Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science - Economics and Business Administration
Tạp chí của Trường Đại học Mở Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh
Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science
Medical tourism experiences, perceived value and tourists’ happiness and word of mouth in Ho Chi Minh City: A qualitative exploration
This study addresses a growing need to understand how Medical Tourism Experiences (MTE) shape tourists’ Perceived Value (PV) and happiness, ultimately influencing Word-of-mouth (WoM) in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). The research identifies key factors influencing patient satisfaction and emotional well-being through in-depth qualitative interviews with 10 international medical tourists from 07 countries. The findings indicate that high-quality medical care, emotional support from healthcare providers, and integrating leisure activities are critical in enhancing PV and overall happiness. Participants reported that positive MTE improved their emotional well-being and encouraged them to share their experiences with others, fostering positive WoM. The study highlights important implications for stakeholders, including healthcare providers and tourism operators, emphasizing the need for high-quality service delivery, cultural competence, and strategic communication to enhance the MTE. Recommendations include training staff in cross-cultural patient care, improving customer service standards, and promoting local attractions to develop comprehensive medical tourism packages. Future research should focus on quantitative assessments to validate the identified relationships and examine the long-term impact of MTE on patient well-being and loyalty. This study contributes to the broader understanding of medical tourism dynamics and provides actionable insights for enhancing patient satisfaction and destination competitiveness in HCMC and beyond.
Factors influencing tourist co-creation value in smart tourism: The role of resources, participation, and technology experience on satisfaction and loyalty
In the smart tourism environment, digital platforms enable tourists to actively participate in creating new tourism values. This study aims to examine how “Tourists’ Resources”, “Tourist Participation”, and “Technology Experience” impact “Co-creation” and “Co-creation Value”, as well as how these factors impact “satisfaction” and tourist loyalty in Ho Chi Minh City. Using Service-Driven Logic as the theoretical foundation, data were collected from 256 tourists and analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings show that “Tourists’ Resources” have a strong positive impact on “Participation” and “Co-creation”. Meanwhile, “Technology Experience” significantly moderates the relationship between “Participation” - “Co-creation” and “Participation” - “Co-creation Value”, which changes their directions. This finding suggests an important insight: while digital technologies stimulate proactive engagement, they can undermine emotional engagement, thus limiting the effectiveness of value co-creation. These findings advance the theoretical understanding of technology-enabled co-creation in the context of smart tourism and provide practical implications for designing flexible, technology-enabled, customer-centric short-term tours that enhance meaningful tourism experiences in Ho Chi Minh City.
Digital leadership and employee megaphoning: A dual-path mediation model of communal and exchange relational norms in Vietnam
This study investigates the mechanisms through which digital leadership influences employees’ voluntary external communication (or megaphoning). Anchored in Social Exchange Theory (SET) and supplemented by complementary organizational behavior theories, it proposes and tests the mediating role of communal and exchange norms in the relationship between digital leadership and both positive and negative employee megaphoning. Drawing on survey data from 563 office employees in Vietnam, the model was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that while digital leadership significantly fosters both communal and exchange norms, only communal norms emerged as a powerful mediator. It partially mediated the relationship between digital leadership and positive megaphoning and fully mediated the relationship with negative megaphoning. In contrast, the exchange norms did not have a significant effect on either form of megaphoning. These findings indicate that the influence of digital leadership on employee advocacy is primarily indirect, channeled through the cultivation of a caring, supportive relationship. This research contributes to digital leadership theory by linking it to the critical outcome of external employee communication and offers a nuanced application of SET in a non-Western context. Practically, it suggests that managers must prioritize building communal bonds over purely transactional relationships to effectively cultivate brand ambassadors.
