Graduation Thesis Banking Academy BANKING ACADEMY Foreign Language Faculty ----------------------------- GRADUATION THESIS A SWOT ANALYSIS OF VIETNAMESE COMMERCIAL BANKS Student : Pham Van Anh Class : ATCC_K13 Supervisor : Ngo Tung Anh ( MA) Hanoi, 2014 Pham Van Anh 1 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS A. Aims of the study 1. Methodologies of the study 1. The scope of the study 1.
The organization of the study B. DEVELOPMENTCHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 1. Summary CHAPTER 2: SWOT ANALYSIS OF VIETNAMESE COMMERCIAL BANKS Overview of Vietnam’s banking system SWOT analysis of Vietnamese commercial banks 2. Strengths Pham Van Anh 2 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy 2.
Rapidly widened branch network and significantly growing charter capital 2. A large number of traditional customers 2. Increasingly modern technology 2. Lower banking service fees 2.
Weak financial capacity 2. Narrow range of products and services 2. Inferior quality of human resource in accordance with international standards 2. The concern of government on banking system’s activities 2.
Vietnam’s WTO joining 2. Decreasing aggregate demand – an obstacle to capital absorption 2.Slow structural reformation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), producing negative effects on banking business 2. Foreign banks’ penetration of Vietnam’s market 2. Inadequate legal environment 2.
Summary CHAPTER 3: RECOMMENDATIONS 3. To the State Bank of Vietnam 3. To Vietnamese commercial banks Pham Van Anh 3 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy 3. CONCLUSION BIBILOGRAPHIES Pham Van Anh 4 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1: The number of branches and transaction offices of some Vietnamese commercial banks in 2005-2013 TABLE 2: Software system applied in Vietnamese commercial banks TABLE 3: Service fees and charges of transactions conducted to individual customers of Vietcombank and Standard Chartered Bank.
TABLE 4: L/C fees of Vietcombank and Standard Chartered Bank TABLE 5: ROE ratio of some banking systems in 2013 TABLE 6: Own equity of some national and regional commercial banks TABLE 7: The number of correspondent bank of some Vietnamese commercial banks TABLE 8: Foreign stakes in Vietnamese commercial banks TABLE 9: SWOT analysis of Vietnamese commercial banks Pham Van Anh 5 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1: The CAR of financial institutions in Vietnam as of 31/01/2014 FIGURE 2: The ROE ratio of financial institutions in Vietnam as of 31/01/2014 FIGURE 3: The Non-performing loan ratio of Vietnamese commercial banks at 31/12/2012 and 30/9/2013 FIGURE 4: The ratio of short-term capital source to be used for medium-term and long-term loan FIGURE 5: Structure of Vietnam’s population by age FIGURE 6: Customer type – lending of Vietnamese commercial bank in 2013 Pham Van Anh 6 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS SWOT : Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats WTO : World Trade Organization SBV : the State Bank of Vietnam GSO : General Statistics Office of Vietnam E-banking : Electronic banking VNBA : Vietnam Banks Association GDP : Gross Domestic Product CAR : Capital Adequacy Ratio ROE : Returns On Equity NPL : Non-performing Loan CB : Commercial Bank L/C : Letter of Credit Pham Van Anh 7 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy A. Rationale The banking system is considered the backbone of any economy all over the world. A well-developed banking system is essential for the economic growth. Over the past ten years, Vietnam’s banking system has rapidly developed, which makes great contributions to the country’s economic development.
However, it is undeniable that in comparison with commercial banks in other countries around the world, the commercial banks in Vietnam still suffer from many drawbacks that should be overcome. Vietnam officially became WTO’s 150th member since 11 January 2007, which not only gives the Vietnam’s economy in general and the banking sector in particular enormous advantages but also imposes serious challenges. That the banking system has been more and more widely opened with the regulations being loosened and the authorities committed to further liberalization creates favorable conditions for foreign banks to expand business activities in Vietnam. Foreign banks have more advantages than Vietnam’s ones in terms of capital, technology, management skills and especially excellent international banking products and services.
Moreover, along with international services, overseas banks also offer highly competitive domestic products and services, which helps them to attract more customers and increase their market share. This situation requires Vietnamese commercial banks to work out long-term strategies to beat off this intense competition. Therefore, the SWOT analysis about the business environment of Vietnamese commercial banks is very essential; it is the foundation for domestic banks to develop their potentials and overcome the shortcomings in order to become modern banks. Pham Van Anh 8 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy 1.
Aims of the study The study primarily aims to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the banking system in Vietnam. The analysis and the findings in the study will make practical contributions to the strategic planning work of Vietnamese commercial banks. Methodologies of the study For the accomplishment of this study, the following methodologies are employed. - Statistical method: Secondary data which is collected from the published reports, articles, and documents relevant to Vietnam’s commercial banks, which are available online or in print is generalized to tables and charts.
