BRITISH CULTURE

Topic: The economy and everyday life

Table of content

A. IntroductionB. Body1. Earning money1.1. Changing employment attitudes towards manual (blue-collar) and non-manual (white-collar) workers.1.2. Changing employment attitudes towards sex.

2. Working organization: Trade Union Congress2.1. The trade union congress (TUC)2.2. The national union of farmers (NUF)

3. Distribution of wealth

4. The structure of trade and industry

5. Finance and investment5.1. Finance5.2. Investment

6. Shopping in VietNam and Britain:6.1. Shopping in Viet Nam6.2. Shopping in Britain

C. Conclusion

Topic: The economy and everyday life

A. Introduction

Economy relationship between Vietnam and Britain.

The UK-Vietnam bilateral relationship has developed greatly since the establishment of full diplomatic relations in 1973. It now encompasses a wide-range of issues, from high-level political contacts, through growing trade and investment links, cooperation against international crime and illegal migration, to a fast growing development assistance programme.

The value of UK investment in Vietnam is approximately US$1.4 billion, making the UK one of the largest EU investors in Vietnam, with around 79 investment licences. UK companies such as BP, Shell, BAT, Unilever, ICI and Castrol have made substantial investments in this market and, in many cases, are expanding their operations in Vietnam. Large or small, UK companies are building up a good reputation and are contributing to Vietnam’s economic development.

The main sectors for investment include oil & gas, utilities, infrastructure, agricultural processing, food, telecommunications, financial and banking services, etc.

Top exports from the UK to Vietnam are: power generating machinery, general industrial machinery and equipment, medicinal and pharmaceutical products. Top imports from Vietnam are: footwear, articles of apparel and clothing, furniture, coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and cashew nuts.Up to now,  The UK is the world’s number one investor in Vietnam’s financial services.We also hope that continuous support for deeper ties between Vietnam and the UK more and more tied closely in all fields, especially economic cooperation and public-private partnerships.

Morever, Viet Nam and British also have certain differences in culture, particularly in everyday life. We can think of many things, Style of Music, Arts, Religion, Language... And in this course, we will also tell you some basic dissimilarities of the two cultures.

B. Body.1. Earning money1.1. Changing employment attitudes towards manual (blue-collar) vs non-manual (white-collar) workers.

At the upper end of the social scale this attitude to work exists because leisure has always been the main outward sign of aristocracy. And because of Britain’s class system, it has had its effects throughout society. Traditionally therefore, a major sign of being middle class ( as opposed to working class ) has been that you do non-manual work. The fact that skilled manual (or blue-collar) workers have been paid more highly than the lower grades of white-collar (non-manual) worker for several decades has only slightly changed this social perception. This anti-work outlook among the working class has led to a relative lack of ambition or enthusiasm and a belief that high earnings are more important than job satisfaction.These attitudes are slowly changing:- At least half of the workforce now does non-manual work, and yet a majority describe themselves working class. It would therefore seem that the connection between being middle class and doing non-manual work is growing weaker. Nevertheless, the connection between class distinctions and types of work lives on in a number of ways.- One illustration of this is the different way in which way in which earnings are conventionally expressed and paid. Another is the fact that certain organizations of professional workers, such as the National Union of Teachers (NUT), have never belonged to the Trades Union Congress. The connection cans also be seen if we look at those people who hold the most important jobs in the country.The traditional lack of enthusiasm for work is the reason why the working day, in comparison with most European countries, starts rather late ( usually at eight o’clock for manual workers and around nine for non-manual worker. However, measured by the number of hours worked in week, the British reputation for not working hard enough appears to be false. The normal lunch break is an hour or less and most people (unless they work part-time) continue working until five or later. Many people often work several hours overtime a week. In addition, a comparatively large proportion of British people stay in the workforce for comparatively large part of their lives. The normal retiring age for a most people is sixty-five (sixty for some, including a greater proportion of women).

There are three main ways in which people look for work in Britain: through newspapers (national ones for the highest-qualified, otherwise local ones), through the local job centre (which is run as a government service) and though privately-run employment agencies (which take a commission from employers). The overall trend in employment over the last quarter of the twentieth century has been basically the same as elsewhere in Western Europe. The level of unemployment has gradually risen and most new job opportunities are in the service sector ( in communication, health care and social care)

1.2. Changing employment attitudes toward sex.

The decline of heavy industry means fewer job in stereotypical men’s work, while the rise in service occupation means an increase in vacation for stereotypical women’s work. When the law against sex discrimination in employment was passed in 1975, it was intended mainly to protect women. In 1970 around 65% of all those in work in Britain were men. In 1993 men made up only 51% of the workforce.

Men Women1970 65% 35%1993 51% 49%

However, in 1994, the rate of unemployment men was two-and-a-half times higher than that rate of women. Then nearly half of the complaints received by the Equal Opportunities Commission (which helps to enforce the law) came from men. Many men seek employment as nurses, child carers, shop assistant, secretaries and other kinds of office worker. But it seems that these jobs are still considered to be more suitable for women.

One of the reasons may be the low rates of pay in these areas of work. Although it is illegal for women to be paid less than men for the same job. In 1993 the average full-time male employee earned about 50% more than the average full-time female worker.

