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AbstractStudies of bribery have not adequately considered individual psychological processes in the development of bribery–prone relationships. We propose an integration of moral disengagement and the norm of reciprocity as a theoretical lens to explain the evolvement of bribery–prone relationships. Based on qualitative data from a sample of government officials in Vietnam, we found that public officials normally go through a "calculative judgment", experience a certain level of emotional discomfort and then use rationalization strategies to decide whether to engage in a bribery–prone exchange or relationship. Furthermore, these psychological processes are distinctive in the initiation and perpetuation stages of a bribery–prone relationship. The study suggests that interactions of the norm of reciprocity and wider ethical norms in governing bribery should be further addressed by both researchers and practitioners.

PurposeDrawing from institutional theory and organizational learning perspectives, the purpose of this paper is to examine how social norms of corruption in home countries and those in host localities influence firm bribery behavior. It also investigates factors that moderate the influence of these norms.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on survey data of foreign invested firms (FIFs) in Vietnam, conducted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry between 2010 and 2018 along with Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index. The authors run ordinary least squares regressions to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe study provides evidence that social norms of corruption in both home countries and host localities influence firms' bribery behavior, but their effects are moderated by different sets of factors. Specifically, the use of local leadership augments the impact of the host province's corruption norms on the firm's bribe payments. By contrast, the relationship between the home country's corruption norms and a FIF's bribe payment is weaker if local leadership is used, and stronger if the FIF's home country belongs to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.Research limitations/implicationsRepeated cross-sectional data do not allow us to genuinely keep track of the changing roles of home country and host province corruption norms over time. In addition, the use of perception measures for corruption norms is subject to potential biases.Practical implicationsAs the hiring of local executives weakens the impact of the home country's norms which are embedded in the MNCs' general practices, a stronger learning measure and regular review of the headquarters' policies and practices is needed to ensure the overseas branch's compliance. For policymakers, it is critical to recognize that local corruption plays a role in shaping FIFs' bribery behavior.Originality/valueWhile the effect of social norms of corruption on firm bribery behavior has been recognized, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that examines the learning processes FIFs may take to make sense of and cope with these norms, and also the first one to specify factors that moderate the influence of these norms.

Previous studies have been silent on how institutional factors influence scientists' entrepreneurial cognitions and behavior. Transition economies offer a unique opportunity for addressing this issue since different generations of scientists experienced vastly different ideology and management systems. Built on the entrepreneurial cognitions and contextualization views and interview data from scientists in Vietnam, this study found that scientists internalized institutional factors to form their motivations, partnership approaches, and behavioral competencies, which in turn influence their chosen modes of entrepreneurship. This suggests that new institutions which address younger generations and focus on developing entrepreneurial qualities are pertinent to promote commercialization in transition economies.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether competitor concentration relates to better customer acceptance of the firm's offerings and better networking of the firm with competitors and government officials.Design/methodology/approachThe research is conducted in the context of the transition economy of Vietnam, using a combination of methods. Qualitative interviews are followed by a survey of 199 small firms in Hanoi, Vietnam. Since competitor concentration is count data, Poisson regression is used to test the relationship between networking, customer acceptance, and competitor concentration.FindingsThe results show that locating in a competitor concentration area improves customer acceptance of the firm's offerings and increases networking with competitors, while decreasing networking with government officials. Competitor concentration does not help improve firm performance.Research limitations/implicationsA sample of 199 businesses in the food, furniture, and jewelry sectors in Hanoi may not be representative of all private businesses in Vietnam. The use of cross-sectional data could not establish causational relationships among variables.Practical implicationsSmall firms in transition economies should be aware of the trade-offs between initial customer acceptance and negative consequences of being in a competitor concentrated area. Thus, once the firm's offerings are generally accepted by customers, the firm may consider moving out of competitor concentration areas to expand and differentiate.Originality/valueThis paper points out that in the absence of effective market institutions, businesses want to be located near a concentration of similar firms as a means of gaining initial customer acceptance. This initial acceptance does not necessarily help firms improve business performance beyond the firm's survival.

SummaryThis paper addresses the question of how reform policies come into existence in transition economies, in which democratic market institutions are in nascent stages. Data from two case studies in Vietnam suggest that the evolution of reform policies in transition economies involves significant sense‐making processes, rather than problem solving, and that sense making alters stakeholders' foundations for learning and power influence in policymaking. In the end, stakeholders' acceptance of identity changes is needed for a reform policy to be realized. This study offers important research and policy implications, and such issues as identity redefinition in the policy process warrant further study.

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether higher levels of transparency, accountability, and participation have a statistically significant association with corruption, and whether corruption is highly correlated with lower public service quality in the context of Vietnam's transition economy.


Design/methodology/approach
Using individual-level survey data from Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index, the research employs an ordered probit model to test whether greater transparency, accountability, and participation is associated with lower levels of corruption. Moreover, district-level data are used to test the relationship between corruption and quality of public services particularly in healthcare and primary education.


Findings
Results show that a higher level of transparency, participation, and accountability is associated with a lower level of corruption, and that corruption is negatively associated with public service quality.


Research limitations/implications
The use of cross-sectional data does not allow the establishment of causal relationships among variables.


Practical implications
The research suggests that fostering accountability to citizens and non-state sectors and promotion of genuine participation from these actors are critical for the future anti-corruption agenda.


Originality/value
In developing countries, whether corruption enhances efficiency of service provision is highly debatable. This research contributes to this debate by suggesting that corruption significantly decreases the quality of public service, and that improving local governance helps reduce corruption.

The radical political and economic reforms sweeping through former socialist countries during the last several decades have facilitated economic growth and urbanization. During this period of market reform and urbanization, citizen participation is greatly needed yet easily lost to other priorities. We employ stakeholder theory to examine whether citizen participation differs between large and small cities and between the poor and non-poor people in Vietnam. Using data from a sample of citizens in five centrally managed cities, we found that citizens in large cities and citizens that belong to "unofficially poor" groups participate less. For policy makers, this implies that citizen participation should be of central importance in the management of current cities' expansions. In addition, the categorization of "poor households" needs to be closely monitored to minimize the risk of de facto poor households being excluded from the group. ; UNDP Vietnam