Thang V. Nguyen, Thang N. Bach, Thanh Q. Le and Canh Q. Le
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether higher levels of transparency, accountability, and participation have a statistically significant association with corruption, and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether higher levels of transparency, accountability, and participation have a statistically significant association with corruption, and whether corruption is highly correlated with lower public service quality in the context of Vietnam’s transition economy.
Design/methodology/approach
Using individual-level survey data from Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index, the research employs an ordered probit model to test whether greater transparency, accountability, and participation is associated with lower levels of corruption. Moreover, district-level data are used to test the relationship between corruption and quality of public services particularly in healthcare and primary education.
Findings
Results show that a higher level of transparency, participation, and accountability is associated with a lower level of corruption, and that corruption is negatively associated with public service quality.
Research limitations/implications
The use of cross-sectional data does not allow the establishment of causal relationships among variables.
Practical implications
The research suggests that fostering accountability to citizens and non-state sectors and promotion of genuine participation from these actors are critical for the future anti-corruption agenda.
Originality/value
In developing countries, whether corruption enhances efficiency of service provision is highly debatable. This research contributes to this debate by suggesting that corruption significantly decreases the quality of public service, and that improving local governance helps reduce corruption.
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Dao Van Le and Tuyen Quang Tran
This study explores the effect of local budget retention rate changes (RER) on total factor productivity (TFP) and its components in Vietnam.
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the effect of local budget retention rate changes (RER) on total factor productivity (TFP) and its components in Vietnam.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs a two-system generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator and data from 2012 to 2019 across all 63 provinces/cities of Vietnam.
Findings
The study finds that local budget retention rates significantly influence public investment, affecting scale and allocation efficiency. The reallocation of budgets between regions and from the central government to local levels incurs certain costs, often resulting in economically robust provinces experiencing reductions in their retention rates.
Practical implications
Recognizing the challenges of immediate structural budget changes due to cultural and historical factors, the study suggests a more gradual policy approach. It emphasizes the importance of policy predictability, as abrupt reductions in the retention rate lead to higher costs than gradual reductions, thus implementing budget policies with a clearer timeline. This study provides insight into local budget allocation regimes and their impact on productivity in transitioning countries.
Originality/value
First, the study provides fresh evidence of the impact of retention rate changes on TFP and its components in Vietnam. Second, the study provides insights into the mechanisms of the nexus of increased budget spending, capital efficiency and, most importantly, attaining improvement in education. We also offer further insights into inefficient budget allocation agents in Vietnam, especially in large cities, which should alert scholars to explore this topic further in the future.
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Phuc Canh Nguyen, Christophe Schinckus, Binh Quang Nguyen and Duyen Le Thuy Tran
This study investigates the effect of global and domestic uncertainty on the dynamics of portfolio investment in 21 economies (mostly advanced and larger emerging economies) from…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the effect of global and domestic uncertainty on the dynamics of portfolio investment in 21 economies (mostly advanced and larger emerging economies) from 2001–2016.
Design/methodology/approach
Specifically, the evolution of the net portfolio equity investment inflows (FPI net inflows) and the evolution of net portfolio investment (FPI net) are investigated in a context in which the degree and the volatility of domestic economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and world uncertainty index (WUI) varied. The authors provide an empirical analysis through the sequential (two-stage) estimation of linear panel data models for unbalanced panel data.
Findings
An increase in the degree and volatility of domestic EPU has a significant negative influence on FPI net inflows, while an increase in WUI has a significant positive one. Notably, a simultaneous increase in the domestic EPU and WUI enhances the net inflows of FPI, whereas a simultaneous increase in the volatility of these indicators reduces the net inflows of FPI. An increase in the degree and volatility of both domestic EPU and WUI have a significant positive effect on the net portfolio investment, implying that a significant net portfolio investment is going out of the country.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this study encourage international investors to consider uncertainty indicators (and, more specifically, their variations) in their portfolio strategy to optimize their position on the international markets. The findings of this study invite policy-makers from large countries to reduce the perceived domestic uncertainty since this parameter can influence international investors' sensitivity and willingness to diversify their position out of the country.
Originality/value
The authors' approach focuses on the variations of uncertainty (existing literature mainly works with the indicators). While the results confirm the role played by large markets in international portfolio investment management, it nuances the changes in the portfolio management behaviors toward other markets when facing a changing uncertainty.
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Canh Thi Nguyen and Lua Thi Trinh
The purpose of this paper is to assess both short and long-term influences of public investment on economic growth and test the hypothesis that whether public investment promotes…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess both short and long-term influences of public investment on economic growth and test the hypothesis that whether public investment promotes or demotes private investment in Vietnam.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use the approach of autoregressive distributed lag model and Vietnam’s macro data in the period of 1990-2016, to evaluate the short and long-term effects of public investment on economic growth and private investment. The model evaluates the impact of public investment on economic growth and private investment based on the neoclassical theories. The public investment which strongly affects economic growth is also reflected by aggregate supply and demand. Public investment directly impacts aggregate demand as a government expenditure and aggregate supply as a production function (capital factor).