Quiet quitting in the era of hybrid work: A qualitative study on work motivation among generation Z
With the growing prevalence of hybrid work, the phenomenon of quiet quitting has emerged as a critical challenge, particularly among Generation Z employees who seek purpose, autonomy, and work-life balance. This qualitative study aims to explore the motivational experiences of Gen Z employees in hybrid work environments and how these experiences relate to quiet quitting. Self-Determination Theory serves as a conceptual lens through which patterns emerge from the data. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 33 Gen Z employees and 05 managers working in hybrid roles across various industries in Vietnam. Thematic analysis was employed to identify patterns related to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and their connection to the quiet quitting phenomenon. This study uncovers key findings: (1) intrinsic motivation is weakened by social isolation and limited career growth, (2) extrinsic rewards alone are insufficient to sustain long-term engagement, and (3) leadership strategies play a pivotal role in mitigating disengagement. The study provides actionable recommendations for organizations, emphasizing the need for structured career development, enhanced recognition programs, and leadership approaches tailored to the expectations of Gen Z employees. These insights contribute to the evolving discourse on workplace motivation, offering a foundation for future research on employee engagement strategies in hybrid and remote work settings.
Effects of emotional labor and emotional intelligence on university students’ academic achievement: The mediating role of emotional exhaustion
This study examines how emotional labor, with the surface acting dimension and emotional intelligence, affects university students’ academic achievement through emotional exhaustion. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used in the study. A purposive sampling technique was applied to collect data from 399 valid responses from 521 distributed questionnaires to economics and business students at Vietnamese public universities in Hanoi. Analysis using Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SPSS and SmartPLS software revealed that emotional exhaustion fully mediates the negative relationship between surface acting and academic achievement. In contrast, emotional intelligence positively affects academic achievement through partial mediation by emotional exhaustion. The findings expand the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory by showing that surface acting depletes resources and hinders academic success, whereas emotional intelligence builds resilience and conserves resources. This research offers practical insights for improving emotional intelligence, raising awareness of emotional labor’s effects, reducing emotional exhaustion, and enhancing academic outcomes at individual levels in the educational context.
Green purchase behavior of students in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: The integration of protection motivation theory and theory of green purchase behavior
This article examines the Green Purchase behavior (GP) of 305 students in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, using the convenience sampling method to access the target audience easily. This study developed the research model based on the combination of the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and the Theory of Green Purchase Behavior (TGPB). Data is analyzed using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method to test the proposed hypotheses. The results show that Perceived Severity (PS) and Perceived Vulnerability (PV) have significant relationships with GP. The relationship between PV, PS, and GP is mediated by Attitude toward Green Purchase (AGP) and Image of Green Purchase (IGP). Furthermore, the study highlights the crucial role of Green Trust (GTR) as a significant moderator in the relationship between PV and GP. The finding revealed that consumers require a clear, detailed image of green products to shift their perceptions and adopt sustainable behaviors. Furthermore, when they feel vulnerable to environmental risks, green trust becomes a key motivator for choosing green products. These insights offer businesses a better understanding of consumer needs and suggest more effective marketing strategies to drive positive environmental change.
Examining customer satisfaction’s influence on word of mouth and repeat purchase intentions in metro rail services
This study examines the customer satisfaction development model and its impact on word-of-mouth intention and repeat purchase intention for Metro services in Ho Chi Minh City. Utilizing the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) model, the study measures the relationship between customer satisfaction and these two behavioral intentions based on survey data from 504 Metro users. The results of the PLS-SEM analysis reveal the influence of various factors on overall satisfaction, as well as the impact of satisfaction on word-of-mouth intention and repeat purchase intention. The findings provide important empirical evidence to optimize Metro service quality, enhance user experience, and encourage public transportation usage. Additionally, the study contributes to shaping sustainable urban transportation strategies, reducing congestion, and improving the quality of life in Ho Chi Minh City.
