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For successful management of construction projects, a precise analysis of the balance between time and cost is imperative to attain the most effective results. The aim of this study is to present an innovative approach tailored to tackle the challenges posed by time-cost trade-off (TCTO) problems. This objective is achieved through the integration of the multi-verse optimizer (MVO) with opposition-based learning (OBL), thereby introducing a groundbreaking methodology in the field.

The paper aims to develop a new hybrid meta-heuristic algorithm. This is achieved by integrating the MVO with OBL, thereby forming the iMVO algorithm. The integration enhances the optimization capabilities of the algorithm, notably in terms of exploration and exploitation. Consequently, this results in expedited convergence and yields more accurate solutions. The efficacy of the iMVO algorithm will be evaluated through its application to four different TCTO problems. These problems vary in scale – small, medium and large – and include real-life case studies that possess complex relationships.

The efficacy of the proposed methodology is evaluated by examining TCTO problems, encompassing 18, 29, 69 and 290 activities, respectively. Results indicate that the iMVO provides competitive solutions for TCTO problems in construction projects. It is observed that the algorithm surpasses previous algorithms in terms of both mean deviation percentage (MD) and average running time (ART).

This research represents a significant advancement in the field of meta-heuristic algorithms, particularly in their application to managing TCTO in construction projects. It is noteworthy for being among the few studies that integrate the MVO with OBL for the management of TCTO in construction projects characterized by complex relationships.

Perhaps the most significant development in the global business arena in the post-war period has been the emergence of the Asia-Pacific rim countries as a significant economic force.

This paper aims to explore how research and development (R&D) scientists and engineers can contribute to sustainability initiatives in their organisations.

This paper uses a critical case study methodology, focussed on a large Vietnamese company in which business leaders sought to engage R&D scientists and engineers in sustainability initiatives focussed on eco-innovation and eco-efficiency. Bourdieu’s theoretical lens of habitus, capitals and field facilitates a relational analysis of the findings.

While R&D scientists and engineers adapted well to early changes aligned with eco-innovation, they struggled to engage with sustainability initiatives in the case firm. This study explains adaptions and constraints as scientists and engineers’ professional habitus and capitals, and their broader organisational field.

This paper provides insight into how organisations might integrate professional acculturation and appropriate facilitators to promote the additional contribution of scientists and engineers to sustainability initiatives in the context of an organisation.

Although eco-innovation and eco-efficiency are only potential dimensions of comprehensive organisational sustainability reform, this research provides insight into how engaging scientists and engineers with a broader social sustainability agenda might be advanced.

The study addresses calls for empirical insights into ways that scientists and engineers can commit to organisational sustainability practices based on the configurations of habitus, capital and organisational field.

“The world needs science, science needs women” is the message given by UNESCO in the program for the development of women in science” (UNESCO, 2017). In Vietnam, women’s participation and achievements in scientific research is considered a great and important resource for industrialization and modernization. Even so, are there gender differences in scientific achievement in the social science research institutes in Vietnam? What factors influence the scientific achievement of female social researchers? The answers will be based on data from a 2017 survey with a sample of 756 researchers, of which 77.6% were female. The survey was conducted by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, a leading, ministry-level national center for the social sciences in Vietnam. This chapter analyzed the scientific achievements of researchers through their position as principal investigators of research projects and their publications, and factors that may impact this. Bivariate and multivariate analyses of factors that may affect the scientific achievement of researchers found that gender differences in academic achievement in the social sciences in Vietnam was still prevalent. Female researchers’ scientific achievements were lower than those of their male counterparts. The contribution to science of Vietnamese female researchers was limited by many different factors; the most important were the academic rank of the researchers and gender stereotype that considered housework the responsibility of women.

This study aims to present the factors affecting and comparing the difference in community acceptance between groups of survey from the perspective of behavioral reasoning theory (BRT).

This study presents a quantitative method through conducting survey of 152 local residents from three provinces of Viet Nam.

This study examines the new approach of “reason for” and “reason against” community acceptance within the context of wind energy development in Viet Nam. This study also suggests that “reason for” have a positive impact on the local community; however, issues like noise and shadow cast by turbine blades are significant challenges that contribute to the “reason against” acceptance. This study’s findings provide evidence of the importance of location and socio – economic impacts in influencing community acceptance and can give some feedback for local policymakers in Viet Nam’s energy sector as they implement wind projects in potential areas.

To the best of the author's knowledge, this study is the first empirical study conducted across three Vietnamese provinces on community acceptance of onshore wind energy. The integration of literature on socio-acceptance with BRT in energy research contributes valuable insights to the fields of energy behavior and energy policy research.

