Abdulazeez Abdulquadri, Emmanuel Mogaji, Tai Anh Kieu and Nguyen Phong Nguyen
Recognising the high numbers of unbanked and financially excluded adults in Nigeria, this study aims to position chatbot as a digital transformation tool to radically change…
Abstract
Purpose
Recognising the high numbers of unbanked and financially excluded adults in Nigeria, this study aims to position chatbot as a digital transformation tool to radically change business model, improve customer experience and enhance financial inclusion in emerging markets.
Design/methodology/approach
The Search-Access-Test (S-A-T) model was adopted to understand how Nigerian banks are adopting chatbots.
Findings
A majority of Nigerian banks now have chatbots that enhance customer engagement and financial inclusion. WhatsApp was the most frequently used platform. Chatbots were often branded and presented with female gender identification. The chatbots were less responsive beyond their predefined path. While Nigeria is a multilingual country with English being the original language, none of the chatbots used any of the Nigerian’s local languages.
Practical implications
Brands need to re-evaluate their chatbots with regard to responsiveness, predefined questions, verification and privacy. There are also possibilities of branding the chatbot and developing content creation strategies for proper engagement. Beyond English, the integration of African languages into chatbot is essential for digital transformation. Digital literacy and skills, particularly in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, should be supported to equip future developers and create more jobs.
Originality/value
While many theoretically based models for investigating the adoption of digital technologies have often placed focus on users’ ability to engage, this study takes an alternative perspective; by using the S-A-T model, it lays the responsibilities on the banks and chatbot developer to ensure that their chatbots are secure, responsive and able to meet the needs of the customers.
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Consumer ethics in Asia has attracted attention from marketing scholars and practitioners. Ethical beliefs and judgements have been predominantly investigated within this area…
Abstract
Purpose
Consumer ethics in Asia has attracted attention from marketing scholars and practitioners. Ethical beliefs and judgements have been predominantly investigated within this area. Recent research argues for consumer ethics to be measured in terms of behaviours rather than attitudinal judgements, due to a potential pitfall of attitudinal scales, which researchers often refer to as an attitude–behaviour gap. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to examine the dimensions of ethically minded consumer behaviour (EMCB) in an Asian emerging market context.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey of 316 Vietnamese consumers was conducted to investigate their ethically minded behaviours.
Findings
The SEM analyses reveal a significant impact of long-term orientation on EMCB, whereas spirituality has no impact. Collectivism, attitude to ethically minded consumption and subjective norms are found to influence the dimensions of EMCB. Age, income and job levels have effects on EMCB dimensions, but gender, surprisingly, has no effect.
Practical implications
The study can be beneficial to businesses and policy makers in Vietnam or any similar Asian markets, especially in encouraging people to engage with ethical consumption. Furthermore, it provides practitioners in Vietnam with a measurement instrument that can be used to profile and segment consumers.
Originality/value
This is among the first studies utilising and examining EMCB, especially in Vietnam where research into consumer ethics is scant. It contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a greater understanding of the impact of personal characteristics and cultural environment on consumer ethics, being measured by the EMCB scale which has taken into account the consumption choices. Furthermore, this study adds further validation to the EMCB scale.
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Nguyen Phong Nguyen, Felicitas Evangelista and Tai Anh Kieu
Drawing on equity theory, social exchange theory and goal setting theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the contingencies on the link between employees’ budgetary…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on equity theory, social exchange theory and goal setting theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the contingencies on the link between employees’ budgetary participation and their work performance. Specifically, this study addresses the research questions: whether vertical information sharing and budget goal commitment mediate the relationship between employees’ budgetary participation and their work performance; and whether employees’ perceived budget fairness can strengthen the positive effects of budgetary participation on vertical information sharing and budget goal commitment.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data were collected from a sample of 556 low to middle level managers of business organizations in Vietnam. The research model and its hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM. The standardized root mean squared residual value of the composite model was employed to assess model fit. Common method bias was also checked using the marker-variable approach.
Findings
This study has two key findings: both vertical information sharing and budget goal commitment partially mediate the positive effects of budgetary participation on work performance; and both dimensions of perceived budget fairness (distributive and procedural) elevate the positive relationships of budgetary participation – vertical information sharing and budgetary participation – budget goal commitment.
Practical implications
The findings could benefit businesses in Vietnam and similar market contexts. Specifically, top management needs to select a proper level of budgetary participation that can facilitate information sharing vertically within the organization and motivate their employees to be more committed to achieve budget goals. Besides, the top management also needs to ensure that their employees perceive the fairness in the budgeting process.
Originality/value
The study contributes a greater understanding as regards the mediating roles of vertical information sharing and budget goal commitment as well as the moderating role of perceived budget fairness on the relationship between employees’ participation in the budgetary process and their work performance, especially in the context of an emerging market – Vietnam. Overall, this study contributes to the management and accounting literature with insights concerning a more complex process explaining employees’ work performance and triggered by their budgetary participation.
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Huu Minh Nguyen, Thi Hong Tran and Thi Thanh Loan Tran
“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…
Abstract
“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.