The impact of attitudes toward sexually appeal advertisements on purchase intentions of consumers in Ho Chi Minh City: Perspectives from feminist aspects
This paper aims to analyze the diverse aspects of consumer feminism that may influence consumers’ evaluation of sexually appealing advertisements in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a country with Eastern cultural foundations. Data were collected from 300 participants who had encountered sexually appealing advertisements and analyzed using structural equation modeling in SmartPLS software. The results reaffirmed the impact of feminist aspects from prior studies but also revealed that consumers with conservative and liberal feminist views tend to rate sexually appealing advertisements more favorably and perceive them as more ethical compared to those with radical feminist perspectives. Thus, their attitudes toward sexually appealing advertisements influence their purchase intentions. To our best understanding, this is the first study to examine how diverse feminist perspectives shape responses to gender-appealing advertisements.
Governance practices in Public Attorney’s Offices during the Covid-19 crisis: Lessons for resilience and adaptation
This phenomenological study examines the governance practices of the Public Attorney’s Offices (PAOs) in the Philippines during the Covid-19 pandemic. The researchers utilized a collective case study design and conducted in-depth interviews with ten personnel from the PAOs of Kabacan and Kidapawan City, Cotabato. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis, uncovering several key themes. First, the challenges faced during the pandemic included adapting to virtual work practices, managing an intensified workload, coping with the fear of Covid-19, dealing with restricted in-person client communication, providing frontline legal services, and adhering to minimum health protocols. These obstacles highlighted the strain placed on public legal service delivery during the health crisis. Second, the study identified the procedures implemented by PAO personnel to sustain operations amidst the pandemic. These included the use of online communication platforms, distanced transaction systems, quality management strategies, and the provision of online legal services. These adaptive measures underscored the organization’s commitment to ensuring accessibility and efficiency in service delivery. Third, the study highlighted notable best practices during the post-pandemic phase. These included prompt and efficient delivery of legal services, strict adherence to Covid-19 health protocols, and fostering a client-friendly environment. In conclusion, the study highlights the significant challenges posed by the pandemic to the work life of public service personnel, emphasizing their resilience and dedication to fulfilling their duties despite the inherent risks. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of governance and service delivery during crises, offering valuable insights for enhancing adaptability and resilience across various government sectors. By focusing on strengthening institutional responses and ensuring uninterrupted access to justice and public services during emergencies, the study aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16, which seeks to promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and resilient institutions.
Market power and liquidity creation: Size heterogeneity and risk absorption
This study examines the relationship between market power and liquidity creation in Vietnam, focusing on whether this relationship varies across bank size classes. Using an unbalanced panel of 28 Vietnamese commercial banks over the period 2008 - 2024, we measure liquidity creation following the methodology of Berger and Bouwman (2009) and capture bank-level market power through the Lerner index derived from a translog cost function. Because the Lerner index is an inverse measure of competition (higher values indicate greater market power), we frame hypotheses and interpret coefficient signs in terms of market power throughout. Employing the dynamic generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation, we first establish the baseline effect of market power on liquidity creation, then test whether bank size moderates this relationship. The results confirm that market power has a positive and significant effect on liquidity creation, consistent with the risk absorption hypothesis. The interaction term between market power and the large-bank dummy is positive and significant, indicating that the positive effect of market power on liquidity creation is approximately 2.3 times stronger for large banks than for small banks. These findings carry policy implications for the State Bank of Vietnam regarding the design of competition policies that account for structural differences across bank size categories.
The impact of geopolitical risks and financial development on renewable energy consumption in Vietnam
At COP28 in Dubai in 2023, countries committed to scaling up renewable energy to curb CO2 emissions from fossil fuels (Grant et al., 2024). However, this transition faces significant challenges due to rising geopolitical risks that disrupt political stability and socio-economic conditions. This study examines the impact of geopolitical risks and financial development on renewable energy in the context of Viet Nam from 1995 to 2024. Results from the ARDL model indicate that geopolitical risks and financial development individually reduce renewable energy demand; however, their interaction significantly enhances renewable energy consumption. Based on these findings, several policy implications are proposed to help policymakers develop effective strategies for promoting the adoption of renewable energy.
