The concept of power-distance is the degree, or extent, to which an unequal distribution of power is accepted by members of a society for subordinate-authority relations. Hallinger’s (2010) study of education reform policy in a number of South-east Asian countries (but not Vietnam) suggests the large power differences which are evident in hierarchies mean that those in positions of power often ‘lead by fiat’ and ‘focus more on ‘telling’ staff the tasks to be accomplished with relatively little two-way communication’ (, p. 413) so factors such as power-distance mean that even where there are similarities to Western issues, the same issue might well manifest itself differently in a South-east Asian context as the research previously by Mercer and Ri (2006) may also suggest.