Little is known about how religious beliefs can motivate consumers to behave more pro-environmentally. Drawn on an integrated model of the theory of planned behavior, the norm activation model and the self-determination theory, this study aims to explore the effects of religious beliefs (especially, karmic beliefs (KB) and beliefs in a just world (BJW)) on consumers' pro-environmental behavior.

A sample of 736 consumers recruited from the eight most populous cities in Vietnam using the mall-intercept survey approach and structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to test the hypothesized model and hypotheses.

The findings indicate that KB and BJW can increase consumers' green intrinsic motivation, which subsequently encourages them to engage in pro-environmental consumption. Moreover, awareness of consequences (AOC) and ascription of responsibility (AOR) serially indirectly inspire consumers' sustainable consumption through serial mediators, including personal norms (PN), attitudes toward green products and green purchase intention.

Based on the findings, some theoretical and managerial implications for pro-environmental consumption are provided.

The study offers fresh perspectives on the role of religious beliefs in pro-environmental research. Additionally, this study sheds new light on the marketing literature by integrating the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and norm activation model (NAM) with self-determination theory (SDT) to explore the underlying mechanisms and effects of psychological components on consumers' pro-environmental behaviors.

This chapter provides information on the development of Vietnamese education under the influence of global forces based on the analysis of relevant education research and policies using Wolhuter’s frameworks. In the process of coming up with ways to develop education in the face of different influences of globalization, besides having reactions with patterns commonly found in countries around the world, Vietnam also has responses that reflect its own political, sociocultural and economic characteristics. The state still plays a controlling role in education at all levels and many culture-related features that have existed throughout the country’s history have hardly changed, namely aspects related to teachers, learners and teaching and learning methods. To sustain its education in the globalized era, Vietnam must make more efforts in various aspects such as the link between education and employment, the logic of education objectives, the feasibility and appropriateness of curricula, quality of education, especially of higher education and equality in education for underprivileged groups.

This study aims to investigate the impact of AI chatbots on customer trust in AI chatbots for hotel services.

The probability sampling method was employed to develop a research sample. The research uses correlation analysis and structural equation modeling to analyze the data of 413 valid observations collected in the structured questionnaire survey in Vietnam.

The paper reports that empathy response, anonymity and customization significantly impact interaction. Empathy response is found to be the strongest influence on interaction. Meanwhile, empathy response and anonymity were revealed to indirectly affect customer trust. This paper also contributes several implications for hotel providers in emerging economies.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to shed light on the role of AI chatbots in explaining customers’ behavior. The results provide an enhanced understanding of how the AI chatbot system influences customers’ decision-making. It has been used to plan the chatbot application and highlight which implementation issues need the most attention in the hospitality industry.

Management practices and competition levels have been shown as important factors affecting the performance of enterprises that do not include banks. The paper, thus, aims to measure management practices and to study the effect of management quality and competition level on the performances of the first-level branch of commercial banks in the context of the Viet Nam banking system.

The study employed the approach of Bloom and Van Reneen (2007) to quantify management practices of the commercial banks. The level of competition was measured by the number of competitors suggested by Nickell (1996) and the index suggested by Boone (2008). Finally, the effects of management practices and competition level on the bank performances were jointly estimated through a Cobb–Douglas production function, similar to the one used by Bloom et al. (2014).

The results show that the management practices score is, on average, above the average. While the management practices are found to positively correlate with profits, the competition level is found to significantly reduce bank profits.

Cross-sectional data limit the findings of the paper to a point of time. In the future, studies with panel data are desirable.

The findings of the study help bank managers to make more informed decisions about management practices. Any policy promoting new entrants to the banking market should be carefully considered.

The paper is the first to measure the management practices of commercial banks and to explore the impacts of management quality and competition level on bank performances.

The authors estimated the hidden overhead (capital diversion or wasteful use of capital) of Vietnam state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

The authors used a panel data set of 10,200 Vietnam SOEs observed over the period 2010–2018. The authors modeled and estimated the hidden overhead by using a stochastic production frontier. The hidden overhead parameter is modelled as the technical inefficiency in the production function.

Vietnam SOEs are very capital intensive. The hidden overhead (or the wasteful use of capital) is very high with an average rate of 69%.

Alternative estimation methods should be used to account for endogeneity in production inputs. Lack of comparison with the Vietnam private firms.

The paper proposes an original way to quantify hidden overhead (or capital diversion) in the Vietnam SOEs. The finding (a capital diversion rate of 69% on average) is astonishing. It calls for an urgent and profound reform of the Vietnam SOEs.