Factors influencing coffee farmers’ choice of purchasing partners in the Central Highlands of Vietnam
This study aims to analyze the current state of coffee production and the factors influencing coffee farmers’ decisions in selecting purchasing partners in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The Random Utility Theory and Transaction Cost Economics, combined with the Multinomial Logit regression method, are used to analyze the factors affecting farmers’ choices, based on data collected from 584 coffee households. Most farmers have small-scale production (01 - 02 hectares) and mainly sell to local traders or purchasing agents, rather than processing/exporting companies, even though the latter channel offers higher returns. The results show that age and market distance from the household to the nearest business facility have a positive influence on farmers’ decisions to choose local traders and purchasing agents instead of processing/export companies, while gender, education level, experience, farm size, payment time, agricultural extension services, specialization, and access to market information have a negative impact. Farmers and purchasing partners in the supply chain often lack binding commitments to carry out transactions. Enhancing agricultural extension services and providing market information can improve farmers’ market access, thereby strengthening their position in the supply chain. Financial support programs and incentives for cooperation between farmers and enterprises will create favorable conditions for the sustainable development of the coffee sector.
The role of big data and blockchain in digital accounting: A bibliometric analysis
This study examines the evolving landscape of digital accounting through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 422 publications focusing on emerging technologies in accounting. Our analysis reveals three distinct yet interconnected research clusters: blockchain applications, big data analytics, and traditional accounting frameworks adapting to digital transformation. Publication trends indicate significant growth from 2019 onwards, with an acceleration from 2024, suggesting an increasing academic interest in this field. Citation analysis identifies influential contributions centered on the blockchain’s role in enhancing transparency, the impact of big data on decision-making processes, and the adaptation of traditional accounting paradigms to technological innovation. Geographically, the USA, England, and Italy emerge as leading contributors, with strong collaborative networks forming across Western and emerging economies. This study contributes to accounting literature by mapping the intellectual structure of digital accounting research, identifying influential works and emerging trends, and highlighting opportunities for future investigation into how emerging technologies continue to reshape accounting practices, principles, and professional roles.
Territorial competitiveness and enterprise development: Research directions based on bibliometric techniques
The relationship between territorial competitiveness and enterprise development has garnered significant attention from researchers. This study conducts bibliographic coupling and a systematic review of this topic for the period 2001 - 2024. Data were collected from the Web of Science (WoS), comprising 213 articles from reputable journals in economics, business, and management. Using bibliometric techniques, the study identifies 173 interconnected articles and categorizes 138 articles into seven key thematic clusters. These themes include the impact of the business environment, public policy, innovation, international investment, institutions, and corporate responsibility on territorial competitiveness and business development. This study makes a crucial theoretical contribution by systematizing and classifying key research directions, guiding future studies. In practice, it provides policymakers with a scientific basis for fostering a favorable business environment while helping enterprises enhance their competitive advantage in the context of globalization.
International determinants of foreign reserves accumulation in Vietnam
Motivated by the recent decline in Vietnam’s foreign reserves, this study investigates their key determinants, with a particular focus on international factors. Based on empirical literature, the research examines three external drivers - exports, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and exchange rate - along with three domestic variables: inflation, money supply, and GDP. Using quarterly data from 2005 to 2023 and applying the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Error Correction Model (ARDL-ECM), the study explores both short- and long-run relationships. The results reveal that exports and money supply positively affect foreign reserves in the long run, with elasticity coefficients of 1.37 (p < 0.01) and 1.22 (p < 0.01), respectively. Conversely, exchange rates and GDP exert negative impacts, with coefficients of -5.17 (p < 0.01) and -1.12 (p < 0.05), respectively. FDI and inflation are found to be statistically insignificant. In the short run, only the exchange rate demonstrates a significant effect. These findings underscore the growing importance of international dynamics in shaping Vietnam’s reserve accumulation. The study offers practical policy implications, suggesting that enhancing exports and stabilizing exchange rates could be more effective than relying solely on domestic macroeconomic measures.