In January 2000, the employment rate for women stood at 65.5 per cent; in May 2012, it was almost identical: 65.8 per cent. The most important change in the intervening period was a large growth in the number of adult women: the number of women aged 16 - 64 grew by 1,391,000. Women's employment level was therefore more than a million higher, having risen from 12,485,000 to 13,637,000.There had been a similar increase in the number of working age men, and in the number of men in employment. A point of difference was the impact of the recession; in the latest figures male employment was 138,000 below the April 2008 peak, women's employment in the latest figures is 41,000 higher. Men's employment rate slipped from 79.0 per cent in April 2008 to 76.3 per cent in May 2012. It is important to note, however, that this is still significantly higher than women's 65.8 per cent rate.

The impact of the recessionThe recession played out differently for men and women; employment fell and unemployment rose for both, but neither was a mirror image of the other

Initially, the effect on men, especially on employment rates was more noticeable. Women's employment rate levelled off before men's, but women have not yet seen anything similar to the improvement in men's employment rate that began in August 2011. The recession drove men's unemployment rate higher than women's, but while men's unemployment rate levelled off in 2010, women's continued to rise, though at a slower rate. Men have seen a faster fall in unemployment since the autumn of 2011 and the gap between current rates and the pre-recession trough is similar for both.

2. Working organization: Trade Union Congress2.1. The trade union congress (TUC)

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) is a voluntary association of the country’s trade unions. There are more than a hundred of these, representing employees in all types of business.

What is TUC?

The TUC was founded in the 1860s. The TUC is the voice of Britain at work. With 54 affiliated unions representing 6.2 million working people from all walks of life, TUC campaign for a fair deal at work and for social justice at home and abroad.They negotiate in Europe, and at home build links with political parties, business, local communities and wider society.

What does TUC do?Brings Britain’s unions together to draw up common policies lobbies the Government to implement policies that will benefit people at work campaigns on economic and social issues represents working people on public bodies represents British workers in international bodies, in the European Union and at the UN employment body - the International Labour Organisation carries out research on employment -related issues runs an extensive training and education programme for union representatives helps unions develop new services for their members helps unions avoid clashes with each other builds links with other trade union bodies worldwide

Congress

The policy making body of the TUC is the annual Congress which meets for four days each year during September. Each affiliated union can send delegates to Congress - the larger the union, the more it can send. At Congress 'motions' (resolutions for debate) are proposed and discussed. These form the basis of the TUC's work for the next year.

2.2. The national union of farmers (NUF)One other work organization needs special mention is the National Union of Farmers (NUF). On December 10 1908, a meeting was held in an ante-room at the Smithfield Show to discuss whether a national organisation should be formed to represent the interests of farmers. The outcome was the National Farmers Union (NFU).The first President, Colin Campbell, worked tirelessly to get new branches off the ground, encourage membership and establish the NFU’s credibility with Government, at a time when farming was going through the longest and deepest depression in its history, as imports of cheap grain and frozen meat flooded in from abroad.

From those modest and difficult beginnings, the NFU has grown to become one of the most effective and respected trade associations in Britain.

3. Distribution of wealth

In the early 1970s Britain had one of the most equitable distributions of wealth in western Europe. By the early 1990s it had one of the least equitable. The rich had got richer but the poor had not. Some surveys suggested that by this time the gap between the richest 10% of the population and the poorest 10% was as great as it had been in the late nineteenth century and that large numbers of house-holds were living below the “poverty line”, which meant that they did not have enough money for basic things such as food and heating

Class and wealth do not run parallel in Britain, so it is not a country where people are especially keen to flaunt their wealth. Similarly, people are generally not ashamed to the poor. Of course, they don’t like being poor, but they do not feel obliged to the hide the fact. This can sometimes lead to an acceptance of poverty which is surprising for an “advanced” country. When, in 1992, news of its increasing extent came to wider public attention, the government neither pretended that greater poverty did not exist, nor promised to do anything radical about it. Instead, it issued, through the Ministry of Agriculture, a suggested diet which it claimed even the poorest could afford. There were, of course, public comments about the patronizing nature of this action but criticsm in the press concentrated on how unrealistic the diet was, on how the figures didn’t add up

One reason for the increasing disparity of wealth in Britain in the 1970s an 1980s is that rates of income tax changed. For a short period in the 1960s the basic rate was 40%. By the early eighties it was 30% and it then went down to 25%. During the same period, the top rate of income tax fell from a high of 98% to 40%. Of course, these figures do not mean that this is how much is deducted from a person’s earning. People in different situations are allowed to earn varying amounts before tax is deducted. People earning twice the average wage have about 25% of their gross income deducted. Somebody earning less than half the average wage pays very little tax at all. Nevertheless, there is, at the time of writing, a great disparity in different people’s take-home pay’. During the 1980s, rates of pay for the best-paid jobs increased faster than those for badly-paid jobs. People in the best-paid jobs now take home about ten times as much as those in the lowest paid jobs. Many company directors, for example take home seven times as much as the average wage

4. The structure of trade and industry

The modernization of business and industry happened later in Britain than other European countries. In contrast, Britist agriculture was very successful. In thí industry, larger scale organization had been more common in Britain than in other European countries for quite a long time.

As in all European countries, the economy system in Britain is a mixture of private and public enterprise.

4.1. Agriculture

A combine harvester in use in Scotland

Agriculture in the UK is intensive, highly mechanised and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs, with less than 1.6% of the labour force (535,000 workers). It contributes around 0.6% of British national value added.  Around two-thirds of the production is devoted tolivestock, one-third to arable crops.  Agriculture is subsidised by the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy.

