Library succession planning process in Vietnam

This paper aims to design a model of succession planning process for public and academic libraries in Vietnam.

The model of library succession planning process was develop based on the findings of a two-phase research underpinned by transformational leadership theory. Data were collected from 172 responses of the online survey and 23 in-depth interviews in 13 public and 4 academic libraries in the Mekong region, Vietnam.

A library succession planning process with six steps was established.

As the research takes place in both public and academic libraries, the overarching benefit of the present study is to provide library leaders in these sectors with practical understanding and knowledge about how succession planning process can be done, as well as to enhance management practices in Vietnam libraries and other organisations. Leaders from other types of library systems in Vietnam and globally can reference this model so as to know what to do and how to conduct this process confidently.

This study helps to fill the gap that succession planning in Vietnamese libraries has been done without a specific path. Library leaders in each organisation conducted it differently between public and academic libraries because the government has only issued general guides for all industries of the nation.