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Nguyen Vinh Khuong, Doan Thi Ngoc Anh, Pham Minh Nhu, Tai Vu Tran Trong, Nguyen Thi Kieu Trang and Dang Hoang Kha Thy
This study aims to examine the relationship between key audit matters (KAMs) and the restatement of financial statements, assessing their impact on the financial statement…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the relationship between key audit matters (KAMs) and the restatement of financial statements, assessing their impact on the financial statement restatement process.
Design/methodology/approach
This study aims to examine the economic context of Vietnam by analyzing data from 170 listed enterprises on the Vietnam stock exchange from 2010–2021. Feasible generalized least squares and robustness regression are conducted to give results and conclusions.
Findings
The results show that the KAMs disclosure in the financial statements has not really significantly affected the quality of an audit, so the KAMs disclosure does not have too much impact on the restatement of financial statements. However, this study found that the number of disclosed KAMs would partly reflect the shortcoming that exists in companies' financial statements.
Practical implications
The authenticity of financial statements is crucial for companies to meet auditor requirements, particularly KAMs. Restatements can influence business decisions and provide more accurate financial information to stakeholders. Thus, studying the impact of KAMs on restatement is essential for improving the veracity and reliability of financial statements.
Originality/value
This study clarifies the important role of KAMs in financial statements to recommend investors to be more careful in considering KAMs disclosed by auditors in audit reports. In addition, this study helps to add an overview of KAMs in emerging markets like Vietnam, as well as helps stakeholders to improve the legal system on Accounting – Auditing in Vietnam.
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The purpose of this paper is to trace the way in which a popular ritual became one of Vietnam’s most important festivals, elevated as a celebration of national heroism and charts…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to trace the way in which a popular ritual became one of Vietnam’s most important festivals, elevated as a celebration of national heroism and charts its gradual transformation in modern society.
Design/methodology/approach
This research focuses on the combination of a fertility rite and narratives of St Gióng based on nationalism or heroism created a special festival reflecting many traditional cultural characteristics of Vietnam and the Việt people and the transformation of St Gióng from a mythological to a national symbol of heroism in anti-invader history was recorded in texts.
Findings
The paper casts light on the mythologization and historicization of St Gióng in Vietnam’s particular historical context by decoding the Gióng symbol as a core element of the folktales and myths about St Gióng to understand the formation and development of St Gióng in the cultural history of Vietnam.
Research limitations/implications
The paper is not exploring the Gióng symbol within a larger cultural context of nationalism and ethnosymbolic approach in a comparison of national symbolism and heroism.
Practical implications
The paper includes implications for advised scholars to conduct further exploration of the symbol and myth of not only St Gióng in Vietnam but also Kubera in India and Vaisravana in China to connect Kubera, Vaisravana and St Gióng under the connection of literal myth and heroic symbol.
Social implications
The paper shows how processes of historicizing myth and mythologizing history are important features of Vietnamese socio-historical research.
Originality/value
The paper shows how a fertility rite became a historical festival and the figure of St Gióng became a symbol of patriotic heroism.
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Duong Trong Hue, Linda Brennan, Lukas Parker and Michael Florian
– This paper aims to elucidate perceptions of safe driving and social norms in relation to driving motorbikes in the Vietnamese context.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to elucidate perceptions of safe driving and social norms in relation to driving motorbikes in the Vietnamese context.
Design/methodology/approach
A series of focus groups was undertaken in relation to driving practices from a number of groups: adolescents, families and adult males and females. The discussion centred on how driving behaviours were socialised within the various groups.
Findings
The research highlighted some very interesting social dynamics in relation to how safe driving habits are established and supported within the social context. In particular, the separation of descriptive and injunctive norms and the role such norms play in socialising driving behaviours, safe or otherwise.
Practical implications
The implications for social marketing practice are considerable, especially in the Vietnamese context where injunctive norms are difficult to portray, given the dynamics of the media landscape. Social marketing campaigns will need to have a broader consideration of how to establish descriptive norms, bearing in mind the social milieu in which the behaviours occur.
Originality/value
This research is the first of its kind in the Vietnamese context. While much practice-led innovation is occurring in the region, there is little extant research on the topic of social norms and the socialisation of behaviours within the Southeast Asian region.
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Nur Alia Sheh Omar and Yap Wing Fen
This paper aims to review the potential application of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in diagnosis of dengue virus (DENV-2) E-protein and the development of SPR to become an…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the potential application of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in diagnosis of dengue virus (DENV-2) E-protein and the development of SPR to become an alternative DENV sensor.
Design/methodology/approach
In this review, the existing standard laboratory techniques to diagnosis of DENV are discussed, together with their drawbacks. To overcome these drawbacks, SPR has been aimed to be a valuable optical biosensor for identification of antibodies to the DENV antigen. The review also includes the future studies on three-dimensional poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer-surface-assembled monolayer (SAM)-Au multilayer thin films, which are envisaged to have high potential sensitive and selective detection ability toward target E-proteins.
Findings
Application of SPR in diagnosis of DENV emerged over recent years. A wide range of immobilized biorecognition molecules have been developed to combine with SPR as an effective sensor. The detection limit, sensitivity and selectivity of SPR sensing in DENV have been enhanced from time to time, until the present.
Originality/value
The main purpose of this review is to provide authors with up-to-date and useful information on sensing DENV using SPR and to introduce a novel three-dimensional PAMAM-SAM-Au multilayer thin films for future research on SPR sensing applications.