Some new academic papers on development issues in Vietnam - 2014 May 1 issue

[nv...@worldbank.org]

Some new academic papers on development issues in Vietnam - 2014 May 1 issue

**Agriculture and rural development

Simulated Impacts of Climate Change on Current Farming Locations of Striped Catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus; Sauvage) i...
Simulated Impacts of Climate Change on Current Farming Locations of Striped Catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus; Sauvage) in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.
AnhL Nguyen, VinhH Dang and others. AMBIO, 2014, pp. 1-10.

Abstract: In Vietnam, culturing striped catfish makes an important contribution to the Mekong Delta’s economy. Water level rise during rainy season and salt intrusion during dry season affect the water exchange and quality for this culture. Sea level rise as a consequence of climate change will worsen these influences. In this study, water level rise and salt water intrusion for three sea level rise (SLR) scenarios (i.e., +30, +50, and +75 cm) were simulated. The results showed that at SLR +50, the 3-m-flood level would spread downstream and threaten farms located in AnGiang, DongThap and CanTho provinces. Rising salinity levels for SLR +75 would reduce the window appropriate for the culture in SocTrang and BenTre provinces, and in TienGiang’s coastal districts. Next to increasing dikes to reduce the impacts, the most tenable and least disruptive option to the farming community would be to shift to a salinity tolerant strain of catfish. [springer].

Adaptation strategies for rice cultivation under climate change in Central Vietnam.
Adaptation strategies for rice cultivation under climate change in Central Vietnam.
Sangam Shrestha, Proloy Deb and Thi ThuTrang Bui. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 2014, pp. 1-23.

Abstract: This study investigates the impact of climate change on winter and summer rice (Oryza sativa) yield and evaluates several adaptation measures to overcome the negative impact of climate change on rice production in the Quang Nam province of Vietnam. Future climate change scenarios for time periods in the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s were projected by downscaling the outputs of the General Circulation Model (GCM), Hadley Centre Coupled Model, version 3 (HadCM3) A2 and B2 scenarios. The AquaCrop model was used to simulate the impact of future climates on rice yield. The minimum and maximum temperature of the province is projected to increase by 0.35–1.72 °C and 0.93–3.69 °C respectively in future. Similarly, the annual precipitation is expected to increase by 9.75 % in the 2080s. Results show that climate change will reduce rice yield from 1.29 to 23.05 % during the winter season for both scenarios and all time periods, whereas an increase in yield by 2.07 to 6.66 % is expected in the summer season for the 2020s and 2050s; relative to baseline yield. The overall decrease of rice yield in the winter season can be offset, and rice yield in the summer season can be enhanced to potential levels by altering the transplanting dates and by introducing supplementary irrigation. Late transplanting of rice shows an increase of yield by 20–27 % in future. Whereas supplementary irrigation of rice in the winter season shows an increase in yield of up to 42 % in future. Increasing the fertilizer application rate enhances the yield from 0.3 to 29.8 % under future climates. Similarly, changing the number of doses of fertilizer application increased rice yield by 1.8 to 5.1 %, relative to the current practice of single dose application. Shifting to other heat tolerant varieties also increased the rice production. Based on the findings, changing planting dates, supplementary irrigation, proper nutrient management and adopting to new rice cultivars can be beneficial for the adaptation of rice cultivation under climate change scenarios in central Vietnam. [springer].


**Financial sector

Creating Enabling Environment for Micro-finance Sector Development in Vietnam: A Legal Framework Perspective.
Creating Enabling Environment for Micro-finance Sector Development in Vietnam: A Legal Framework Perspective.
Richard Chinomona and Le Thanh Tam. Journal of economics, 2014, pp. 115-124.

Abstract: There is a long standing consensus in most developing countries that micro-finance is an important tool to reduce poverty. With the majority of people in developing countries such as Vietnam living in rural areas, the conventional wisdom is that micro-finance institutions can be utilized to direct resources to poor rural communities. It is argued that the poor lack access to financial resources and therefore, one crucial strategy for achieving pro-poor growth and poverty reduction goals is to increase the role of Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs). However, developmental economists have long noted the complexity of MFIs providing effective rural credit delivery system without a vibrant legal framework that creates an enabling environment. Given that MFIs seek to reduce poverty in rural areas through providing sustainable micro-finance facilities, it is unfortunate that the important role played by a legal framework has largely been neglected by researchers. Using Vietnam as a case study, this research seeks to examine the legal framework governing the activities of MFIs in Vietnam, present the shortcomings of the legal framework and then suggest some legal framework reforms needed. The understanding is that, a reformed legal framework will facilitate a rapid development of MFIs in Vietnam and consequently alleviate rural poverty. [Chinomona&Tam-2014.pdf]. Free full text http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/JE/JE-05-0-000-14-Web/JE-05-1-000-14-Abst-PDF/JE-5-1-115-14-110-Chinomona-R/JE-5-1-115-14-110-Chinomona-R-Tx[12].pmd.pdf.

Developing Corporate Governance Index for Vietnamese Banking System.
Developing Corporate Governance Index for Vietnamese Banking System.
Tran Thi Thanh Tu, Pham Bao Khanh and Phung Duc Quyen. International Journal of Financial Research, 2014, volume 5, number 2.

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is twofold. Firstly, we propose a specific method with a detailed questionnaire with 60 questions, divided into five main components: Shareholders and general shareholders’ meeting; Board of directors; Supervisory board; Disclosure and transparency, auditing and Violations. Second, the method will then be applied to calculate the CGI for 40 Vietnamese commercial banks in three years 2010, 2011 and 2012. To our best knowledge, this is the first time that a questionnaire has been designed and applied to construct the CGI for the Vietnamese banking sector. And thirdly, statistical analysis has been performed to examine the characteristics of the results obtained from the questionnaire. Free full text http://www.sciedu.ca/journal/index.php/ijfr/article/viewFile/4577/2643.

Regional stock markets and the economic development of Southeast Asia.
Regional stock markets and the economic development of Southeast Asia.
Scott J. Niblock, Panha Heng and Keith Sloan. Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, 2014, volume 28, number 1, pp. 47-59.

Abstract: The paper examines the contribution made by the establishment and operation of a local stock exchange to the economic development of Southeast Asian (SEA) countries. The paper informs investors and policymakers about the current status of SEA stock market development and the associated positive and negative effects of such initiatives. Policymakers have placed a clear focus on SEA stock markets as a primary driver of regional economic growth. However, it is questionable whether SEA is ready for such an ambitious economic initiative, particularly given the reported negative effects of lesser developed stock markets. Despite these negative implications, the benefits appear to outweigh the costs for SEA stock markets. It is perceived that SEA stock markets will drive further economic reform, financial liberalisation, and market integration, promising tremendous benefits for both the region and the international investment community. The paper concludes with questions regarding the efficiency of stock markets in SEA and offers recommendations for further empirical research. [wiley].


**Economic development

Competition policy and intellectual property rights in the information and communications technology sector: Policy implicat...
Competition policy and intellectual property rights in the information and communications technology sector: Policy implications and options for ASEAN.
Thitapha Wattanapruttipaisan. Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, 2014, volume 28, number 1, pp. 1-28.

Abstract: ASEAN exports are dominated by products with high levels of new knowledge and innovation but they are also characterised by low value addition due to limited innovation inputs in export processing. The information and communications technology sector embodies wide-ranging opportunities for innovation-driven value creation and structural upgrading among interdependent industries and economies. There are, however, also formidable challenges from the systemic or unexpected consequences of the anti-trust and intellectual property policy regimes, anticompetitive business conduct, and the nuanced and layered outcomes in adjudication as regards the property rights and competition interface. The international experiences in enforcement approach and emphasis, substantive and procedural convergence, and enforcement versus advocacy have yielded some important policy insights, deployable options, and implementation prerequisites for consideration by the young or new competition authorities as well as for research attention in ASEAN and elsewhere. [wiley].

Exporting and productivity: The role of ownership and innovation in the case of Vietnam.
Exporting and productivity: The role of ownership and innovation in the case of Vietnam.
Carol Newman, John Rand and others. UNU-WIDER Research Paper WP2014/070, 2014.