Findings
The results from this research indicate that public investment in Vietnam in the past period does affect economic growth in the pattern of an inverted-U shape as of Barro (1990), with positive effects mostly occurring from the second year and negative effects of constraining long-term growth. Meanwhile, investment from the private sector, state-owned enterprises, and FDI has positive effects on short-term economic growth and state-owned capital stock has positive impacts on economic growth in both the short and long run. The estimated influence of public investment on private investment also shows a similar inverted-U shape in which public investment have crowding-in private investment short-term but crowding-out in the long run.
Practical implications
The empirical findings in this study can be used for conducting a more efficient policy in restructuring the state sector investment in Vietnam.
Originality/value
The main contributions in this study are: to evaluate the impacts of public investment on economic growth and private investment, the authors extracted public investment in infrastructure from aggregate investment of state sector (as previous studies used); the authors also uses state-owned capital stock variable including cumulative public investment and state-owned enterprises investment suggesting that this could control for the different orders of integration between the stock and flow variable and improve the experimental characteristics of the equation to a higher degree.
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Sami Ur Rahman, Faisal Faisal, Fariha Sami and Friedrich Schneider
The shadow economy (SE) has been a serious issue with varied dimensions in all countries that significantly affect economic growth. Therefore, all countries have made an effort to…
Abstract
Purpose
The shadow economy (SE) has been a serious issue with varied dimensions in all countries that significantly affect economic growth. Therefore, all countries have made an effort to tackle the SE by pursuing several measures. This study aims to investigate the impact of financial markets (stock and bond) in reducing the SE while considering the role of country risk (political, economic and financial) in N-11 countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed first-generation methodological techniques, including a unit root test to identify stationarity in the series, a panel cointegration test and panel autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) to estimate long-run and short-run relationships. Finally, the Granger causality is applied to determine the direction of the causal relationship.
Findings
The study explored that country risk factors are crucial in reducing the size of the SE. Moreover, the significant moderating role of country risk factors in the financial market development and SE nexus suggests that by controlling the country's risk, financial market development can negatively affect the SE.
Research limitations/implications
Due to the availability of data, the study used data, ranging from 1995 to 2015, because the tax burden data is available from 1995 while the maximum data for the SE is available till 2015, using Medina and Schneider's (2019) data estimates for the SE.
Originality/value
The previous studies have focused explicitly on the role of financial institutions' development in the SE. To the best of the author's knowledge, no previous study is attempted to investigate the role of financial markets (bonds and stock) in the size of the SE. Furthermore, previous studies have ignored the important role of country risk factors in the size of the SE. This study investigates the impact of country risk on the SE and the moderating role of country risk in the development of financial markets and the SE nexus.
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Canh Minh Nguyen, Duyen Chau Thi Le, Bao Thai Pham and Ngoc Thi My Dang
The purpose of this study is to present an exploration of green intrinsic motivation’s mediating role in the relationship between socially responsible human resource management…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to present an exploration of green intrinsic motivation’s mediating role in the relationship between socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) and employee workplace green behaviour. Additionally, green leadership behaviour’s moderating role within this relationship is investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected via a survey using a convenience sampling approach with a sample of 300 employees in Vietnam. A path analysis and the bootstrapping technique in the SPSS Process macro were used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results demonstrate that employee green intrinsic motivation mediates the association between SRHRM and workplace green behaviour. Furthermore, the findings indicate that green leadership behaviour attenuates the mediation.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that managers should be aware of green intrinsic motivation’s role in encouraging employee workplace green behaviour that results from SRHRM implementation. Organisations should provide resources and enact policies to promote green intrinsic motivation and foster employees’ engagement in workplace environmental activities. Additionally, organisations must be aware of the potentially negative impact of green leadership behaviour and proactively ensure that such actions are authentic, aligned with SRHRM practices, applicable to employees’ work and administered carefully to prevent the perception of micromanagement.
Originality/value
This is the first study to examine green intrinsic motivation as the underlying psychological mechanism and green leadership behaviour as the boundary condition that affects the relationship between SRHRM and employee workplace green behaviour.
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The research purpose is to explore the diffusion of mobile QR-code payment (MQP) in a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) context by formulating a behavioral response model based on an…
Abstract
Purpose
The research purpose is to explore the diffusion of mobile QR-code payment (MQP) in a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) context by formulating a behavioral response model based on an integration between protection motivation theory (PMT) and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). This study also investigates the importance of physical distancing norm for behavioral intention toward MQP.
Design/methodology/approach
A web-based survey was designed and data were accumulated from 411 validated respondents who have used MQP or tend to utilize it in Vietnam. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS to verify the hypotheses.