- Analytical method: A SWOT analysis is used to evaluate the business environment of Vietnamese commercial banks. - Comparative method: Based on the data collected, the researcher compares the figures for banking activities of Vietnam’s banks with those of foreign banks. The scope of the study The thesis covers the real situation of Vietnamese commercial banks’ operation in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The organization of the study The thesis is divided into three main chapters: - Chapter 1 : Introduction - Chapter 2: Theoretical framework - Chapter 3: SWOT analysis of Vietnamese Commercial Banks Pham Van Anh 9 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy - Chapter 4: Recommendations to improve the Vietnam’s banking system B.
DEVELOPMENT Pham Van Anh 10 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy Chapter 1: Theoretical framework 1. Commercial Banks Definition Commercial banks are financial institutions whose core business is accepting deposits, making loans to individuals and organizations and conducting other related business operations. Roles of commercial banks Commercial banks play an important role in the financial system and the entire economy. As key component of the financial system, banks allocate funds from savers to borrowers in an efficient manner.
They provide specialized financial services that reduce the cost of obtaining information about both savings and borrowing opportunities. These financial services help to make the overall economy more effective. In case of developing countries like Vietnam, commercial banks can contribute to the economic development in the following ways: - Accelerating the rate of capital formation - Provision of finance and credit - Monetization of economy - Innovations - Implementation of monetary policy - Development of agriculture - Promote industrial development - Fulfillment of socio-economic objectives Pham Van Anh 11 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy 1. SWOT Analysis Definition A SWOT analysis is a structured planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a project or in a business venture.
A SWOT analysis can be carried out for a product, place, industry or person. Content of SWOT analysis The following diagram shows the process of conducting a SWOT analysis: Strengthes Internal analysis Weaknesses Situation SWOT analysis Profile Opportunities External analysis Threats The SWOT analysis classifies the internal aspects of the company as strengths or weaknesses and the external factors as opportunities or threats. Internal analysis: - Strengths: positive internal attributes to the organization or situation that are within your control. - Weaknesses : internal factors within your control that may impede your ability to meet your objectives.
Pham Van Anh 12 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy External analysis: - Opportunities : external factors that the organization or project should ( or could) develop. - Threats : external factors beyond your control that could place the project or organization at risk. SWOT profile When the analysis has been completed, a SWOT profile can be generated and used as the basis of goal setting, strategy formulation and implementation. The completed SWOT profile can be arranged as follows: Table 2.1 : SWOT profile Strengths Weaknesses 1.
Summary The purpose of the present chapter is to shed light on the theoretical background for the thesis. This chapter starts by discussing the overview of commercial banks, Pham Van Anh 13 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy emphasizing their important role in the financial system as well as the entire economy. After that, the thesis provides some basic information about the theory of SWOT analysis model and its contents. Because of the essential role of commercial banks, it is essential to carry out a SWOT analysis of Vietnamese commercial banks in order to get an insight into their internal characteristics as well as external conditions influencing their operation, aiming at timely formulating effective strategies for long-term development of Vietnam’s banking system.
Pham Van Anh 14 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy Chapter 2: SWOT analysis of Vietnamese commercial banks In this section, the thesis focuses on the SWOT analysis of Vietnamese commercial banks to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in the operation of the banking system. Overview of Vietnam’s banking system Vietnam’s banking sector has so far undergone a 63-year-period of construction and development ( 1951-2014) with lots of difficulties and challenges, but it remains stable and well-developed. Vietnamese commercial bank system was officially formed since 1990, and since then it has kept growing in terms of size ( constantly increasing charter capital, widely expanded branch network,…) and business’s quality and effectiveness. By the end of 2013, Vietnam’s commercial bank network has already remarkably developed throughout the country.
It comprises 5 State-owned commercial banks ( Vietcombank, Vietinbank, Agribank, BIDV, Housing Bank of Mekong Delta), 35 joint stock commercial banks, 50 foreign bank branches, 4 joint venture banks and five 100% foreign capital banks (SBV, 2013). In particular, Agribank is the biggest commercial bank which has the largest operating network spreading all over the country with more than 2300 branches/ transaction offices (Agribank, 2013). It can be said that Vietnam has gradually integrated into the global economic arena after officially becoming a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) at the end of 2006. Along with advantages and opportunities, there are still many challenges that Vietnam has to overcome.
In recent years, commercial banks have made significant contributions to the stability and sustainable development of Vietnam’s economy. Banks not only perform the role of funds allocation, but also help stabilize the money Pham Van Anh 15 ATC C – K13 Graduation Thesis Banking Academy purchasing power. Along with the reform and innovation process, the number of commercial bank has risen rapidly, gradually turning into a compatible system with the newly emerging economies like Vietnam. The growth of Vietnam’s banking system has been reflected in the increase in equity, total assets, the diversification of services provided and the contribution to annual GDP.
The total assets of Vietnam’s banking system as of 31 December 2013 was 5.755,87 trillion dong, grew by 3,4 times compared with that figure in 2008 of 1. In addition, the total charter capital by the end of 2013 attained 423,98 trillion dong, four times larger than that of 2008 (BizLIVE, 2014). At present, the source of capital for business in the economy is primarily provided by commercial banks whose total assets reach 155% of Vietnam’s GDP (SBV, 2014). SWOT analysis of Vietnamese commercial banks 2.