Covid-19 pandemic, fear index, national culture, and demand for gold: An international analysis
This research examines the effects of the fear index and the Covid-19 pandemic on gold demand, using panel data from 24 countries spanning 2010 - 2022. To address statistical concerns, the study applies the Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) as the baseline estimator. The findings show a positive correlation between gold demand and both the fear index and changes in gold prices, though some countries exhibit a negative relationship with Covid-19 and gold prices. These results highlight the influence of fear and pandemic uncertainty on gold demand across Confucian Asian, Western, Middle Eastern, and Southern Asian regions. Despite global consumption declines during economic instability, gold remained a preferred safe-haven asset in these areas. The study’s insights are valuable to investors, policymakers, and financial market participants seeking to understand gold demand dynamics and develop informed risk-management and investment strategies.
The impact of agricultural extension devolution on poverty alleviation in San Juan, Siquijor, Philippines
This paper analyzes the impact of devolving agricultural extension services on poverty alleviation in San Juan, Siquijor, Philippines. Additionally, it examines the effects before and after devolution, with a focus on poverty reduction, agricultural productivity, and income growth. The study employed a comprehensive survey questionnaire, administered through face-to-face interviews, to investigate the challenges faced by farmers in delivering agrarian services. Furthermore, the study utilized secondary data from various sources to collect information on the characteristics of agricultural services and methods for enhancement. It analyzed it using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Results revealed that, on average, 53.5% of the farmers stated that agricultural extension services helped them improve their productivity, while 46.5% of them were not aided. The findings underscore critical elements, including the sufficiency of extension services, financial assistance, and market accessibility, indicating that although devolution has yielded specific enhancements, substantial deficiencies persist in meeting farmers’ demands. In addition, the findings underscore the need to enhance the capacities and resources of local government units to fully realize the potential of devolution in alleviating poverty through sustainable agricultural development. Suggestions to improve agricultural initiatives and advance poverty reduction in San Juan, Siquijor, include mitigating the effects of climate change, enhancing market accessibility, providing cost-effective inputs, strengthening the capabilities of local government units, expanding extension services, upgrading infrastructure, and promoting enhanced collaboration among stakeholders.
From ambidextrous innovation to digital servitization: The moderating role of digital empowerment in Vietnamese Small and Medium-sized manufacturing Enterprises (SMEs)
This study investigates how innovation ambidexterity and digital empowerment jointly enable digital servitization and performance outcomes in manufacturing SMEs in an emerging economy context. Drawing on dynamic capabilities theory and the servitization/digitalization literature, we conceptualize exploratory and exploitative innovation as microfoundations of digital servitization and examine digital empowerment as an internal enabling condition. We propose that digital servitization, in turn, enhances both operational effectiveness and customer participation in value co-creation. Using survey data from 205 owners and CEOs of Vietnamese manufacturing SMEs and 5-point Likert scales, we test the research model with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that both exploration and exploitation innovation positively influence digital servitization, with a stronger effect for exploration innovation. Digital empowerment significantly strengthens the relationship between exploitative innovation and digital servitization, but does not significantly moderate the exploratory innovation-digital servitization link. Digital servitization exerts significant positive effects on operational effectiveness and on customer participation in value co-creation, underscoring its significant role in translating innovation capabilities into both efficiency and relational gains. The study advances understanding of the microfoundations of digital servitization in manufacturing SMEs, nuances the role of digital empowerment as a contingent rather than universal amplifier of innovation ambidexterity. It provides actionable implications for SME leaders seeking to leverage digital tools, skills, and autonomy to turn innovation efforts into digitally enabled service offerings and improved performance.
The impact of consumption values on the intention to purchase organic food: The moderating role of trust
This study aims to identify and estimate the factors influencing the intention to purchase organic food and evaluate the moderating impact of trust on the relationship between consumption values and purchase intention. The analysis results from 252 consumers through the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach indicate that functional value is the strongest driver of purchase intention, followed by other components of consumption values, including epistemic value, emotional value, social value, and conditional value. The study also reveals that trust moderates the relationship between functional value and the intention to purchase organic food. Several recommendations for organic food suppliers are also presented at the end of this paper.
