The article is to be presented at the Workshop "Strategic human resource management in the development of the semiconductor industry in Vietnam" organized by the University of Economics, VNU Hanoi on June 30.

Geopolitical competition and the reconfiguration of global supply chains are creating opportunities for Vietnam to reposition itself in the global semiconductor supply chain. With its strategic geopolitical location, a young and abundant workforce of over 100 million people widely recognized for their intelligence, diligence, and strong ambition, particularly in STEM fields, Vietnam possesses a “strategic asset” to catch the wave and emerge as a key link in the global semiconductor value chain.

Vietnam has taken numerous steps to develop its semiconductor industry, focusing on building technical infrastructure for research, design, and production. The country is prioritizing human resource development, with a focus on training engineers and technicians to operate factories as the first step, a strategic goal in the roadmap to develop the semiconductor industry.

However, these efforts alone are insufficient for the semiconductor industry to break through and compete globally. Semiconductors are not merely about technology; it is also a “game” of strategic minds at the national, industry, and organizational levels—visionary leaders with deep expertise in semiconductor technology, management, and policy. 

Yet Vietnam lacks these strategic minds at both the national policy-making level and enterprise and management level, and needs ecosystem coordination and supply chain management.

Lack of “strategic minds to lead the path”

At the national level, Vietnam faces a significant gap in human resources capable of strategic policy-making for the semiconductor industry. There is a shortage of strategic leaders who possess both deep technical knowledge of semiconductors, an understanding of technology geopolitics and security, and the strategic vision to craft national policies, coordinate cross-sector efforts, and develop targeted legal frameworks and incentive mechanisms.

The absence of strategic human resources leads to consequences: industry development policies lack connectivity and depth, coordination between ministries, branches, and localities remains fragmented, and research centers operate in isolation with insufficient interdisciplinary collaboration mechanisms. As a result, the potential for innovation is fragmented and cannot be fully harnessed in a harmonious manner.

Lack of “strategic minds for enterprise leadership and operations”

At the enterprise level, Vietnam lacks senior leaders—CEOs, CTOs, and COOs— capable of comprehensively leading and managing semiconductor companies. These roles require not only technical expertise in semiconductors but also a deep understanding of the global semiconductor value chain, strategic and innovative thinking, geopolitical and supply chain risk management, intellectual property management, and high-level leadership skills in a fiercely competitive technology environment.

These “strategic minds” are not merely operational managers but visionaries who design companies’ direction, guide semiconductor enterprises to adapt to global technological and economic trends, and create long-term competitive advantages.

The semiconductor industry, with the rapid pace of innovation, geopolitical risks, and complex supply chains, require strategic minds with not only management skills but also an understanding of technology, digital economics, and global strategy.

Semiconductor companies primarily deal in high-tech and knowledge-intensive products, such as chips, integrated circuits, transistors, diodes, and microchips, where every stage, from technological innovation and production to consumption and operations, requires sophisticated and specialized management.

The absence of these strategic minds is a bottleneck that hinders Vietnamese enterprises from seizing technological trends, designing long-term strategies, and deeply integrating into the global semiconductor value chain.

Lack of global semiconductor supply-chain management experts

Vietnam also lacks supply chain experts who understand semiconductor technology, are proficient in cross-border coordination, and can connect with foreign direct investment (FDI), enhance localization value, and lead multinational projects. These are strategic forces for Vietnam to not only “participate in” but also “master” the global semiconductor supply chain.

Current policies mainly target the training of engineers and technicians; universities mainly train in engineering, and there is a lack of interdisciplinary training programs integrating engineering, management and policy. Also, the participation of universities in the fields of economics and business administration is still limited.

Pham Manh Hung - Le Trung Hieu