Attracting and benefiting from foreign direct investment under absorptive capacity constraints : a case for Vietnam

Most developing countries have made concerted efforts to advance their national development. One way to increase gains in terms of capital and advanced technology is to attract investments from foreign countries with external investment reserves. However, the challenge host countries face is by definition their limitation of financial resources, when concurrently, they need to satisfy both their FDI partner’s profits and maintain their national economic growth. Weighing the balance of such decisions is a complex task for policy makers as well as decision takers. How to optimize the externality and utilize the internality, in combining them to create an aggregated synergy, ergo national development, is both an interesting and pragmatic research topic. The research in this thesis is conducted from the perspective of a host country and addressed the issues of attracting and benefitting from foreign direct investment (FDI). The whole process of FDI flow is examined in order to (1) understand factors that initiate FDI; (2) identify factors trigger FDI inflows into a particular developing country, (3) discover and isolate factors that capture absorptive capacities of host country. This research approach is a mixture of analytical methods applied to a selected case study – Vietnam. Quantitative data of forty-two FDI inflows into Vietnam in the period 1990-2006 were applied to determine specific factors influencing FDI initiation and establishment. The qualitative literary analysis, including an in-depth review of current FDI sources, and in-depth interviews, conducted with policy makers, professional experts, and domestic and international investors, are combined to explore factors that a host country requires to position itself for the absorption of FDI benefits. In summary, this research finds that both external or home investor and host countries’ characteristics impact FDI initiation and establishment. Also, it will be demonstrated that a host country demands prerequisites for a certain initial level of economic development, in terms of human capital, absorptive capacity of local firms, physical infrastructure, stable financial system, sufficient technology, and reliable institutions to absorb the benefits of potential FDI. To the best of my knowledge, this may be the first study on the entire process of FDI life from FDI birth, to growing up, and finally to maturation. This dissertation provides guidelines for future research on FDI’s Gravity approach forces, further FDI comparative advantages, and especially FDI’s absorptive capacities. This dissertation should provide a significant contribution to literature about FDI in Vietnam in particular

ALGUMAS ESTRATÉGIAS PARA FAZER EXERCÍCIOS DE COMPREENSÃO DE LEITURA DE FORMA EFICAZ PARA CALOUROS NÃO-INGLESES GRADUADOS NA TAY DO UNIVERSITÁRIO NO VIETNAM

Among four skills in language, reading has a key role which is a basic means to improve other skills. Without reading, it is difficult for students to further their advanced education in higher levels. The study was conducted to find out the methods to do reading comprehension exercises effectively and quickly as well as some suggestions to improve reading skill for non-English majored freshmen at Tay Do University. The participants were of 102 non-English majored freshmen majoring in Pharmacy, Accounting, Business Administration, Food Technology, and Information Technology. The instruments were questionnaire to get the information and the reading test to evaluate students’ levels in reading comprehension using skimming, scanning, guessing the meanings of words from context and background knowledge to do “True/False”, “Question types”, “Filling in the blank” and “Matching” exercises.Entre quatro habilidades em linguagem, a leitura tem um papel fundamental, que é um meio básico para melhorar outras habilidades. Sem a leitura, é difícil para os estudantes promover sua educação avançada em níveis superiores. O estudo foi conduzido para descobrir os métodos para fazer exercícios de compreensão de leitura de forma eficaz e rápida, bem como algumas sugestões para melhorar a habilidade de leitura para calouros não-ingleses graduados na Universidade Tay Do. Os participantes eram de 102 calouros não-ingleses graduados em Farmácia, Contabilidade, Administração de Empresas, Tecnologia de Alimentos e Tecnologia da Informação. Os instrumentos foram o questionário para obter as informações e o teste de leitura para avaliar os níveis de compreensão de leitura dos alunos usando escumação, escaneamento, adivinhando o significado das palavras a partir do contexto e do conhecimento de base para fazer os exercícios "Verdadeiro/Falso", "Tipos de perguntas", "Preenchimento do espaço em branco" e "Correspondência"

Common Errors in Speaking of English-Majored Sophomores at Tay do University, in Vietnam