The UK retains a significant, though reduced, fishing industry. Its fleets, based in towns such as Kingston upon Hull, Grimsby, Fleetwood, Newlyn,Great Yarmouth, Peterhead, Fraserburgh, and Lowestoft, bring home fish ranging from sole to herring.

The Blue Book 2013 reports that "Agriculture" added gross value of £9,438 million to the UK economy in 2011.

The UK is also rich in a number of natural resources including coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica and an abundance of arable land.

4.2. Construction

The construction industry of the United Kingdom contributed gross value of £86,789 million to the UK economy in 2011. The industry employed around 2.2 million people in the fourth quarter of 2009. There were around 194,000 construction firms in Great Britain in 2009, of which around 75,400 employed just one person and 62 employed over 1,200 people. In 2009 the construction industry in Great Britain received total orders of around £18.7 billion from the private sector and £15.1 billion from the public sector.

The largest construction project in the U.K. is Crossrail. Due to open in 2018, it will be a new railway line running east to west through London and into the surrounding countryside with a branch to Heathrow Airport. The main feature of the project is construction of 42 km (26 mi) of new tunnels connecting stations in central London. It is also Europe's biggest construction project with a £15 billion projected cost.

Prospective construction projects include the High Speed 2 line between London and the West Midlands and Crossrail 2.

4.3. Production industries4.3.1. Electricity, gas and water supply

The Blue Book 2013 reports that this sector added gross value of £33,289 million to the UK economy in 2011. The United Kingdom is expected to launch the building of new nuclear reactors to replace existing generators and to boost UK's energy reserves.

4.3.2. Manufacturing

A Rolls-Royce Trent 900 aircraft jet engine, seen here on an Airbus A380

In 2011 the UK manufacturing sector generated approximately £140,539 million in gross value added and employed around 2.6 million people. Of the approximately £16 billion invested in R&D by UK businesses in 2008, approximately £12 billion was by manufacturing businesses. In 2008, the UK was the sixth-largest manufacturer in the world measured by value of output.

In 2008 around 180,000 people in the UK were directly employed in the UK automotive manufacturing sector.  In that year the sector had a turnover of £52.5 billion, generated £26.6 billion of exports and produced around 1.45 million passenger vehicles and 203,000 commercial vehicles. The UK is a major centre for engine manufacturing, and in 2008 around 3.16 million engines were produced in the country.

The aerospace industry of the UK is the second- or third-largest aerospace industry in the world, depending upon the method of measurement. The industry employs around 113,000 people directly and around 276,000 indirectly and has an annual turnover of around £20 billion.  British companies with a major presence in the industry include BAE Systems (the world's second-largest defence contractor) and Rolls-Royce (the world's second-largest aircraft engine maker) Foreign aerospace companies active in the UK include EADS and its Airbus subsidiary, which employs over 13,000 people in the UK.

The pharmaceutical industry employs around 67,000 people in the UK and in 2007 contributed £8.4 billion to the UK's GDP and invested a total of £3.9 billion in research and development. 2007 exports of pharmaceutical products from the UK totalled £14.6 billion, creating a trade surplus in pharmaceutical products of £4.3 billion. The UK is home to GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca, respectively the world's third- and seventh-largest pharmaceutical companies.

4.3.3. Mining and quarrying

A drilling rig in the North Sea

The Blue Book 2013 reports that this sector added gross value of £31,380 million to the UK economy in 2011. In 2007 the UK had a total energy output of 9.5 quadrillion Btus, of which the composition was oil (38%), natural gas (36%), coal (13%), nuclear (11%) and other renewables (2%). In 2009, the UK produced 1.5 million barrels per day (bbl/d) of oil and consumed 1.7 million bbl/d. Production is now in decline and the UK has been a net importer of oil since 2005. As of 2010 the UK has around 3.1 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves, the largest of any EU member state.

In 2009 the UK was the 13th largest producer of natural gas in the world and the largest producer in the EU. Production is now in decline and the UK has been a net importer of natural gas since 2004. In 2009 the UK produced 19.7 million tons of coal and consumed 60.2 million tons. In 2005 it had proven recoverable coal reserves of 171 million tons. It has been estimated that identified onshore areas have the potential to produce between 7 billion tonnes and 16 billion tonnes of coal through underground coal gasification (UCG). Based on current UK coal consumption, these volumes represent reserves that could last the UK between 200 and 400 years.

The UK is home to a number of large energy companies, including two of the six oil and gas "supermajors" – BP and Royal Dutch Shell – and BG Group.

4.4. Service industries

The service sector is the dominant sector of the UK economy, and contributes around 77.8% of GDP as of Q1 2013.

4.4.1. Creative industries

The creative industries accounted for 7% GVA in 2005 and grew at an average of 6% per annum between 1997 and 2005. Key areas include London and the North West of England which are the two largest creative industry clusters in Europe.

4.4.2. Education, health and social work

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, a major NHS hospital

According to The Blue Book 2013 the education sector added gross value of £84,556 million in 2011 whilst Human health and social work activities added £104,026 million in 2011.

In the UK the majority of the healthcare sector consists of the state funded and operated National Health Service (NHS), which accounts for over 80% of all healthcare spending in the UK and has a workforce of around 1.7 million, making it the largest employer in Europe, and putting it amongst the largest employers in the world. The NHS operates independently in each of the four constituent countries of the UK. The NHS in England is by far the largest of the four parts and had a turnover of £92.5 billion in 2008.

