Performance management systems in Vietnam :antecedents and impacts on organisational performance explored through a contingency perspective

PhD ThesisAdopting a contingency perspective, this study employs a sequential mixed research design using a questionnaire survey and case studies to explore performance management systems (PMASs) in relation to contingent variables, namely perceived environmental uncertainty (PEU), task uncertainty and organisational culture, and organisational performance in listed Vietnamese organisations. Quantitative analyses indicate that NFPMs are adopted because these measures help managers to obtain information about different dimensions and areas of organisational performance. Although NFPMs are not used to a great extent in formulating and implementing business strategy, they are used to achieve pre-set organisational performance targets through tracking progression against these targets. Concerning organisational structure, departmental managers in today’s Vietnamese context are delegated more authority to make decisions within their departments than they were before. These managers have a relatively high level of involvement in setting targets for their firm performance. Moreover, a highly objective style of performance evaluation and rewards was evidenced. Qualitative analyses also suggest a lack of cohesion between different control elements of PMASs. Integrated findings indicate substantial impacts of PEU and task uncertainty on PMAS practices as motiving variables for changes in these practices. However, organisational culture characterised by relatively high power distance, collectivism and uncertainty avoidance hinder such changes. Simultaneously, new cultural practices, namely outcome-oriented culture and innovation-oriented culture, have emerged in Vietnam. Quantitative findings indicate that only three PMAS practices, namely the adoption of NFPMs, the decentralisation of decision-making and the participation of lower managers in setting targets for organisational performance, positively impact upon organisational performance. Moreover, only interactions between PEU and task uncertainty and the two latter PMAS practices result in improvement of organisational performance. The qualitative results suggest that changes in PMAS practices result in better organisational performance through enhancing the decision-making quality and creating both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation for individuals.Vietnamese Government and in particular Vietnam International Education Development for their financial suppor

Optimal condition for Propagation and Growing of Dendrobium thyrsiflorum

Dendrobium thyrsiflorum is a medicinal orchid that is being gradually destroyed due to over-exploitation. This research focuses on in vitro production of D. thyrsiflorum plantlet under optimal acclimatization conditions. The results of the study showed that the best medium for seed germination was MS basal medium (full-strength MS nutrient plus 100 ml L-1 coconut water; 7 g L-1 agar, 30 g L-1 sucrose, and 0.5 g L-1 active charcoal) supplemented with 60 g L-1 mashed sweet potatoes, which induces 97.8% of seed germination. The shoot was well developed in MS basal medium supplemented with 60 g L-1 mashed sweet potatoes and 0.4 mg L-1 6-Benzylaminopurine (BA) and, corpulent and green in shoot morphology. The shoot multiplication rate was greatest on MS basal medium supplemented with 0.4 mg L-1 BA and 0.4 mg L-1 Kinetin with 4.53 times, and the shoot height was reported at 3.45 cm after 8 weeks of subculture. Further, The shoot was 100% rooting, with an average of 4.51 roots/shoot and 5.34 cm per root in length when the shoot was implanted on MS basal medium plus 60 g L-1 mashed sweet potatoes and 0.75 g L-1 active charcoal. Especially, plantlets after transplanting to the orchid net house reached a 94.8% survival rate on tree fern after 24 weeks. Hence, the results of the study suggested a successful production of D. thyrsiflorum plantlet on the selected media compositions

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE INTENTION TO USE MOBILE MONEY: A STUDY IN BUSINESSES IN HANOI, VIETNAM

Abstract The government's and people's expectations for the successful implementation of this activity are significant, but the scientific basis for its implementation remains limited. This study, the first of its kind in Vietnam since the aforementioned decision, aims to clarify the factors influencing consumer usage of Mobile Money, focusing on businesses in Hanoi, Vietnam. Mobile Money, a form of mobile wallet not linked to bank accounts, represents a new transaction method in Vietnam, catering to consumers' reduced use of cash. This research examines the factors affecting the intention to use Mobile Money among employees of businesses in Hanoi. To achieve this goal, the author relies on the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and risk perception variables to design the research model. With a sample of 479 employees who intend to use Mobile Money, hypotheses are tested using a multivariate regression model through quantitative analysis with IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0. The research results identify five factors that positively influence the intention to use Mobile Money: Perceived Ease of Use, Trust, Security and Privacy, Social Influence, and COVID-19 Risk Perception. The factor of Perceived Usefulness does not have a significant impact in this case. Particularly, heightened risk perception regarding COVID-19 or social instability leads to an increased intention to use Mobile Money. This study provides guidance to Mobile Money service providers on how to enhance users' intention to use their services. Additionally, it underscores how factors related to diseases or societal instability can alter or even disrupt initial intention or behavior models

First record of Anselmella malacia Xiao & Huang, 2006 (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a new insect pest of water apple (Syzygium samarangense) and its associated parasitoid in Dong Thap Province, Vietnam

 The eulophid wasp, Anselmella malacia Xiao Huang, 2006 (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), is reared from fruits of the water apple, Syzygium samarangense, and is reported as an important phytophagous developing as seed-eaters of Syzygium species in Malaysia. Analysing specimens of pest insects infested inside of pear-shaped fruits of the cultivated water apple, S. samarangense, in Dong Thap Province, South Vietnam, a total of four insect species were recorded as the important pests for fruits of six varieties of the cultivated water apples. The hymenoteran wasp, A. malacia, is recorded for the first time from Vietnam. Further evidence is needed to prove A. malacia being an invasive pest in Vietnam. The associated hymenopteran parasitoid assemblage with the fruit infested insect pests is also provided.