Abstract: In this paper, we investigate the relationship between exporting and productivity in the case of Vietnam using an extensive firm level panel dataset for the period 2005-11. We separate out productivity effects of exporting due to self-selection allowing us to identify the extent to which firms learn-by-exporting. We examine the relationship between exporting and productivity in foreign-owned firms and private domestic firms separately and find the former benefit more from exporting, particularly wholly foreign-owned firms. Our analysis suggests that these effects are likely to be attributed to initial productivity improvements due to entry into export markets suggesting that the productivity gains are associated with the removal of local market constraints. We also find some evidence of productivity improvement for domestic firms associated with exporting. These effects can be attributed to within-firm innovations in production processes and product quality. Free full text http://www.wider.unu.edu/publications/working-papers/2014/en_GB/wp2014-070/.

Investigating the link between CSR and Financial performance: Evidence from Vietnamese listed companies.
Investigating the link between CSR and Financial performance: Evidence from Vietnamese listed companies.
Ho Ngoc Thao Trang and Liafisu Sina Yekini. British Journal of Arts & Social Sciences, 2014, volume 17, number 2, pp. 85-101.

Abstract:

Purpose: Many studies have examined different issues around CSR by using data from western countries to examine the nexus between CSR and Corporate Financial Performance (CFP). There are a few literatures about the same topic in Asian countries. The paper therefore investigates the impacts of CSR on CFP by using Vietnamese data. –

Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper uses content analysis to examine the nexus described above by creating four hypotheses. Apart from CFP variables, the paper controls for size and risk in the model used. We collected data from the annual reports of 20 Vietnamese companies for 3 years giving a total of 60 observations. –

Findings: We document a modest relationship between CSR and CFP among companies in Vietnam. The study also found relationship between the level of debt and CSR but document no relationship between CSR and firm size. –

Limitations: Content analysis with its measurement problem remains the main limitation of this work. Another limitation is the sample size of 20 companies with a total of 60 observations. –

Values: The study provides some important insights for our understanding of CSR in developing economies and its effects on CFP in the context of Vietnamese companies. [ebsco].

Productivity-enhancing manufacturing clusters: Evidence from Vietnam.
Productivity-enhancing manufacturing clusters: Evidence from Vietnam.
Emma Howard, Carol Newman and others. UNU-WIDER Working Paper 2014/071, 2014.

Abstract: In this paper we explore the extent to which firms experience productivity spillovers from clustering using a rich data source from Vietnam for 2002 to 2007, a period of significant transition. We address issues of simultaneity, self-selection and endogenous location choice of firms in an estimation of firm level productivity. Controlling for competition effects and distinguishing between urbanization and localization economies, we find strong evidence for productivity spillovers from clustering. The effects of these spillovers are found to be particularly large for foreign-owned firms. Our results provide support for spatial clustering policies in developing countries aimed at attracting foreign investment. Free full text http://www.wider.unu.edu/publications/working-papers/2014/en_GB/wp2014-071/.

Resource Curse or Destructive Creation in Transition: Evidence from Vietnam's Corporate Sector.
Resource Curse or Destructive Creation in Transition: Evidence from Vietnam's Corporate Sector.
Quan Hoang Vuong and Nancy K. Napier. Management Research Review, 2014, volume 37, number 7.

Abstract:

Purpose - This paper explores the "resource curse" problem as a counter-example of creative performance and innovation by examining reliance on capital and physical resources, showing the gap between expectations and ex-post actual performance became clearer under conditions of economic turmoil. –

Design/methodology/approach - The analysis employs logistic regressions with dichotomous response and predictor variables, on structured tables of count data, representing firm performance as outcome of capital resources, physical resources and innovation where appropriate. –

Findings - Key findings relevant to economic and business practice follow. First, a typical characteristic of successful Vietnamese firms in transition period is their reliance on either capital resources or physical asset endowments. Second, poor-performers exhibit evidence of over-reliance on both capital and physical assets. Third, firms that relied on both types of resources tended to downplay creative performance. Some evidence suggests that firms face more acute problem caused by the law of diminishing returns in troubled times. Fourth, the "innovation factor" has not been tapped as a source of economic growth. –

Research limitations/implications - Limitations: Size of survey sample is approx. 150 firms while the a potential sample of 300+ should be possible in the future. When the size increases the research could be expanded include further variables that help investigate more deeply into related issues and business implications. Implications: The absence of innovations has made the notion of "resource curse" become identical to "destructive creation" implemented by ex-ante resource-rich firms, and worsened the problem of resource mis-allocation in transition turmoil. The Vietnamese corporate sector’s addiction to resources may contribute to economic deterioration, through a downward spiral of lower efficiency leading to consumption of more resources. –

Practical implications - Insights obtained from this could save transition economies' resources which have almost always been considered sine qua non before any critical major policy making, while this is not necessarily true, and in many cases even counter-productive. –

Originality/value - Original data set on Vietnam Stock Market collected, processed, prepared and employed by the authors. Original design by the authors for regression equations with dichotomous predictor variables: dependence on endowed physical assets, reliance on capital resources; and, significant signs of creative performance/innovations. Original idea of viewing "resource curse" as absence of innovation and due to uncreative "destructive creation" of poor-performing commercial operations by resource-rich firms. We have searched the literature in business research and found the empirical results have not been previously reported.

Female entrepreneurship in rural Vietnam: An exploratory study.
Female entrepreneurship in rural Vietnam: An exploratory study.
Nguyen Cuc, Howard Frederick and Nguyen Huong. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 2014, volume 6, number 1.

Abstract:

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of governmental support policies and socio-cultural influences on female entrepreneurship in rural Vietnam. As such, the study addresses an important literature gap concerning female entrepreneurship within rural communities in South East Asia. –

Design/methodology/approach - Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with six female entrepreneurs and six female non-entrepreneurs in northern Vietnam to examine the influence of various environmental factors on female entrepreneurship in a rural setting. –

Findings - Our results suggest that government pro-entrepreneurship policies, together with private sector interventions, have had an impact on rural Vietnam. Yet females in rural and remote Vietnam are still constrained by: societal prejudices; financial limitations; and limited entrepreneurship educational opportunities. –

Originality/value - The paper’s originality lies in its review of the circumstances confronting women in rural Vietnam and its findings concerning the impact of environmental factors on female entrepreneurship in this setting.

**Education and training

Cross Border Higher Education in ASEAN: Structures, Policies, Development and Integration.
Cross Border Higher Education in ASEAN: Structures, Policies, Development and Integration.
Diane Lek. ASEAN-Canada Research Partnership Working Paper Series Working Paper No. 4, 2014.

Abstract: This paper seeks to understand how cross border higher education is structured in ASEAN. It also asks how policies on cross border higher education have impacted development and social integration in the region. The first part of this paper assesses joint initiatives by ASEAN to co-operate in cross border education. The second part of this paper analyses how higher education is structured in Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. It examines the strategies that the three countries have relied on, to promote cross border education. It also investigates the experiences of ASEAN citizens who have undertaken cross border education in these three countries. The third part of this paper evaluates ASEAN’s regional policy on cross border education, and analyses findings from Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. The fourth and final part of this paper assesses how cross border education has impacted development and social integration in the region. It makes policy recommendations as to how cross border education policy can be refined, to facilitate development and social integration. Free full text http://www.rsis.edu.sg/nts/resources/db/uploadedfiles/ASEAN_diane%20lek.pdf.

Study on a model for teacher professional development in Vietnam based on knowledge management.
Study on a model for teacher professional development in Vietnam based on knowledge management.
Vinh-Thang Hoa, Yoshiteru Nakamoria and others. Proceedings of the 57th Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS) - July 14th - 19th 2013 - Hai Phong - Vietnam, 2014.

