BSPS).

Issues associated with SME development remain policy priorities in Vietnam (see the 5-year socioeconomic development plan of Vietnam, as well as the ten-year strategy), and new challenges are constantly emerging that are in need of analysis. Contagion from the recent international financial crisis and its impact of SME performance in Vietnam is one example, but there are many others.