Solve productivity problems, turn businesses into innovation centers

Currently, 90% of enterprises in Vietnam are small and medium-sized enterprises, with limited potential. Investment in technological innovation and innovation is therefore still facing many difficulties and barriers.

What will be the breakthrough mechanism to help Vietnamese enterprises innovate technology? The reporter had an interview with Mr. Ta Viet Dung – Director of the Department of Technology Application and Development (Ministry of Science & Technology – Science and Technology) to clarify this issue.

Reporter: In recent years, we still talk about innovative activities, so how to understand this concept?

Mr. Ta Viet Dung: Vietnam has introduced many different definitions of innovation in the Law on Science and Technology 2013 and the Law on Technology Transfer 2017.

Although there are many different views and definitions of technological innovation or innovation, in general, the most common point of this concept is still novelty and practicality in improving productivity and quality. quantity and added value of products and goods.

Innovation can have both technological and non-technological aspects, in which technology is still the root. For businesses, innovation is product innovation (starting from research and design of new products), process innovation (including production processes, technology-based management processes), innovation and innovation. new technology, innovative approach and market development.

Reporter: Does Vietnam have enough mechanisms and policies to encourage businesses to innovate?

Mr. Ta Viet Dung: The policy and strategy of promoting innovative enterprises, taking enterprises as the center of the national innovation system are reflected in many resolutions of the Party, National Assembly and Government.

In the past time, the Ministry of Science and Technology is restructuring science and technology programs and tasks with the goal of providing synchronous support, from searching and identifying technology needs to transferring and applying technology. use, innovate technology and connect investment.

These include activities such as the Foreign Technology Search and Transfer Program, the National Technology Innovation Program, and the National Product Development Program.

The Ministry of Science and Technology also supports businesses through the National Fund for Technology Innovation, the National Fund for Science and Technology Development to put tasks associated with social needs, the value chain of products, and create favorable conditions for businesses. the expansion of capital, application, development and innovation of technology.

Many laws, circulars and decisions have been introduced over the years, contributing to completing the legal corridor and creating a systematic support chain, gathering domestic and foreign resources to carry out support activities. innovation enterprises.

Reporter: To date, what has been the effectiveness of the National Technology Innovation Program and its direct support activities for businesses in the past period?

Mr. Ta Viet Dung: With the enterprise-centered spirit of innovation, the National Technology Innovation Program has focused on focused and focused investment in the fields of agriculture, industry, medicine and pharmacy.

For example, breeding selection, post-harvest processing, seafood processing, supporting industries, application of automation technology, stem cell production, etc., in order to improve scientific and technological capacity country, technology absorption capacity of enterprises.

In addition, the Program also aims to create key and key products, form and develop Vietnamese branded products and goods that are competitive in quality and price.

During 7 years of implementation (from 2013 to 2020), the Program has received more than 500 proposals, from which 58 capable units have been selected to perform tasks in more than 20 provinces and cities in the region. country.

Through the Program, hundreds of technological processes have been absorbed and mastered by businesses. Dozens of patents and utility solutions have been registered for protection. Average labor productivity also increased sharply, 5.4 times in some places.

The output products of the technological innovation process have met the needs of the domestic market and the strict standards of the foreign market. Revenues of many businesses increased more than 2 times, profits increased about 2.4 times compared to before.

In general, the National Technological Innovation Program has made a significant contribution in creating a foundation to promote enterprises to innovate technology, improve their capacity to absorb and master technology, and contribute to the formation of a number of products. national brand products, high-tech productsnew products are competitive in the market.

Reporter: How do you evaluate the state management in the field of innovation today? What are the solutions to strengthen state management of innovation in the coming time?

Mr. Ta Viet Dung: Currently, the institutional structure and management of innovation in Vietnam is fragmented with many stakeholders and limited coordination. The Ministry of Science and Technology in many cases is not competent to solve some policy issues on innovation.

Many policies to support innovation are beyond the current legal framework that no single industry has the authority to deal with. The “sandbox” experimental policy mechanism is not yet in vogue and is not widely accepted.

Innovation activities and policy implementation, innovation support are still scattered with many participants. Sometimes there is no coordination, coordination and even competition with each other, easily leading to the possibility of duplication and waste of resources.

Policy formulation and implementation also lacks private sector consultation and a systematic private sector feedback process for policy design to come to life.

To solve this problem, the state management of innovation needs to be institutionalized by the Law on Science and Technology. In which, focusing on unifying state management of science, technology and innovation, there is assignment, decentralization and coordination among branches, central and local levels.

Attention should be paid to completing the legal framework, promoting and improving the operational efficiency of the national innovation system, regional and sectoral innovation systems, and the innovation startup ecosystem in line with the actual conditions of Vietnam. . Enterprises must play the role of the center of the innovation system.

Our country needs to develop and promulgate mechanisms and regulations on coordination between the state management agency for innovation, which is the Ministry of Science and Technology, and ministries, branches and localities to create unity, efficiency, and transparency in management.

Vietnam also needs to develop and perfect mechanisms and policies to promote innovation activities, form and develop a national innovation system suitable to Vietnam’s conditions in the context of Industry 4.0.

In particular, it is necessary to focus on building unique and outstanding institutions, mechanisms and policies, promoting the application and transfer of technology, and new business models based on technology. In addition, it is necessary to remove bottlenecks and barriers in terms of laws, economic and financial policies, and administrative procedures for science, technology and innovation activities.

Reporter: Sincerely thank you!

Trong Dat