Can we make a plan for a whole country? This paper examines adjustments the socio-economic development planning process in the context of Vietnam - a developing and transitional country. The main research question is whether the comprehensive planning processes have substantially changed from the top-down approach of the past to an open and participatory one today. Can Vietnam’s current planning process, which has been described as ‘suited for the
command economy’ (World Bank, 2005), fit into a global market economy or is there need for another approach? The paper analyses Vietnam’s Five Year Socio-economic Development planning process within the three spheres: governance, management and participation. The paper concludes with a suggested planning approach for Vietnam.