Vietnam Tries to Tame Its Corporate Offspring: Southeast Asia

Vietnam’s state coal miner may make it onto a list of the world’s top mining companies by just one measure: its workforce. With almost 140,000 staff, it has more than BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Plc combined.

Vietnam National Coal Mineral Industries, known as Vinacomin, had about $4 billion in sales last year, compared with a combined $123 billion for BHP and Rio Tinto, the world’s biggest mining companies. The difference in productivity shows the challenge facing Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party as it pledges to overhaul state enterprises.