The main findings of these case studies include: * growing international competition and rising labour costs have reduced the time that new entrants into a market have for enjoying wage and cost advantages * there are no fixed formulas or sequences in technology capability formation for firms to become successful exporters of manufactured goods * but continuous innovation in product design, prodcution processes, management routines, marketing and the organization of production are the basis for competitiveness in all industries and in all countries * learning and internalization of knowledge are crucial to acquiring the technological know-how to break into export markets and then maintain market share * and domestic demand is of increasing importance in the region in terms of providing opportunities for dynamic growth in the market for manufactured goods. Le Dieu Anh, Institute for Economic Success, Hochiminh City, Viet Nam, Tran Ngoc Ca, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Hanoi, Viet Nam, Dieter Ernst, Copenhagen Bus