Exploring How Environmental and Personal Factors Influence Knowledge Sharing Behaviour Leads to Innovative Work Behaviour in Vietnamese Higher Education Institutions

The Vietnamese Government has been struggling to build a higher education system that is innovative to the requests of national knowledge-based development. It is essential to explore knowledge sharing behaviour (KSB) from environmental and individual perspectives. It can help to contribute to innovative work behaviour (IWB) towards knowledge-based development initiatives, in particular regarding the phenomenon of knowledge sharing (KS) in Vietnamese higher education institutions (HEIs). The aim of this research-in-progress is to propose a research model based on social cognitive theory (SCT) that comprises environmental factors (subjective norms, trust), personal factors (knowledge self-efficacy, rewards, reciprocity), KSB and IWB. We advance to conduct a survey to examine our proposed conceptual model. It is expected that this research will contribute to the deeper understanding of the effects of personal and environmental factors and KSB on IBW within Vietnamese HEIs

Exploring factors influencing knowledge sharing behaviour: The moderating effect of transformational leadership

© The Authors, 2017. The Vietnamese Government has been struggling to build a higher education system that is innovative to the requests of national knowledge-based development. It is essential to explore knowledge sharing behaviour (KSB) from environmental and personal perspectives which contribute to improve creativity and innovation in Vietnamese higher education institutions (HEIs). Social influences and individual factors are examined as critical factors on KSB. The literature suggests a complex relationship between these factors and KSB. However, the literature typically hypothesises and examines simple main-impacts model. Drawing upon the role of transformational leadership, we propose a contingent research model based on social cognitive theory that comprises environmental factors (subjective norms, trust), personal factors (knowledge self-efficacy, organisational rewards, reciprocal benefits, and psychological ownership of knowledge) and KSB. Our focus will be on the moderating effect of transformational leadership on the relationship between these factors and KSB. We advance to conduct a survey to examine our proposed conceptual model. It is expected that this research will contribute to the deeper understanding of the effects of personal and environmental factors and KSB moderated by transformational leadership within Vietnamese HEIs

How knowledge sharing leads to innovative work behaviour in Vietnamese universities

University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.Knowledge sharing (KS), a critical process of knowledge management (KM), is promoted by many universities, yet the success of KM initiatives mostly relies on the willingness of individuals to share their knowledge. However, KS has not always met many universities’ expectations. Vietnam has shifted from a bureaucratically centralised planned economy to a market economy since 1986 placing big challenges on Vietnamese higher education in supporting a responsive national knowledge-based economy. To examine academics’ knowledge-sharing behaviours (KSBs) in Vietnamese public universities, this study developed a new research model which modified the standard Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) model and augmented it with other theories (e.g. Theory of Planned Behaviour, Economic Exchange Theory, Social Exchange Theory). This study used a mixed-methods sequential, explanatory strategy employing a quantitative data collection followed by a qualitative study. First, questionnaire surveys were conducted with a sample of 785 academic staff from public universities in Vietnam to: (1) examine the relationships between environmental-personal factors and KSB, moderated by transformational leadership, and (2) examine the relationship between KSB and innovative work behaviour (IWB), moderated by the quality of transactive memory systems (TMS). The current research used Structural Equation Modelling to assess the research model and test hypotheses. The significant quantitative findings were explored further in semi-structured interviews with seven experts from Vietnamese tertiary education to probe aspects of the KSB. The findings interpreted from both phases have shown that (1) two environmental factors (subjective norms, trust) and three personal factors (knowledge self-efficacy, enjoyment in helping others and reciprocal benefits) had positive impacts on KSB; (2) KSB had a strongly positive effect on IWB and; (3) transformational leadership positively moderated the effects of subjective norms, trust and knowledge self-efficacy on KSB of academic staff. Interestingly, two personal factors (expected organisational rewards and psychological ownership of knowledge) were found to have insignificant associations with KSB. The study findings can be used by university leaders, academic staff and researchers in other contexts with similar characteristics in the region (i.e. Southeastern Asia developing countries). A clear understanding of the critical factors influencing KSB towards better IWB may help Vietnamese educational policymakers and university leaders develop suitable strategies to address the challenges of KS. This study contributes to the growing literature of KM, bringing Vietnam into the world map of KM research

Who cares about ethics? : selected essays from Globethics.net

This book is dedicated to Ursula and Walter Linsi and to the U. W. Linsi Foundation that they established, with gratitude for their advice, accompaniment and moral support, for their wisdom and commitment to the power and importance of ethical living and for the principles* and resources that have contributed so much to forming Globethics.net as an organisation and to transforming the lives of those we work with for the better.Ethics is a universal concern for all people around the world, and this book explores how and why ethics is still relevant today. Who Cares About Ethics? is made up of selected essays from participants in the Globethics.net Network, capitalising on their diverse knowledge and life experiences. Topics range from ethics in the cyberworld, the role of religious ethics in advocating for the environment, explorations of ethics in health and well-being to redefining the concept of homesickness

Corporate social responsibility in small and medium enterprises in Vietnam : doing good to do well : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management at Massey University, New Zealand

