Vietnam Today: A Guide to a Nation at a Crossroads

by Mark A. Ashwill

"Pulsating with energy and steeped in dreams."
Vietnam stands at a crossroads. Located in the geographical center of Southeast Asia, Vietnam is a complex mixture of the ancient and the modern. A Soviet-style legacy contrasts with an emerging Western-style market economy. Vietnam is faced with pressing political, social and economic challenges, and yet it is full of hope and potential.
Here is a first look at Vietnam in the twenty-first century, a nation undergoing rapid change and opening up to the world. Dr. Mark Ashwill paints a broad picture of Vietnam, past and present, and explores today's defining issues. Readers come to understand how a two-thousand-year history of foreign invasion, occupation and war has deeply influenced the Vietnamese character. The Chinese, French and U.S. Americans have all left their imprint. Yet the struggle against oppression has infused the Vietnamese with a fierce spirit of nationalism and caution in their dealings with foreigners.
Building relationships and trust as a prelude to doing business are critical to the Vietnamese, whether at home or abroad. Vietnam Today reveals the most prominent characteristics of the Vietnamese: their energy and drive, the dominance of group over individual and the paramount importance of maintaining harmony. In doing so, Ashwill and his Vietnamese contributor shed light on many sources of misunderstanding between Vietnamese and Western professionals. But for those who are prepared to take the time to get to know the people, to move at their pace, and to learn about their culture and history, Vietnam can be a land of promise and opportunity.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 2004

Reviews

[太一 邱 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes it is fun to read an information book and learn what is happening in the world and learn something new and helpful. This book talks about Vietnam and how it changed from was it was before. It talks about different parts of Vietnam from different views like socially and culturally. I also learned some new cool information from this book. For example. I learn that it is rude and disrespectful if you wink to someone in conversation in Vietnam while talking to them. Vietnam is not the same of what it was before and you could learn a lot from this book.

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great read for anyone traveling to Vietnam. There's a heavy emphasis on business practices, but any traveler will enjoy this as a preamble to their Vietnam trip.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not initially realize this book was geared toward people doing *business* (or planning to do business) in Viet Nam. I blame the general, broad title (and the fact that I didn't read the back cover). And that's the main problem with the book -- it uses sweeping, broad generalizations about an entire country. There was some helpful information, but on the whole it made me uncomfortable and skeptical. Also, it was often repetitive. For tourists, I would recommend reading the Country Overview chapter, and skimming/skipping the rest.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent easy to read book about Vietnam now...written in 2004. an interesting companion to books describing the Vietnam of 1992-95. Besides describing the culture and economics of Vietnam today it gives excellent suggestions on how to interpret Vietnam culture and behavior and what to do to avoid unintentionally insulting or demeaning the Vietnamese.

[Vanessa Quintal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a chance to work for Dr. Ashwill's company and meet him once. When I heard he's published a book, I decided I had to read it. This book's very helpful for expats who want to do business in Vietnam and Vietnamese alike to understand their foreign business partners through this book. It's written by an American scholar and businessman after all.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little on the fluffy side.