One Mandarin Benefits the Whole Clan: Hometown Infrastructure and Nepotism in an Autocracy

This paper studies nepotism by government officials in an authoritarian regime. We collect a unique dataset of political promotions of officials in Vietnam and estimate their impact on public infrastructure in their hometowns. We find strong positive effects on several outcomes, some with lags, including roads to villages, marketplaces, clean water access, preschools, irrigation, and local radio broadcasters, as well as the hometown’s propensity to benefit from the State’s “poor commune support program”. Nepotism is not limited to only top-level officials, pervasive even among those without direct authority over hometown budgets, stronger when the hometown chairperson’s and promoted official’s ages are closer, and where provincial leadership has more discretionary power in shaping policies, suggesting that nepotism works through informal channels based on specific political power and environment. Contrary to pork barrel politics in democratic parliaments, members of the Vietnamese legislative body have little influence on infrastructure investments for their hometowns. Given the top-down nature of political promotions, officials arguably do not help their tiny communes in exchange for political support. Consistent with that, officials favor only their home commune and ignore their home district, which could offer larger political support. These findings suggest that nepotism is motivated by officials’ social preferences directed towards their related circles, and signals an additional form of corruption that may prevail in developing countries with low transparency.nepotism, infrastructure construction, official’s hometown, political connection,political promotion, social preference, directed altruism

Finnish EU Kids Online 2019: Youth experiences of cyberbullying and online hate speech.

This study implements quantitative research method with the focus on data analysis of the EU Kids Online 2019 Survey. It investigates youth experiences of cyberbullying that include reception of cyberbullying and practice of cyberbullying, mainly based on gender and age. This study also demonstrates which cyberbullying techniques are commonly performed by young people. It attempts to give comparison of cyberbullying experiences between male and female youths, as well as youths from younger age groups and older age groups. This study also aims to explore the link between cyberbullying and online hate speech. This study highlights the findings that in the case of Finland, girls report more frequently being cyberbullying victims and less frequently to cyberbully than boys, however, in terms of intensity, boys may suffer from cyberbullying more intensely; older youths report more frequently being cyberbullying victims and also more frequently being cyberbullying perpetrators. This study also suggests that flaming, harassment and exclusion are the most common cyberbullying techniques among Finnish youths. Finally, this study argues that online hate speech and cyberbullying potentially share a parallel relationship

Vietnamese Culture in the Fashion Industry: The Case of TiredCity and BARO

The international fashion industry has undergone significant development over the years, in response to the change in consumer preferences, technological advancements, globalization, and socio-cultural shifts. Vietnamese fashion has been steadily gaining recognition and prominence in the global fashion industry with cultural identity and unique aesthetics. The combination of traditional elements with modern influences has resulted in a unique and distinct style that is gaining recognition in both domestic and international markets. The influence of Vietnamese culture in the fashion industry is reflected in many aspects such as design, material, and products. The case studies of two distinct brands TiredCity and BARO explore the incorporation of Vietnamese culture in the fashion industry. Both brands aim to celebrate and promote the rich heritage of Vietnamese culture while presenting it in a contemporary and fashion-forward manner. By celebrating Vietnamese culture through their fashion products, TiredCity and BARO not only appeal to the local market but also attract international customers. This integration of cultural elements helps foster cross-cultural understanding and appreciation, contributing to cultural diversity and the development of the Vietnamese fashion industry

One Mandarin Benefits the Whole Clan: Hometown Favoritism in an Authoritarian Regime

We study patronage politics in authoritarian Vietnam, using an exhaustive panel of ranking officials from 2000 to 2010 to estimate their promotions' impact on infrastructure in their hometowns of patrilineal ancestry. Native officials' promotions lead to a broad range of hometown infrastructure improvement. Hometown favoritism is pervasive across all ranks, even among officials without budget authority, except among elected legislators. Favors are narrowly targeted toward small communes that have no political power, and are strengthened with bad local governance and strong local family values. The evidence suggests a likely motive of social preferences for hometown

