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.