Abstract: The purposes of the study are to propose a new effective model for teacher professional development and examine the model’s effectiveness in Vietnam condition. As the first step of the study, the paper proposed a teacher professional development model, which is based on knowledge management in blended learning environment and pointed out how to validate it. The model is designed based on four knowledge management processes namely knowledge co-creation, knowledge internalization, knowledge sharing and knowledge evaluation. The knowledge in the model is co-created by the participatory method of learning community members. The teacher professional development process is based on the constructive approach that including activities as follows: self-paced learning, knowledge sharing, observational learning, peer evaluation, reflection, group discussion, and feedback, etc. The learners will receive the on going supporting, mentoring and coaching processes among community members. As the result, a lifelong professional learning community and a secondary school teacher network are established and developed. Free full text http://journals.isss.org/index.php/proceedings57th/article/viewFile/2020/691.


**Environment

Analyzing flood risk and related impacts to urban communities in central Vietnam.
Analyzing flood risk and related impacts to urban communities in central Vietnam.
BamH N. Razafindrabe, Ryohei Kada and others. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 2014, volume 19, number 2, pp. 177-198.

Abstract: This study aims at understanding flood risks and their impact on a community, in order to enhance communities’ resilience and adaptive capacity to these threats. It also investigates the possibility of looking at and handling risk from a resilience point of view. Therefore, while a conventional risk management process is employed in this study, social, physical, economic, and institutional dimensions of resilience are also included in order to grasp the extent of risks and the ways in which communities face, cope with, and recover from flooding. Findings showed that there was no significant difference in the perception of flood risk among household heads educated up to secondary school level, suggesting that they believe floods are purely natural events. Those with a higher level of education (high school and above) (82.7 % of respondents) were aware that flood disasters are the result of hazard and vulnerability combined. In addition, social dynamics were apparently strengthened by such disasters, which resulted in cohesion and mutual help following floods in some wards. Also, households with more sources of income and more savings appear to recover faster than others after a flooding event. With regard to governance and networks, greater efforts have to be made by local institutions to ensure basic functioning during and after disaster events and to invest more into risk reduction activities. However, further studies need to be conducted to clarify the understanding of the impact flood disasters have on the environment and community lives and livelihoods in general, as traditional coping strategies, although still practical, no longer suffice in the face of changes in climate and environment. [springer].

Establishment of industrial solid waste treatment costs of the mechanical industry: A case study in Ho Chi Minh City of Viet...
Establishment of industrial solid waste treatment costs of the mechanical industry: A case study in Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam.
Ngoc Tuan Le and Ky Phung Nguyen. Int. J. of Environment and Waste Management, 2014, volume 13, number 3, pp. 246-256.

Abstract: Survey results from 72 mechanical manufacturers in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in conjunction with related studies showed that industrial solid waste - hazardous waste (ISW-HW) treatment charges were operated in two forms: fixed and varied based on generated ISW-HW mass. Charges of collection - transport - storage - treatment - landfill for each waste composition varies widely (5 ÷ 20 fold), depending on the agreement between waste generators and solid waste services. Charges have not yet shown the relationship with treatment technologies, achieved treatment levels, as well as the correlation with transport distance and waste's toxicity. Methodology for calculating ISW treatment costs by incineration was initially set. Treatment costs per ton of ISW from the mechanical industry were specifically established for each case of emission, corresponding to different payloads of transport means.

Exposure assessment of lead to workers and children in the battery recycling craft village, Dong Mai, Vietnam.
Exposure assessment of lead to workers and children in the battery recycling craft village, Dong Mai, Vietnam.
Takako Noguchi, Takaaki Itai and others. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 2014, volume 16, number 1, pp. 46-51.

Abstract: Human exposure to lead (Pb) due to uncontrolled Pb-acid battery recycling has been an environmental health issue in newly developed industrial regions. We conducted a human monitoring survey in Dong Mai, a battery recycling village in Vietnam, to assess exposure status to Pb. Lead level was measured in hair, blood and urine samples of residents in Dong Mai and two reference sites during 4 years spanning 2007–2011. In Dong Mai, Pb levels in three matrixes were significantly higher than those in reference sites. Blood Pb levels of all adults and children exceeded 10 μg/dL, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition of an elevated blood Pb level. Clear increase of urinary δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) level with increasing blood Pb level indicated disruption of heme synthesis. One adult exceeded 100 μg/dL of blood Pb, where encephalopathy is of concern. The blood Pb levels achieved various toxic effect threshold values, and elevated blood Pb was not limited to recycling workers, but was also in children and women of reproductive age. Serious pollution status of Dong Mai village suggests an importance of further monitoring surveys in various developing Asian countries. [springer].

Occurrence of Perchlorate and Thiocyanate in Human Serum From E-Waste Recycling and Reference Sites in Vietnam: Association ...
Occurrence of Perchlorate and Thiocyanate in Human Serum From E-Waste Recycling and Reference Sites in Vietnam: Association With Thyroid Hormone and Iodide Levels.
Akifumi Eguchi, Tatsuya Kunisue and others. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2014, pp. 1-13.

Abstract: Perchlorate (ClO4−) and thiocyanate (SCN−) interfere with iodide (I−) uptake by the sodium/iodide symporter, and thereby these anions may affect the production of thyroid hormones (THs) in the thyroid gland. Although human exposure to perchlorate and thiocyanate has been studied in the United States and Europe, few investigations have been performed in Asian countries. In this study, we determined concentrations of perchlorate, thiocyanate, and iodide in 131 serum samples collected from 2 locations in Northern Vietnam, Bui Dau (BD; electrical and electronic waste [e−waste] recycling site) and Doung Quang (DQ; rural site) and examined the association between serum levels of these anions with levels of THs. The median concentrations of perchlorate, thiocyanate, and iodide detected in the serum of Vietnamese subjects were 0.104, 2020, and 3.11 ng mL−1, respectively. Perchlorate levels were significantly greater in serum of the BD population (median 0.116 ng mL−1) than those in the DQ population (median 0.086 ng mL−1), which indicated greater exposure from e-waste recycling operations by the former. Serum concentrations of thiocyanate were not significantly different between the BD and DQ populations, but increased levels of this anion were observed among smokers. Iodide was a significant positive predictor of serum levels of FT3 and TT3 and a significant negative predictor of thyroid-stimulating hormone in males. When the association between serum levels of perchlorate or thiocyanate and THs was assessed using a stepwise multiple linear regression model, no significant correlations were found. In addition to greater concentrations of perchlorate detected in the e-waste recycling population, however, given that lower concentrations of iodide were observed in the serum of Vietnamese females, detailed risk assessments on TH homeostasis for females inhabiting e-waste recycling sites, especially for pregnant women and their neonates, are required. [springer].

Lessons learned from the loss of a flagship: The extinction of the Javan rhinoceros Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus from Vi...
Lessons learned from the loss of a flagship: The extinction of the Javan rhinoceros Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus from Vietnam.
Sarah Maria Brook, Nigel Dudley and others. Biological Conservation, 2014, volume 174, pp. 21-29.

Abstract: The extinction of the Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) from Vietnam in 2010 was a conservation tragedy. Hunting has been the primary driver of the catastrophic decline of Javan rhinoceros throughout its range. The last individual from Vietnam was poached in 2010. To help avert repeating such outcomes with similarly imperiled species, this case study presents a state-pressure-response framework, considering the rhinoceros’s historical and current status, the pressures it faced, and the adequacy of the conservation response. The failure at the site level to protect the rhinoceros population ultimately resulted in its demise. Low political will to take decisions required to recover the species and inadequate focus from the conservation and donor community further contributed to the subspecies’s extinction, in part due to a lack of knowledge on population status. Lessons from this example should inform the conservation of other very threatened large vertebrates, particularly in Southeast Asia. [sci-dir].

Using a Risk Cost-Benefit Analysis for a Sea Dike to Adapt to the Sea Level in the Vietnamese Mekong River Delta.
Using a Risk Cost-Benefit Analysis for a Sea Dike to Adapt to the Sea Level in the Vietnamese Mekong River Delta.
Vo Thanh Danh and Huynh Viet Khai. Climate, 2014, volume 2, number 2, pp. 78-102.

