The main objective of this research study is the performance evaluation of 40/50 and 60/70 binder for asphalt mixtures in Vietnam. To accomplish the objective of this research, a dense gradation with nominal maximum aggregate size of 19.0mm is used for the asphalt mixtures. Marshall Stability (MS) test, Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR) test, Wheel Tracking (WT) test, and Dynamic modulus test are conducted to evaluate the rutting and cracking performance of 40/50 and 60/70 binder in asphalt mixtures. It was found that the Marshall stability of asphalt mixtures using 40/50 binder is about 12% higher than asphalt mixtures using 60/70 binder while the rutting resistance of the mixtures with 40/50 binder shows 2.5 times higher than 60/70 binder at 15,000 load cycles. Moreover, the TSR of asphalt concrete using 40/50 binder and 60/70 binder are approximately 95% and 79%, respectively which means that using 40/50 binder is very good for moisture damage resistance. Finally, the dynamic modulus test was done at a reference temperature of 20oC and frequency of 1,0Hz. The dynamic modulus of asphalt mixture with 40/50 binder is about 6257 MPa, which is two times higher than asphalt mixture using 60/70 binder. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that asphalt mixtures using 40/50 binder can improve the rutting and moisture damage resistance of asphalt concrete under high temperatures and moisture conditions significantly. It is noted that these conclusions were based on only on a limited number of samples and conditions. Further studies must be conducted to investigate the effect of 40/50 binder on fatigue cracking of asphalt pavement in the field.

Employability has recently become the first target of the national higher education. Its model has been updated to catch the new trend of Industry 4.0. This paper aims at analyzing and ranking the determinants of undergraduate employability, focusing on business and economics majors in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In-depth interviews with content analysis have been primarily conducted to reach an agreement on a key group of factors: human capital, social capital, and identity. The Stochastic Fractal Search Algorithm (SFSA) is then applied to rank the sub-factors. Human capital is composed of three major elements: attitude, skill, and knowledge. Social capital is approached at both structural and cognitive aspects with three typical types: bonding, bridging, and linking. The analysis has confirmed the change of priority in employability determinants. Human capital is still a driver but the priority of attitude has been confirmed in the contemporary context. Then, social capital with the important order of linking, bridging, and bonding is emphasized. Skill, knowledge, and identity share the least weight in the model. It is noted that identity is newly proposed in the model but a certain role has been found. The findings are crucial for education strategies to enhance university graduate employability.

The shift from elite education to mass education in Vietnam has met the demand for education for everybody as well as for quality human resource talent for an emerging nation. Under the resource constraint, understanding the quality dimensions of education and its priority level is important for effective and efficient policies. This study was carried out using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to develop quality criteria and a ranking model. Two rounds of in-depth interviews were conducted with fifteen experts in the field, who were rectors, employers, and recruitment specialists to develop the quality framework applied in Vietnamese universities under total quality management (TQM), starting from the input of the senior secondary school leavers, through a teaching process to the output. The first round of interviews were unstructured questionnaires designed to explore the main factors in quality assessment model. The second round affirmed the experts’ agreement on the assessment model. Then, fuzzy logic was applied to rank eight criteria in the quality assessment model into priority order: cost, teaching and administrative staff, leadership, curriculum, student-related factors, internationalization, admissions, and campus. The results are critical for identifying the necessary actions to enhance the education quality and to further research on the optimal quality model.

The purpose of the research is to identify antecedents of mobile wallet continuance intention in Vietnam. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to collect data from a total of 276 respondents. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed for analyzing the data. Five mobile wallet features – mobile application quality, mobile wallet familiarity, situational normality, payment security, and feedback mechanism – are introduced as fundamental elements, which influence customer’ continuance intention to use mobile wallet in Vietnam. The results indicate that mobile quality application and familiarity can significantly influence perceived ease-of-use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU), but situational normality has an impact only on PEOU. PEOU and PU are positively related to satisfaction. On the other hand, payment security and feedback mechanism affect positively customer’ trust. As a result, the positive effects that satisfaction and trust have on electronic wallet continuance intention are confirmed. The findings can be used to advise mobile wallet providers to improve their platform design and services to retain users. As a theoretical contribution, this study combines the Technology Acceptance Model, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology to investigate the key determinants on continuance intention in the context of electronic wallet in Vietnam.

Livelihood capitals have a clear influence on livelihood development. As for the livelihood results, it has been pointed out in the analysis of the poor households that the ability of people to escape poverty depends especially on the access to livelihood capitals. This study aims to analyze the impacts of livelihood capital on poverty among mountain people who depend on forests through human capital, social capital, natural capital, physical capital and financial capital. This research employs the model of binary regression function. Independent variables x1, x2, ..., xn are targets of livelihood strategy, vulnerability context, and livelihood capitals. These variables were selected to be included in the original model with dependent variable Y as poor and non-poor households. This study surveys households living in upland areas, near forests, and households of ethnic minorities. The results show that,out of the poor household rate, nearly 4% are newly-poor households or those falling back into poverty. Therefore, the government needs to pay more attention to this disadvantaged group and implements policies such as education and training policies, credit support policies, policies to support forest development, and payment for forest environmental services in the context of emerging countries like Vietnam.,

In today’s financial industry, Fintech (financial technology) has showed its role of an innovation-driving area, which can bring outstanding changes to the traditional financial market. This article will briefly introduce Fintech as well as its development in Vietnam. Besides, the research also provided a survey on experts’ opinions on the challenges to the promotion of Fintech application for the modernization of the banking-finance system in Vietnam. The survey results of 40 experts in banking with knowledge of Fintech identify five challenges faced by Fintech companies in Vietnam: (1) legal corridor; (2) infrastructure; (3) Fintech companies; (4) customers; and (5) human resources. From these five challenges/barriers, there are 14 detailed aspects. The results of the expert survey using descriptive statistics show that all five factors are assessed to be low and need to be better addressed in the future. The authors suggest several solutions for further development of Fintech to support the modernization of the banking-finance system in Vietnam: (1) quickly complete the regulatory framework; (2) introduce policies on tax exemption; (3) promote research and application of the benefits of block-chain technology; (4) utilize the abilities of the human resources; and (5) actively promote and popularize knowledge about Fintech.

The paper examines the impact of information about cash flow from operating activities of firms listed on Vietnam’s stock market to the decision making of individual investors. Data were collected from interviews with 160 individual investors about their investment decisions based on information on profit growth and cash flow growth from operating activities. T-test was conducted to research on Vietnam’s stock market - a market considered as information that is not really public, transparent and ineffective. The research results show that: (1) investors do not care about cash flow from operating activities when making investment decisions if the company’s profits grow positively, (2) information about cash flow from operating activities only affects the decisions of individual investors once profit growth is negative, and (3) conflicting information between profit growth and cash flow growth from business activities significantly affects the confidence and comfort of investors in Vietnam’s stock market when they make investment decisions. Then, the study points out the mistake of investors when making investment decisions, and offers recommendations to investors when making investment decisions, not only concerned with profit growth, but also paying special attention to cash flow growth, especially cash flow from the company’s business operations.