Transformational leadership and knowledge-sharing intention among sales employees in Vietnamese enterprises
This study investigates the impact of transformational leadership and affective commitment on the knowledge-sharing intention among sales employees in enterprises in Hanoi. Using online structured questionnaires, data was gathered from 318 voluntary respondents employed as salespersons or in sales departments in enterprises based in Hanoi, Vietnam. The collected data was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with the support of Smart PLS 4 to assess the measurement and structural model and examine the proposed hypotheses. The research findings revealed positive associations between transformational leadership, affective commitment, and employees’ willingness to share knowledge. In particular, transformational leadership explained 56% and 40.5% of the variance in affective commitment and knowledge-sharing intention, respectively. Furthermore, the study emphasized the mediating role of affective commitment in the favorable effects of transformational leadership on employees’ knowledge-sharing intention. The research findings offer practical recommendations for corporate leaders and managers to adopt the transformational leadership style and promote affective commitment among employees to foster knowledge sharing among colleagues
How does electronic word of mouth influence Gen Z tourists’ booking intention in the hospitality industry? The case of mountainous areas
The objective of this study is to explore the influence of electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) on the booking intention of Gen Z tourists, and mountain tourism was chosen as the context. In addition to examining the direct influence, the study will evaluate the mediating role of variables in the Model of Goal-directed Behavior (MGB) model in the relationship between eWOM and booking intention. Two hundred eighty-three usable responses were analyzed in SPSS 27.0 and SmartPLS 4.0. The results indicated that eWOM has a considerable direct influence on Gen Z tourists’ intentions. Subjective norms and desire also play a mediating role in the relationship between eWOM and booking intention. In addition, the indirect influence of eWOM on booking intention is also through the mediating role of perceived behavioral control and desire. Notably, with the collected data set, the mediating role of the remaining variables in the MGB, including attitude, positive emotions, and negative emotions in the relationship between eWOM and booking intention, is not statistically significant. This study provides a deeper insight into Gen Z tourists’ booking intentions and practical recommendations for hospitality managers in mountainous areas to leverage eWOM as a valuable tool to encourage their intentions.
Leadership, empowerment, support, and job satisfaction: Insights from Vietnamese Small and Medium-sized manufacturing Enterprises (SMEs)
This study investigates the impact of authentic leadership on employee job satisfaction within Vietnamese SMEs, with a particular emphasis on the mediating roles of psychological empowerment and perceived organizational support. Analyzing data from 638 employees in the trade and service sectors using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the findings reveal that authentic leadership, directly and indirectly, fosters job satisfaction by promoting trust, transparency, and ethical behaviors. Psychological empowerment amplifies employees’ sense of autonomy and competence, while perceived organizational support strengthens their emotional connection to the organization. The research underscores the cultural importance of collective values and managerial support in the Vietnamese context. Practical recommendations include implementing leadership development programs prioritizing authenticity and empowerment alongside structured systems for employee recognition and support. Despite these contributions, the study is limited by its cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data. Future research should investigate longitudinal effects and consider additional mediating factors. This research provides valuable insights for improving SMEs’ employee satisfaction and organizational performance.
