Poverty and Vulnerability in Vietnam

Abstract

Since doi moi, Vietnam has made remarkable achievements in many frontiers. However, much effort needs to be done to further improve social and economic sectors, particularly in the context of increasing the number of uncertainties. In analyses using household surveys from Vietnam, this dissertation finds that there are discrepancies between monetary and multidimensional measures of poverty in the same time period and as well as over time. The results also show that an additional shock is not always important but physical and human assets are vital determinants of a household's poverty dynamics. Additionally, coping strategies are useful for households to recover from shocks. However, it is not always easy to identify the effects of coping strategies independently from other effects. The findings of this dissertation contribute to the increasing discussion of the discrepancies between monetary and multidimensional poverty, of the vulnerability to poverty, and of the resilience against shocks. They are also useful for evaluation and assessment of poverty alleviating policies in developing countries.