EFFECT OF SPENT MUSHROOM SUBSTRATE ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF THREE CULTIVARS OF MUSKMELONS (Cucumis melo)

Muskmelons are currently grown in several areas of Vietnam for domestic and international consumer markets. The fruit grows well in greenhouses in soil or soilless substrate such as coconut peat. Researchers in Vietnam are investigating the growth of muskmelons in a range of organic by-products. In this study, spent mushroom substrate was recycled for use as an organic substrate and to evaluate the growth, quality, and yield of three muskmelon varieties including RZ F1, PN 128, and TL3 in greenhouses over three months. The substrate was incubated for one month before use and contained 45% spent mushroom substrate, 30% manure, 7.7% rice husks, 1.5% phosphorus, 0.2% commercial Trichoderma (Tribac), 0.1% rice bran, 15% sand, and 0.5% micronutrients and water. Following incubation, the substrate had optimal pH for the growth of muskmelon and the concentration of nutrients and beneficial microorganisms had increased significantly. The growth of RZ F1 and TL3 cultivars was significantly better than PN 128 in terms of growth, fruit quality, and yield. Specifically, RZ F1 and TL3 species took 78 days and 75 days to complete their life cycle produced 1.76 kg and 1.62 kg of fruit, had a pericarp thickness of 4.0 cm, and possessed 14.20o Brix and 14.88o Brix of soluble solid content, respectively. These findings suggest that agricultural by-products, such as spent mushroom substrate, could be a valuable resource for the culture of muskmelons in Vietnam

Effects of hormone and fertilizers on early flower induction of Dendrobium anosmum hybrid seedlings under ex vitro condition

Early flowering of new orchids is important to save time for selecting valuable flowers and artificial induction of flowering is a critical consideration in the orchid production industry. In this study, a new Dendrobium anosmum hybrid was generated by cross-breeding between D. anosmum ‘Chau Nhu’ and D. anosmum ‘Di Linh’. The ancestors and hybrid seedlings from in-vitro culture were trained in the net house and their growth and flowering were evaluated under ex vivo conditions with specific fertilizers and hormones. The results suggest that the hybrid plants grew better than their parents in terms of stem height, stem diameter, and leaf number. Growth hormones were applied to stimulate early flowering in matured hybrids and it was discovered that ‘Keiki pro’, a commercial hormone product, produced the best results, with a flowering rate of 66.67% after two applications. Hybrid flowers varied in width from 36.36% (3.0-6.0 cm) to 63.64 % (more than 6.0 cm) from ancestral width in medium-sized and large-sized flowers, respectively. Also, the hybrid flower colours was mostly a combination of pink/violet (75C) and purple/pink (68A), which is different from their parents. Importantly, the dorsal sepal, petal colours, and shape of hybrid flowers varied significantly among individual hybrids, between hybrids and their progenitors. Some mutations in the lips and columns of the novel hybrid flowers were also visualized. Hence, the D. anosmum hybrid seedlings successfully induced flowers after a year of culture under optimal hormones and fertilizers conditions. The results can serve as a critical reference for the early flowering of the orchid seedlings