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to conduct an economic valuation of creating a concrete sea dike system as an adaptation measure to counter the impacts of a rise in sea level using a risk cost-benefit analysis framework. It uses an ex-ante approach with risk considerations for storms, floods, and salinity by specifying probability distribution functions in a simulation process, in order to incorporate these risk factors into the analysis. The results showed that the benefits of storms and floods avoided dominated the dike options. The benefit of salinity avoided was also valuable, with annual rice and aquaculture productivity losses avoided of USD 331.25 per ha and USD 915 per ha, respectively. This study evaluated a range of dike options to adapt to climate change in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, showing high levels of benefits compared to costs. The larger in scale the dike system options were, the higher the expected net present values (ENPVs) were. Of the dike alternatives applicable to the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, considering the impacts of sea level rise of storms, floods and raised salinity in soil from flooding, small scale dikes that can subsequently be increased in height should be a priority choice. The sensitivity analyses showed that the ENPVs of dike options were very sensitive with changes in discount rate but were not sensitive with increases in salinized areas at all. The findings provide evidence to support the necessity of the construction of a concrete sea dike system in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, given the context of global climate change. [Danh&Khai-2014.pdf]. Free full text http://www.mdpi.com/2225-1154/2/2/78/htm.

Chemical characterization and sources apportionment of fine particulate pollution in a mining town of Vietnam.
Chemical characterization and sources apportionment of fine particulate pollution in a mining town of Vietnam.
Nguyen Thanh Hang and Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh. Atmospheric Research, 2014.

Abstract: Monitoring for PM2.5 was conducted in a mining town in Northern Vietnam in both dry and wet seasons from 2009–2010. Levels and compositions of PM were characterized at two sites representing two separate air bubbles; an industrial site in Mong Duong (MD) and a reference rural site in Cam Hai (CH). Two MiniVol samplers were collocated to collect 24 h PM2.5 samples for about 30 days at each site in a season, simultaneously with meteorological data recording. All samples were analyzed for mass, black carbon (BC), water soluble ions and elements, while selected samples were also analyzed for OC (organic carbon) and EC (element carbon). Higher PM2.5 levels were observed in the dry season than the we t season at both sites in spite of abnormal rainfall occurrences observed on some days during the dry season. In both seasons, higher PM2.5 levels were observed in the industrial site than the reference rural site. The differences in PM, BC or EC and OC levels between two sites and between two seasons at one site, respectively, were all statistically significant except for that in OC between two sites, and BC between two seasons at MD. The reconstructed PM2.5 mass indicated major contributing groups being organic matter, secondary inorganic particles, crustal and soot in both seasons. Higher values of K-Smoke in the dry season suggested more contribution from biomass burning. The PMF results revealed the largest contribution to PM2.5 mass from secondary PM (35-40%); followed by biomass burning, ship and road traffic (diesel) each had a share of 15-22%; and a small contribution from miscellaneous sources such as industry and construction activities (3-8%). Analysis of HYSPLIT backward trajectory patterns showed a high potential contribution of the long range transport (LRT) pollution when air masses had long continental pathways before arriving at the study area. [sci-dir].

Effective management for acidic pollution in the canal network of the Mekong Delta of Vietnam: A modeling approach.
Effective management for acidic pollution in the canal network of the Mekong Delta of Vietnam: A modeling approach.
Ngo Dang Phong, Chu Thai Hoanh and others. Journal of Environmental Management, 2014, volume 140, pp. 14-25.

Abstract: Acidic pollution can cause severe environmental consequences annually in coastal areas overlain with acid sulfate soils (ASS). A water quality model was used as an analytical tool for exploring the effects of water management options and other interventions on acidic pollution and salinity in Bac Lieu, a coastal province of the Mekong Delta. Fifty eight percent of the provincial area is covered by ASS, and more than three-fourths (approximately 175,000 ha) are used for brackish-water shrimp culture. Simulations of acid water propagation in the canal network indicate that the combination of opening the two main sluices along the East Sea of the study area at high tide for one day every week in May and June and widening the canals that connect these sluices to the West Sea allows for adequate saline water intake and minimizes the acidic pollution in the study area. On the other hand, canal dredging in the freshwater ASS area should be done properly as it can create severe acidic pollution. [sci-dir].

Spatial and temporal variability of surface water pollution in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.
Spatial and temporal variability of surface water pollution in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.
Gert-Jan Wilbers, Mathias Becker and others. Science of The Total Environment, 2014, volume 485-486, number 653-665.

Abstract: Surface water pollution in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (MD) could threaten human, animal and ecosystem health given the fact that this water source is intensively used for drinking, irrigation and domestic services. We therefore determined the levels of pollution by organic pollutants, salts, metals and microbial indicators by (bi)monthly monitoring of canals between November 2011 and July 2012 at 32 sampling locations, representing fresh and saline/brackish environments. The results were compared with national water quality guidelines, between the studied regions and with water quality data from main waterways. Key factors explaining the observed levels of pollution in surface water were identified through principal component analysis (PCA). Temporal variations due to tidal regime and seasonality were also assessed. Based on regression models, the spatial variability of five water quality parameters was visualized using GIS based maps. Results indicate that pH (max. 8.6), turbidity (max. 461 FTU), maximum concentrations of ammonium (14.7 mg L− 1), arsenic (44.1 μg L− 1), barium (157.5 μg L− 1), chromium (84.7 μg L− 1), mercury (45.5 μg L− 1), manganese (1659.7 μg L− 1), aluminum (14.5 mg L− 1), iron (17.0 mg L− 1) and the number of Escherichia coli (87,000 CFU 100 mL− 1) and total coliforms (2,500,000 CFU 100 mL− 1) in canals exceed the thresholds set by Vietnamese quality guidelines for drinking and domestic purposes. The PCA showed that i) urbanization; ii) metal leaching from soils; iii) aquaculture; and iv) tidal regime explain 85% of the variance of surface water quality attributes. Significant differences in water quality were found due to daily tidal regime and as a result of seasonality. Surface water quality maps for dissolved oxygen, ammonium, ortho-phosphate, manganese and total coliforms were developed to highlight hot-spot areas of pollution. The results of this study can assist policy makers in developing water management strategies and drinking water companies in selecting optimum water extraction locations. [sci-dir].


**Gender

Divorce in the context of domestic violence against women in Vietnam.
Divorce in the context of domestic violence against women in Vietnam.
Ha Song Vu, Sidney Schuler and others. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 2014, pp. 1-14.

Abstract: This paper examines obstacles for women who face domestic violence in making decisions about divorce and in seeking and securing support for a divorce. The research was undertaken in the context of a project in one district of a coastal province in Vietnam that sought to reduce gender based-violence and mitigate its effects. Data from in-depth interviews and focus-group discussions are used to examine abused women's attitudes, strategies and behaviours and the responses of people in their communities and in the support system established by the project. The findings show that social norms supporting marriage discourage abused women from seeking divorce and, in some cases, any kind of support, and discourage community-based support networks, police and local court systems from providing effective assistance to these women. [t-f].


**Governance

Welfare Regimes in China and Vietnam.
Welfare Regimes in China and Vietnam.
Jonathan D. London. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 2013, volume 44, number 1, pp. 84-107.

Abstract: This essay investigates how the degeneration of state socialist regimes and the transition to market-Leninist political economies in China and Vietnam have shaped institutional arrangements governing welfare and its stratification effects. Engaging recent theoretical literature one welfare regimes, the article explores how the evolution of specific combinations of political and economic institutions in China and Vietnam has affected the production and reproduction of welfare and stratification. The common assumption that welfare regimes reflect the structured interests of dominant political and economic actors and thus serve to reproduce that regime is found to invite an excessively static perspective. Instead this essay argues that welfare regimes and stratification in contemporary China and Vietnam require an appreciation of their properties under state-socialism and how specific paths of extrication affected their degeneration and subsequent development under a new form of political economy. The essay also probes the significance of observed differences in China and Vietnam?s political structure in light of suggestions that Vietnam?s more pluralistic political system has made its welfare regime more redistributive than China?s. An alternative perspective suggests China?s wealth obviates the significance of such differences. [t-f].

Can Corruption Be Measured? Comparing Global Versus Local Perceptions of Corruption in East and Southeast Asia.
Can Corruption Be Measured? Comparing Global Versus Local Perceptions of Corruption in East and Southeast Asia.
Min-Wei Lin and Chilik Yu. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 2014, pp. 1-18.

