Private Sector Discussion Papers

PSDP No. 23 Breach of Trust: Its improper use and impact on the Cambodian Economy
The business community in Cambodia has expressed concern that the Breach of Trust Law is used in an improper manner, to the detriment of the business community and Cambodia’s economy. In January 2006, H.E. Keat Chhon, Senior Minister, Minister of Economy and Finance, created an Ad Hoc Sub Committee to study breach of trust issues and to make recommendations for clarification of the law and improvement of its application. This report is the product of the Ad Hoc Sub Committee’s work and was compiled from information gathered from interviews with stakeholders, a review of publicly available information, and a series of interviews with businesses. The study found out that improper use and application of the Breach of Trust Law is likely to be costing Cambodia millions of dollars per year in lost investments. It is hoped that the information and recommendations contained in this discussion paper will contribute to reducing the costly impact of improper breach of trust cases on the ......more

PSDP No. 22 Corporate Governance in Vietnam: The beginning of a long journey
The study looks at current corporate governance (CG) practices in a representative sample of large state-owned and private enterprises in Vietnam. The major objectives of the study were to: i) gain a better understanding of actual corporate governancepractices in Vietnam; ii) provide inputs and recommendations for the drafting of the Enterprise Law 2005 and other elements of the legislative framework that governs business activity in Vietnam; and iii) identify regulatory and non-regulatory ways to improve corporate governance standards in Vietnam....more

PSDP No. 21 Women Business Owners in Vietnam
The findings in this report are based on a quantitative survey conducted among 500 larger, formal women-owned businesses across the country. The study had two main objectives: to uncover the challenges and concerns of female entrepreneurs as they try to grow their firms, and to gather and report on the policy and programmatic needs of the women’s business community in Vietnam....more

PSDP No. 20 Beyond the Headline Numbers: Business Registration and Startup in Vietnam
It is widely perceived that the private sector in Vietnam has thrived since the promulgation of the Enterprise Law in 2000. This perception stems in large part from reports that the company registration process has become much easier, and from the six-figure headline numbers often cited for new business registrations over the last four years....more

PSDP No. 19 Consulting Services in Cambodia: An Overview of the Industry
In Vietnam, MPDF carried out an in-depth study of the supply side of management consulting services and set up a Consultant Development Program, which provides training and technical assistance to consultants who wish to improve their skills and access the SME market. Although there is no such program currently within sight in Cambodia, we believe that there is enough demand for information on consulting services to warrant a study of the supply side of core BDS....more