Enterprise Improvement Programme

Enterprise Improvement Programme

The Worker Management - Factory Improvement Programme (WMFIP) organised by ILO and VCCI is half way through, but has already recorded fine achievements in management capacity, productivity, quality and working conditions.

Practical efficiency

Stanley Vietnam Electricity Co., Ltd is a joint venture between Stanley Japan, Stanley Thailand and Hanoi Construction Investment Company with a total investment of US$21 million. The main products of the company are headlamps for automobiles and motorbikes supplying to Honda Vietnam, Suzuki Vietnam, Yamaha Motor Vietnam, and Canon Vietnam. After participating in WMFIP, the working quality and productivity of the company have been markedly increased. In the past, with a Japanese director and Vietnamese workers, the difference in culture and difficulty in communications prevented good performance. Since October 2004, improvement has been made in all sections increasing the efficiency of the factory. The company has developed a code of conduct for safety and ethics, built a worker’s dining room worth VND1.5 billion, and organised on-the-job training for managers. The company can now better control productivity and working conditions, increasing efficiency and added value.

Hanoi Leather and Shoe Company is also one of the 12 enterprises participating in WMFIP. The company has improved the workplace and operation, avoiding mistakes and saving time. The company has also developed a statistic method and production chart for each product. In fact, WMFIP has assisted the company in the improvement of quality control. The company has reduced disqualified products from 5 to 2 per cent.

Continued improvement

WMFIP is financed by the US Labour and State Departments and the Swiss Ministry of Economy. So far, three of our six objectives of the programme have been achieved (social dialogue and communication, productivity and working regime, improvement of quality and management). Progress has been made in participating enterprises. The second part of the programme (until July 2005) will focus on human resources and enterprise culture, labour safety, evaluation and improvement. According to Ms Do Thi Anh Tu, WMFIP National Project Coordinator, with successful implementation the programme will be expanded nation-wide.

• Lan Anh