The idea of this book derives from my Master thesis, which I wrote on civil organizations in Vietnam. While writing my thesis I realized what enormous impact non-governmental private actors have on every policy area in Vietnam. I also realized that to talk about the state did not make much sense, since Vietnam's political system was far from being monolithic. I became interested in understanding reform processes in health policy, a policy area which I found especially important in terms of equity and social cohesion inside a society.

This thesis could not have been completed without the help of many people. I would therefore like to acknowledge my gratitude to all those who have supported me in my work during the last years.

First of all I want to thank Professor Dr Jürgen Rüland for accepting me as a doctoral student, for his support and guidance throughout the whole process of research and writing. Furthermore I thank Dr Jörg Wischermann who inspired this work, for his helpful advice and encouragement.

I am grateful to Professor Dr Heribert Weiland for encouraging my work and providing me with a work place at the Arnold Bergstraesser Institute (ABI) in Freiburg. I am deeply indebted to all my friends and colleagues at the ABI. The ABI has provided me with a stimulating research and working atmosphere in which I have found motivation to finish my Ph.D. I would like to especially thank my friends and colleagues Angela Herrmann, Christl Kessler, Ingrid Wehr, Steffi Gerum, Jan Völkel, Clemens Jürgenmeyer, Martin Adelmann and Reinhard Kössler for their encouragement and critical analysis of my work and Margret Rae, Gabriel Seifert and my dearest cousin Marcus Gerhardt for proofreading.

During my field visits in Hanoi I have got in contact with many people, who have been of utmost importance for my research.