The current development debate emphasizes national ownership of the development agenda as a precondition for sustainable development and aid effectiveness. Vietnam is often held up as a good example of strong ownership. Yet, the ownership concept is not clearly defined or understood due to a lack of empirically rooted evidence and analysis. This study examines the key elements of development ownership in Vietnam in order to define and understand the determinants and nature of strong ownership. Arguing that ownership is both time and place specific and must be defined and understood within the confines of a national political context, this study proposes an analytical framework for analyzing ownership in which the focus is shifted from a donor-driven to a recipient perspective.