The influence of CEO characteristics on corporate environmental performance of SMEs: Evidence from Vietnamese SMEs

Drawing on upper echelon theory, this study investigates the impact of CEOs’ (chief executive officers) demographic characteristics on corporate environmental performance (CEP) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We hypothesized that CEO characteristics, including gender, age, basic educational level, professional educational level, political connection, and ethnicity, affect SMEs’ environmental performance. Using the cross-sectional data analysis of 810 Vietnamese SMEs, this study provides evidence that female CEOs and CEOs’ educational level (both basic and professional) are positively related to the probability of CEP. We also find that based on the role of institutional environment on CEP, political connections had a negative effect on CEP in the context of Vietnam. Another finding is that SMEs with chief executives from ethnic minority groups show a higher level of the probability of corporate environmental performance than companies operated by Kinh chief executives. Since CEP is an essential dimension of corporate social responsibility, a strategic decision for SMEs, it is crucial for the company to select appropriate CEOs based on their demographic characteristic

Intra-organizational knowledge transfer process in Vietnam's information technology companies

Intra-organizational knowledge transfer has attracted much attention of researchers and practitioners in recent years since knowledge transfer has been considered as a critical determinant of an organization’s capacity to confer sustainable competitive advantage. Despite extensive research on knowledge transfer issues, the effect of knowledge transfer on organizational performance still has not been fully examined or attracted adequate empirical testing. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate organizational factors influencing intra-organizational knowledge transfer, and examine the relationship between knowledge transfer process, its antecedents and organizational performance. Drawing on several theoretical streams, an integrated theoretical model of intra organizational knowledge transfer together with 13 hypotheses were developed and tested in the context of IT companies in Vietnam. To achieve the objectives, a triangulation of quantitative and qualitative studies was applied. A quantitative survey was employed to test hypotheses in the conceptual model derived from relevant literature. Data were collected from a survey of 218 managers and technical staff working in 36 IT companies located in Hanoi and HoChiMinh City. Multiple regression techniques were used to analyze the data. A case study research was conducted with the aim of illustrating the intra organizational knowledge transfer process within a company operating in a transition economy like Vietnam. Data for case study were mainly collected by interviewing managers and technical staff during a one-month field study in the FPT Software Solutions Company. The main findings showed that intra-organizational knowledge transfer is most affected by organizational culture, incentive system and organizational structure. Adaptability and solidarity are two culture values enabling the transfer process. A transparent and flexible incentive system motivates individuals to exchange and apply knowledge in their daily work. High level of centralization creates difficulties for social interaction and reduces autonomy and active involvement of employees, vi which are essential for successful knowledge transfer. High formalization facilitates the knowledge transfer process by providing a clear direction for employees and enhancing communication flow through an extensive monitoring and reporting requirement. The frequency of using IT tools did not significantly influence the intra organizational knowledge transfer process after other independent variables were added in the regression model. This suggests either that IT tools may not directly itself is not enough to ensure successful knowledge transfer. Therefore, to facilitate knowledge transfer process, it is important to foster knowledge-sharing attitude through providing greater opportunities for deeper involvement of users in the system. Although the knowledge transfer process was found not to mediate the relationship between its antecedents and organizational performance, the process itself moderately predicts organizational performance. This suggests that intra organizational knowledge transfer process should be considered as one of the factors contributing to company performance. The research has filled gaps in existing literature in several ways. Firstly, it extends our understanding of the important facilitators of intra-organizational knowledge transfer process. Secondly, it attempts to integrate both soft and hard organizational factors to create a comprehensive model of intra-organizational knowledge transfer. Thirdly, it clarifies the role of the intra-organizational knowledge transfer process in improving the company’s performance in a transition economy. Overall, the results of the study contribute to the advancement of research in the area of intra-organizational knowledge transfer and provide practical implications for managers of IT companies in Vietnam by shedding light on determinant factors of knowledge transfer process and examining the link between knowledge transfer process and firm performance

Blended Learning for Secondary Schools in Nam Dinh Province to Satisfy New Standards: The Current Situation and Proposed Models

We offered blended learning models for high schools in Nam Dinh province to satisfy Vietnam's new criteria. These models were based on general approaches to issues, theoretical research, and field research based on surveys and anket questionnaires conducted throughout the area. The results of a survey demonstrate that high school teachers in Nam Dinh have gained a fundamental grasp of blended learning and have, in practice, embraced both online and face-to-face instruction, particularly during the height of the Covid-19 outbreak. However, there was not a standard model for blended learning, therefore it was only used by a few persons. In other contexts, the concept of "blended learning" referred to what was effectively a face-to-face session that was broadcast over the Internet without the necessary adjustments being made to the content, methodology, or evaluation. As a result, we offer a number of different ways to blended learning for high schools in Nam Dinh in order to improve the quality of education provided throughout the province

Digital Reference Evaluation: Assessing the Past to Plan for the Future

Historically, libraries have routinely evaluated their reference services both quantitatively and qualitatively. With the increasing volume of digital reference transactions, there is a need to modify and apply to digital reference, the same evaluation techniques that have been used successfully in the evaluation of traditional reference service. At Southeastern Louisiana University, a recent evaluation of the library\u27s Ask a Librarian digital reference service included an unobtrusive observation of current practice through a detailed examination of archived reference transactions, as well as an assessment of future needs through a survey of users. Through this evaluation, it was possible to assess the effectiveness of the library\u27s e-mail reference service, as well as to plan for the implementation of a new real-time digital reference service

