Avdelning, Institution Division, Department

Datum Date 2001-10-31

Ekonomiska Institutionen 581 83 LINKÖPING
Språk Language Svenska/Swedish X Engelska/English Rapporttyp Report category Licentiatavhandling Examensarbete C-uppsats X D-uppsats Övrig rapport ____ ISBN 91-7373-236-2 ISRN 2001/18 Serietitel och serienummer Title of series, numbering ISSN
1400-3562

URL för elektronisk versionhttp://www.ep.liu.se/exjobb/eki/2001/nek/018/ Titel Title The Impact of Swedish Investment and Trade on Labour Conditions in Vietnam – A Case-Study of ABB, Ericsson and IKEA in Vietnam

Författare Author

Annika Eriksson & Margareta Przedpelska

Sammanfattning Abstract This thesis examines labour conditions in Vietnam, and the impact of Swedish investments and trade on these conditions. Thethesis is a qualitative investigation that includes a theoretical and an empirical part. The theories we use are international trade theory, focusing on comparative advantage and the Heckscher-Ohlin theory. We also utilise Solow’s growth model and the theory about FDI. The concept of social dumping and the effect of imposing a social clause is also discussed. We are using the ILO’s eight coreconventions about minimum standards on labour conditions as a measuring instrument. Three Swedish lead multinational corporations have been chosen for the investigation, namely ABB, Ericsson and IKEA. Swedish companies currently have only small investments in Vietnam, but co-operation between the two countries have existed for a long time. Sweden is known to have good labour conditions and it isinteresting to see if these are transferred through the Swedish companies. To investigate the labour situation in Vietnam, we have also conducted interviews with people working on these issues at ministries, UN organisations and representatives for trade unions.

Nyckelord Keyword Comparative advantages, Development, Investments, Labour conditions, Poverty, Social dumping, Trade, Vietnam. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First we would like to thank our supervisor Juan Carlos Estibill at the University of Linköping, for his guidance in supervising this dissertation and for encouraging us to apply for the scholarship that enabled us to carry out this thesis. We would also like to thank the Swedish Development and Co-operation Agency (Sida), who provided us with a Minor Field Studies (MFS) scholarshipthat made this thesis possible. The scholarship enabled us to carry out our investigation for nine weeks in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. We would like to give our utmost thank to our supervisor in Vietnam, Per Brekke, for always giving us time, help in our work and information about how to manage in Hanoi. Further we would like to thank his secretary Huong Ta, for helping us with practicalfacilities. We are grateful to all people that supplied us with information through interviews and substantial reading material. All of you have contributed to make this research possible! Last but not least, we would like to thank Edward Cattermole and Marija Milivojevii for giving us valuable comments on how to improve the written English. Thank you both for all the help!

Linköping Autumn, 2001Annika Eriksson

Margareta Przedpelska

SUMMARY The aim of this thesis is to examine labour conditions in Vietnam, and the impact of Swedish investments and trade on these conditions. The thesis is a qualitative investigation that includes a theoretical and an empirical part. The theories we use are international trade theory, focusing on comparative advantage and the Heckscher-Ohlin theory. Wealso utilise Solow’s growth model and the theory about FDI. The concept of social dumping and the effect of imposing a social clause is also discussed. We are using the ILO’s eight core conventions about minimum standards on labour conditions as a measuring instrument. Three Swedish lead multinational corporations have been chosen for the investigation, namely ABB, Ericsson and IKEA. Swedish…