Abstract: Since Transparency International first released its annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in 1995, the CPI has quickly become the best known corruption indicator worldwide. The CPI has been widely credited with making comparative and large-N studies of corruption possible, as well as putting the issue of corruption squarely in the international policy agenda. Despite its enormous influence on both academic and policy fronts, the CPI is not without critics. One often noted critique is that the CPI relies solely on surveys of foreign business people and the expert assessments of cross-national analysts; as such, the CPI mainly reflects international experts? perceptions, not the perceptions of each country?s citizens. This study examines the above critique in closer detail. Data from the Asian Barometer Survey is employed to analyze whether international experts? corruption perceptions were similar to those of domestic citizens. The Asian Barometer Survey is a public opinion survey on issues related to political values, democracy, and public reform in 13 different areas around East and Southeast Asia (Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam). Data analysis indicates that global and local perspectives are only moderately aligned in the 13 areas studied. International experts and domestic citizens differ, to varying degrees, in their evaluation of the extent of public sector corruption in several areas, suggesting the presence of a corruption perception gap. Four implications about the existence of this gap can be drawn for future corruption measurement. [t-f].


**Health  

Clinical governance initiative: a case of an obstetrics hospital.
Clinical governance initiative: a case of an obstetrics hospital.
Luu Trong Tuan. Health Systems, 2014.

Abstract: The aim of this empirical inquiry is to decode the levels to which clinical governance initiative elevates emotional intelligence, ethics of care, and knowledge transfer. A longitudinal case research was conducted over 8 months since May 2011. Hospital document collection, field observations, and in-depth interviews contributed to data collection. Through content analysis, research data was coded into patterns of relationships between constructs. The results revealed that a clinical governance initiative, when effectively implemented, can act as a lever for transformations in emotional intelligence, ethics of care, and knowledge transfer. This research paints a landscaping of clinical governance effectiveness and its organizational outcomes such as emotional intelligence, ethics of care, and knowledge transfer in an obstetrics hospital.

Comparison of behaviors regarding live poultry exposure among rural residents in Vietnam and Thailand.
Comparison of behaviors regarding live poultry exposure among rural residents in Vietnam and Thailand.
Qiuyan Liao, Wendy Wing Tak Lam and others. J Infect Dev Ctries, 2014, volume 8, number 4, pp. 526-534.

Abstract:

Introduction: Live poultry exposure and risk behaviors are more prevalent in rural communities, increasing the risk of influenza A/H5N1 infection. We examined the economic and socio-cultural influences on poultry-related practices by comparing the poultry-related practices among Vietnamese and Thai rural residents by family income and consumption preference. –

Methods: Stratified cluster sampling was performed to select households. Within each household, one adult was randomly selected for a face-to-face interview in five Vietnamese and five Thai rural districts. Using a standardized questionnaire to assess domestic poultry husbandry, live poultry purchase, and demographics, logistic regression enabled comparisons of behaviors related to live poultry exposure and examination of associated factors. –

Results: Among 994 Vietnamese and 907 Thai rural residents, live poultry exposure (prevalence of raising poultry, improper handling of sick or dead poultry, touching live poultry before buying, and slaughtering poultry at home) was more prevalent among Vietnamese than Thai respondents. After adjusting for other demographics, respondents with higher family incomes were less likely to rear backyard poultry in both Vietnam and Thailand, and with more likely to buy live poultry in Vietnam, but not in Thailand. Consumption preference for live poultry was associated with being more likely to rear backyard poultry in Vietnam and Thailand, and with being more likely to buy live poultry in Thailand, but not in Vietnam. –

Conclusion: The findings suggest important roles of economic imperatives and cultural preference for live poultry for consumption in supporting poultry rearing and live poultry purchase among rural residents. Free full text http://www.jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/viewFile/24727520/1051.

Constrained consumer practices and food safety concerns in Hanoi.
Constrained consumer practices and food safety concerns in Hanoi.
Sigrid C. O. Wertheim-Heck, Sietze Vellema and Gert Spaargaren. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 2014.

Abstract: Food safety is a widely recognized concern in Vietnam. Public officials, companies and consumers find different ways to address risks of pesticide residues and bacterial contamination related to the use of fresh vegetables in daily diets. The response of the government to these food safety risks includes the modernization and regulation of the food retail system. However, reforms that aim to offer a controlled and predictable provision of fresh vegetables through supermarkets seem to contrast with the daily consumer practices in a dynamic city as Hanoi; over 95% of vegetables is still being purchased at long-established open-air markets, importantly the informal and unhygienic street markets. Using a practices theory approach, this paper aims to explain this persistence of street-market shopping for vegetables. Detailed accounts of consumer practices, case studies at different retailing sites and daily logbooks of consumers demonstrate that the way consumers cope with food safety risks is largely shaped by the temporal and spatial constraints of their daily shopping practices. We identified how vegetable shopping is either enjoyed as social interaction within the local community or is regarded a time-consuming activity that conflicts with other activities in everyday life. Our findings indicate how these constraints constitute a reinforcing mechanism for the persistence of uncontrolled and unhygienic street markets. To make policy responses to food safety risks both more realistic and effective, it is essential to connect to and accommodate the daily realities of consumers managing time and space in a modernizing city rather than to impose an ideal, typical market exclusively driven by the wish to control food safety risks. [wiley].

Early impact assessment of a large-scale initiative to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF) in Bangladesh and Viet...
Early impact assessment of a large-scale initiative to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF) in Bangladesh and Vietnam suggests improvements in IYCF practices and highlights importance of potential to benefit (119.6).
Purnima Menon, Rahul Rawat and others. The FASEB Journal, 2014, volume 28, number 1 Supplement.

Abstract: Alive & Thrive (A&T) aims to improve IYCF through inter-personal communications (IPC) and mass media (MM) interventions based on robust formative research. In the context of cluster-randomized impact evaluations in Bangladesh (BD) and Vietnam (VN), and after early process evaluation that established reach and quality, we assessed early impacts of A&T-intensive (A&T-I) (IPC + MM), compared to A&T-non intensive (A&T-NI) (MM only) on 8 IYCF indicators. Baseline (2010) and mid-line (2013) survey data [N~2000 children in A&T-I and A&T-NI groups in each country] were used to derive double-difference estimates (DDE) of early impact on IYCF over time and between groups, adjusting for sample clustering. Large and significant early impacts were seen for 5 of 8 IYCF indicators in Bangladesh [early initiation of BF, exclusive BF, minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum acceptable diet, and intake of iron-rich foods]; DDE ranged from 18.7 pp (EBF, p<0.01) to 26 pp (MDD, p<0.01). In VN, early impacts were seen only for EBF (DDE=21.2 pp, p<0.05); for complementary feeding in VN and continued BF in Bangladesh, potential to benefit was limited by high levels at baseline. Conclusions: Well-designed and well-implemented large-scale interventions that combine IPC and MM have great potential to impact IYCF practices in Bangladesh, Vietnam and similar contexts, but impact could be conditional on initial levels of indicators.

“In their perception we are addicts”: Social vulnerabilities and sources of support for men released from drug treatment ...
“In their perception we are addicts”: Social vulnerabilities and sources of support for men released from drug treatment and rehabilitation centers in Vietnam.
Cecilia Tomori, Vivian F. Go and others. International Journal of Drug Policy, 2014.