In 2007/08 higher education institutions in the UK had a total income of £23 billion and employed a total of 169,995 staff.  In 2007/08 there were 2,306,000 higher education students in the UK (1,922,180 in England, 210,180 in Scotland, 125,540 in Wales and 48,200 in Northern Ireland).

4.4.3. Financial and business services

The City of London is the world's largestfinancial centre alongside New York

The UK financial services industry added gross value of £116,363 million to the UK economy in 2011. The UK's exports of financial and business services make a significant positive contribution towards the country's balance of payments.

London is a major centre for international business and commerce and is one of the three "command centers" of the global economy (alongside New York City and Tokyo). There are over 500 banks with offices in London, and it is the leading international centre for banking, insurance, Eurobonds, foreign exchange trading and energy futures. London's financial services industry is primarily based in the City of London and Canary Wharf.

The City houses the London Stock Exchange, the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange, the London Metal Exchange, Lloyds of London, and the Bank of England. Canary Wharf began development in the 1980s and is now home to major financial institutions such as Barclays Bank, Citigroup and HSBC, as well as the UK Financial Services Authority. London is also a major centre for other business and professional services, and four of the six largest law firms in the world are headquartered there.

Several other major UK cities have large financial sectors and related services. Edinburgh has one of the largest financial centres in Europe and is home to the headquarters of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group and Standard Life. Leeds is now the UK's largest centre for business and financial services outside London, and the largest centre for legal services in the UK after London.

4.4.4. Hotels and restaurants

The Blue Book 2013 reports that this industry added gross value of £36,554 million to the UK economy in 2011.

4.4.5. Public administration and defence

The Blue Book 2013 reports that this sector added gross value of £70,400 million to the UK economy in 2011.

4.4.6. Real estate and renting activities

The Trafford Centre shopping complex inManchester; it was sold for £1.6 billion in 2011 in the largest property sale in British history

The real estate and renting activities sector includes the letting of dwellings and other related business support activities. The Blue Book 2013 reports that real estate industry added gross value of £143,641 million in 2011. Notable real estate companies in the United Kingdom include British Landand The Peel Group.

The UK property market boomed for the seven years up to 2008 and in some areas property trebled in value over that period. The increase in property prices had a number of causes: low interest rates, credit growth, economic growth, rapid growth in buy to-let property investment, foreign property investment in London and planning restrictions on the supply of new housing.

4.4.7. Tourism

Tourism is very important to the British economy. With over 27 million tourists arriving in 2004, the United Kingdom is ranked as the sixth major tourist destination in the world. London, by a considerable margin, is the most visited city in the world with 15.6 million visitors in 2006, ahead of 2nd placed Bangkok (10.4 million visitors) and 3rd placed Paris (9.7 million).

4.4.8. Transport, storage and communication

Heathrow Terminal 5 building. London Heathrow Airport handles the most international passenger traffic of any airport in the world.

The transport and storage industry added gross value of £59,179 million to the UK economy in 2011 and the telecommunication industry added a gross value of £25,098 million in the same year.

The UK has a radial road network of 46,904 kilometres (29,145 mi) of main roads, with a motorway network of 3,497 kilometres (2,173 mi). There are a further 213,750 kilometres (132,818 mi) of paved roads. The railway infrastructure company Network Rail owns and operates the majority of the 16,116 km (10,014 mi) train network in Great Britain; a further 303 route km (189 route mi) in Northern Ireland is owned and operated by Northern Ireland Railways. Urban rail networks are well developed in major cities including Glasgow, Liverpool and London. Plans are now being considered to build new high speed lines linking all major cities by 2025.

The Highways Agency is the executive agency responsible for trunk roads and motorways in England apart from the privately owned and operated M6 Toll. The Department for Transport states that traffic congestion is one of the most serious transport problems and that it could cost England an extra £22 billion in wasted time by 2025 if left unchecked. According to the government-sponsored Eddington report of 2006, congestion is in danger of harming the economy, unless tackled by road pricing and expansion of the transport network.

In the year from October 2009 to September 2010 UK airports handled a total of 211.4 million passengers. In that period the three largest airports were London Heathrow Airport (65.6 million passengers), Gatwick Airport (31.5 million passengers) and London Stansted Airport (18.9 million passengers). London Heathrow Airport, located 24 kilometres (15 mi) west of the capital, has the most international passenger traffic of any airport in the world. and is the hub for the UK flag carrier British Airways, as well as BMI and Virgin Atlantic. London's six commercial airports form the world's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic.

4.4.9. Wholesale and retail trade

A Tesco supermarket at Kingston Park,Newcastle upon Tyne

This sector includes the motor trade, auto repairs, personal and household goods industries. The Blue Book 2013 reports that this sector added gross value of £151,785 million to the UK economy in 2011.

The UK grocery market is dominated by five companies – Asda (owned by Wal-Mart Stores), The Co-operative Food, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco– which together have a market share of over 80%.

London is a major retail centre and in 2010 had the highest non-food retail sales of any city in the world, with a total spend of around £64.2 billion. The UK-based Tesco is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues (after Wal-Mart Stores and Carrefour) and is the current leader in the UK market with around a 30% share.

