NQA Popularity Benefits Businesses

According to statistics, Vietnam now has more than 50 kinds of trophies and prizes for companies presented by various agencies and organisations. The deployment of emulative and commendatory activities has inspired collectives and individuals to work harder and more enthusiastically to improve productivity, quality and efficiency in their work. However, the lack of guidance, planning and inspection over a long time has resulted in an “inflation” of titles and trophies. In many cases, awarding is formalistic, overlapping and commercialised. Mr Hoang Quang Phong, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) - the representative of companies, complained that many improper organisations and individuals still vote and honour companies and collect high fees from candidates, leading the public to the mistaken understanding that companies buy prizes. These pressing concerns were raised at a dialogue meeting between the Prime Minister and private companies in October 2007. Since the Prime Minister issued Decision 51 dated July 28, 2010 on Regulation on Management of Organisation, Assessing, Honouring and Presenting Awards and Titles to entrepreneurs and businesses, there has been a reduction in the number of prizes and titles; but there are still many.

 

NQA is one of two awards handed by the Prime Minister and is the sole title in Vietnam used for quality management in companies. This national title is institutionalised in laws of the National Assembly and decrees of the Government and is included in the Asia - Pacific International Quality Award. The award review is based on seven criteria with a score scale of 1,000 points, thus this methodology ensures fairness and objectivity. Companies, regardless of scale and industry, are qualified for the award. Since this is a national trophy, jury procedures are quite close, with two separate rounds of appraisal. The first is the qualifying round at the local level hosted by the Provincial/Municipal Department of Science and Technology and appraised by the Preliminary Selection Council. The final round is led by the National Selection Council and hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology. A candidate profile comprises eight sets of reports and various documents, including an introductory report and a self-assessment report based on seven award criteria. To do this, a company must have professional staff with proper knowledge to present quality management.

 

Not only honouring awardees, the award also aims to provide companies with an approach to a complete quality management system model that meets international standards, particularly those from developed economies like the United States, the European Union (EU) and Japan. This is a meaningful content: Whether a company wins the award or not, the self-assessment of quality management system based on NQA is also an effective work for companies.

 

Although this prestigious award is institutionalised, NQA organisation still exposes a lot of limitations. First of all, companies do not have interest in this trophy, mainly because relevant State agencies at both central and local levels lack engagement and commitment. The award does not also actually help improve the operating efficiency of companies. By comparing with criteria and items, they may identify weaknesses and defects, but it remains difficult for them to deal with these since they lack solutions or assistance from specialised agencies. Due to technical characteristics and insufficient interest, the popularity of this award is limited. Every year, the provincial/municipal pre-qualification councils send notices to local enterprises, but just a few companies register to join. For example, Hanoi, an economic hub with thousands of companies qualified for the award, just has 2-3 companies register to compete for the trophy.

 

To address this situation, the Ministry of Science and Technology, to be more specific its affiliated Directorate for Standards Metrology and Quality (STAMEQ), which is in charge of NQA, has carried out a lot of directions and solutions like speeding up communication, actively coordinating with ministries, branches and localities in related activities, and increasing the force of consultants and counsels to support companies. Especially in 2016, there will be many important activities in celebration of the 20th NQA anniversary like NQA Announcement Ceremony, NQA Symposium - An overall approach to sustainable development, an exchange programme for authorities and entrepreneurs, and televised 20^th NQA anniversary and NQA - Asia Pacific International Quality Award 2015.