Total factor productivity and outsourcing: the case of Vietnamese small and medium sized enterprises

Purpose – The paper aims to investigate the difference in total factor productivity (TFP) among those firms with and without outsourcing in a developing country like Vietnam. Also, it explores the effect of outsourcing activities on total factor productivity with a specified concentration on the Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach – The panel data set of SMEs used in this study was originated from biannual surveys conducted under the collaboration between educational organizations and government agencies: Stockholm School of Economics (SSE), Department of Economics – the University of Copenhagen, the Institution of Labor Studies and Social Affairs (ILSSA) in the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA). In this study, the model is developed based on the production function in accordance with the model of Girma and Görg (2004). The firms’ TFP is the difference between the actual and the predicted output as with the approach by Levinsohn and Petrin (2003). Findings – This study finds out that firms with outsourcing have higher total factor productivity than those without outsourcing activities. In addition, the more firms spend on outsourcing, the higher total factor productivity they can gain. Outsourcing to SMEs in a developing country can significantly increase its TFP by means of either maintaining core competencies or searching external resources in conducting some internal activities. Originality/value – Although outsourcing has been widely applied by large firms, the research studying its impact on productivity at firm level is limited. Especially, this study can shed light on the impact for the case of SMEs in a developing economy

Corporate governance and firm performance: Evidence from Vietnamese listed companies

The research aims to provide empirical evidence on the relationship between corporate governance and firm performance in Vietnam – a developing economy in Asia. It focuses on the corporate governance of Vietnamese listed companies with a data-set of the five-year period from 2011 to 2015. Vietnamese listed companies are governed and controlled by two boards, Board of Directors and Supervisory Board. The research investigates the impacts of directors’ and supervisors’ characteristics and ownership structure on firm performance. The outcomes reveal that most governance mechanisms employed by Vietnamese listed companies were not effective and had no effect on the companies’ performance, except for managerial ownership and Supervisory Board size. Specifically, management ownership and firm performance were negatively correlated. Additional analyses show a positive relationship between the number of supervisors and firm performance, which was measured by market-based measurement

Effects of different fibre sources in pig diets on growth performance, gas emissions and slurry characteristics

The effects of different fibre sources in pig diets on growth performance, ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulphide (H2S), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and slurry characteristics was studied on 20 crossbred pigs [Duroc x F1 (Landrace x Yorkshire)]. The experimental diets included one low-fibre (LF) diet without maize distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), brewer’s grain (BG) and coconut cake (CC) and 3 high-fibre (HF) diets with maize DDGS or BG or CC. The experiment was conducted according to a completely randomized design with 5 replications and lasted 62 days. In the growing period and the overall, pigs fed diets LF and HF-DDGS had higher average daily gain (ADG) compared to pigs fed diets HF-BG and HF-CC (P 0.05), while N and P excretions (g/head/day) were greater for diet HF-CC than for diet LF (P < 0.05). The CO2 emission was greater for diets HF-BG and HF-CC than for diets LF and HF-DDGS (P 0.05). In both periods, CH4 emission was lower in diet LF than in diet HF-BG and HF-CC (P < 0.05), while NH3 emission was higher for pigs fed diet LF than pigs fed HF-BG and HF-CC (P < 0.05). The H2 S emission was not affected by diets in both periods. In conclusion, different fibre sources in pig diets may be a practical method to alter growth performance, slurry characteristics and NH3, GHG emissions

Effects of financial statements information on firms’ value: evidence from Vietnamese listed firms

The paper studies the effects of information reporting in financial statements on values of Vietnamese firms. The study uses panel data with 1,070 observations from 214 firms, which are listed in the stock market of Vietnam in the period from 2012 to 2016. Multiple regression results show that the growth, firm size, profitability, auditing quality and timelineness are positively related to firm values, whereas the capital structure, auditing explanation negatively affect that indicator. The paper also indicates the inconsistency in measuring firms’ value by different measures including EV, Tobin’s Q or share price. Moreover, the research results reflect that measuring firms’ value by EV is more appropriate. The results of empirical research are instructive for enterprises to improve the usefulness of information in financial statements, thereby enhancing enterprises’ values

Biocontrol of Alternaria alternata YZU, a causal of stem end rot disease on pitaya, with soil phosphate solubilizing bacteria

Stem end rot is the most destructive disease caused by Alternaria alternata YZU in pitaya-growing regions of Vietnam. This study was conducted to characterize antagonistic phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) from rhizosphere soil for their biocontrol activities against A. alternata YZU and evaluate the effect of temperature, pH, and water activity on that antagonism. Among seven PSB isolated from 45 rhizosphere soil samples, PSB31 (identified as Bacillus sp. strain IMAU61039, Accession number: MF803700.1) exhibited the highest antagonistic activity against A. alternata YZU with an average inhibition diameter of 0.65 ± 0.05 cm. The results also show that the strain PSB31 controlled the mycelial growth of A. alternata YZU by secreting antifungal metabolites. The most potent inhibitory activity was identified under in vitro conditions of 25 °C, pH 7, and aw 1. The isolated PSB31 could be a potential biological control agent against A. alternata YZU