5. Finance and investment5.1. Finance

Legislation to prevent excessive spending by electoral candidates in the United Kingdom has been in place since 1883. The UK’s system of regulating campaign financing focuses on limiting the expenditure of political parties and individual candidates, rather than limits on donations that can be received by these parties and individuals, combined with a transparent reporting system of donations received and election expenditure incurred .

The British Finance offers a wide range of financial services to both Private and Business clients. From our head office in the heart of the UK, we are able to service our nationwide client base. We are happy to see clients in our premises (if available) or at your own home or business premises.

The British Finance is built up of qualified and highly Professional, independent financial advisers. Whatever you need help with, whether its Savings and investments, pension and retirement planning, protection, IHT planning and much more, call us today and let us help you to achieve your goals.

The PPERA substantially overhauled the regulation of campaign financing with regard to political parties. Prior to this act, the role of political parties in fundraising money for elections was unregulated.[5] The PPERA introduced a regime aimed at increasing transparency in donations to political parties.

The PPERA subjects political parties to campaign spending limits (known as “campaign expenditure”) a year prior to a general election. As the date of a general election is typically not known until a few weeks prior, to comply with the law, political parties must continually maintain records of their expenditure and received donations. Spending by individual candidates on their election expenses is generally excluded from this definition of campaign expenditure and is regulated through the RPA, as amended by the PPERA (see discussion, below).

The definition of campaign expenditure for political parties extends to “party political broadcasts, advertising, unsolicited material to electors, manifesto or other policy documents, market research and canvassing, media/publicity, transport, rallies or other events.”[7]

The law also requires that any notional expenditure (incurred when another person pays the cost that the political party would have otherwise had to pay) be counted as a campaign expenditure incurred by the party.

The campaign spending limits of political parties is considerably higher than that of individual candidates. In the 2005 general election the national campaign expenditure limits were £30,000 (approximately US$42,000) per constituency contested. For all three major parties contesting seats nationwide, this amounts to around £19 million (approximately US$26 million).

In the 2005 general election the campaign expenditure of the Conservative Party was £17.85 million (approximately US$25 million), £17.94 million (approximately US$25 million) for the Labour Party, and £4.32 million (approximately US$6 million) for the Liberal Democrats.[10]Additionally,the two main political parties combined expenditure in the twelve months prior to the election was approximately £90 million (approximately US$126 million).[11] The higher figure takes into account the annual expenditure of

5.2. Investment

The British are likely to invest in large scale such as: commercial property. With a financial institutions, UK insurance companies and pension funds together hold the largest block of investment property, 28%, as portfolios of directly-owned real estate. These institutional investors also have large indirect holdings via their stakes in unitised and pooled funds, property unit trusts and limited partnerships. In total, they own an estimated 40%, by value, of the core commercial investment stock. For example: UK property companies There are 114 quoted property companies in the UK. Currently they hold around 14% of the UK’sinvestment stock. However, this sector is likely to dwindle with the introduction of REITs, a new tax-efficient quoted corporate vehicle, in 2007 (see p19). There are also over 3,300 private property companies. These range from the very large to small ones that own a single property.

As you probably know the investment through tax brief of UK company:

TAX BRIEF TAX BRIEF TAX BRIEF TAX

The unit trust itself is exempt from tax on capital gains but pays corporation tax at a special rate of 20% on its income profits (after deducting allowable expenses)

The sale of units in an authorised property unit trust is subject to capital gains tax with nonbusiness asset taper relief available

Unit holders are generally taxed on distributions from the unit trust in the same way as on a dividend from a UK company. For basic rate tax payers, the tax credit will discharge their income tax liability in full. Higher rate tax payers will be liable to tax at 25% of the net distribution

Transfers of units in an authorised (and unauthorised) unit trust are potentially subject to stamp duty at up to 0.5%

6. Shopping in VietNam and Britain:6.1. Shopping in Viet Nam: 6.1.1. Perform a play to illustrate shopping customs in Viet Nam

Hello everyone, I am Phuong Thao and the sole owner of this beautiful boutique. Do you want to know my selling techniques? I would like to share you some of them

First and foremost, I dare to run after profits, so I have to try my best to gain more and more money from my customers. For the first time, I will exaggerate my price. For example, I know that this dress should be about 600 dong, equivalent to 30$, but frequently I will ask for more than 50$ for this dress. If my buyer knows how to bargain, how to balance both parts’ sake, I would like to give a little for my customer get a little. If they don’t, the surplus amount of money obviously comes to me. My Vietnamese call that “chém giá”

And how about convince them to buy my product? Especially in fashion industry. The gold quote is “Let’s praise your customer”. Praising them into skies and get their satisfaction. Initially, you should offer them the latest fashion trends. Next, once they will have tried clothes, it’s time for you to draw some honey words. You must know, It is easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar.

One more technique, as a custom of Vietnamese tradition, in an unlucky day without any guest coming to, it is advisable to fire a paper for driving ill lucky away.

Ah, there’s a guest coming to. I will show you how it works

First scene: Salesperson with a recessionist customer

T: Welcome you. My shop has imported a plenty of new models updating new trends. Besides, my shop has been implementing a promotional program as we will sale off some of products.

P: oh, let me see. Uhh, all your clothes here look nice. How much do you sale of?

T: We offer huge reduction on women’s summer dresses. Level of reduction varies from 10% to 40%. Please feel free to try any model you would like to.

P: Hum, Just only 10% to 40%??? ….

