Female entrepreneurs weather the storm
(VOV) - Despite crunch time as result of the economic slowdown, Vietnamese female entrepreneurs have stood firm and ridden out the crisis to run their business efficiently.
Calamity is man's true touchstone. The domestic and global economic slowdown is a genuine test for businesspeople, especially females, to show off their best qualities to steer their companies through difficult times.
Though businesswomen are burdened with housework, they, with their intelligence, creativity, diligence, patience, and compassion, many have reaped much success at work, raising their profile domestically and globally.
The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) recently presented the Gold Rose Award to female entrepreneurs, in recognition of their outstanding performance and contribution to the community.
A Gold Rose of sugarcane growers
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Despite her age, she still shuttles daily between her home and the office managing the company’s operation, maintaining cooperation between farmers and the company, and generating jobs for local people.
Last year, the company earned more than VND100 billion in revenue and generated jobs for approximately 500 people, mostly local labourers.
Quy recalls the award as a testament to the company’s effort in maintaining production and growth in difficult times. Apart from the profit target, she has joined many charity campaigns, showing her responsibility toward the community.
“The current low sugar prices put growers at a disadvantage. Therefore, the most important thing for the sugarcane industry is purchasing all the material from growers to ensure they benefit from the purchase and keep growing sugarcanes,” Quy says.
“The company and I myself do our utmost to stabilise material prices for farmers in order to develop our long-term and close-knit relationship.”
Developing human resources a must
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To reap present-day success, Mai says she pays special attention to developing human resources and creating an innovative working environment to motivate employees to show off their skills and creativity.
Assuming the chair in 2009, Mai has built a contingent of competent managers and skilled employees who managed not only to ride out difficult times but prosper, typified by the opening of a route linking the port to the national transport system which raised the competitive capacity of the port itself.
Since late 2011, the amount of cargo to Dong Nai port has increased dramatically and the company’s employees have worked three shifts a day to handle bulk cargos.
Although its container warehouse has been enlarged capable of containing cargos equivalent to 5,000TEU in total, it has yet to meet ship owners’ demand at times.
“There is no secret about the success, except for our strong resolve,” Mai confides. “The bottom line is creating a conducive, dynamic and innovative working environment, and at the same time promoting unity among workers into a strong collective.”
“I encourage an organisational change to create the best possible conditions for my workers to contribute to the company.”
From challenges to opportunities
VCCI President Vu Tien Loc says in Vietnam one out of every four businesses is owned by women. In whatever circumstances, female entrepreneurs dare to think, do, and confront problems, demonstrating excellent qualities of Vietnamese women.
“In the context of crunch time, women are able to run their business better than men,” Loc says. “The fact shows over the past three years, many businesses owned by women have not only ridden out the crisis but also turned challenges into opportunities, expanding outlets, increasing profit and promoting brands.”
Business is a battlefield and Vietnamese businesswomen know how to lead their companies through difficult times, seize opportunities and move forward. They are the nation’s ‘generals’ during peacetime, instilling work passion and determination to win in young generations to reap future successes.