HIGH ARSENIC CONCENTRATION IN GROUNDWATER RELATED TO SEDIMENTARY FACIES IN THE MEKONG RIVER DELTA, VIETNAM

Arsenic (As) contamination in groundwater has been recognized in the Mekong River Delta (MRD) since 2001, especially in Dong Thap and An Giang provinces. The investigations were carried out during 2008-2009 and from 2012 to present. The investigations of As distribution in groundwater and sediments were based upon the field, and laboratory analyses using field kit (Hironaka, 1998) and AOAC laboratory - Vietnamese standard 6626-2000 (Vilas). Results show that the As concentrations ranging from 15 to 1,650 µg/l is found in 520 private tubewells at depth between 15 and 90 m, while being rare or very low at depth between 200 and 300 m. High As content is usually found in 15-70m tubewells in which approximately 70 - 80% of tubewells having arsenic levels of 500µg/l are located at some areas in Dong Thap and An Giang provinces in the upper MRD plain. Bore core drilling records show a probable relationship between As concentration in groundwater and sedimentary facies in the MRD. The highest As content is found along the Mekong River valleys in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene aquifers. References Ahmed, K.M., et al., 2004. Arsenic enrichment in groundwater of the alluvial aquifers in Bangladesh: an overview, Applied Geochemistry, 19(2), 181-200. Nguyen. V.L., Ta. T.K.O., Tateishi. M., 2000. Late Holocene depositional environments and coastal evolution of the Mekong River Delta, Southern Vietnam. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. 18(4), 427-439. Nguyen. V.L., Ta. T.K.O., and Nguyen. V.D., 2006. Some results from study on arsenic contamination in groundwater in the Mekong River Delta and solutions to prevent. VAST Workshop on Science and Technology in relation of practice. Ho Chi Minh City. 6 pp. (in Vietnamese with English abstract). Nguyen, V.L., Ta. T.K.O., and Nguyen. V.D., 2008: Groundwater arsenic contamination in the Mekong River Delta - its effect on environment and public health. Proceedings of Research on Science and Technology, HCMC Institute of Resources Geology, 47-53 (in Vietnamese with English abstract). Nguyen. V.L., Ta. T.K.O. and Nguyen. V.D., 2009: Recent situation of arsenic contamination in groundwater in Dong Thap Province, Mekong River Delta, Southern Vietnam. Technical report. 98 pp (in Vietnamese). Nguyen Van Lap, Ta Thi Kim Oanh, Saito, Y., 2010: Early Holocene initiation of the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam, and the response to Holocene sea-level changes detected from DT1 core analyses. Sedimentary Geology, 230, 146- 155. Polizzotto, M.L., Kocar B.D., Benner, S.G., Sampson, M. and Fendorf, S., 2008: Near-surface wetland sediments as a source of arsenic release to ground water in Asia. Nature  454, 505-508. Ta, T.K.O., Nguyen, V.L., Tateishi, M., Iwao, K., Saito, Y., 2002: Holocene delta evolution and sediment discharge of the Mekong River, southern Vietnam. Quaternary Science Reviews, 21, 1807-1819. Ta. T.K.O., Nguyen. V.L., Tateishi. M., Kobayashi. I., Saito. Y., 2005: Holocene delta evolution and depositional models of the Mekong River Delta, southern Vietnam. In L. Giosan and J.P. Bhattacharya. eds., River Deltas-Concepts, Models and Examples. SEPM special publication. 83. 453-466. Tamura T., Saito Y., Sieng, S., Ben, B., Kong, M., Choup, S., Tsukawaki, S., 2009. Initiation of the Mekong River delta at 8 ka: evidence from the sedimentary succession in the Cambodian lowlands. Quaternary Science Reviews 28, 327-344. Research Group for Applied Geology, 1999: Arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh, Tech. Rep., 90

Preliminary establishment of a multiplex PCR method for the identification of pork and beef meat based on cytochrome-B Gene

Molecular species detection in food has become common in the last years. In this study, multiplex PCR (mPCR) technique was applied to discriminate between the pork and beef with the aim of detecting the pork in food products made from beef. We developed a m-PCR protocol detected the presence of pork in food products made from beef based on Cytochrome-b gene by a general primer pair F and primer pair (RP, RC), specific two private with pig and cow. The m-PCR method was successfully designed with technical parameters, such as the annealing temperature of 590C and the final concentration of each primer in a reaction of 0,4µM. The minimum DNA concentration of pig and cow could be detected by m-PCR, which was 0,1ng/µl. This process was tested on 24 different beef sausage samples tagged no pork, resulting in 11/24 (46%) of samples, were found the presence of pork and 54% (13/24) of samples no beef and pork. According to this sequencing result that are completely accordant, we affirm primer-specific amplification in this study can be applied to experiment on large number of sample and the ton other types food made from beef

STUDENTS' PERCEPTION OF THE INFLUENCE OF INTONATION IN ENGLISH ON CONVEYING THE MEANING OF SPEECH IN COMMUNICATION

In communication, intonation plays an important role in conveying the meaning of a speech. In this article, we study students' perception of the influence of intonation in conveying the meaning of speech in communication to propose solutions to help students overcome intonation errors when communicating, as well as, help teachers have appropriate intonation teaching methods. Our data and analysis are based on research documents, surveys, and in-depth interviews with students. According to the study results, most students are well aware of the importance of intonation and of the factors affecting intonation, and they are also aware of the causes of intonation errors. However, students do not apply their knowledge of intonation to speech, they stop at the cognitive level. The study indicates that students often make intonation mistakes in Tag-question, Wh-question, and Imperative sentence in communication.  Article visualizations

IMPROVEMENT OF CO2 PURIFYING SYSTEM BY PHOTOCATALYST FOR APPLICATION IN MICROALGAE CULTURE TECHNOLOGY

By reactive grinding method Vanadium-doped rutile TiO2 nanoparticle material was obtained with an average particle size of 20‐40nm, the Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) specific surface area about 20 m2g−1 and it absorbed strongly in the UV region and increased at the visible wavelength of 430 – 570 nm. This study focused on the improvement of exhaust gas treatment from coal-fired flue gas of the traditional adsorption-catalysis system (Modular System for Treating Flue Gas - MSTFG) by using the V2O5/TiO2 Rutile as photocatalyst. The results showed that integrating both catalytic systems mentioned above increased the gas treatment efficiency: CO from 77 % to over 98 %, NOx from 50 % to 93 %, SO2 was absent as opposed to the input gas component. Also it showed that V2O5/TiO2 Rutile integrated with MSTFG has got high efficiency of CO treatment, also secured the high obtained CO2 concentration as a valuable carbon source for microagal mass culture as well as saving energy and simplifying devices