T: I guarantee that theirs could not exceed this high-quality

P: Ok, Let me try this model

T (talk to herself) : Haizz, the more they have the more they want, their request is always limitedless.

T: Oh my god, you look so beautiful in this dress. This model must be made just for you. I have never seen anyone who more suits this model than you.

P: how much does it cost? I buy it

T: With just 50$, this model will belong to you

P: could you reduce a little bit. 48$, ok?

T: Sorry, I have reduced the price 40% already. I can’t sell at a loss

P: ok ok. I will pay 50$ for it

T: Nice to meet you. See you next time

(Laugh). I have sold a 30$ dress at 50$. I am coming closer to richness.:))

Second scene: Salesperson with an aggressive woman

T: Welcome you. My shop has imported a plenty of new models updating new trends.

Q: Are there any luxurious models? Not only well-dressed, but also sexy, lady?

T: Please feel free to try any model you would like to.

Q: Expense is no problem as long as I like, I feel most suitable; especially, they have to be brand name clothes like Mango, Gucci, Bebe, Levi’s….from Italia or France anyway.

T: All clothes of my shop are made by well-known bands. Hope that it may satisfy your needs

Q: Ok. I will try.

Q: Oh my god! What a smallest fitting-room i have come!

T: Oh my god, you look so beautiful in this dress. This model must be made just for you. I have never seen anyone who more suit this model than you.

Q: Unbelievable! Where’re your eyes?

T: Oh oh, it’s a damn bad luck stuff of this day.

6.1.2. Characteristics of shopping in Viet Nam

Welcome to Vietnam, the new paradise for shopping. If you look at the surface, you will be disappointed by the large number of mass produced and many times low quality items in just any cities. If you dare to search, you will be caught in a complete surprise: Vietnam has every shopping scene that can match popular names such as SoHo in Manhattan, Kensington Market in Toronto, Chapel Street in Melbourne and Chanukah in Bangkok. Here are a few tips before you begin your exploration:  

 

Bargaining

Bargain is not common in some countries, but in Vietnam it really is. In Vietnam, bargaining is always worthwhile. Yet, it is not always due to the fact that the local have a great deal of time and very little money. Bargaining is part of Vietnamese culture as through bargaining people communicate with others, create and build up their relationship, not to mention a form of entertainment.

Indeed, some people bargain all the time because they are fond of price negotiating. Almost all foreigners find it hard to bargain although they already know the real price or the fact that they know the price prevents them from bargaining successfully. Except for some places that they offer products labeled with fixed prices, feel free to bargain almost anytime and anywhere.

 SaleVietnam does not have a sale culture like many other countries. What are on sale are usually products that can no longer be attractive enough or they might have many defects. Here and there in big cities you will catch sight of a local crowd surrounding a sign “Đại Hạ Giá” but don’t bother to join unless you want to sweat or to give your bag to some pickpockets. In shopping malls, there are price marked down but do not expect it to go below 30%. The good news is, most items are affordable even without sale.   Promotion addicted shoppersAccording to market research firm Kantar World panel Vietnam, 85% of Vietnamese consumers choose promotional products at least once a year.

Among them, three-quarters of Vietnam choose promotional products of “gifts together”. This preference form accounts for 60% of total promotional value. In addition, consumers also tend to find items to ‘buy one get one free” or “discount”

Preference of foreign-made product The leading media group, Grey Group, has recently announced the results of the survey showing that the Vietnamese rank Asia’s the first foreign-made product consumer.

There’re many reasons why so many Vietnamese people prefer foreign products. For example, there are many kinds of made-in-China clothes and toys for children that are imported to Viet Nam. Their advantage is that they are cheap. Poor people choose commodities made in China because made-in-Viet Nam goods are more expensive. Meanwhile, rich people like famous-brand names to show off their wealth.

In fact, Vietnamese people do not ignore Vietnamese products. They choose foreign products just because domestically made ones are not well promoted. There are more and more made-in-Viet Nam products such as office supplies from Hong Ha, garments from Thang Long, and textiles from Viet Tien. Dairy products from Moc Chau and Ba Vi are favoured by Vietnamese consumers.

6.2. Shopping in Britain6.2.1. Perform a play to illustrate characteristics of shopping in Britain

THOA: Hello everyone! My name is Thoa. Coming to this presentation’s part, our group will display a drama of shopping in Britain. I am a sale person of this clothes store. Therefore I am very happy to show you some characteristics of our value chain stores in the Britain, especially England.

Welcome to Marks & Spencer. It is so well-known that it is referred to as “Marks and Sparks” or just “M and S”. As you probably know, to the British, clothes at M and S are typical of middle range: they are neither cheap nor expensive, fairly good quality and rather conservative. Unlike most other department stores, M and S also has “food hall”, where items are more expensive than they are I supermarket.

When coming to Britain that the British are not very adventurous shoppers. They like reliability and my brand-name goods wherever possible, preferably with the price clearly market (they are not very keen on haggling over prices). It is therefore not surprising that a very high proportion of the country’s shops are branches of chain stores.

TAM: wow, I see that there are many types of shop in Britain? Where do you often buy something?

THAO: oh yes, there are many types of shop here such as department store- large retail stores with many goods and services but they are quite expensive, for example Harrods in London. Or you can see some shopping centre, it’s a group of shops, including Restaurant, packing area, movie house. Ah, if you want to buy something conveniently: food, tobacco,… you can go to the corner shops. And, in our country, we have off-license where people sell alcoholic beverages. We also have chain stores, warehouse and supermarket- it’s very popular in the world…

Wow, now I will take you to one of the famous names in London to buy clothes. Ok, here!

