The “soft foundation” of competitiveness

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - In the context of deep integration, corporate culture (CLC) is not only the foundation for shaping identity and affirming the brand, but also the "soft foundation" that determines competitiveness and sustainable development. In Thanh Hoa, many enterprises (EZs) have begun to focus on building CLC, considering it a core factor to improve management efficiency, connect human resources, fulfill social responsibility and adapt flexibly to market fluctuations. However, reality also shows that building CLC in many enterprises is still formal, lacks depth and has not become a long-term strategy.

Tien Nong Agricultural Industry Joint Stock Company tests and applies new technology to create quality products, aiming for green, modern agriculture.

Linking corporate culture with production, business and social responsibility

At Tien Nong Agricultural and Industrial Joint Stock Company, VHDN starts with simple things: Each worker goes to work on time, works safely, maintains hygiene, and is dedicated in every step. The factory is designed in a green - clean - beautiful direction, applying circular wastewater treatment technology, growing fruit trees and clean vegetables to serve workers' meals - seemingly small details but reflecting the company's commitment to sustainable development.

In particular, Tien Nong has begun to have a roadmap, setting the goal of inventorying greenhouse gases and neutralizing carbon, minimizing the impact of production on the environment. Mr. Nguyen Hong Lam, Director of Tien Nong Bim Son Plant Nutrition Factory shared: “I worked for nearly 30 years in Germany, where the products are considered a mirror reflecting corporate ethics. When I returned to Vietnam, I saw in Tien Nong a spirit of service and a desire to do good deeds. We are not only producing fertilizers, but also entrusting our honor and reputation to each farmer. A clean factory - a standard process - a conscious team - a decent product is the most sustainable thank you that the company sends to society”.

Another story comes from Tien Thanh Thao Trading Company Limited - a young enterprise with 10 years of ambitious start-up. Starting with a small capital, but from the beginning, Tien Thanh Thao identified corporate culture as a vital factor in the context of fierce competition. The company boldly invested in building a systematic management system, training professional staff, building a brand and creating trust in customers. Company Director Bui Tien Thanh said: "With the motto "change for the better every day", we have organized groups to build internal culture, clearly assigned tasks to each department, and at the same time focused on developing customer relationships, taking reputation as the foundation". After 10 years, Tien Thanh Thao has expanded its activities of supplying and distributing lubricants, stationery, consumer goods and cosmetics to the whole province and region, aiming to become a prestigious enterprise nationwide.

Dr. Thinh Van Khoa, Vice Principal of Thanh Hoa Political School, commented: “Corporate culture is a key factor determining long-term existence and development, helping enterprises shape their identity, create competitive advantages and their own brands. In recent times, many enterprises in Thanh Hoa have paid attention to building corporate culture, business ethics, establishing principles, core values ​​and adapting to the global competitive environment. In particular, many enterprises consider corporate culture as a pillar of development, with systematic investment in science and technology, building grassroots Party organizations to spread cultural values ​​and standards in production and business”.

To make VHDN become a competitive advantage

According to the assessment of the Provincial Business Association, each enterprise in Thanh Hoa has recently paid attention to building corporate culture with its own methods. The three basic relationships in corporate culture are behavior with colleagues, with partners, customers and with the brand itself, which are increasingly focused on. However, many enterprises have only stopped at hanging slogans and issuing codes of conduct without a strategy to develop corporate culture linked to production, business and social responsibility. Inconsistent leadership style, weak human resource management, lack of attention to training and retaining talent... are "bottlenecks" that hinder the process of forming a strong corporate culture.

Leaders of Tien Son Thanh Hoa Group Joint Stock Company inspected the production situation at the workshop.

Dr. Thinh Van Khoa, Vice Principal of Thanh Hoa Political School, also shared: “Corporate culture is a part of economic culture, contributing to creating identity and competitiveness for enterprises. However, currently, many enterprises still do not pay due attention, even mistakenly thinking that corporate culture is just movement activities or promotional events”. Mr. Khoa also said that in 2025, Thanh Hoa Political School was assigned the task of researching and developing corporate culture and ethics in the province's enterprise development program. The school is coordinating with the Provincial Business Association, VCCI Thanh Hoa - Ninh Binh Branch and enterprises to organize research and discussions on practical topics; from there, propose to the Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee solutions to develop corporate culture and ethics in the context of integration. One of the specific proposals is that the province needs to develop a training program specifically for entrepreneurs.

The challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and recent market fluctuations have demonstrated that businesses with a solid cultural foundation will adapt better, retain talent and steadily overcome the crisis. Therefore, building corporate culture cannot be a "short-term" task or stop at slogans, but must be a long-term process, requiring commitment from business leaders, consensus from employees and the support of support organizations. With more than 22,000 businesses and 155,000 business households, Thanh Hoa needs to identify corporate culture as a key pillar to improve competitiveness, attract talent and conquer domestic and international markets.

Article and photos: Tung Lam

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nen-mong-mem-cua-nang-luc-canh-tranh-255240.htm