Suchergebnisse

This article explores the reciprocal relationship between Vietnam and its diaspora in the United States, and suggests that they have adopted a "reconciliatory approach" to promote development progress within the context of transnational interactions triggered by globalization. The diaspora acts reactively to the home state's responses, but proactively to its capacity for effective communication and negotiation. Conversely, the home state at first acts reactively toward transnational interactions and then gradually adopts expatriate-oriented policies to proactively steer diaspora engagement for development impacts. Reciprocal interactions help to expand the scope of diaspora engagement from low- to high-level transnational practices, which go beyond income-based and material supports and center on social development aiming to improve the wellbeing of every individual in Vietnamese society. These reactions may also push for further policy change in the home country and result in improved institutional conditions in which deeper contributions of the diaspora could be expected for the consolidation of peace and development in a post-conflict society.

Despite the lingering conflict between the government of Vietnam and the Vietnamese diaspora in the United States, issues of remittance and relationship relaxation between the refugees and Vietnamese government happened both in the 1990s. Recent years have seen the attitude-change of the returning diaspora and their shifting strategies of working in Vietnam. This paper describes the first step toward rapprochement between Vietnam and its diaspora in the United States, by analysing the attempts of Vietnam to approach its diaspora in the United States and the reactions of the diasporic community members. On the other hand, it also describes the efforts of Vietnamese Americans to empower Vietnamese people through philanthropic and civic engagement activities. The rapprochement via media and civic engagement reveals a shift from hard, intense ideological conflict to soft tactics in the transnational relation between Vietnam and the Vietnamese diaspora in the United States. This paper concludes that the process to rapprochement is still challenged by the significant differences in political views between the two sides. It suggests that the process of negotiation and conflict resolution be conducted with openness, honesty and acceptance of differences.

The European Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical (REACH) is the world's most ambitious initiative governing the use of chemicals not only on their own but in mixtures or articles. REACH assures the supply of safe products that do not present any hazards to end users or if there is a hazard, it must be communicated properly along with risk management plans. Theoretically, REACH compliance is only mandatory for European companies. In fact, REACH could influence company's activities beyond its border through economic interdependence. Outsourced manufacturing is a good example as European buyers play an important role on fostering REACH application in other countries. By taking advantages of low labor cost and favorable tariff reduction from Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) which Vietnam has signed with Europe, Vietnam becomes an attractive outsourcing destination of many European footwear buyers. Since "made in China" is no longer cheap, it could be foreseen that Europeans would soon move their manufacturing to Vietnam which is now maintaining the second position after China. However, there is a risk that Vietnam loses its opportunity due to REACH compliance issues. REACH compliance is not easy and it is much more challenging in developing countries, where gaps in technologies and stringency of standards each country applies are encountered. The objective of this thesis has been to assess the difficulties felt by Vietnamese companies, in particular footwear companies, when faced with the requirements of REACH regulations. To address the compliance situation in Vietnam, an online survey was developed and disseminated to Vietnam footwear suppliers with the support of Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (LEFASO) and Decathlon (a European brand having its manufacturing in Vietnam). The survey has sets of questions that allow the researcher to assess Vietnam footwear supplier's awareness of REACH regulation, particularly, Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) communication ...

Abstract
Social cohesion holds significant importance within immigrant communities, providing them with a sense of belonging to a group of people who share many similarities while they are adapting to an unfamiliar environment. This article explores social cohesion in the Indian community in Vietnam through the primary method of surveying and in-depth interviews. The authors believe that the Indian community in Vietnam currently is not closely connected, but that its members show a certain dependence on and trust in the members of the community. Regarding cohesion methods, the article explores the main methods of engagement, such as participation in community activities, in the activities of representative organisations, and in interactive groups on social media. In all three ways it is undeniable that Indians living in Vietnam have made efforts to stick together and unite, but the results have not really been what they wanted.

Purpose
This paper aims to examine the impact of competition on firm performance using a data set of 352 firms listed on Vietnam's stock exchanges from 2015 to 2019.


Design/methodology/approach
The two-step system generalized method of moments is used to estimate this impact.


Findings
The findings reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between competition and firm performance. Competition improves firm performance if its intensity is moderate. However, if the competition intensity exceeds the optimal level, the performance deteriorates accordingly.