TAM: are you kidding? Is this a famous store? Oh, look it, the shop window’ display looks quite shabby, just like a common store.

THAO: oh, many people visiting Britain have the same surprising with you. It is just that the British do not demand art in their shop window. Hihi

THOA: welcome you. My store has updated a new trend of autumn–winter 2013-2014 Fashion. All clothes of my shop are made by well-known brands. Would you mind to try this dress? Hope that it may satisfy your needs.

TAM: what do you think about this skirt?

THAO: wow, it’s so cute, quite fit!

THOA: Wow! You look so beautiful when wearing it! Do you satisfy?

TAM: yes, I get it. By the way, what is the opening time?

THOA: Our store tend to be opened 7 days a week with longer opening hours - usually until 8am or 10pm most evenings, with reduced hours of 10am-4pm on a Sunday. Some in larger town stores now open 24 hours.

THAO: oh, most retail shops are generally open in that time, but some special day, it’s quite different.

TAM: so, do you know what the best time to shop is?

THAO: In Britain, Peak shopping days is Saturdays and Sundays. Shops are generally open on Bank Holidays. They are a great time to shop as there are many sales on especially around Easter and Christmas.

TAM: ok, I know. Ah, now i have to buy some apples. 2 kilograms, yes 2kg. Go on!THAO: ah, yes, but, in Britain, nobody ever asks for a kilo of apples, or 200 grams of cheese. You would have to ask for 2 pounds of apples. And you would be about right. TAM: ah yes, I got it ^^

6.2.2. Shopping in Britain

Not only are we, in the words of Napoleon, 'a nation of shopkeepers', we are also a country of compulsive shoppers. We love to shop! It is our number one leisure activity and accounts for around 37% of all money spent in England.

The British are not very adventurous shoppers. They like reliability and buy brand- name goods wherever possible; preferably with the price clearly marked (they are not very keen on haggling over prices). It is therefore not surprising that a very proportion of the country’s shops are branches of chain stores.

The main shopping street in many towns is called the High Street, where you should head for if you want to go shopping. A few small shops are owned by local people. Most are owned by national 'chains' of stores. This makes many ton centres look the same. Some towns also have street markets where fresh food and cheap goods can be bought. Away from the town centre, small 'corner' shops provide groceries to local customers.

In, Britain, Peak shopping days are Saturdays and Sundays. Shops are generally open on Bank Holidays. Bank Holidays are a great time to shop as there are many sales on especially around Easter and Christmas.

Shopping Hours

In England, most retail shops are generally open 6 or 7 days a week. Typical opening times are: Mondays – Saturdays from 9am to 5:30pm. Some shopping centers stay open until 8 pm or later. On Sunday it is from 10am to 4pm (or 11am to5pm) Sunday shopping has become popular in recent years and most large shops in towns are open for business. Shops are only allowed to trade for 6 hours on Sundays.

Large supermarkets are open for 24 hours except for Sundays.

Many supermarkets and superstores otherwise open from 8am until 10pm from Mondays to Saturdays and 10am to 4pm (or 11am to 5pm) on Sundays.

About Public Holidays / Bank Holidays On public holidays some shops open and some shops do not. As a general rule banks will be closed, most supermarkets and large stores will be open (although with reduced Sunday opening hours), and in larger towns many shops will open. Bank Holiday Shop opening times 10am to 4pm (or 11am to 5pm). Over the Christmas and New Year period, all shops are closed on Christmas Day (December 25) and a some shops are closed on New Year's Day (January 1). However, an increasing number of shops are now opening on Boxing Day (December 26), which is when many start their 'New Year' sales.

It is likely that most shopping centers will be closed on Easter Sunday and there will be reduced shopping hours on Easter Monday (often from either 10 or 11 o'clock in the morning).

In Villages, some rural shops still follow the tradition of an early closing day (usually a Wednesday) when the shops close at 1.00pm.

Banking Hours

The major high street banks in England and Wales are Lloyds, Barclays, Midland and National Westminster (Nat West). In Scotland they are the Bank of Scotland, the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Clydesdale Bank.

Generally Monday-Friday 9:30 am-3:30 pm. Some branches stay open until 5:30 pm, and a few are open Saturday morning.

Most banks will have an ATM (Automated Teller Machine) outside the bank where you can draw out money with a credit or cash card. Many of these are available to use 24 hours a day, but some do still close for a few hours during the night.

Largest Shopping Centre

Blue water is the largest out of town shopping development in Europe, located in a disused chalk pit at Dart ford in Kent. With more than 300 shops and parking for 13,000 cars, it attracts around 30 million visitors each year.

Some types of Shops in England

Department Stores

Marks & Spencer (for clothes and food)

Debenhams and John Lewis and British Home Stores (for clothes and household items),

Boots (for toiletries)

WHSmith (newsagents, stationers, Cds and DVDs).

Harrods’s - the famous department store that every tourist wants to visit. You can find anything from the cheapest to the most expensive things.

Supermarkets

Supermarkets tend to be open 7 days a week with longer opening hours - usually until 8pm or 10pm most evenings, with reduced hours of 10am-4pm on a Sunday.

