Promoting Digital Government in Vietnam from an Institutional Perspective

Abstract

In the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital transformation is not only a technological issue but also heavily dependent on the quality of institutions. Digital government institutions are the legal system, policies, and governance processes that enable the State to operate, provide public services, and make decisions in the digital environment safely, transparently, and efficiently. In Vietnam, the process of building a digital government has achieved many positive results. However, the current challenge is not a lack of institutions but rather the gap between regulations and implementation. Many regulations are overlapping, implementation guidelines are slow; inter-sectoral coordination is ineffective; there is a shortage of digital human resources in the public sector; technical infrastructure and data governance are not synchronized; while public trust in the digital environment is not yet firmly established. Therefore, focus should be placed on four groups of solutions: perfecting a synchronized and feasible legal framework; improving the effectiveness of coordination and accountability in implementation; developing a digital civil service workforce; and building a digital culture and
strengthening digital trust in society.