One Mandarin Benefits the Whole Clan: Hometown Favoritism in an Authoritarian Regime

We study patronage politics in authoritarian Vietnam, using an exhaustive panel of ranking officials from 2000 to 2010 to estimate their promotions’ impact on infrastructure in their patrilineal hometowns. Favoritism is pervasive across all ranks, even among officials without budget authority. Promotions of officials strongly improve hometown infrastructure including roads, marketplaces, and irrigation. In contrast to democracies’ pork-barrel politics, elected legislators are not influential. Favoritism is likely motivated by officials’ social preferences for hometowns rather than by political considerations, because favors are narrowly targeted to small communes, and are stronger where local culture emphasizes the family bond

One Mandarin benefits the whole clan: hometown favoritism in an authoritarian regime

We study patronage politics in authoritarian Vietnam, using an exhaustive panel of ranking officials from 2000 to 2010 to estimate their promotions’ impact on infrastructure in their hometowns of patrilineal ancestry. Native officials’ promotions lead to a broad range of hometown infrastructure improvement. Hometown favoritism is pervasive across all ranks, even among officials without budget authority, except among elected legislators. Favors are narrowly targeted toward small communes that have no political power, and are strengthened with bad local governance and strong local family values. The evidence suggests a likely motive of social preferences for hometown

Out of Sight, Out of Mind:The Value of Political Connections in Social Networks

This paper investigates the impact of social-network connections to politicians on firm value. We focus on the networks of university classmates and alumni among directors of U.S. public firms and congressmen. Using the Regression Discontinuity Design based on close elections from 2000 to 2008, we identify that a director’s connection to an elected congressman causes a Weighted Average Treatment Effect on Cumulative Abnormal Returns of -2.65% surrounding the election date. The effect is robust and consistent through various specifications, parametric and nonparametric, with different outcome measures and social network definitions, and across many subsamples. We find evidence to support the hypothesis that firms benefit more when connected politicians remain in state politics than when they move to federal office. Overall, our study identifies the value of political connections through social networks and uncovers its variation across different states and between state and federal political environments.Social network; political connection; close election; regression discontinuity design; firm value.

One mandarin benefits the whole clan: hometown favoritism in an authoritarian regime

We study patronage politics in authoritarian Vietnam, using an exhaustive panel of 603 ranking officials from 2000 to 2010 to estimate their promotions’ impact on infrastructure in their hometowns of patrilineal ancestry. Native officials’ promotions lead to a broad range of hometown infrastructure improvement. Hometown favoritism is pervasive across all ranks, even among officials without budget authority, except among elected legislators. Favors are narrowly targeted towards small communes that have no political power, and are strengthened with bad local governance and strong local family values. The evidence suggests a likely motive of social preferences for hometown

Vietnam's socioeconomic status influence on the passport power

Passports are indeed becoming increasingly important in our interconnected world. As the world becomes more interconnected through trade, travel, and digital communication, the need for international travel has grown. Passports are essential for individuals to move across borders, whether for tourism, business, or personal reasons. International education and employment opportunities have become more accessible and desirable. Students and professionals often need passports to study or work abroad. Countries with stable political and economic conditions tend to have passports that grant their citizens greater visa-free access to other nations. As a result, passport strength can be a reflection of a country's overall stability and standing in the world. Many countries enter into bilateral or multilateral agreements to allow visa-free travel between their citizens. A strong passport, with visa-free access to many countries, can simplify travel and reduce costs and administrative burdens. Indeed, a country's socioeconomic status can have a significant impact on its passport power. The socioeconomic factors of a nation, such as its economic strength, political stability, and human development indicators, often correlate with the global acceptance and strength of its passport.  While socioeconomic factors are important, it's essential to remember that passport power is a complex interplay of various elements, including diplomatic relations, international agreements, and economic strength. Therefore, while socioeconomic status is a crucial element, it is just one piece of the puzzle in determining a passport's global influence