Abstract:

Compared to many countries in Southeast Asia, technology adoption in SMEs in Vietnam is not keeping up. A literature review was conducted which identified two aspects affecting the level of adoption of technology in SMEs in Vietnam. It was found that two main inhibitors are language and education. Both Vietnam and Cambodia were colonized by France in the mid-19th through to the mid-20th century, which made those two countries late adapters of the English language compared to Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand which were colonized and subsequently had alliances with Britain. Education is a crucial element in the ability to understand and use new technologies by individuals, and it is a skill that is developed through education. The research examined in this study, identified a relationship between the quality of the education system and the technology readiness in a number of countries in Southeast Asia.