The Export Efficiency of Vietnam After 40 Years of Doi Moi Reforms

After 40 years of Doi Moi reforms, Vietnam has emerged as a leading exporter in labour‐intensive industries, including manufacturing. However, a crucial question remains whether these reforms, through improvements in infrastructure and institutions, have made Vietnamʼs exports more efficient in realising its potential with its trading partners. This paper conducts an empirical analysis using the stochastic frontier gravity model to examine Vietnamʼs export efficiency from 2000 to 2023 with respect to its top 45 export partners. The analysis shows that Vietnamʼs average efficiency over the years has been 83%, indicating that Vietnam could increase it by 17% without additional infrastructure or institutions. The paper further includes a policy synthesis identifying Vietnamʼs domestic determinants of infrastructure, ports, logistics, and institutional factors, such as ease of tracking and timeliness, that affect Vietnamʼs export efficiency. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for further reforms to improve Vietnamʼs export efficiency.