Adaptability culture fosters Small and Medium-sized manufacturing Enterprises (SMEs) climate change proactive adaptation in Vietnam
This study aims to explore the influence of Adaptability Culture (AC) on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) among Vietnamese Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Further, this study examines the mediating role of Awareness of climate change Adaptation (AWA) in this relationship. Employing the Model of Private Proactive Adaptation to Climate Change (MPPACC), this study examines Vietnamese SMEs’ climate change adaptation measures. Utilizing a survey approach, data from 314 SMEs in Vietnam were analyzed via the SEM linear structural model, employing SmartPLS4 software. The findings reveal a significantly positive impact of adaptability culture on SMEs’ climate change adaptation activities. The study underscores the importance of adaptability culture in fostering proactive responses to climate change among SMEs in Vietnam. The study also highlights the magnitude of enhancing an adaptability culture within SMEs to magnify their resilience to climate change. Managers and policymakers can leverage such findings to develop strategies that promote adaptability culture and climate change awareness among SMEs, thereby progressing their adaptive capacity
Exploring the impact of destination image and hotel brand attachment on revisit intention: Ho Chi Minh City case study
In a world of uncertainty, the tourism industry has to confront several changes that significantly disturb the innovation and development of this field. Managers and marketers must estimate the appropriate strategy to encourage tourists to revisit the destination, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. This study explores the role of destination image that combines hotel brand attachment to enhance the intention to revisit travelers. By adapting the S-O-R model and attachment theory, this study recognized the indispensability of hotel brands in tourist places, which could reinforce revisit intention. An empirical research was conducted to test the hypotheses based on the theoretical framework. This study utilized the PLS-SEM method to analyze 478 samples collected from primary data. Findings reveal that destination image, hotel brand attachment, and revisit intention correlate linearly in tourism. This study also proposes both practical contributions and theoretical building for further research.
Thinking styles and environmental leadership: Governance strategies in the Philippines’ coastal areas
This paper examines the application of the Herrmann Brain Dominance Model in local governance in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines, particularly in the management of coastal areas. Leadership has shifted to include diverse thinking styles, for it has been found that a person’s unique thinking style determines how things get done. The Herrmann Model has demonstrated this and given results on how a person leads regarding their predominant mode of thinking. In coastal management, where local governments face complex environmental issues, understanding thinking styles can enhance governance strategies. The study uses a mix of qualitative and quantitative design to assess the thinking styles and ecological problems in 07 local government units in Negros Oriental. Data were gathered through surveys, interviews, and documentary research. Results indicate that most of the local officers are analytical thinkers (42.85%) and organizational thinkers (35.71%) but lack team-oriented thinkers (14.28%) and creativity-oriented thinkers (7.14%), which does not let them create innovative solutions for sustainable coastal management. The study stresses integrating creative problem-solving and analytical skills to address environmental issues like habitat destruction, siltation, and overfishing. The findings suggest that while the local leaders are good at coping with the immediate environmental issues, they can improve their thinking flexibility for sustainability through leadership training, cross-sector collaboration, scenario planning, and developing sustainability policies to deal with the complex environmental challenges.
The nonlinear effect of international tourism on income inequality: Testing the Kuznets curve hypothesis
The study aims to assess the impact of international tourism on income inequality in 67 developing countries on a global scale during the period from 2005 to 2022. The Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimate technique is used to estimate econometric models and provide new insights. Quantitative research results indicate that tourism exerts both linear and nonlinear effects on income inequality. Thus, tourism development serves as a mechanism for reducing inequality in developing countries, following an inverted U-shaped pattern. The study's results fill the current research gap and provide a clear answer to the debates in the scientific community when considering the impact of tourism on income inequality in line with the Kuznets curve hypothesis. Furthermore, the models are categorized to examine the influence of macroeconomic factors, internal factors, and international factors on the dependent variable separately, providing a more general frame of reference when studying the relationship between tourism development and income inequality in developing countries.
