Level of Determinants Impact on Buyer’s Purchasing Intention in Motor Liability Insurance: Case of Vietnam

Motor liability insurance has been included in the compulsory insurance category that each vehicle owner of every type of motor vehicle must participate in in Vietnam. However, in fact, the participation in this type of insurance is not popular and not strictly managed. This paper presents an approach to modeling and analyzing the possible determinants that may affect the intention to buy motor liability insurance for motor vehicle owners in the North of Vietnam. The target audience of this study is motorcycle owners. Based on the theories of buying intention, buying behavior and the specific characteristics of this insurance, this study has proposed a model with 4 factors influencing intention to participate in the insurance: Attitudes towards risk and insurance, subjective standards, Insurance Perceptions, and Product Accessibility. Taken together, these factors model a consumer's tendency toward insurance intentions for motorbike owners. The results show that all of the above factors have influence on the intention of motorcycle owners to participate in insurance. Keywords: Motor liability insurance, Buying intention, Purchase decision DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/13-8-11 Publication date: April 30th 202

Evaluation of Asaoka and Hyperbolic Methods for Settlement Prediction of Vacuum Preloading Combined with Prefabricated Vertical Drains in Soft Ground Treatment

This study evaluated the use of the Asaoka and hyperbolic methods to estimate the ultimate settlement of soft ground treated by vacuum preloading combined with prefabricated vertical drains. For this aim, a large-scale physical laboratory model was constructed. The model was a reinforced-tempered glass box containing a soil mass with dimensions of 2.0 × 1.0 × 1.2 m (length × width × depth). Physical models of this scale for the same purpose are rare in the literature. The soil was taken from a typical coastal region in Dinh Vu Hai Phong, Vietnam. The surface settlement near and between the two drains was measured right after the vacuum preloading started. Important properties of the soil were tested to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment method. The measured settlement was used in the Asaoka and hyperbolic methods to predict the potential ultimate settlement. The results showed the superiority of the vacuum consolidation approach in improving fundamental engineering properties of soft soil. Furthermore, the ultimate settlement predicted by both methods showed a good agreement with the measured value, proving that the Asaoka and hyperbolic methods are suitable for the estimation of the ultimate settlement of soft soil treated with vacuum consolidation

Examination of influential factors on shear strength of externally bonded FRP reinforcement in RC beams

The fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) retrofitting technique has been increasingly created to enhance the capacity of the existing concrete members. In this study, the shear contribution of the external FRP strengthening system in the reinforced concrete (RC) beams is estimated by the semi-empirical models available in the open literatures and guidelines. Number of beams monitored in the previous studies are first considered to assess the reliability of the models. Afterwards, the investigation of influential factors such as the beam configurations, the strengthening characteristics and the material properties are implemented. With high accuracy and low coefficient of variation, the model proposed in a previous study of the authors gains the mostly considerable estimation for the shear resisting strength of FRP strengthening system compared to the accessible data base from the experiments. In addition, the critical properties of the materials associating with the retrofitting systems for the strengthened beams are investigated to obtain the acquired shear performance

Examination of influential factors on shear strength of externally bonded FRP reinforcement in RC beams

The fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) retrofitting technique has been increasingly created to enhance the capacity of the existing concrete members. In this study, the shear contribution of the external FRP strengthening system in the reinforced concrete (RC) beams is estimated by the semi-empirical models available in the open literatures and guidelines. Number of beams monitored in the previous studies are first considered to assess the reliability of the models. Afterwards, the investigation of influential factors such as the beam configurations, the strengthening characteristics and the material properties are implemented. With high accuracy and low coefficient of variation, the model proposed in a previous study of the authors gains the mostly considerable estimation for the shear resisting strength of FRP strengthening system compared to the accessible data base from the experiments. In addition, the critical properties of the materials associating with the retrofitting systems for the strengthened beams are investigated to obtain the acquired shear performance

CSR, marketing capabilities and human resource development: the endogenous role of network capabilities

Purpose: This study aims to examine the relationship between human resource development (HRD) and the interaction between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and marketing capabilities in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the food industry. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses the extended regression model on a sample of 2,649 food SMEs in Vietnam. Findings: This research found that CSR and marketing strategies positively influence HRD; the interaction of CSR and marketing capabilities has a negative effect on HRD; the endogenous role of network capabilities on the effects of CSR and marketing capabilities on HRD. Originality/value: This research helps food companies use their resources in allocating resources for CSR and conduct marketing reasonably and effectively. This study highlights that the impact of CSR and marketing on HRD is dominated by endogenous networking

Arsenate reductase gene from Pityrogramma calomelanos L. enhances tolerance to arsenic in tobacco

Arsenic (As) contamination in soil, water and air is an alarming issue worldwide and has serious effects on human health and environment. Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, soil, and water, and exposure to high levels of arsenic can lead to a range of health problems. The effects of arsenic contamination can also be felt in the environment, as it can harm plants and animals and disrupt ecological systems. The major purpose of this study was to produce transgenic plants with improved tolerance to and accumulation of arsenic via transformation of arsenate reductase gene (ArsC) into tobacco genome. Transgenic plants were screen by PCR and southern blot. Further, their tolerance and accumulation to arsenic were evaluated. In the result, we have cloned, characterized, and transformed the ArsC gene from Pityrogramma calomelanos L. (PcArsC). Its phylogenetic analysis revealed 99% homology to ArsC gene in GenBank (accession number X80057.1). Moreover, Southern blot analysis showed that ArsC gene was integrated into the tobacco genome as a single-copy. These single-copy transgenic lines showed much higher tolerance to and accumulation of As than wild type, with no other phenotypes observed. These results demonstrated that Pityrogramma calomelanos ArsC gene can improve arsenic tolerance and accumulation in transgenic tobacco lines. Thus, using Pityrogramma calomelanos L. ArsC gene for genetic engineering has potential implications in the decontamination of arsenic-containing soil