A majority of Vietnamese believe their families are the most important part of their lives, a survey has found.

The wide-ranging Eye on Asia survey, done in 16 countries and territories by global marketing communications firm Grey Group, also found that of 33,000 people polled around the Asia Pacific, 95 percent consider families the most crucial part of their lives.

But Dr. Do Hong Ngoc, who has written extensively about family values in Vietnam, told Thanh Nien Weekly that he doubts if the economic crisis is the main reason for people placing emphasis on the family.

“Family values have long been established in Vietnam and a solid family foundation is already there and continues to do so,” he said.

Samrat Das Gupta, the director of Grey Group’s Strategic Planning - IndoChina, while admitting the economic crisis is not the main reason, said it is still an important factor in people’s attachment to family.

“With urbanization, there has been a nuclearization of the family system… The family is a strong support system and in times of [financial] adversity becomes even more important,” Gupta told Thanh Nien Weekly.

He also suggested that companies in Vietnam should target families and communities rather than individuals in their marketing campaigns since their influence is becoming more powerful.

“A key finding about Vietnam is that it continues to be optimistic about the future. For instance, people are looking at the financial situation in terms of opportunity, be it as forced savings, making smarter choices, or the chance to be entrepreneurial and look at additional alternate modes of income.”

The survey covered respondents in Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Preserving cultural identity

Dr. Ngoc said what makes the traditional family values in Vietnam somewhat unique is the way the younger generations learn new things.

“In Vietnamese families, kids tend to learn about life and [other things] from their grandparents while in the west, they do so mostly from books and the Internet.

“It might be good for western kids to acquire knowledge that way but they are likely to be desolate and uprooted in terms of preserving their cultural and traditional values.”

He stressed the crucial task of keeping the traditional differences in this globalized era.

“Vietnamese youngsters should know how to keep their traditional identities and older people in families must be respected.”

Reported by An Dien