The fourth spell of Covid-19 pandemic spreading has caused many businesses to go bankrupt or "stand still". However, Deo Ca people have been still strongly moved through actively opening their own way with the strategy of “Quality personnel – Quality works – Quality profits” to develop.

“Quality personnel”: Human resource planning associated with training

Planning, training and developing personnel in Deo Ca Group (DCG) is different from any other businesses. In parallel with the management and development of existing personnel, they recruit and train new personnel according to the model of "The flock of birds 9-18-36-… overcomes the storm", which always has the next generation ready to replace the previous one. This model is a combination of academic theory with work practice that applies the classic management art of billionaires such as Mr. Nghiem Gioi Hoa, Mr. Hua Gia An,… Mr. Ho Minh Hoang, DCG’s head, always sincerely respects for Deo Ca people’s spirit of learning (He receives knowledges shared from his advisors and successful businessmen,… and save them to an e-book that he reads everyday).

Mr. Ho Minh Hoang commented at the reporting session of Financial Management subject (EMBA, a photo taken before the social distancing)

In the Covid-19 context outbreaking, he said that in addition to the task of fighting the epidemic and ensuring the projects progress, this is the right time for them to re-evaluate internal processes of the management and the training (building bases before assigning positions), and at the same time, raise responsibility "You will open to open traffic road, should you open the way to responsibility".

This talented leader has offered a prize of 1 billion VND to any one of the strategic personnel that successfully defends a doctoral thesis related DCG’s practical operations. On July 27, 2021, Mr. Tran Van The – DCG’s Vice Chairman successfully defended his doctoral thesis with the topic "Factors impact on public - private partnership (PPP) investment of private sector in the field of road transport infrastructure in Vietnam”. This is a meaningful topic in terms of theory, science and practice in the context of PPP investment in Vietnam which is facing some inadequacies. The thesis has recommended the State many valuable methods for the improvement of PPP legal policies and equality, and risk sharing between the State and the private sector.

One of EMBA lessons of DCG’s personnel (Photo taken in January 2021)

Former Minister of Transport Mr. Ho Nghia Dung said: “This is the initial success because of the breakthrough thought on DCG’s human resource development, according to the philosophy of “Thinking different; creating differences”. The personnel’s successes have been due to many diferrent reasons, but they are similar in that they all stem from the excellent training mindset of DCG’s Chairman and the value of products that DCG has made for the society over the years”.

DCG is currently possessing over 50 managers studying the EMBA course in the National Economics University (NEU) based on the practical curriculum. Subjects, such as Behavioral Organization, Financial Management, and Stock Market, provided practically typical knowledges about which DCG had been successful. This is also the first training program marking the cooperation between a prestigious university with one of the top companies in the field of transport infrastructure. Currently, whole students are researching and completing their graduation thesis.

These thesises are special in that six topics of them were proposed by Mr. Ho Minh Hoang and their outlines were built closely with DCG's investment activities and measures to solve specifically legal problems that the old managers (Mr. Duong UDIC, Mr. Dinh Ngoc He - Ut Troc) faced in some projects such as Bac Giang - Lang Son Expressway, Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway,...

The EMBA graduation thesises, in addition to being guided by the NEU’s lecturers, is also supported and critiqued by members of DCG’s Advisory Council.

Particularly:

1. The control topic: "Enhancing the internal control system of DCG" is supported and critiqued by Colonel Nguyen Thanh Trang and Mr. Ngo Van Quy.

2. The human resource topic: "Training personnel for DCG in the period of 2021 - 2025" is supported and critiqued by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Hai.

3. The financial topic: “Building financial statements in investment and construction activities towarding raising DCG’s capital through stocks, bonds,...” is supported and critiqued by Prof. Dr. Tran Tho Dat.

4. The investment topic: "Enhancing the efficiency of DCG’s projects invested under PPP method" is supported and critiqued by Mr. Ho Nghia Dung and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Chung.

5. The communication topic: "Organizing communication activities of DCG" is supported by Dr. Le Van Hy and is critiqued by a representative of Vietnam Journalists Association and some editorial directors.