It is undeniable that speaking skill is very important in learning English It is a tool to help students to find good jobs in the future especially if they expect to work for a foreign company However in the process of learning and practicing speaking English students get a lot of difficulties Therefore the research Common Errors in Speaking of English-Majored Sophomores at Tay Do University Vietnam was conducted to investigate common mistakes of English-majored sophomores from English classes course 14 at Tay Do University The questionnaire and interview were two main instruments Research results showed that Englishmajored sophomores made some common errors about pronunciation vocabulary and grammar It is hoped that sophomores can recognize and correct their errors to make the necessary changes to improve speaking skill

High energy storage responses in all-oxide epitaxial relaxor ferroelectric thin films with the coexistence of relaxor and antiferroelectric-like behaviors

Relaxor ferroelectric Pb0.9La0.1(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PLZT) thin films have been epitaxially grown via pulsed laser deposition on SrRuO3/SrTiO3 single crystal with different orientations. The high recoverable energy-storage density and energy-storage efficiency in the epitaxial PLZT thin films are mainly caused by the coexistence of relaxor and antiferroelectric-like behaviors. The recoverable energy-storage density of 12.03, 12.51 and 12.74 J/cm3 and energy-storage efficiency of 86.50, 88.14 and 88.44%, respectively, for the PLZT(001), PLZT(011) and PLZT(111) thin films measured at 1000 kV/cm. The high energy density and high efficiency indicate that the relaxor epitaxial PLZT(111) thin film is a promising candidate for high pulsed power capacitors

Une formulation variationnelle du problème de contact avec frottement de Coulomb

International audienceA variational relationship is proposed as the weak form of the large deformation contact problem with Coulomb friction. It is a mixed relationship involving both the displacements and the multipliers; the weighting functions are the virtual displacements and the virtual multipliers. It is shown that the proposed weak form is equivalent to the strong form of the initial/boundary value contact problem and the multipliers are equal to the contact tractions.Dans ce travail, on propose une formulation variationnelle du problème de contact en grandes transformations avec frottement de Coulomb. Il s'agit d'une formulation mixte où les champs inconnus sont à la fois le champ des déplacements et le champ des multiplicateurs, et où les fonctions poids sont le champ des déplacements virtuels et le champ des multiplicateurs virtuels. On montre que le problème faible proposé équivaut bien au problème fort de contact et que les multiplicateurs sont égaux aux contraintes de contact

Effects of Air Entrainment on Fluid Transients in Pumping Systems

In pumping installations, fluid transient computations are necessary to achieve safety, efficiency and economy in design and operation. In some systems, where air content and air entrainment exist, such computations become highly inaccurate when constant wave speed is assumed. In this paper, a numerical model and a computational procedure have been developed to investigate the effects of air entrainment on the pressure transient in pumping systems. Free gas in the fluid and cavitation at the fluid vapour pressure were modeled in the form of variable wave speed model, which was numerically solved by the method of characteristics. This model was tested for the case of pump trips due to power failures. The pressure transient results obtained by this variable wave speed model were analyzed and compared with those results obtained by constant wave speed model and with the experimental results of other investigators

A discourse analysis of trainee teacher identity in online discussion forums

Teacher education involves an identity transformation for trainees from being a student to being a teacher. This discourse analysis examined the online discussion board communications of a cohort of trainee teachers to better understand the situated identities of the trainees and how they were presented online. Their discussion board posts were the primary method of communication during placement periods and, as such, provided insight into how the trainees situated their identities in terms of being a student or being a teacher. During the analysis, the community boundaries, language and culture were explored along with the tutor's power and role in the identity transformation process. This involved looking at the lexis used by the students, the use of pronouns to refer to themselves and others such as teachers and pupils, the types of messages allowed in the community and the effect of the tutor's messages on their communication. The research found that the trainees felt comfortable with teaching but did not feel like teachers during the course. Tutors and school teachers need to develop an awareness of the dual nature of trainees' identities and help promote the transition from student to teacher. In the beginning of the course, trainees should be familiarised with teacher vocabulary and practical concepts in addition to pedagogical theory. Towards the end of the course, trainee identity as teachers could be promoted through the use of authentic assessments that mirror real teacher tasks and requirements