Findings
Results illustrated that behavioral intention is motivated by key antecedents of PMT (including perceived severity, perceived susceptibility and self-efficacy) and important factors of UTAUT (including performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence), and physical distancing norm. Moreover, perceived severity promotes performance expectancy, whereas self-efficacy boosts effort expectancy in MQP. Lastly, behavioral intention and recommendation were indicators of the diffusion of MQP under COVID-19.
Practical implications
MQP is just in its infant stage in Vietnam; thus, the findings provide managerial implications, which will aid service providers and firms to adopt marketing strategies that enhance consumers' acceptability and recommendation of MQP to the public.
Originality/value
Little is empirically considered the effects of perceived threat-related factors in PMT and physical distancing norm on behavioral intention toward MQP in a salient pandemic setting. Furthermore, the antecedents in UTAUT contribute greatly to behavioral intention. This study enlightens the diffusion of MQP based on behavioral intention and recommendation.
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Canh Minh Nguyen, Bao Thai Pham and Duyen Thi Le Chau
This paper aims to explore the unintended effect of socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) on employee task performance via three components of role stress: role…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the unintended effect of socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) on employee task performance via three components of role stress: role conflict, role ambiguity and role overload.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected from 360 employees who were working in companies in the south of Vietnam and the study hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM).
Findings
The results indicate that SRHRM increases role conflict, role ambiguity and role overload, which negatively affect employee task performance.
Practical implications
The key practical implication of our study is that SRHRM may decrease employee task performance via role conflict, role ambiguity and role overload. Managers should be aware of these findings and devise a plan to reduce the role stress that results from implementing SRHRM.
Originality/value
This study provides empirical evidence of the destructive consequences of SRHRM and contributes to a more complete perspective of how SRHRM affects employee performance.
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Adriana Bruscato Bortoluzzo, Antonio Zoratto Sanvicente and Maurício Mesquita Bortoluzzo
This study explores distinct capital structure patterns between private and public companies, examining the varying influence of determinants on debt choices contingent upon a…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores distinct capital structure patterns between private and public companies, examining the varying influence of determinants on debt choices contingent upon a firm’s existing debt position.
Design/methodology/approach
Employing annual data from 2012 to 2022 for 142 public firms and 660 private firms in a large emerging economy, we use quantile regression within a panel data framework to study the heterogeneous effects of debt determinants, incorporating firm and time random effects.
Findings
Our findings indicate that such factors as size and operating margin contribute to higher levels of debt, while investment opportunities reduce the debt level. Further analyses, when accounting for a firm’s likelihood of being publicly traded, reveal that dividend payout and operating margin significantly influence debt levels, exclusively in the presence of high debt proportions. Conversely, investment opportunities emerge as a substantial determinant in all debt scenarios. In addition, we found a strong persistence in the indebtedness of companies, and we conclude that the effect of the determinants of indebtedness is heterogeneous according to the level of debt of companies.
Originality/value
This research provides a comprehensive comparison between private and public firms, not only in terms of debt levels but also in key capital structure determinants, highlighting their significance within the context of varying debt levels.
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The authors attempt to explore fat tails and network interlinkages of oil prices and the six largest cryptocurrencies from 1st January 2018 and 1st August 2021. The authors also…
Abstract
Purpose
The authors attempt to explore fat tails and network interlinkages of oil prices and the six largest cryptocurrencies from 1st January 2018 and 1st August 2021. The authors also investigate the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic on these network interlinkages.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors follow Diebold and Yilmaz (2012) to calculate the spillover index the dynamic correlation coefficient model firstly employed by Engle (2002) to study how the volatility of oil prices are transmitted to those of cryptocurrency return and liquidity and vice versa.
Findings
The results confirm the presence of time-varying interlinkages between the volatilities of the oil market and the cryptocurrency market. Notably, uncertain events like the COVID-19 health crisis significantly influence the time-varying interlinkages they augment dramatically during the COVID-19 health crisis. The turbulence of the cryptocurrency market, especially from Bitcoin and Ethereum, significantly impacts those of the oil market. The role of the oil market in transmitting the effect of respective shocks to the cryptocurrency market, on the other hand, is time-varying, which is only reported when the COVID-19 pandemic first appeared at the beginning of 2020. The turbulence of the cryptocurrency market in the system is greatly explained by themself rather than a transmission mechanism of shocks to the oil market.
Practical implications
Insightful knowledge about key antecedents of contagion among these markets also help policymakers design adequate policies to reduce these markets' vulnerabilities and minimize the spread of risk or uncertainty across these markets.
Originality/value
The most significant benefit of the approach is how simple it is to calculate net pairwise connectivity, which identifies transmission channels between these commodity and financial markets. The authors are also the first to use the quasi-maximum likelihood (QML) estimator to estimate the DCC model to measure the volatility spillover index to reflect the level of interdependence between the different markets. By using a daily and up to date database, the authors can observe the role of each market in transmitting and receiving the shocks between two different sub-periods: (1) before and (2) during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.