This book offers a comprehensive and empirically grounded examination of Vietnam’s rapid yet uneven economic and social development, highlighting patterns of club convergence among provinces and the persistent challenges faced by lagging regions. It explores the influential factors constraining catch-up progress, such as heterogeneous infrastructure, geographic and resource disparities, planning and policy limitations, and exogenous shocks. Critical resources such as educated labor and infrastructure are shown to shape investor decisions and long-term development trajectories.This edited volume fills a significant research gap by presenting empirical studies on comparative economic and social development and performance evaluation at provincial, regional, and sectoral levels. The contributions provide high-quality, in-depth scholarly perspectives on Vietnam’s economy during a period of profound transitions, environmental, energy, technological, and educational. Readers will gain a deeper appreciation of the complexities surrounding Vietnam’s development and its regional and international relations.
