Smart City Building: Businesses must take action from now

Update: 05-12-2017 | 19:04:19

The 2017 Smart City Conference in Binh Duong will take place from 25th to 27th November with a number of outstanding activities, including a science and technology (ST) enterprise exhibition. On sidelines of the conference, Binh Duong Newspaper interviewed Nguyen Van Danh, Director of Department of Industry and Trade, about development trend of Binh Duong enterprises in the process of smart city building.

Visitors at the exhibition of science and technology enterprises.

- Department of Industry and Trade is the host of ST enterprises’ exhibition. What is the meaning of this exhibition?

- During the development process, Binh Duong gained many important achievements in all fields, including industry. This exhibition is an opportunity for us to look back on the achievements, and then make orientations towards to a new height of development. The exhibition is divided into two areas: one area for technology enterprises and one area for innovative ideas. Its greatest significance lies in this subdivision.

Generally, it is a chance for Binh Duong to look back on all technology achievements, and then with specific directions for Binh Duong Smart City construction project, in the near future, we will shift the backward, labor-intensive economy to a high-tech innovating industrial production encouraging start-ups.

- Sir, how does the construction of Binh Duong Smart City mean to enterprises in general and technology enterprises in Binh Duong in particular in the process of international economic integration?

- At present, Vietnam has been entering a period of international economic integration. This is a favorable condition for enterprises to integrate on the basis of choosing the most appropriate and effective technologies, thus contributing to improving competitiveness in the market. In the field of technology, we can see that today's technology companies are beginning to target Vietnam for not only to set up production sites, but also to build R&D centers, data base centers, such as Samsung, Panasonic, Nissan, Apple... This has brought many opportunities for technology companies in Binh Duong.

First of all, this integration process helps enterprises, especially ST enterprises, have an opportunity to exchange and integrate into the science and technology of the world. Since then, businesses can learn from experience, absorb the world’s achievements to servee the socio-economic development of our province. The transfer of advanced ST lines to each industry in Vietnam has been taking place, contributing step by step to approaching and reaching the world’s level.

When we build smart city, we will attract more and more foreign investors with advanced science and technology to Binh Duong. For example, the investment of countries with advanced science and technology, such as the US, Japan, Korea, Singapore ... will help businesses in the province accumulate experiences in business management, market research and strategic planning, especially developing international marketing mix. Moreover, this is an opportunity for scientists and enterprises to have access to high technologies, gradually narrowing the gap in knowledge, research and development skills as well as heightening scientific and technological creativity of individuals and science and technology industry in the country. Due to pressures of development, enterprises will have to push forward solutions to the multivariate problem; that is to link with scientists, managers in the research activities, transfer and application of new technology, promote economic development.

- In your opinion, businesses in the province will encounter which difficulties and challenges during the smart city construction?

- In my opinion, apart from development opportunities, enterprises themselves will have to deal with many new challenges, including risks. When Binh Duong built a modern, worth living city, the investment environment is good, investors will be more interested in Binh Duong. At this time, enterprises in the province will encounter more competitors, stronger global competitiveness, more competitive tools and competition tricks. The market challenge is also more acute. In addition, products for the smart city must be good, have reasonable price, perfect service, accurate delivery time, and distribution channels must be convenient.

In addition, in the technological revolution, enterprises in developed countries have been working hard to win the dominance and exclusivity of modern technologies. In particular, it raises new issues relating to intellectual property, copyright, trademarks, geographical indications and industrial designs, which our country is at a very low level of development compared to them. Domestic enterprises must find effective breakthroughs to push back the risk of technology lag. In addition, domestic businesses face many other issues, such as the threat of declining natural resources, financial challenges in general and investment capital for development in particular, challenges of environmental protection…

- So, businesses, especially domestic enterprises, must take which actions to adapt to these challenges, sir?

- At present, most domestic enterprises are small and medium enterprises. In the context of a difficult economy, investment in research and technological innovation is limited, thus domestic scientific and technological products are lagging behind the rest of the world, leading to capacity constraints in this area. In addition, technology innovation is not simply replacing old machines with new machines, but also renovating a management system as well as high quality human resources. These are our weak points. However, I think that the "success story with small steps" is the motto of enterprises in the long-term development. If businesses are confident, take actions from now, they will soon overcome difficulties and challenges.

In the near future, in the process of smart city construction, Binh Duong will continue to create mechanisms and policies to develop Triple Helix model in order to make science and technology really become important production forces for economic development. We have the right to hope that the Triple Helix model would contribute to heigntening Binh Duong's brand position as a technology, creative and manufacturing province. This will support the industrial sectors of Binh Duong, as well as attracting investment and intellectual labors to Binh Duong, giving Binh Duong a stronger position than other provinces, and access to international relations.

- Thank you!

Reported by Tieu My – Translated by Ngoc Huynh

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Smart City Building: Businesses must take action from now

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