Key Drivers for Enhancing the Performance of the OCOP Program: A Case Study of Bac Giang Province, Vietnam

Research focusing on the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program, a pivotal rural economic development initiative in Vietnam. Inspired by international models such as Japan's One Village One Product (OVOP), the OCOP program aims to bolster rural incomes, promote local specialties, and contribute to the national agenda of new rural development. Bac Giang province has actively implemented this program, yet a comprehensive understanding of the factors driving its performance is essential for sustained success. This study aims to identify and analyze the key factors—specifically, State legal policies, Local natural and socio-economic characteristics, OCOP program communication efforts, and Cooperative linkages—influencing the OCOP program's performance in Bac Giang province. A quantitative research methodology was employed, involving a case study of Bac Giang. Data were collected via Likert scale surveys administered to OCOP stakeholders, including producers, cooperative leaders, and local officials. The analytical approach included Cronbach's Alpha for assessing the reliability of measurement scales, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) for validating the constructs of the key factors and program performance, and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression to determine the impact of these factors on OCOP program performance. The significant findings indicate that all four identified factors—State legal policies, Local natural and socio-economic characteristics, OCOP program communication, and Cooperative linkages—have a statistically significant and positive influence on the performance of the OCOP program in Bac Giang province. Cooperative linkages demonstrated the most substantial positive impact, followed by State legal policies. The conclusion is that enhancing OCOP program effectiveness in Bac Giang, and potentially in similar contexts, requires a multi-faceted approach that strengthens supportive legal frameworks, leverages unique local conditions, intensifies targeted communication and branding efforts, and, most critically, fosters robust collaborative networks among cooperatives and other stakeholders.