Abstract:

Background: Amid the global transition to treat opioid addiction as an illness, many people who inject drugs (PWID) face heterogeneous legal environments that include both punitive and harm reduction measures. In Vietnam, many PWID, who have a high burden of HIV, are sent to drug treatment and rehabilitation centers (DTCs) for compulsory detoxification, vocational training, and labor for up to four years. This study investigates the challenges and facilitators of reentry into community and family life among men who are released from DTCs and provides insights and recommendations for developing policies and interventions that address special needs of this vulnerable population. –

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted in 2011 by trained interviewers among a sample of 43 male PWID released within the past 2 years from DTCs in Hanoi, Vietnam to investigate the above issues and to recommend potential interventions. Participants were recruited from outpatient HIV clinics that serve PWID (n = 22) and through peer referral from self-help groups for PWID (n = 21). Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, translated, entered into Atlas.TI qualitative data analysis software and analyzed for key themes. –

Results: The interviews revealed persistent drug-related stigmatization, frequently paired with HIV-related stigmatization and discrimination, which hindered employment, increased participants’ social isolation and exacerbated their struggles with addiction. Families were participants’ primary source of financial, employment, and emotional support, but addiction-related family tensions also had negative psychological effects. Participants identified methadone maintenance treatment as an effective means of overcoming addiction, yet few could fully benefit from this treatment due to its limited availability. –

Conclusion: Our study suggests that PWID released from DTCs would greatly benefit from the scale-up of community-based harm reduction measures that include addiction and HIV treatment, coupled with employment-support and family-centered mental health services. [sci-dir].

A look at the ASEAN-NDI: building a regional health R&D innovation network.
A look at the ASEAN-NDI: building a regional health R&D innovation network.
Jaime Montoya, Carina Rebulanan and others. Infectious Diseases of Poverty, 2014, volume 3, number 1, p. 15.

Abstract: Globally, there are growing efforts to address diseases through the advancement in health research and development (R&D), strengthening of regional cooperation in science and technology (particularly on product discovery and development), and implementation of the World Health Assembly Resolution 61.21 (WHA61.21) on the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation, and Intellectual Property (GSPA-PHI). As such, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is responding to this through the establishment of the ASEAN-Network for Drugs, Diagnostics, Vaccines, and Traditional Medicines Innovation (ASEAN-NDI). This is important in the ASEAN considering that infectious tropical diseases remain prevalent, emerging, and reemerging in the region. This paper looks into the evolution of the ASEAN-NDI from its inception in 2009, to how it is at present, and its plans to mitigate public health problems regionally and even globally.

Perceptions of Mental Illness and Related Stigma Among Vietnamese Populations: Findings from a Mixed Method Study.
Perceptions of Mental Illness and Related Stigma Among Vietnamese Populations: Findings from a Mixed Method Study.
Mai Do, NhuNgocK Pham and others. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 2014, pp. 1-5.

Abstract: Mental-illness-related (MIR) stigma is recognized as a major barrier to health care. Yet very little is known about mental illness and stigma among Vietnamese populations, or how emigration and acculturation processes might affect traditional views. Focus group discussions were conducted with Vietnamese Americans in New Orleans (Louisiana) and Vietnamese nationals in Bui Chu (Vietnam), who shared historical and cultural backgrounds, in 2010 to assess differences in their perceptions of mental illness and stigma. Results show several significant differences in mental illness perceptions between Vietnamese Americans and Vietnamese nationals, while MIR stigma seemed prevalent and understanding of mental illness was low among both groups. [springer].

Perinatal common mental disorders among women and the social and emotional development of their infants in rural Vietnam.
Perinatal common mental disorders among women and the social and emotional development of their infants in rural Vietnam.
Thach Duc Tran, Beverley-Ann Biggs and others. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2014, volume 160, pp. 104-112.

Abstract:

Background: Little is known about the effect of common mental disorders (CMD) among women in the perinatal period on infant development in low-income countries. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of exposures to maternal symptoms of ante- and post-natal CMD on infant social–emotional development in a low-income setting. –

Methods: A prospective community-based investigation in which a cohort of pregnant women was recruited in rural northern Vietnam and followed until 6 months postpartum. Psychosocial and biological data were collected in four assessment waves. The outcome was 6-month old infants' scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development Social–Emotional Questionnaire. Direct and indirect effects of maternal CMD on the outcome were tested simultaneously with path analysis. –

Results: Complete data were available for 378 mother–infant dyads. There were no direct effects of ante- or post-natal CMD on infant Social–Emotional scores. However, there was an indirect pathway (path coefficient −1.11, 95% CI −1.79 to −0.42) in which antenatal CMD were associated with increased likelihood of postnatal CMD, which were associated with reduced parenting self-efficacy and less affectionate and warm parenting practices, which were associated with lower infant social–emotional scores. Parenting self-efficacy and practices also mediated the adverse effects of a woman being young or of high parity or experiencing poverty, intimate partner violence, a poor relationship with her own mother, non-economic life adversity and insufficient breastmilk, on infant social–emotional development. –

Limitations: We acknowledge some limitations including (1) a moderate rate of attrition, (2) the use of a screening test for perinatal CMD, (3) the Bayley scales are not yet validated for use in Vietnam and (4) possible response bias in which maternal perceptions of their infants were influenced by their mood. –

Conclusions: These data indicate that women's antenatal and postnatal mental health is a crucial but currently inadequately understood determinant of the social and emotional development of infants in low-income settings. [sci-dir].

Strengthening Nursing Education in Three Southeast Asian Countries Program (SNESEA): A model for addressing the nursing shor...
Strengthening Nursing Education in Three Southeast Asian Countries Program (SNESEA): A model for addressing the nursing shortage on a regional level.
Wipada Kunaviktikul, Marisa Guptarak and Phanida Juntasopeepun. Nurse Education Today, 2014, volume 34, number 5, pp. 683-686.

Toward an Anthropology of the Imaginary: Specters of Disability in Vietnam.
Toward an Anthropology of the Imaginary: Specters of Disability in Vietnam.
Tine M. Gammeltoft. Ethos, 2014, volume 42, number 2, pp. 153-174.

Abstract: In this article, I discuss the analytical potential that the notion of the imaginary holds for anthropology as a concept that may capture some of the more subdued, yet socially vigorous, moods and sensations that hover where personal experience and socially salient forms of power merge. The ethnographic occasion for my inquiry is the eager uptake of new technologies for selective reproduction in Vietnam; technologies that are actively promoted by the party-state as an element in efforts to enhance “population quality.” Drawing on nearly three years of fieldwork conducted in Vietnam's capital Hanoi, I frame selective reproduction as an issue of power and politics, investigating how people's fantasies, fears, and imaginings blend with the workings of state power in this realm. Attention to imaginary constructions of self and society, I argue, can further anthropological understanding of the ways in which state policies are shaped, implemented, justified, and received. [wiley].

Vaccine preventable disease incidence as a complement to vaccine efficacy for setting vaccine policy.
Vaccine preventable disease incidence as a complement to vaccine efficacy for setting vaccine policy.
Bradford D. Gessner and Daniel R. Feikin. Vaccine, 2014.

Abstract: Traditionally, vaccines have been evaluated in clinical trials that establish vaccine efficacy (VE) against etiology-confirmed disease outcomes, a measure important for licensure. Yet, VE does not reflect a vaccine's public health impact because it does not account for relative disease incidence. An additional measure that more directly establishes a vaccine's public health value is the vaccine preventable disease incidence (VPDI), which is the incidence of disease preventable by vaccine in a given context. We describe how VE and VPDI can vary, sometimes in inverse directions, across disease outcomes and vaccinated populations. We provide examples of how VPDI can be used to reveal the relative public health impact of vaccines in developing countries, which can be masked by focus on VE alone. We recommend that VPDI be incorporated along with VE into the analytic plans of vaccine trials, as well as decisions by funders, ministries of health, and regulatory authorities. [sci-dir].

Understanding the implementation, utilization, and potential impact of a social franchise model to improve infant and young ...
Understanding the implementation, utilization, and potential impact of a social franchise model to improve infant and young child feeding practices in Vietnam: a program impact pathway analysis (624.10).
Phuong Nguyen, Purnima Menon and others. The FASEB Journal, 2014, volume 28, number 1 Supplement.