Research limitations/implications
The authors only studied Vietnamese firms due to the limited ability in data collection. It would be better to validate the findings using data from other transition economies.


Practical implications
The non-linear relationship between competition and performance implies that government should pay more attention to retaining competition at an appropriate level.


Social implications
Firms contribute a lot to the prosperity of Vietnam. Therefore, the findings have a meaningful implication for Vietnam's government to moderate competition to improve its firms' performance.


Originality/value
This paper contributes to the extant literature by providing firsthand evidence of the impact of competition on firm performance in Vietnam – a transition economy.

The Indo-Pacific region is an area adjacent to some oceans and the gateway that connects the great power and small countries to the world; this region is always considered by Vietnam as a key strategic geographic area, having direct impact on national security, position and its role in this region. While big powers have different perceptions of the Indo-Pacific region, as a country occupying an important geographic position in the Pacific region, Vietnam shares a common vision of an open and rule-based area, and a common interest in maintaining peace, stability and prosperity as well as building a common space for coexistence and development with the belief that the Indo-Asian-Pacific is large enough for every nation to grow and prosper. This article finds out that recent changes in the Indo-Pacific region in geopolitics, economics, security and national defence have made many countries, including Vietnam, redefine their global and regional policies to refresh their strategic perceptions. Vietnam has its own perception, position, approach and national orientations, which is shaping its state behaviour and perspectives in this geopolitically vibrant Indo-Pacific region. Besides, this article uses the SWOT analysis model to determine the challenges, strengths and weaknesses of Vietnam in the Indo-Pacific region. Moreover, while the future of the Indo-Pacific in a post-COVID-19 pandemic world remains filled with uncertainty and economic challenges, the crisis also presents an opportunity for Vietnam to re-evaluate its position. Today, Vietnam always maintains its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralism and diversification of international relations, which attaches great importance to enhancing multi-faceted cooperation with countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Thus, with its own perception and geostrategic advantage, Vietnam—a developing country in the region and in the world with relatively stable economic growth, pursuing rules and order will be a positive factor for a stable, peaceful and prosperous development in the region.

South Asia is becoming one of the most fiercely competitive battlegrounds between India and China. Located at the center of South Asia and with its large geographical area, population, and economic size, superior military strength compared to other countries in the region, India has always been the most influential power in the region. But in the past decade, China's intensified partnership with small countries in South Asia has threatened India's number one position in the region. It is the challenges posed by China in South Asia, inter alia, that have forced India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make various important foreign policy adjustments. To interpret India–China competition in South Asia in aspects of diplomacy, economy, security and defense, the paper uses international relations theories including constructivism, neo-realism (particularly offensive realism) and the balance of threat theory. Although the paper analyzes India–China competition in all three areas of diplomacy, economy and military security, the authors are of the view that, the most fundamental motivation of China and India in this competition is to achieve power and security and not economic objectives. While China's strategic calculation leans towards its ambitions to gain greater power in the geopolitical order, India's strategic calculation leans towards ensuring its security. By using qualitative methods and utilizing secondary data including books, treatises, articles and policy briefs[Formula: see text], this paper analyzes the strategic calculations of India and China in South Asia. The paper argues that China's intention is to emulate and then overtake India in the very region of India's traditional influence, while India's strategy is to maintain and strengthen its number one position in the region. Though China's influence in the region seems to have overwhelmed over India, India with all its internal forces is also hindering China's penetrating steps into South Asian region.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between government spending, public debt and the informal economy. In addition, this paper investigates the moderating role of public debt in government spending and the informal economy nexus.Design/methodology/approachBy utilizing a data set spanning from 2000 to 2017 of 32 Asian economies, the study has employed the dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) and fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS). The study is also extended to consider the marginal effects of government spending on the informal economy at different degrees of public debt.FindingsThe results indicate that an increase in government spending and public debt leads to an expansion of the informal economy in the region. Interestingly, the positive effect of government spending on the informal economy will increase with a rise in public debt.Originality/valueThis study stresses the role of government spending and public debt on the informal economy in Asian nations. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study pioneers to explore the moderating effect of public debt in the public spending-informal economy nexus.