Some in larger town stores now open 24 hours

The corner shop:

A shop by itself in a resident area is often reflected to as a corner shop. These sometime sell various kinds of food, but they are not always general grocers. Usually their main business is in newspapers, magazines, sweets and tobacco product. Only in corner shops do shopkeepers know their customers personally only in them are the interaction across the counter often social as well as transactional. People working in other shops are often very helpful, but the conversation usually has some clear purpose. In the last few decades, many corner shops have been taken over by people from southern Asia who have delighted the neighborhood by staying open very long hour

Off- license

Off-license (sometimes known as off-sales or office) is a term used in the United Kingdom and Ireland for a shop licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises, as opposed to a bar or public house which is licensed for consumption at the point of sale (on-license). Off-licenses typically are specialist shops, convenience stores, parts of supermarkets, or attached to bars and pubs. Prices are usually substantially lower than in bars or pubs.

In the United Kingdom, the "off-license" status of a shop could once be used as a device to circumvent restrictive trading laws, particularly those concerning Sunday trading. Depending on local by-laws, shops might be either required to close at 12:00 once a week, or else not be allowed to trade in the evening. Shops with an off-license made their hours similar to those of public houses, opening during lunch hours and from early evening to the mandatory closing time, usually 22:30 or 23:00

Chain Stores:

Chain stores are groups of retail stores engaged in the same general field of business that operate under the same ownership or management. Chain stores have come to epitomize the vertically integrated big businesses of modern mass distribution, and their strategies have shaped mass consumption.

6.3. Comparison

British Viet Nam

General economy

GDP

Labor force by occupation

Unemployment

Public finances

Investment

Spending money:Shopping

- The seventh-largest national economy in the world

- GDP per capital of $43.147 (World Bank data)

- Agriculture: 1,4%, Industry: 18% and services: 80% (2009)

- 8% (2010)

- Public debt: 63% of GDP (2011) and Revenues: £592 billion. Expenses: £682 billion

- Rich and diverse market, creative and innovative. Trading Union

- The Britist are not adventurous shoppers. They like reliability and buy brand – name goods wherever possible.Preference to buy brand name goods in almost chain stores, supermarkets or malls

- A developing planned economy and market economy

- GDP per capital of $1.596(World Bank data)

- Agriculture: 53,9%. Industry: 20,3% and services: 25,8% (2009)

- 4,4% (2010)

- Public debt: 44.5% GDP (2011). Revenues: $22.39 billion. Expenses: $24.19 billion

- Fast growth, inexpensive labor cost, good competition environment

- Many people are likely to buy cheap products in markets.Often to bargain price: might bargain the prices down to as much as two thirds of the original cost.

Shoping open hours

- Type of shop

- Open is nine in the morning until about eight o’clock. Most small shop stay open all day and then close at half-past five or a bit later- However, the most significant change in recent years has been with regard to Sundays. By the early 1990s many shops were opening on some Sundays, especially in the period before Christmas.- In 1993 Parliament voted on the matter, small shops are allowed to open on Sundays for as long as they like, but large shops and supermarkets can only open for a maximum of six hours.

- The main shopping street in many towns is called the High Street, where you should head for if you want to go shopping. A few small shops are owned by local people. Most are owned by national 'chains' of stores. This makes many ton centers look the same. Some towns also have street markets where fresh food and cheap goods can be bought. Away from the town centre, small 'corner' shops provide groceries to local customers.

- Shops open early and close any time between 6:00am and 10:00pm. Shops are open 7 days a week. However it is not compulsory. Most shops open on Sundays.

- Small shops in rural area and many shops and supermarkets in city.s

-

- Over the Christmas and New Year period, all shops are closed on Christmas Day (December 25) and a some shops are closed on New Year's Day (January 1). However, an increasing number of shops are now opening on Boxing Day (December 26), which is when many start their 'New Year' sales.

- It is likely that most shopping centres will be closed on Easter Sunday and there will be reduced shopping hours on Easter Monday (often from either 10 or 11 o'clock in the morning).

- In Villages

Some rural shops still follow the tradition of an early closing day (usually a Wednesday) when the shops close at 1.00pm.

- Department StoresSupermarkets: supermarkets tend to be open 7 days a week with longer opening hours - usually until 8pm or 10pm most evenings, with reduced hours of 10am-4pm on a Sunday.Some in larger town stores now open 24 hours

C. Conclusion

As an emerging high-growth market, there are real opportunities for British business in Vietnam as well as challenges affecting the business environment. In Vietnam, the embassy and Consulate-General are improving the UK’s reputation as a place to do business, to broker commercial partnerships and to increase Vietnamese inward investment in UK companies and projects.

UK plays an important part in supporting Vietnam’s sustainable socio-economic development, including through mitigating climate change and improving economic governance.UK is working with Vietnam to build prosperity for both our countries. This includes UK Trade & Investment’s work to increase exports, investments and open markets, DFID’s work to support Vietnam achieve its Millennium Development Goals.

UK are supporting Vietnam to benefit from global trade agreements and achieve a growth path that is more private-sector-led, through two flagship programmes: the first focuses on market development and fosters business-led projects for the poorest, and the second supports regulatory reform, particularly following Vietnam’s World Trade Organisation accession in 2007, to improve Vietnam’s competitiveness.

In general, certain differences in culture, Vietnam and Britain have the sustainable socio-economic development. The two coutries should find more ways to promote their relationship over many aspects, especially in economy.