Improving the institutional framework for cultural industry development in the context of Vietnam’s digital economy

Cultural industries are increasingly recognized as economic sectors driven by creativity, knowledge, and intellectual property, contributing to economic growth, national competitiveness, and soft power. This study analyzes the concepts and relationships among cultural industries, institutions, and the digital economy and evaluates Vietnam’s current institutional framework. The findings indicate that existing policies and laws remain insufficiently coordinated and have not fully kept pace with digital business models, intellectual property protection, platform governance, data management, and innovation. The study recommends shifting from a management-oriented framework toward an enabling institutional approach that supports creative enterprises, develops cultural markets, protects digital and intellectual assets, strengthens cooperation among stakeholders, and improves governance effectiveness. These reforms can help transform cultural resources into economic value and establish cultural industries as a new growth driver in the digital era.