This study aims to empirically examine the effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) and corruption on the development of public-service sectors in 10 ASEAN countries. It then investigates whether this relationship is different between two FDI compositions including greenfield FDI and FDI in the form of cross-border merger and acquisitions (M&As). Using a panel database of 10 ASEAN countries during the period 1996-2015 from various sources including the World Development Indicators of the World Bank and UNCTAD, we first find that FDI strongly and positively contributes to the development of the public-service sectors in the recipient nations, except for the electricity sector. However, we show that this relationship is dependent on the type of FDI modes of entry. Specifically, while greenfield investment exerts a beneficial influence on the development of telecommunication and transportation sectors, cross-border M&A has no effect on these sectors, perhaps because of the distinct differences among three public service sectors. Finally, we found that in a highly corrupt environment, aggregate FDI might have no influence on all three public-service sectors, possibly because the two contradictory influences of the interaction terms between corruption and two FDI sub-types seem to cancel each other out.

The purpose of this study is to investigate factors affecting the leadership capacity of middle managers and then evaluate the corresponding effect on the performance of subordinates in Vietnamese economic and defense enterprises. Data for the study was collected from questionnaire survey of 15 economic and defense enterprises, preceded by in-depth interviews with respondents who are subordinates of the departments/divisions of these enterprises. The research used logistic regression estimator to address econometric issues and to improve the accuracy of the regression coefficients. Our results show that the determinants of the leadership capacity of mid-level managers in defense and economic enterprises include: (i) personal qualities and qualities of managerial officials (understanding, courage), fairness, assertiveness and compliance), and leadership behaviors of two leadership styles – (ii) a transforming leadership style (influenced by ideals, inspirations, concerns) subordinates, stimulating intellect) and (iii) transactional leadership style (rewarding, detecting and handling problems for subordinates). Based on these results, our study suggests that middle managers should possess superior knowledge, care more about subordinates, understand the strengths and weaknesses of each subordinate, always be creative, assertive and courageous people as well as have high standards of competency and morality in order to become outstanding leaders in Vietnamese economic and defense enterprises.