Abstract: Program impact pathway (PIP) analysis helps to lay out and study the causal links between program activities, outcomes and impacts. This PIP analysis-based study examines the pathways by which the Alive & Thrive (A&T) social franchise model is expected to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in Vietnam. Mixed methods (surveys, observations, facility assessments) were used to assess the following elements of the PIP: 1) training and knowledge of frontline health workers (FHWs) (n =447); 2) quality of service delivery and communication with clients (n =166); 3) mothers’ service utilization (n = 2,045); and 4) the program’s role in shaping maternal behavioral determinants of IYCF practices. A&T training was associated with improved FHWs’ IYCF knowledge and counseling skills, resulting in higher quality IYCF counseling. Franchise utilization increased from 10% in 2012 to 45% in 2013, but utilization fell far below the expected 9-15 contacts specified in A&T guidelines. Improvements in breastfeeding knowledge, intentions, and beliefs were greater among mothers in intervention areas with social franchise and mass media, compared to media alone. In conclusion, many aspects of the franchise services are encouraging, but challenges in service delivery and utilization along the PIP should be addressed to achieve the full intended impact.

Formula use in a breastfeeding culture: changing perceptions and patterns of young infant feeding in Vietnam (131.6).
Formula use in a breastfeeding culture: changing perceptions and patterns of young infant feeding in Vietnam (131.6).
Megan Henry, Parul Christian and others. The FASEB Journal, 2014, volume 28, number 1 Supplement.

Abstract: Previous research identified an increase in formula use as a barrier to exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in Vietnam. In the context of a process evaluation (PE) of the Alive & Thrive program to promote EBF, 121 in-depth interviews with rural mothers, fathers, and grandmothers of infants 0-12 mo formed the basis of a case study analysis (n=48 families). While 79% of mothers had heard about EBF and breastfeeding was universal, EBF prevalence was only 2%. Two-thirds of infants were formula fed (FF) before 6 months (40% at birth, 12% at 1-3 mo, and 15% at 4-6 mo). Stopping and restarting FF was common. Among early starters, families reported a desire to support the mother, “what I could do for her was feed our baby with formula,” often sua non (bovine colostrum formula) sold in the hospital. All 6 cesarean sections FF at birth. Mothers were reluctant to FF but felt they had “no choice” when infants were “crying because of hunger”. For families introducing FF at 1-3 mo, perception of insufficient milk (PIM) drove use. For the category of 4-6 mo, introduction of complementary food (CF) was also early due to pressure from grandmothers, or returning to work, or under the perception that infants need to be prepared to accept CF. High awareness of formula advertisements, conflicting advice from health professionals, and a universal perception that insufficient maternal diet led to poor breastmilk supply also influenced FF despite the high cost. Families valued and practiced BF, but require targeted support for BF initiation and PIM, as well as appropriate and timely CF.


**Energy - Industry

Towards a coherent energy policy in ASEAN using econometric and structural equation models.
Towards a coherent energy policy in ASEAN using econometric and structural equation models.
Eric G. Pasquin and Maria Socorro Calara. International Journal of Social Sciences and Entrepreneurship, 2014, volume 1, number 11.

Abstract: The ASEAN Economic Community is an emerging regional market with people experiencing an aggregate output growth which drives them to increase their energy consumption. With the imminent integration in the region, energy consumption in each of the member countries varies in details and dimensions defined by the internal experiences inherent to the country. This study aims to articulate the coherent energy policy in ASEAN which is a significant step towards the formulation of explanatory parameters for the regional bloc and eventually identify possible policy implications. This paper examines the impact of regional trade, direct investment, public investment, and per capita income on the energy consumption of the 10 ASEAN member countries. Drawing information from the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and BP World Energy Statistics Review databases, panel data sets were subjected to a sequence of econometric tools prior to the utilization of the structural equation model through AMOS version 19. Data specifications and diagnostic tests were completed to verify the acceptable good to fitness of the data as well as the model itself. Two classified classes of fit indices were employed and these are the discrepancy functions and comparative tests between target and null models. The discrepancy functions are exemplified by chi square test and the root mean square error of approximation. While the comparative tests between target and null models are defined by the normal fit index, goodness of fit index, and comparative fit index. The results from the study manifest that (1) public investment, per capita income, and regional trade has a significant impact on the ASEAN energy consumption, (2) direct investment has no substantial effect on the region’s energy consumption, and (3) there is a sizeable correlation between direct investments with its co-explanatory variables. Free full text http://www.ijsse.org/articles/ijsse_v1_i11_129_143.pdf.


**Labor

Labour Migration and Integration in ASEAN.
Labour Migration and Integration in ASEAN.
Brenda S.A. Yeoh and Miriam Ee. in: Migration and Integration: Common Challenges and Responses from Europe and Asia, Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung and European Union, 2014.

Abstract: With the signing of the ASEAN Framework Agreement for the Integration of Priority Sectors (FA) in 2004, migration and integration issues gained significance on the agenda. Primarily concerned with increasing economic growth, this framework excludes the integration of low and unskilled migrant workers; instead, ASEAN efforts to address migration and integration issues have been limited to Mutual Recognition Agreeme nts for skilled labour and professionals. After an analysis of migration policy in the region, we highlight specific barriers to the integration of labour migrants in two priority sectors – nursing, which is highly regulated by the state, and Information, Communications and Technology (ICT), which is typically selfregulated and privately run. Despite a MRA for nursing allowing registered nurses to practice in another ASEAN country under supervision of local nurses without registering with the host country’s nursing regulatory authority, in practice, there are major barriers to the free movement of nurses within ASEAN in terms of skills recognition, licensure requirements and other protectionist measures. Although regulations governing the inflow of ICT professionals are not as stringent as those for healthcare professionals, private costs associated with job search and gaining foreign employment are higher in the ICT sector, largely due to limited information on international mobility within the industry. Three sets of barriers to greater integration are discussed. First, the economic and political diversity within ASEAN makes integration more problematic than in the European Union. Second, the primary concern with value-adding economic growth means that regional  agreements are focused on skilled and professional labour migration only. Third, the “ASEAN way” of doing things – via a strong emphasis on consensus and non-interference with domestic policies – often means that the FA provision for the free movement of labour is usually trumped by domestic policies that do not reflect the same desire for labour integration. Free full text http://www.epc.eu/documents/uploads/pub_4350_migration_and_integration.pdf#page=14.

The role of trade unions in Vietnam: A case study of small and medium enterprises.
The role of trade unions in Vietnam: A case study of small and medium enterprises.
Nina Torm. Journal of International Development, 2014, volume 26, number 2, pp. 207-221.

Abstract: On the basis of matched employer–employee data from 2007 to 2009, this paper examines the union wage gap among small and medium non-state manufacturing enterprises in Vietnam. Controlling for both worker and firm characteristics, the results provide evidence that union members earn higher wages than non-members, and are more likely to receive social benefits. Within unionised firms, a substantial wage premium is revealed for workers employed in Southern firms, a finding which among other factors may be attributed to historical differences between the North and South of Vietnam. [Wiley]. Free full text http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jid.2881.


**Poverty

Poverty identification: practice and policy implications in Vietnam.
Poverty identification: practice and policy implications in Vietnam.
Nguyen Viet Cuong and Tran Anh. Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, 2014, volume 28, number 1, pp. 116-136.

Abstract: To identify poor households, the government of Vietnam applies a combination of proxy means tests and quick collection of income data. This paper examines how well the government's poverty identification reaches the really poor in Vietnam. It is found that there is a large difference between the poverty rate for provinces and districts reported by the government and the rates estimated using expenditure and income data from independent household surveys. There is also a large difference between the poverty status of households identified by local authorities and the poverty status identified by income or expenditure data. More than 50 per cent of the poor households identified by local authorities are not poor in terms of income or expenditure measures. A better identification approach would be to use only proxy means tests and not income data collected using the simple questionnaire. [wiley].

Poverty, Inequality and Social Protection in Southeast Asia.
Poverty, Inequality and Social Protection in Southeast Asia.
Sarah Cook and Jonathan Pincus. Journal of Southeast Asian Economies, 2014, volume 31, number 1, pp. 1-17.

Abstract: Social protection programmes have expanded rapidly in the developing world in recent years. In Southeast Asia, the experience of the Asian Financial Crisis of the 1990s heightened awareness of vulnerability to poverty and the role of government in protecting households from a sudden loss of employment and income, or from contingencies such as ill-health and ageing. Most governments have expanded targeted social assistance programmes, although the quality and coverage of these programmes vary from place to place. Public support for basic health and education services is also uneven. Common challenges in the region include economic risks associated with financial globalization, rapid urbanization, high levels of informal employment, rising dependency ratios and a highly unequal gender division of labour. [ebsco].

