HSU research team participated in the International Conference on Business and Finance 2020

In recent years, Hoa Sen University (HSU) has laid its focus on developing research activities for the academic staff and orients towards regional-scale studies. The school promotes research support activities simultaneously at Faculty level, school level projects and establishes the Institute of Development and Applied Economics (IDAE). Lately, research lecturers from the Faculty of Business and Economics and IDAE took part in the International Conference on Business and Finance held by the HCMC University of Economics on August 27^th - 28^th, 2020 – IBCF 2020.

At the conference, HSU research team presented their research problems, ideas, academic methods and applicability in economics and finance field whilst meeting and discussing with local and international scholars. The studies piqued many researchers’ interest, consisting of the following four subjects:

“Absorbing productivity spillover and export ability: Evidence from Vietnamese manufacturing” - A paper examining how the spillover effects of foreign direct investment are driven by the exporting ability of Vietnamese manufacturing enterprises conducted by Dr. Pham Thi Bich Ngoc - HSU Institute of Development and Applied Economics with Huynh Quoc Vu and Pham Dinh Long as partners.

This paper examines the spillover effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) through horizontal, backward and forward linkages, and how these spillovers are driven by the exporting ability of Vietnamese manufacturing enterprises between 2009 and 2015. The results show that although local firms are less likely to take advantage of productivity spillovers during this period, their export participation helps minimize the competition effect and exploit the supplying relationship with FDI partners. In addition, these local exporters confront productivity protection of the FDI firms in the same industries. However, the higher the export ability, the better their learning ability from foreign competitors but the lower it is from foreign customers.

“Entrepreneurial intentions: the role of financial knowledge” - A study examining the impact of financial knowledge on entrepreneurial intentions, including the mediating impact conducted by Dr. Phung Thai Minh Trang, Dr. Tran Nam Quoc - HSU Faculty of Business and Economics with Nguyen Huu Tho as a partner.

This study examines the impact of financial knowledge on entrepreneurial intentions, including the mediating impact. Using survey data in Vietnam, we find financial knowledge has a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions and acts as a mediator of the impact of gender, education levels and majors on entrepreneurial intentions. Men have the higher financial knowledge and more intentions to startups than women. Students with higher levels of education and those with major in accounting and finance have higher levels of financial knowledge. Family business background and entrepreneurship course participation also have a significant impact on entrepreneurial intentions. In addition, students from private universities are more likely to intend startups than those from public ones. The findings provide useful insights into the influence of financial knowledge and key personal characteristics on intentions to startup. Based on our results, policymakers may consider financial knowledge as a determinant of potential entrepreneurs and have appropriate policies to encourage and nurture entrepreneurship.

“The effects of floods on agricultural production in Southeast Asia: a Mixed blessing” - A research examining the effects of floods on agricultural production in Southeast Asia conducted by Dr. Le Thi Ngoc Tu - HSU Institute of Development and Applied Economics with Sebastian Vollmer and Felix Stips as partners.

Studies of the flood impacts on agriculture have reported the whole picture of negative effects, as agricultural production is heavily influenced by weather and climate. This research will demonstrate that the effects of floods on agriculture production are a mixed blessing. We use a rich panel data set of rural household surveys and external long-term flood data extracted from satellite images to examine the effects of floods on agricultural production in Southeast Asia. The findings show both negative and positive effects of floods on agriculture. While floods increase expenditures and reduce incomes, they can also increase rice productivity. Impacts due to vulnerability to floods are observed when agriculture outcomes are measured in monetary values such as household expenditures and household incomes, but that evidence of vulnerability disappears when outcomes are measured as a quantity in term of rice productivity.

“A Qualitative Study on E-Purchasing Cosmetics Product Intention towards Luxury Brands in Vietnam” - A research examining the impacts of online shopping means on customers’ intention to buy luxury cosmetic products in Viet Nam conducted by Nguyen Thi Nhu Thuan - postgraduate of HSU Faculty of Business and Economics.

Over the past decades, the “luxury” cosmetics segment in the Vietnamese market has been incredibly expanded. This reflects an unprecedented demand of customers in this country towards reputable luxury brands from the US, and European countries such as Germany, the UK, and France, as well as other developed Asian countries including Japan, and South Korea. This research studied luxury value aspects (personal and social) of luxury cosmetic brands and their impact on consumer attitudes and usage behaviour, with a focus on women consumers. The qualitative results indicate that social factors including fashion trends, lifestyle, famous brands, and recommendations from popular beauty Facebook/YouTube bloggers are among key factors increasing the intention to buy those luxury products in the first time. Nevertheless, customers are more concerned about the actual quality of products and the price promotion when purchasing online the same brands in subsequent times. Furthermore, Hence the symbolic and psychological traits among consumer will show their willingness to buy and preferences on luxury cosmetic brands. The findings of this study provide valuable insights to marketers and managers to understand consumer trends, attitudes and behaviour in the luxury cosmetic market and develop marketing strategies to market their products successfully.

Faculty of Business and Economics - IDAE Institute