Building a new hybrid machine learning model for improvement insurance cross-sell prediction
Amid rising competition in the insurance sector, optimizing cross-selling strategies is crucial for sustainable growth and requires a deep understanding of customer behavior. This study proposes a machine learning-driven framework for cross-sell prediction to enhance personalization, increase conversion rates, and maximize return on investment. Using 381,109 customer records from an insurance company, the data undergoes preprocessing steps including outlier treatment for Annual Premium, encoding categorical variables such as Gender and Vehicle Age, and standardizing numerical features like Age, Annual Premium, and Vintage. To address class imbalance in the Response variable, where only 12.26 percent of customers responded positively, Borderline-Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (Borderline-SMOTE) is applied to generate synthetic samples and improve prediction accuracy. Four machine learning models, including Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Random Forest, and XGBoost, are trained and evaluated using Accuracy, Receiver Operating Characteristic - Area Under the Curve (ROC-AUC), Mean Absolute Error, Mean Squared Error, and Root Mean Squared Error. Among these, XGBoost with Borderline-SMOTE achieves the best performance, with an accuracy of 0.84 and a ROC-AUC score of 0.8436, representing a significant improvement over the baseline XGBoost model with a ROC-AUC of 0.7768. Logistic Regression also improves, with its ROC-AUC increasing from 0.8250 to 0.8451. Visual analysis reveals behavioral patterns, such as a 25 percent purchase rate among customers with vehicles older than two years and a 20 percent rate among male customers with prior vehicle damage. The study delivers a high-performing predictive model to support targeted marketing efforts, potentially increasing cross-sell conversion rates by 5 to 10 percent. Future work will explore deep learning techniques and larger datasets to further enhance prediction capabilities
Determinants of agency cost: Evidence from listed real estate firms on the Vietnam Stock Exchange
This study investigates the impact of corporate governance factors on agency problems in 42 listed real estate companies on the Vietnam stock exchange from 2013 to 2023, utilizing 462 observations and the Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) model. Despite growing attention to agency problems globally, research on Vietnam’s real estate sector remains limited, particularly regarding the role of governance mechanisms in mitigating these issues. The findings indicate that a higher proportion of board members involved in managerial roles, cash dividend policy, and the total debt-to-total assets ratio helps alleviate agency problems within firms. Conversely, board gender diversity presents challenges to decision-making efficiency, potentially leading to increased agency conflicts. Additionally, the analysis suggests that an optimal board size of 04 to 06 members enhances monitoring effectiveness, thereby strengthening corporate governance. These insights contribute to the understanding of agency costs in Vietnam’s real estate sector and offer valuable implications for policymakers and practitioners seeking to refine governance structures and improve corporate oversight.
An inverted u-shaped relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and economic growth: The role of institutional quality in developing countries
In the context of developing countries striving to balance economic growth and environmental protection, this study investigates the relationship between carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and economic growth, with a particular focus on the moderating role of institutional quality in developing countries. Using panel data from 74 developing economies spanning the period 1995 - 2021, sourced from the World Bank, the analysis reveals two key findings. First, there is evidence of a U-shaped relationship between CO₂ emissions and economic growth, indicating that at early stages of development, growth tends to increase emissions, but beyond a certain point, further growth leads to reduced emissions. Second, institutional quality is shown to play an important role in reducing the carbon dependency of growth. The greater the institutional quality, the weaker the positive relationship between economic growth and CO₂ emissions. This suggests that improved institutions could allow developing nations to follow a less carbon-dependent, more sustainable development path. Such implications for policy carry considerable importance for balancing economic development and environmental sustainability.
Factors influencing the continuance intention of Momo e-wallet: An empirical study using sem in Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City
The research aims to identify the factors that influence continuance intention towards the MoMo e-wallet of customers living in Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City. This study extends the Theory of Planned Behavior and Technology Acceptance Model by integrating situational normality and security perceptions in fintech adoption. Using a convenient sampling technique, the author has collected data from 248 respondents in Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City, then proceeded to analyze the data to achieve research objectives. Accordingly, descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s Alpha reliability test, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling analysis methods were performed thoughout the thesis. The results reveal that all thirteen hypothesized paths are statistically significant. Out of the accepted results, Trust significantly impacts continuance intention (β = 0.58, p < 0.01), while perceived security has a moderate effect (β = 0.41, p < 0.05), are the most profound because they explain the success of MoMo in the highly competitive market of fintech and banking apps. Also, there is a significant means difference in terms of continuance intention among people in Can Tho City and Ho Chi Minh City.