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received growing attention over recent years. However, scant attention has been paid to investigating the implementation of CSR from the perspective of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in a developing country context. Along with the focus on developed countries, existing research underpinned by the institutional theory has mainly focused on macro-institutional determinants and cross-national variations in CSR practices. Despite the pivotal role of SME owner-managers, there is a lack of understanding on the underlying mechanisms by which institutional structure and owner-managers’ agency interact to influence the construction of CSR in different contexts. This thesis aims to theoretically and empirically understand CSR in SMEs in developing countries. Accordingly, the study seeks to answer the question: “How do Vietnamese SMEs engage in CSR practices?”. Vietnam was selected as a novel context for CSR due to its distinctive history and cultural admixture, the prominent role of the state in the country, and its recent integration into the global economy. In Vietnam, there is not only a mixture of Western and Eastern philosophies and practices but also a blend of capitalist and socialist values in play. The rich and complex social and cultural aspects of Vietnam along with its contemporary transitional economy highlight research opportunities to explore CSR practices in their distinctive and special milieu. Following a qualitative methodology aligned to the interpretive paradigm, this study employed a case study method and undertook 21 interviews drawing on 17 owner-managers from 13 organisations together with four key informants. In addition, supporting data were also collected via observations, field notes, and documents for data triangulation. The collected data was then manually analysed using the thematic analysis method. A conceptual framework using constructs of Bourdieu’s theory of social practice guided the data analysis. This framework allowed multiple levels of analysis, specifically in understanding the interaction between the agency of SME owner-managers and institutional variables that contribute to the development of CSR among SMEs. The thesis contains two empirical findings chapters. The first chapter explores CSR initiatives that SMEs in Vietnam are adopting and identifies the institutional influences that contribute to the development of CSR practices. The second chapter investigates the role that owner-managers play in shaping CSR practices among SMEs. The empirical findings reveal that there is evidence of a significant degree of divergence in terms of CSR practices among SMEs within the same institutional structure. These varied CSR expressions can be explained in light of the ambiguous institutional environment in which SMEs are embedded which is composed of factors, namely tradition, political governance, and modernity. These interconnected and competing institutional structures then provide scope for owner-managers, as primary decision-makers, to exercise their agency in shaping CSR. Through the theoretical lens of Bourdieu’s theory of practice, this study demonstrates the mechanisms by which owner-managers utilise their own agent capability, stemming from individual preference, perceptions, and ways of thinking, in response to the institutional influences of CSR. By acknowledging the interactions between structure and agency, this research contributes to a coherent body of knowledge related to the complex construction of CSR in SMEs in developing countries and adds to the body of recent studies which try to understand how individuals navigate competing institutional demands

Sustainability and Consumer Behaviour

This book highlights the latest research findings on sustainability within the context of consumer behaviour. It brings together the collaborative work of researchers from Finland, Denmark, USA, the Netherland, Mexico, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and China to improve our understanding on consumer behaviour and its relationship with sustainable resource consumption. The thirteen chapters in this book focus on different aspects of consumer behaviour and sustainability, including purchase intentions towards recycled products, environment fit hospitality experiences, purchase intentions of recycling items, consumer loyalty, electric vehicle market consumption, consumption of the educational products, revisit intention, online complaint behaviour, consumer and CSR, eco-friendly behaviour, brand trust and social media consumer communication

Collaborative consumption in Southeast Asian cities: Prospects and challenges for environmental sustainability

The rise of collaborative consumption and the sharing economy suggests a growing acceptability of ownerless consumption, which could enable more resource efficient use of goods. These phenomena have largely been studied in high income countries, however, businesses enabling shared-access to goods or services have been emerging around the world. In Asia, rapid economic growth is enabling vast numbers of ‘new consumers’ to access a middle-class lifestyle. In this context, it is important to examine the potential for nascent movements such as collaborative consumption to offer more sustainable alternatives to mass consumption. This thesis examines the use of collaborative consumption businesses in emerging economies in Southeast Asia, focusing on the cities of Hanoi, Bangkok and Manila. The aim is to understand the prospects and challenges for these businesses to offer more environmentally sustainable modes of consuming. Using an interdisciplinary approach, I investigate the prospects for collaborative consumption (CC) businesses in terms of environmental sustainability and with regard to the institutional and personal dimensions of their use. I examine the broader cultural, social, legal, political and economic contexts for CC businesses in these three cities as well as specific case study businesses. I primarily use qualitative research methods, but also develop some quantitative estimates of resource use. The scope is limited to product-service systems for households that enable shared-access to goods, or offer services to replace products. I undertook over forty interviews with businesses, consumers, academics, policymakers and other stakeholders in Bangkok and Hanoi. CC businesses interviewed included rideshare, taxishare, bikeshare, laundry services and rental for tools, toys, clothing and designer bags. In Manila, I undertook nineteen interviews for a case study focused on comparing individual and shared laundering methods. Four distinct journal articles were developed for this thesis. In these articles, I have: characterized the current business types and users in these cities; examined CC business sustainability practices; explored consumer practices and resource use with regard to shared and individual laundering; and identified the socio-cultural and institutional barriers and enablers for CC businesses. I have drawn on different theories for each article, including: adaptive theory, social practice theory and multi-level perspective. I use a social practice theory framework to integrate the findings of the four articles and to develop the conclusions. Collaborative consumption (CC) businesses in our study appear to be used by niche groups: university students, young families, people living in densely populated areas, and emerging and upper middle-class people keen to access better quality and more diverse goods. CC businesses in our study were inclined to use durable, quality goods, to undertake maintenance, and sell their goods for second hand use and potential remanufacturing. These businesses may be more likely to achieve environmentally sustainable outcomes in high density environments, where home storage is limited and where transport needs can be reduced. Our detailed case study on laundering found that social changes and the nature of housing is likely to influence the choice of individual or shared laundering methods. The socio-cultural and commercial regimes in Bangkok and Hanoi present major barriers to further adoption of CC, with regards to “ownership cultures” and resistance from incumbent industries. However, attitudes are changing and many of the physical drivers for CC, such as high-density living, are prominent in Southeast Asia. Many of the barriers to CC can be addressed through supportive policies and institutional arrangements such as: appropriate legal definitions and frameworks, business permits, and programs to facilitate financing for CC businesses. In all cases, positive social and environmental outcomes will need to be encouraged or incentivised by governments