Using repeated cross-sections to explore movements into and out of poverty.
Using repeated cross-sections to explore movements into and out of poverty.
Hai-Anh Dang, Peter Lanjouw and others. Journal of Development Economics, 2014, volume 107, number 0, pp. 112-128.

Abstract: Movements in and out of poverty are of core interest to both policymakers and economists. Yet the panel data needed to analyze such movements are rare. In this paper we build on the methodology used to construct poverty maps to show how repeated cross-sections of household survey data can allow inferences to be made about movements in and out of poverty. We illustrate that the method permits the estimation of bounds on mobility, and provide non-parametric and parametric approaches to obtaining these bounds. We test how well the method works on data sets for Vietnam and Indonesia where we are able to compare our method to true panel estimates. Our results are sufficiently encouraging to offer the prospect of some insights into mobility and poverty duration in settings where historically it was judged that the data necessary for such analysis were unavailable. [sci-dir].


**Trade

Analysis of the Effect about Zero-tariff of China-ASEAN Free Trade.
Analysis of the Effect about Zero-tariff of China-ASEAN Free Trade.
Yan LIU and Peng ZHANG. International Conference on Economic Management and Trade Cooperation (EMTC 2014), 2014.

Abstract: Zero-tariff is the ultimate goal of regional trade liberalization. China-ASEAN FTA agreement on trade is the first real sign of China on regional free trade agreement. The main purpose of this protocol is to enhance regional competitive advantage, promote regional trade, and optimize the allocation of resources. Through reducing the tariff and non-tariff barriers between participating nations, create greater economic efficiency, productivity and competitiveness. This paper aims to analyze the theory of effect and demonstration effect in CAFTA zero tariff. And then analyze trading benefits on importing and exporting which coming from zero-tariff in CAFTA based on the theory of empirical. [Liu&Giang-2014.pdf].

Analysis of the Patterns of Trade Cooperation of Agricultural Products between China and ASEAN.
Analysis of the Patterns of Trade Cooperation of Agricultural Products between China and ASEAN.
Feng Jie. 2014 International Conference on Economic Management and Trade Cooperation, 2014.

Abstract: Based on the scholars’ research on the trade of agricultural products between China and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), this paper analyzes the competitiveness and complementarity of current agricultural trade between China and ASEAN and points out the reason for its existence. Finally, the paper suggests some measures which can will promote cooperation in the bilateral trade. Free full text http://www.atlantis-press.com/php/pub.php?publication=emtc-14&frame=http%3A//www.atlantis-press.com/php/paper-details.php%3Ffrom%3Dsession+results%26id%3D11806%26querystr%3Did%253D209.

EU Trade in Financial Services with ASEAN, Policy Coherence for Development and Financial Crisis.
EU Trade in Financial Services with ASEAN, Policy Coherence for Development and Financial Crisis.
Alfredo C. Robles. JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies, 2014.

Abstract: In the wake of the financial crisis, negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) with Southeast Asia has become a priority for the European Union (EU). Paradoxically, all the indications are that the EU will demand that Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand liberalize financial services trade with the EU. This article asks whether the EU's policy undermines coherence between EU trade and development policies. It argues that the EU and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agree that financial services are crucial for development, but that they differ on the approach to liberalization: the EU advocates broad-ranging liberalization, whereas ASEAN countries favour a cautious approach, conditioned by their experience of the Asian financial crisis. In view of this divergence, the EU will have to rethink its approach to financial services trade liberalization in negotiations with ASEAN countries. [wiley].

Impact of ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) on agrifood trade creation and trade diversion.
Impact of ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) on agrifood trade creation and trade diversion.
Shantha Punyasiri Herath Herath Mudiyanselage, Liang Cao and Yongbing Chen. International Journal of Applied Research in Business Administration and Economics, 2014, volume 3, number 1.

Abstract: Discriminatory trade liberalization in agricultural trade is becoming a new trend in the second wave of regional trade agreements. Interdependence of agricultural development and international trade is a key stimulous for the recent developments of trade liberalization in agricultural secotor. In developing countries, agricultural sector is still the most dominant sector and contribute a larger portion to national income and employment. Majority of the people of these countries have employed in farming and agricultural related works. As a result, the standard of living of these people greatly depends on the development agricultural sector. Poverty and hunger which are the cause and consequence of food insecurity is linked with agricultural sector of those economies. The amin objective of this study is to capture trade benefits of ASEAN free trade agreement(AFTA) on agrifood trade. This study employs gravity model to estimate impacts of AFTA on agrifood trade and investigates trade effect of AFTA on eight agrifood commodities individually and on the whole. Findings of the study suppor the statement that joint membership has significantly enhanced agrifood trade among member countries of AFTA. Also, trade creation in agrifood trade is found with the formation of AFTA. Further, the study concludes that joint membership has trade creation has favorable environment to increase trade among members in cereals, drinks, edible foods, oil seeds, red meat and sugar trade while making negative impacts on fruits and vegetable trade. Trade creation is found in cereals, drinks, edible foods, fruits, vegetablse and sugar with AFTA. Oil seeds and red meat found to be trade diverted by AFTA. Free full text http://www.setscholars.org/index.php/ijarbae/article/view/464.

A Panel Data Analysis of Trade Creation and Trade Diversion Effects: The case of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area.
A Panel Data Analysis of Trade Creation and Trade Diversion Effects: The case of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area.
Shanping Yang and Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso. China Economic Review, 2014.

Abstract: This study uses a theoretically justified gravity model of trade to examine the impact of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) on exports, focusing on trade creation and diversion effects. The model is tested on a sample of 31 countries over the period dating from 1995 to 2010 using aggregated and disaggregated export data for agricultural and manufactured goods and within manufactures for chemical products, as well as for machinery and transport equipment. In order to obtain unbiased estimates, multilateral resistance terms are included as regressors and the endogeneity bias of the FTA variables is addressed by controlling for the unobserved specific heterogeneity that is specific to each trade flow. A Multinomial PML is also applied to solve the zero trade issue and the presence of heteroskedasticity. The results indicate that ACFTA leads to substantial and significant trade creation. Using disaggregated data, the significant and positive relationship between exports and ACFTA is confirmed in the case of both agricultural and manufactured goods, as well as in the case of the most important manufacturing industries, namely, chemical products and machinery and transport equipment. [sci-dir].


**Water

A Study on Water Resources in Vietnam: Current Status, Problems and Solutions for Sustainable Consumption.
A Study on Water Resources in Vietnam: Current Status, Problems and Solutions for Sustainable Consumption.
Minh Thi Vu and Hoa Thi Hoang Nguyen. Proceedings of the 57th Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS) - July 14th - 19th 2013 - Hai Phong - Vietnam, 2014.

Abstract: In this paper we discuss the current situation and issues of water resources in Vietnam, and also provide suggestions to improve this status. -- The current main problems of water resources in Vietnam are the pollution of surface water, the decrease in quality of groundwater’s quality, and water salinity in coastal areas. Irrational exploitation of water resources is believed to be one main reason for these. In fact, there are 154 industrial and large scale processing zones in the whole country but only 43 of them are equipped with concentrated wastewater treatment systems. -- As an effort to tackle these problems, Vietnamese Government has presented a number of solutions in the National Strategy for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation until 2020. These include solutions concerning water resources management, institution and policy, planning and schemes, financial policy and economical solutions, multimedia tools and education on efficient water use. As a support for the Government’s solutions, this paper will present and suggest the application of South Korea’s Integrated Water Resources Management System to Vietnam. This system consists of identifying, collecting and analysing data for different water resources in order to find the most suitable management schemes afterwards. Since water is considered as “economic goods”, the responsibilities of stakeholders such as the government, manufacturers, suppliers, comsumers and water-exploiting enterprises will also be discussed as an essential part of this management system. Free full text http://journals.isss.org/index.php/proceedings57th/issue/view/13.



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