6. The financial scenario topic: "Solution to raise DCG’s capital for investment in transport infrastructure projects under PPP method in the period of 2021 - 2025" is supported and critiqued by Mr. Ha Huy Hung.

After finishing the EMBA program, some of DCG’s key personnel will be selected to participate in the doctoral training course.

Last July, the Ministry of Health raised the Covid-19 epidemic alert level, many provinces and cities implemented social distancing according to Directive 16, production and business activities in many localities were also significantly affected.

“Quality works”: fighting against the epidemic to ensure work progress

In the projects that DCG is constructing, the transportation of materials as well as the travel of employees is very difficult because of the epidemic prevention in the localities. To solve the above difficulties, DCG has actively worked with local authorities to register, make medical declarations, and vaccinate employees working or traveling through these localities.

Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway, despite facing many difficulties in construction due to the influence of the epidemic, is still determined to be completed this year.

Regarding some toll stations that has to be suspended due to social distancing, DCG’s representative said: “The suspension of toll collections are an urgent solution to fight against Covid-19 and ensure safety for people. Therefore, we fully agree it. We forecasted it and actively worked with banks and the Ministry of Transport to propose appropriate adjustments of financial plans so as not to negatively impact on the projects”.

On June 8, 2021, more than 200 employees in Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway Project had to concentratedly quarantine due to contacting cases contracting the Covid-19 disease. There were one Vice Chairman and one General Director of DCG among them. Immediately, the replacement with other personnel who had been vaccinated was deployed to meet the Project’s progress committed with 21 million people in the Mekong Delta. They are determined to complete the Project in 2021 with the spirit of "not allowing the spread of the blaming epidemic and the Covid-19 epidemic".

On July 30, 2021, DCG, representing the investors consortium of Cam Lam - Vinh Hao Expressway Project, cooperated with the Ministry of Transport to sign the project contract with the Project’s total investment of 8.925 billion VND. DCG has requested the Ministry of Transport to review the bidding criterions related to the capital raising instead of depending on credit. In addition, they suggested credit institutions to reduce interest rates, restructure debts,… based on the situation of the Covid-19 and the suspension of toll collection.

DCG’s leaders inspected the implementation of Cua Luc 1 Bridge Project

Mai Son - National Roadway 45 Expressway, My Thuan - Can Tho Expressway, Cam Lo - La Son Expressway, Cua Luc bridges and Ha Long - Cam Pha coastal road are all required by the DCG’s leaders to closely control the construction progress and reduce costs. All of them are determined to win the epidemic and complete the projects on schedule.

“Quality profits”: Hard work must accompany with efficiencies

When the Covid-19 epidemic appeared in Vietnam, DCG’s Chairman, with his intelligence, anticipated the forthcoming difficulties and required the restructuring of DCG’s management apparatus arcording to his viewpoint of "actively changing to adapt”.

DCG’s management models include: “Imperfect Couple”, which means that the executive do not decide on finance, personnel and vice versa; “Three people’s story”, which means that one person deploys the work, another person checks, other people oversee and evaluate the result. For each of assigned tasks, there are always many people involved in supporting, checking and overseeing to achieve the highest efficiency.

Three defense layers in controlling operations established, including: the offices of Management Board and General Directors playing the role of pre-check, the Department of Internal Control - Legal playing the role of post-check, the Department of Internal Audit playing the role of re-check. The message of "Don’t trust anyone absolutely" was stated and control tools used have been as security and auditing departments to enhance the management and promtly handling of mistakes. Therefore, DCG’s profits have been optimized and its foundation is solidly built.

The spirit of learning and the restructuring of DCG’s management apparatus are necessary in the context that they are implementing many big projects such as Tan Phu - Bao Loc Expressway, Dong Dang - Tra Linh Expressway,... and is promoting investment in transport infrastructure projects, renewable energy projects, ... in many other provinces such as Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Dien Bien, ... and the southern provinces.

Throughout the process of formation and development of DCG, in the more difficult contexts, the will and the creativity and suitable solutions of Deo Ca people are always prove to adapt to the circumstances, overcome obstacles and constantly develop. Their ultimate goal is to make their profits and at the same time make practical products to contribute to society.

By TEAM OF SECRETARIES