Dong Nai’s economy is experiencing robust growth, creating opportunities for the business community, particularly private enterprises, to expand and meet the city’s development needs. To grow stronger, businesses need to overcome limitations in management, technology, access to capital and markets. They also need a more open, business-friendly environment and prompt handling of administrative procedures.

Part 1: Helping businesses grow in Dong Nai’s new development phase

Dong Nai’s new phase of development places greater demands on its business community. Beyond sustaining production and business operations, enterprises need to plan for long-term investment, upgrade their technology and move into higher-value markets.

Representatives of Diep Nam Phuong Production and Trading Co., Ltd. (Loc An–Binh Son Industrial Park) introduce their products at the 2025 Vietnam–Japan Business Networking Conference in Dong Nai.

Alongside their own efforts, businesses need practical and targeted policy support to strengthen management capacity, develop products and expand markets.

Quality must keep pace with quantity

Dong Nai City was officially established on April 30, 2026, opening up new development opportunities for businesses across industry, agriculture, logistics and services.

According to the city’s Statistics Office, more than 6,100 new enterprises were established in Dong Nai in the first 9 months of 2026, bringing the total number of active businesses to over 50,000. These enterprises are an important driver of production growth, job creation and economic competitiveness. Dong Nai also benefits from major infrastructure advantages. Long Thanh International Airport, Phuoc An Port, expressways, ring roads, industrial parks and an interconnected logistics network are providing a stronger foundation for growth in industry, trade and services.

Nguyen Thi Hoang, Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Nai City People’s Committee, views products made by Tabi Feeder Co., Ltd. in Tran Bien Ward.

While Dong Nai’s economic dynamism is creating favorable conditions for new businesses to emerge, what happens after they are established is an even more important issue. At the Dong Nai local dialogue session of the Vietnam Private Sector Forum 2026 (VPSF 2026) on August 7, 2026, Dau Anh Tuan, Deputy Secretary-General and Head of the Legal Department at the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said a VCCI survey team had surveyed a group of enterprises. The findings showed that only 27.5% of surveyed enterprises in Dong Nai planned to expand their operations, while just 2.1% had research and development (R&D) departments. These figures indicate that preparing for the next stage of growth remains a matter of concern.

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), investing in innovation is no easy task. A new production line requires capital, personnel to operate it and a stable market for its products. Adopting management software or standardizing processes also requires time and human resources. However, businesses that simply stick to their existing ways of working will struggle to increase productivity, reduce product defects and meet customers' increasingly demanding requirements.

Many enterprises remain dependent on a limited number of established customers and lack the resources to invest systematically in technology and management. To overcome these constraints, they need to mobilize resources to improve production organization, adopt new technologies and develop their workforce. These efforts would better position them to join local supply chains and expand into international markets.

Not every enterprise needs to make major investments or expand rapidly. Each must identify the areas where improvement is most urgently needed. Some may need to improve cash flow management, others to raise product quality, invest in machinery or explore new markets. Business support programs should therefore respond to specific needs rather than adopt a one-size-fits-all approach that may be difficult to apply in practice.

Dang Quoc Nghi, Chairman of the city’s Young Entrepreneurs Association, said young entrepreneurs should help address the city’s development challenges. Their role goes beyond establishing businesses and generating profits. They must also apply technology in production, make better use of resources and develop higher-value products.

According to Nghi, entrepreneurs should be bold in developing new business models, forging links between domestic enterprises and other economic sectors, and expanding into broader markets. These are also requirements for private businesses as Dong Nai expands its development space.

Support must address actual needs

Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW on private sector development calls for unlocking resources, promoting innovation and creating favorable conditions for businesses to grow. In Dong Nai, implementation must be tailored to the needs of different types of enterprises, particularly those seeking to upgrade production capacity but lacking capital, technology and market information.

Products made by a member company of the Dong Nai Wood and Handicrafts Association.

Businesses in supporting industries may need advice on technical standards and quality management, as well as assistance in connecting with customers. Processing enterprises may require support with product traceability, preservation and distribution, while service providers need to improve their ability to adopt digital technologies and manage data. If these needs are accurately identified, support programs can help businesses address specific practical challenges rather than stopping at training alone.

“We have the technological capabilities to meet our partners’ requirements, particularly those of foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises operating in Vietnam. However, our financial resources are limited, and access to land remains difficult. There are also few forums where we can meet a large number of foreign-invested enterprises to explore potential partnerships,” said Ngo Thanh Binh, Director of Tabi Feeder Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of automation equipment based in Tran Bien Ward.

Dau Anh Tuan, Deputy Secretary-General and Head of VCCI’s Legal Department, also stressed the need to improve the business environment and enable the private sector to develop in a meaningful and effective way. In addition to addressing immediate difficulties, Dong Nai needs to improve businesses’ access to markets, capital and the resources required for innovation. However, government policies cannot replace businesses’ own efforts in determining their development strategies. Enterprises must take the initiative to innovate, improve management transparency, invest in their workforce and raise product quality to meet increasingly demanding market requirements.

By V. The – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho