New research on development issues in Vietnam - Volume 6, number 16 (August 1, 2014)

[nv...@worldbank.org]

New research on development issues in Vietnam - Volume 6, number 16 (August 1, 2014)


**Agriculture and rural development

Rice Policy Reviews in China, Thailand and Vietnam: Policy Instruments, Targets and Impacts.
Rice Policy Reviews in China, Thailand and Vietnam: Policy Instruments, Targets and Impacts.
Sina Xie, Orachos Napasintuwong Artachinda and others. in: Proceedings of Selected Articles of 2013 World Agricultural Outlook Conference, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2014, pp. 117-134.

Abstract: This paper reviews the main rice policy reforms in China, Thailand and Vietnam during past five decades, summarize the policy targets and impacts these policies have had on its production, consumption and trade. The policies contents and instruments vary among these three countries, but the common objects of these rice policies are the benefit of consumer and producer as well as the foreign exchange earnings. Government intervention played a central role in early days due to the insufficient food supply, low consumer income and foreign exchange earnings. It was found that rice export taxation and consumption subsidy policies were implemented in the low income and production period and export subsidy and production input subsidy were provided in the high income and production period. But along with the economic development and the participation of FTA or WTO, the government policies move toward to marketing liberalization, rice export subsidy or taxation and rice consumption subsidy were abolished. [Xie-etal-2014].

Is certification a viable option for small producer fish farmers in the global south? Insights from Vietnam.
Is certification a viable option for small producer fish farmers in the global south? Insights from Vietnam.
Melissa Marschke and Ann Wilkings. Marine Policy, 2014, volume 50, Part A, number 0, pp. 197-206.

Abstract: Aquaculture is the fastest growing global food system, providing nearly half of the world׳s seafood supply. A significant portion of aquaculture is produced in the global South and consumed in the North, with much of the production stemming from small producers in Asian countries. The rapid growth in this sector has led to a host of social, environmental and governance concerns, with certification emerging as one market governance response. This paper assesses the potential of certification for small producer shrimp farmers in Vietnam, examining the ways in which three standards operating in Vietnam focus on social, environmental, economic, and management dimensions of sustainability. Research findings suggest that aquaculture standards are not appropriate for small producers since much of the current criteria are not viable at this scale. A separate national standard customized specifically for small producers in Vietnam׳s aquaculture sector may be necessary. A set of guidelines is proposed as a starting point for discussions regarding small producer certification. [sci].


**Financial sector

Market concentration and competition in Vietnamese banking sector.
Market concentration and competition in Vietnamese banking sector.
Trung Hai Le, 2014.

Abstract: Vietnamese banking system has been playing a vital role in the development and economic growth since the economic renewal campaign namely “Doi Moi” in 1986. However, since the global financial crisis, financial and banking system has been under stress, exposing much weaknesses, severely affecting the whole economy. Additionally, the wave of financial liberalization raise questions about the competitiveness of Vietnamese commercial banks in the competition with the foreigners. The main purpose of this paper is to measure the market concentration using Hirschman-Herfindahl index (HHI) and test for the market competition in Vietnamese banking sector under Panzar – Rossse approach by an unbalanced panel data of 33 commercial banks for the period from 2004 to 2013. Vietnamese banking sector is found to be high-concentration although it is experiencing a decreasing trend. The test for market competition indicate a monopolistic behavior of Vietnamese commercial banks. No surprising, the stateowned commercial banks and foreign banks are found to be superior in the competition with joint-stock commercial banks and domestic banks respectively. In addition, the foreign investment in banks seem to increase competitiveness of a commercial bank. Free full text http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/57406/1/MPRA_paper_57406.pdf.

Exploring the Vietnamese Environment Accounting With an Introduction About the Green Accounting Information System.
Exploring the Vietnamese Environment Accounting With an Introduction About the Green Accounting Information System.
Pham Quang Huy. Journal of Modern Accounting and Auditing, 2014, volume 10, number 6, pp. 675-682.

Abstract: Environment is one of the significant factors to the people and our life, because it is fundamentally joined to everything we require for human beings to subsist. Many fields in the society are influenced by the  environment. For these reasons, the Vietnamese government issued the Law on Environmental Protection Tax in 2010 to prove this essential matter. Therefore, the organizations have utilized their tools to record the related transactions into the journals for taking an interest in the nature conditions for substantial development. Based on the accounting aspects, Vietnam has no theories about the environment accounting. Hence, this article will provide some basic information and a general picture of the green accounting information system in the environmental condition. Moreover, this paper will analyze the relationship between the environment and company’s output by applying the environmental management system (EMS) in the accounting system. However, this paper only provides the overall contents about the environment accounting in Vietnam and this limitation will present this problem for further articles. Free full text http://www.davidpublishing.com/davidpublishing/Upfile/7/16/2014/2014071666254641.pdf.

Operational scales, sources of finance, and firms’ performance: evidence from Vietnamese longitudinal data.
Operational scales, sources of finance, and firms’ performance: evidence from Vietnamese longitudinal data.
Quan Hoang Vuong. Université Libre de Bruxelles - Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management - Centre Emile Bernheim (CEB) working paper no. 14/017, 2014.

Abstract: This study investigates a longitudinal dataset consisting of financial and operational data from 37 listed companies listed on Vietnamese stock market, covering the period 2004-13. By performing three main types of regression analysis - pooled OLS, fixed-effect and random-effect regressions - the investigation finds mixed results on the relationships between operational scales, sources of finance and firms' performance, depending on the choice of analytical model and use of independent/dependent variables. In most situation, fixed-effect models appear to be preferable, providing for reasonably consistent results. Toward the end, the paper offers some further explanation about the obtained insights, which reflect the nature of a business environment of a transition economy and an emerging market. Free full text https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/173346/1/wp14017.pdf.


**Economic development

Managers and Management in Vietnam: 25 Years of Economic Renovation (Doi moi).
Managers and Management in Vietnam: 25 Years of Economic Renovation (Doi moi).
Vincent Edwards and Anh Phan. Routledge, 2014 November.

Abstract: This book presents a comprehensive overview of managers and management in Vietnam, based on extensive original research, including interviews with a large number of managers in Vietnam. It shows how management in Vietnam is best understood from the perspective of Vietnamese managers themselves, rather than in terms of Western or Asian models of management. It discusses the range of enterprises in the Vietnamese economy, which, until 1986, was dominated by large state-owned enterprises and Soviet-style central economic planning, and where there is now a much greater variety, with a mix of privatised state-owned enterprises, foreign-owned companies, joint ventures and a very large number of relatively small private companies, all operating in a social market economy where Party ideology emphasises a balance between economic growth and workers’ rights. The book demonstrates how the tensions arising from this economic landscape are reflected in the views and actions of managers as they balance economic and social goals in their work, and how their activities are constrained further by the enduring influence of local culture which is not always amenable to imported ideas and methods. As many managers have worked in different kinds of companies, the book also reveals a great deal about management in different contexts and also about how companies have changed as the reform process has evolved.


**Education  

Higher Education in Vietnam: Flexibility, Mobility and Practicality in the Global Knowledge Economy.
Higher Education in Vietnam: Flexibility, Mobility and Practicality in the Global Knowledge Economy.
Ly Tran, Simon Marginson and others. Palgrave Macmilan, 2014 September.

Abstract: Higher and tertiary education have become crucial to modern economies and societies. As a nation, Vietnam has great potential and its secondary school students perform very well in comparative international tests, yet its universities and colleges are poor-performing, under-funded and slow to change compared to those in neighbouring East Asian nations like China and South Korea. Why is this the case - and what can be done about it? Higher Education in Vietnam dissects the problems and provides constructive and well-located solutions, combining reform with Vietnam's strong educational tradition, for the transformation of higher education in governance, funding, curriculum, quality assurance, internationalization, language policy, research and vocational training. Written by a team of expert insiders with international experience, this book is the first comprehensive diagnosis and prescription for higher education in Vietnam and establishes a distinctive Vietnamese pathway for modernization in the global knowledge economy.


**Environment  

Application of remote sensing and GIS for detection of long-term mangrove shoreline changes in Mui Ca Mau, Vietnam.
Application of remote sensing and GIS for detection of long-term mangrove shoreline changes in Mui Ca Mau, Vietnam.
V. Tran Thi, A. Tien Thi Xuan and others. Biogeosciences, 2014, volume 11, pp. 3781–3795.

Abstract: Mui Ca Mau at the southern tip of Vietnam supports a large area of mangroves and has a high value for biodiversity and scenic beauty. This area is affected by erosion along the East Sea and accretion along the Gulf of Thailand, leading to the loss of huge stretches of mangroves along the East Sea and, in some cases, loss of environmental and ecosystem services provided by mangroves. In this study, we used remotely sensed aerial (1953), Landsat (1979, 1988 and 2000) and SPOT (1992, 1995, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2011) images and the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) to quantify the rate of mangrove shoreline change for a 58 yr period. There were 1129 transects sampled at 100m intervals along the mangrove shoreline and two statistical methods, namely end point rate (EPR) and linear regression rate (LRR), were used to calculate the rate of change of mangrove shorelines and distance from 1953 to 2011. The study confirms that erosion and accretion, respectively, are significant at the East Sea and Gulf of Thailand sides of Mui Ca Mau. The East Sea side had a mean erosion LRR of 33.24myr−1. The accretion trend at the Gulf of Thailand side had an average rate of 40.65myr−1. The results are important in predicting changes of coastal ecosystem boundaries and enable advanced planning for specific sections of coastline, to minimize or neutralize losses, to inform provincial rehabilitation efforts and reduce threats to coastal development and human safety. Free full text http://www.biogeosciences.net/11/3781/2014/bg-11-3781-2014.pdf.

Optimizing Municipal Solid Waste Collection Using Chaotic Particle Swarm Optimization in GIS Based Environments: A Case Stud...
Optimizing Municipal Solid Waste Collection Using Chaotic Particle Swarm Optimization in GIS Based Environments: A Case Study at Danang City, Vietnam.
Le Hoang Son. Expert Systems with Applications, 2014.

Abstract: Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is an increasing concern at any municipality in the world, and is one of the primary factors that contribute greatly to the rising of climate change and global warming. MSW collection and disposal especially in the context of developing countries are indeed the urgent requirements for the sustainable development of environment and landscape, which rule over the quality-of-life and life expectancy of human being. In this paper, we concentrate on MSW collection at Danang city, which is one of four largest municipalities in Vietnam having high quantity of the average waste load per person and is bearing negative impacts of climate change such as severe weather conditions and natural disasters as a result. A novel vehicle routing model for the MSW collection problem at Danang city is presented. A novel hybrid method between Chaotic Particle Swarm Optimization and ArcGIS is proposed to generate optimal solutions from the vehicle routing model of Danang. Experimental results on the real dataset of Danang show that the proposed hybrid method obtains better total collected waste quantity than the relevant ones including the manual MSW collection procedure that is currently applied at this city. [sci].

Wetland ecosystem service values and shrimp aquaculture relationships in Can Gio, Vietnam.
Wetland ecosystem service values and shrimp aquaculture relationships in Can Gio, Vietnam.
S. McDonough, W. Gallardo and others. Ecological Indicators, 2014, volume 46, pp. 201-213.

Abstract: Wetland valuation methods often apply monetary driven approaches that may undermine intrinsic ecosystem values. Utilizing a stated preference method, the study identified and mapped local stakeholder ecosystem service values between subsistence wetland and shrimp farmer groups in Can Gio, Vietnam. Through focus group choice experiments, ecosystem services correlating to unique price increments and cost/benefit tradeoffs between hypothetical intensive aquaculture developments and mangrove conservation scenarios were investigated. Selection outcomes exhibited strong values for ecosystem services maintained at the hypothetical natural state (core area pre-intervention 45%, post-intervention 55%; buffer zone pre-intervention 65%, post-intervention 73%). Few respondents selected the hypothetical intensive aquaculture development scenario (core area pre-intervention 18%, post-intervention 9%; buffer zone pre-intervention 12%, post-intervention 5%), and instead, most respondents avoided the costs and benefits of intensive aquaculture development in preference for maintaining natural ecosystem services. Group deliberations drew out a higher sense of altruism and responsiveness to intrinsic wetland values that superseded the potential economic gains of aquaculture developments, whereby certain ecosystem services were deemed economically unassociable and irreplaceable for both study groups. The qualitative results expose the difficulties in monetarily measuring ecosystem services, highlighting the need to incorporate approaches that integrate the intrinsic values attached to ecosystem services. [sci].

Who Influence the Environmental Adaptation Process of Small and Medium Sized Textile and Garment Companies in Vietnam?
Who Influence the Environmental Adaptation Process of Small and Medium Sized Textile and Garment Companies in Vietnam?
Nga H. Nguyen, Robert J. S. Beeton and Anthony Halog. in: Roadmap to Sustainable Textiles and Clothing, Springer Singapore, 2014, pp. 189-207.

Abstract: The pressure on Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies to adapt their production and management systems to meet global industrial environmental standards is enormous. Yet an effective way to help SMEs overcome these challenges is not reported. This chapter argues that identifying key stakeholders involved in the adaptation process is a first important step to fill this gap in knowledge. It uses the Stakeholder Theory to analyse interviews with government officials, non-government organizations and enterprises to answer the fundamental question of “who are the key actors influencing the environmental adaptation process at textile and garment SMEs in Vietnam”. Customers and company managers are found to be the most important actors, of which customers have more influence over the decision-making and managers have more influence over the implementation. These findings have important implications for the development of environmental adaptation strategies for the textile and garment sector in Vietnam in particular, and in developing countries in general. [springer].

Coastal Disasters and Climate Change in Vietnam: Engineering and Planning Perspectives.
Coastal Disasters and Climate Change in Vietnam: Engineering and Planning Perspectives.
Nguyen Danh Thao, Hiroshi Takagi and Miguel Esteban. Elsevier, 2014 June.

Abstract: Coastal Disasters and Climate Change in Vietnam is the first book to focus specifically on natural hazards and climate change in Vietnam. The book examines threats such as tropical cyclones, sea-level rise, flooding, erosion, and salinity intrusion, and their respective effects on coastal structures and environments. It also looks at crucial management and mitigation efforts, including breakwater design, irrigation systems, coastal dunes and dikes, and more. The challenges faced by this country in the future will have important regional and global repercussions; areas such as the Mekong Delta produce a significant proportion of the world's rice, and coastal impacts on this region will have far-reaching economic and public health effects. This book is an important source of information for government and local policy makers, environmental and climate scientists, and engineers. Coverage of the book: -- Broad coverage of climate challenges specific to the region, including sea-level rise, storms, erosion, and more -- Assessments of impact on, and effects of, economic development and port construction -- Examination of public policy responses to climate change.

Participation in climate change adaptation in the Lower Vam Co River Basin in Vietnam: Serious games as tools for action res...
Participation in climate change adaptation in the Lower Vam Co River Basin in Vietnam: Serious games as tools for action research.
Patrick Huntjens, Bouke Ottow and Ralph Lasage. in: Action Research for Climate Change Adaptation: Developing and applying knowledge for governance, Routledge, 2015.

Abstract: Governments all over the world are struggling with the question of how to adapt to climate change. They need information not only about the issue and its possible consequences, but also about feasible governance strategies and instruments to combat it. At the same time, scientists from different social disciplines are trying to understand the dynamics and peculiarities of the governance of climate change adaptation. This book demonstrates how action-oriented research methods can be used to satisfy the need for both policy-relevant information and scientific knowledge. Bringing together eight case studies that show inspiring practices of action research from around the world, including Australia, Denmark, Vietnam and the Netherlands, the book covers a rich variety of action-research applications, running from participatory observation to serious games and role-playing exercises. It explores many adaptation challenges, from flood-risk safety to heat stress and freshwater availability, and draws out valuable lessons about the conditions that make action research successful, demonstrating how scientific and academic knowledge can be used in a practical context to reach useful and applicable insights.

Toposequential variation in methane emissions from double-cropping paddy rice in Northwest Vietnam.
Toposequential variation in methane emissions from double-cropping paddy rice in Northwest Vietnam.
Aung Zaw Oo, Lam Nguyen and others. Geoderma, 2013, volume 209–210, number 0, pp. 41-49.

Abstract: Understanding the spatial and temporal variations in toposequential methane (CH4) emission is essential for assessing and mitigating CH4 emission from rice cascades in mountainous watersheds. To assess the toposequential variation in CH4 emission among different field positions, two cascades of double-cropping paddy rice fields were investigated in Yen Chau district, Northwest Vietnam. The cascades were divided into fertilized and non-fertilized parts and CH4 measurements at 10 days intervals were conducted at top, middle and bottom fields of each part. The results showed that the rate and cumulative amount of CH4 emissions in non-fertilized part were higher than that of fertilized one in both spring and summer rice seasons due to the stimulation of CH4 oxidation by urea and sulfate containing fertilizers. The spatial variation in CH4 emissions among the field positions was high in both cropping seasons with the highest emissions in the bottom fields and the lowest emissions were found in the top fields (i.e. bottom field CH4 emissions 1.8–3.0 times higher than the top field). The differences among field positions were influenced by clay content, total nitrogen and total carbon content which showed toposequential differences. The average CH4 fluxes ranged from 1.0 to 5.1 mg CH4 m− 2 h− 1 being largest at later growth stages for spring rice and during early growth stages for summer rice. Cumulative CH4 emissions for spring rice ranged from 3.1 to 13.7 g CH4 m− 2 and that for summer rice from 4.3 to 23.5 g CH4 m− 2. 61.7% was emitted during summer rice season and 38.1% from spring rice season. The higher values for summer crops were due to higher availability of fresh organic substrates under higher soil temperature during the early growing period. The average total CH4 emissions from double-cropping paddy rice fields were 14.8 g CH4 m− 2 for cascade 1 and 27.3 g CH4 m− 2 for cascade 2. The higher emission for cascade 2 might be due to the lower soil Eh and higher clay content especially in the lower lying fields. The results highlight that large toposequence differences in CH4 emissions require different site specific management practices for each toposequence position in order to mitigate CH4 emission in paddies in mountainous watersheds. [sci].

A fluvial and pluvial probabilistic flood hazard analysis for Can Tho city, Vietnam.
A fluvial and pluvial probabilistic flood hazard analysis for Can Tho city, Vietnam.
Heiko Apel, Oriol Martinez and others., EGU General Assembly 2014 held 27 April - 2 May 2014 in Vienna Austria, 2014.

Abstract: Can Tho city is the largest city and the economic heart of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Due to its economic importance and envisaged development goals the city grew rapidly in population size and extend over the last two decades. Large parts of the city are located in flood prone areas, and also the central parts of the city recently experienced an increasing number of flood events, both of fluvial and pluvial nature. As the economic power and asset values are constantly increasing, this poses a considerable risk for the city. The the aim of this study is to perform a flood hazard analysis considering both fluvial and pluvial floods and to derive probabilistic flood hazard maps. This requires in a first step an understanding of the typical flood mechanisms. Fluvial floods are triggered by a coincidence of high water levels during the annual flood period in the Mekong Delta with high tidal levels, which cause in combination short term inundations in Can Tho. Pluvial floods are triggered by typical tropical convective rain storms during the monsoon season. These two flood pathways are essentially independent in its sources and can thus be treated in the hazard analysis accordingly. For the fluvial hazard analysis we propose a bivariate frequency analysis of the Mekong flood characteristics, the annual maximum flood discharge Q and the annual flood volume V at the upper boundary of the Mekong Delta, the gauging station Kratie. This defines probabilities of exceedance of different Q-V pairs, which are transferred into synthetic flood hydrographs. The synthetic hydrographs are routed through a quasi-2D hydrodynamic model of the entire Mekong Delta in order to provide boundary conditions for a detailed hazard mapping of Can Tho. This downscaling step is necessary, because the huge complexity of the river and channel network does not allow for a proper definition of boundary conditions for Can Tho city by gauge data alone. In addition the available gauge data around Can Tho are too short for a meaningful frequency analysis. The detailed hazard mapping is performed by a 2D hydrodynamic model for Can Tho city. As the scenarios are derived in a Monte-Carlo framework, the final flood hazard maps are probabilistic, i.e. show the median flood hazard along with uncertainty estimates for each defined level of probabilities of exceedance. For the pluvial flood hazard a frequency analysis of the hourly rain gauge data of Can Tho is performed implementing a peak-over-threshold procedure. Based on this frequency analysis synthetic rains storms are generated in a Monte-Carlo framework for the same probabilities of exceedance as in the fluvial flood hazard analysis. Probabilistic flood hazard maps were then generated with the same 2D hydrodynamic model for the city. In a last step the fluvial and pluvial scenarios are combined assuming independence of the events. These scenarios were also transferred into hazard maps by the 2D hydrodynamic model finally yielding combined fluvial-pluvial probabilistic flood hazard maps for Can Tho. The derived set of maps may be used for an improved city planning or a flood risk analysis.


**Gender

Essential Trade: Vietnamese Women in a Changing Marketplace.
Essential Trade: Vietnamese Women in a Changing Marketplace.
Ann Marie Leshkowich. University of Hawaii Press, 2014 October.

Abstract: "My husband doesn't have a head for business," complained Ngoc, the owner of a children's clothing stall in Ben Thanh market. "Naturally, it's because he's a man." When the women who sell in Ho Chi Minh City's iconic marketplace speak, their language suggests that activity in the market is shaped by timeless, essential truths: Vietnamese women are naturally adept at buying and selling, while men are not; Vietnamese prefer to do business with family members or through social contacts; stallholders are by nature superstitious; marketplace trading is by definition a small-scale enterprise. Essential Trade looks through the facade of these "timeless truths" and finds active participants in a political economy of appearances: traders' words and actions conform to stereotypes of themselves as poor, weak women in order to clinch sales, manage creditors, and protect themselves from accusations of being greedy, corrupt, or "bourgeois" - even as they quietly slip into southern Vietnam's growing middle class. But Leshkowich argues that we should not dismiss the traders' self-disparaging words simply because of their essentialist logic. In Ben Thanh market, performing certain styles of femininity, kinship relations, social networks, spirituality, and class allowed traders to portray themselves as particular kinds of people who had the capacity to act in volatile political and economic circumstances. When so much seems to be changing, a claim that certain things or people are inherently or naturally a particular way can be both personally meaningful and strategically advantageous. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and life history interviewing conducted over nearly two decades, Essential Trade explores how women cloth and clothing traders like Ngoc have plied their wares through four decades of political and economic transformation: civil war, post-war economic restructuring, socialist cooperativization, and the frenetic competition of market socialism. With close attention to daily activities and life narratives, this ground-breaking work of critical feminist economic anthropology combines theoretical insight, vivid ethnography, and moving personal stories to illuminate how the interaction between gender and class has shaped people's lives and created market socialist political economy. It provides a compelling account of post-war southern Vietnam as seen through the eyes of the dynamic women who have navigated forty years of profound change while building their businesses in the stalls of Ben Thanh market.

‘A good wife stays home’: gendered negotiations over state agricultural programmes, upland Vietnam.
‘A good wife stays home’: gendered negotiations over state agricultural programmes, upland Vietnam.
Christine Bonnin and Sarah Turner. Gender, Place & Culture: A Journal of Feminist Geography, 2013.

Abstract: Rural and livelihood studies, alongside development organisations, are stressing the importance of gender awareness in debates over food security, food crises and land tenure. Yet, within the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, these gender dynamics are frequently disregarded. In Vietnam, rice is intimately linked to the country’s food security. Over the last decade, rice export levels, production methods, and local and global market prices have remained constant preoccupations for governmental and development agencies. Steadfast official approval for agricultural technologies and intensification has seen the domestic growth and importation of hybrid varieties of rice and maize seeds. Yet, the impacts of these technologies on upland ethnic minority rice producers and consumers in Vietnam have been overlooked. For these women and men, such as Hmong and Yao farmers, food security is a daily concern for their near-subsistence livelihoods. While strongly encouraged to growthese newseeds, insufficient research has examined the social realities and experiences of these upland minority groups. Moreover, how such agrarian policies and practices are being implicated in reconfiguring gender roles, relations and identities through transformations to individual and household livelihoods has been ignored. In this article,wefocus on the gendered consequences of the government’s hybrid rice programme for upland farmers. We reveal recent impacts on family relations, including rising intergenerational tensions across genders, and shifting responsibilities and new negotiations between young spouses. These dynamics are further complicated by household economic status, as household members access specific opportunities available to them to improve everyday food security. [Bonnin&Turner-2013].

Vietnam's New Middle Class: Gender, Career, City.
Vietnam's New Middle Class: Gender, Career, City.
Catherine Earl. Nordic Inst of Asian Studies, 2014 June.

Abstract: This volume explores the social consequences of macro-economic reform introduced in Vietnam more than a quarter of a century ago through a focus on young women graduates who hope to find success in Ho Chi Minh City's growing graduate labour market. They are part of Vietnam's new middle class, an educated and affluent segment of society growing with the rapid urbanization of Vietnam's major cities. Drawing on a rich person-centred ethnography supplemented with middle-class Vietnamese women's published autobiographies, it reveals how opportunities for professional work, further education, and leisure lifestyling attract young migrants, particularly female graduates, to Vietnam's mega-urban Southeast region. Centred on Ho Chi Minh City, it argues that Vietnam's Southeast enables young women, so long as they remain single, to realize aspirations for betterment that affect not only their own lives, but those of their families and communities who remain in rural Vietnam. It highlights the socio-cultural and material benefits realized through remittances received from urban daughters to emphasize the salience of kinship during periods of social transformation. The volume concludes with a wide-ranging look at the emergence of middle classes in Pacific Asia in order to locate the Vietnamese new middle class within a globalizing context.

Vietnam's Socialist Servants: Domesticity, Class, Gender, and Identity.
Vietnam's Socialist Servants: Domesticity, Class, Gender, and Identity.
Minh T. N. Nguyen. Routledge, 2014 September.

Abstract: Since Vietnam introduced economic reforms in the mid-1980s, domestic service has become an established sector of the labour market, and domestic workers have become indispensable to urban life in the rapidly changing country. This book analyzes the ways in which the practices and discourses of domestic service serve to forge and contest emerging class identities in post-reform Vietnam. Drawing on a rich and diverse range of qualitative data, including ethnographies, interviews, and narratives, it shows that such practices and discourses are rooted in cultural notions of gender and rural-urban difference and enduring socialist structures of feeling, which, in turn, clash with the realities of growing differentiation. Domestic workers’ experiences reveal negotiations with class boundaries actively set by the urban middle class, who seek distinction through emerging notions and practices of domesticity. These boundaries are nevertheless riddled with gender and class anxiety on the side of the latter, partly because of the very struggles and contestations of the domestic workers. More broadly, Minh T. N. Nguyen links the often invisible intimate dynamics of class formation in the domestic sphere with wider political economic processes in a post-socialist country embarking on marketiza tion while retaining the political control of a party-state.


**Land governance

An historical overview of Vietnamese land law and dispute resolution.
An historical overview of Vietnamese land law and dispute resolution.
Le Toan and Nguyen Hung Quang. in: Resolving Land Disputes in East Asia: Exploring the Limits of Law Cambridge University Press, 2014 August.

Abstract: Economic development and mass urbanization have unleashed unprecedented levels of land disputes in East Asia. In China and Vietnam especially, courts and other legal institutions struggle to find lasting solutions. It is against this background of legal failure that this book brings together leading scholars to understand how state agencies, land users and land developers imaginatively engage with each other to resolve disputes. Drawing on empirically rich case studies, contributors explore the limits of law and legal institutions in resolving land disputes and reveal insights into how key actors in East Asia understand land disputes. Their studies reveal promising dispute resolution practices and point to the likely ways that states will deal with land disputes in the future.

Land Politics and Livelihoods on the Margins of Hanoi, 1920-2010.
Land Politics and Livelihoods on the Margins of Hanoi, 1920-2010.
Danielle Labbe. University of British Columbia Press, 2013 December.

Abstract: Hoa Muc was a small locality on the edge of Hanoi that made the shift from rural village to urban neighbourhood over the course of the last century. This book tells the story of urbanisation at the rural-urban interface of Hanoi during this period. It explores the socio-political mechanisms that underpinned the formation and evolution of villagers' livelihoods and land strategies in relation to the ebb and flow of state regulations and territorialisation projects. Through the story of this erstwhile village, this volume reconsiders the relationship between urban changes, the state's governing practices, and grassroots representations of "the other.".

Narrating law disputes in three Vietnamese communities.
Narrating law disputes in three Vietnamese communities.
John Gillespie. in: Resolving Land Disputes in East Asia: Exploring the Limits of Law Cambridge University Press, 2014 August.

Abstract: Economic development and mass urbanization have unleashed unprecedented levels of land disputes in East Asia. In China and Vietnam especially, courts and other legal institutions struggle to find lasting solutions. It is against this background of legal failure that this book brings together leading scholars to understand how state agencies, land users and land developers imaginatively engage with each other to resolve disputes. Drawing on empirically rich case studies, contributors explore the limits of law and legal institutions in resolving land disputes and reveal insights into how key actors in East Asia understand land disputes. Their studies reveal promising dispute resolution practices and point to the likely ways that states will deal with land disputes in the future.

Mapping mountain diversity: Ethnic minorities and land use land cover change in Vietnam's borderlandscare.
Mapping mountain diversity: Ethnic minorities and land use land cover change in Vietnam's borderlandscare.
Kate Trincsi, Thi-Thanh-Hiên Pham and Sarah Turner. Land Use Policy, 2014, volume 41, pp. 484-497.

Abstract: In the complex agro-ecological conditions of Vietnam's northern borderlands, attempts by ethnic minority farmers to create sustainable livelihoods, along with the impacts of state development policies, have direct consequences for land use and land cover (LULC) change. In this paper we analyse the degree to which LULC has changed and diversified from 1999 to 2009 in Lào Cai Province and the underlying relationships with ethnic minority livelihood diversification strategies. We examine the correlation between LULC diversity and various socioeconomic and biophysical proxies using a spatial autoregressive model. Our findings indicate two major changes in LULC: an increase in closed canopy forest and substantial urban growth. LULC diversity increased between 1999 and 2009, suggesting a transition between land uses and/or a diversification of livelihood strategies. Socioeconomic proxies are significant predictors of LULC diversity in both years, while biophysical proxies are only effective predictors in 2009. In-depth interviews regarding state-led policies and ethnic minority livelihoods reveal some of the underlying mechanisms of such LULC transitions and associations. [Trincsi-etal-2014].


**Health care

The Need for Orthodontic Treatment among Vietnamese School Children and Young Adults.
The Need for Orthodontic Treatment among Vietnamese School Children and Young Adults.
Son Minh Nguyen, Minh Khac Nguyen and others. International Journal of Dentistry, 2014.

Abstract:

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the need for orthodontic treatment among 12-year-old school children and 18-year-olds from Da Nang, Vietnam.

Basic Research Design. A random representative sample of 200 12-year-old children from primary schools in Da Nang city was gathered. In addition, 200 18-year-old students were randomly selected from among the 4000 students studying at Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy, Vietnam. All the subjects were evaluated according to Angle’s molar relationship, the presence of malocclusion, and the components of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (Dental Health Component, DHC, and Aesthetic Component, AC).

Results. The DHC of index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN) for 12-year-olds was in 60% of cases no or little, in 21% of cases moderate, and in 19% of cases definitive, while the prevalence of moderate and definitive need for treatment among the 18-year-olds was 24% and 30.5%, respectively. The prevalence of class III malocclusion, contact point displacement, and crossbite was higher in 18-year-olds than among the 12-year-olds, while the prevalence of increased overjet and increased overbite had decreased in 18-year-olds compared to the group of 12-year-olds.

Conclusions. There is a strong need for orthodontic treatment in Vietnam’s population. The need for orthodontic treatment was determined by contact point displacement, crossbite, increased overjet, and increased overbite. Free full text http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijd/2014/132301/.

Predictors of recent HIV testing among male street laborers in urban Vietnam.
Predictors of recent HIV testing among male street laborers in urban Vietnam.
Huy V Nguyen, Michael P Dunne and Joseph Debattista. Journal of Health Psychology, 2014, volume 19, number 8, pp. 1066-1078.

Abstract: This study assessed the prevalence of and factors associated with HIV testing among male street laborers. In a cross-sectional survey, social mapping was done to recruit and interview 450 men aged 18–59 years in Hanoi. Although many of these men engaged in multiple risk behaviors for HIV, only 19.8 percent had been tested for HIV. A modified theoretical model provided better fit than the conventional Information–Motivation–Behavioral Skills model, as it explained much more variance in HIV testing. This model included three Information–Motivation–Behavioral components and four additional factors, namely, the origin of residence, sexual orientation, the number of sexual partners, and the status of condom use.

Assessing Health Risk due to Exposure to Arsenic in Drinking Water in Hanam Province, Vietnam.
Assessing Health Risk due to Exposure to Arsenic in Drinking Water in Hanam Province, Vietnam.
Tung Bui Huy, Tran Thi Tuyet Hanh and others. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 2014, volume 11, number 8, pp. 7575-7591.

Abstract: We assessed health risks related to Arsenic (As) in contaminated drinking water in Hanam, applying the Australian Environmental Health Risk Assessment Framework, which promotes stakeholder involvement in risk assessments. As concentrations in 300 tube-well water samples, before and after filtration, were analyzed and the water consumption levels in 150 households were estimated. Skin cancer risk was characterized using Cancer Slope Factor index and lifetime average daily dose with a probabilistic approach. The results showed that arsenic concentrations in tube-well water ranged from 8–579 ppb (mean 301 ppb) before filtration and current sand filters used by the households did not meet the standard for As removal. Arsenic daily consumption of 40% of the adults exceeded the level of TDI (Tolerable Daily Intake) at 1 µg/kg/day. The average skin cancer risk in adults due to consuming filtered tube-well water for drinking purpose were 25.3 × 10−5 (using only well water) and 7.6 × 10−5 (using both well and rain water). The skin cancer risk would be 11.5 times higher if the water was not filtered. Improvement of filtration measures or the replacement of the current drinking water sources to minimize the health risks to the local population is urgently needed. Free full text http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/11/8/7575/htm.


**Energy

The Design and Sustainability of Renewable Energy Incentives: An Economic Analysis.
The Design and Sustainability of Renewable Energy Incentives: An Economic Analysis.
Peter Meier, Maria Vagliasindi and Mudassar Imran. World Bank, 2014 October.

Abstract: The novelty of this work is the fact that it introduces a rigorous and objective economic perspective of current renewable energy support mechanisms and an empirical analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of these mechanisms, which is much needed in a debate often dominated by widespread misconceptions. The economic rationale for renewable energy is straightforward: the optimum amount of renewable energy for grid-connected generation is given by the intersection of the renewable energy supply curve with the avoided cost of thermal electricity generation. –

The proposed analytical framework: (i) differentiates and illustrates trade-offs-among local, regional, and national impacts, in the short and long run; (ii) captures distributional impacts; and (iii) captures externalities and compares alternative projects based on equivalent output and cost. Accordingly, the study advocates for the need to get the economic, financial, and institutional basics right for the deployment of renewable energy. The study's integration of renewable energy subsidies with fossil subsidies is another novel and important contribution. This allows important comparisons. For example, to reduce carbon intensity in developing country economies, is it more efficient to deploy renewable energy or implement alternative options, such as eliminating subsidies on fossil fuels? –

The work is based on case studies of Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Tanzania, Egypt, Brazil, and Turkey, selected to provide a representative sample of countries with different energy endowments (coal, natural gas, and hydro-based systems) and policy incentives (from feed-in tariffs to auctions). Along the way, the incremental cost of renewable energy is compared with the average cost of generation. The selection and design of support mechanisms in turn determines the impacts on the budget and residential consumers. -- The main lessons emerging from the case studies are that successful renewable energy policies: (i) Will only be effective once the state-owned utilities who are the buyers of grid-connected renewable energy are themselves in good financial health (ii) Need to be grounded in economic analysis and accompanied by the application of market principles to ensure economic efficiency (iii) Require a sustainable, equitable, and transparent recovery of incremental costs.


**Urban development and Transportation

Can We Reduce the Access by Motorcycles to Mass Transit Systems in Future Hanoi?
Can We Reduce the Access by Motorcycles to Mass Transit Systems in Future Hanoi?
Minh Tu Tran, Junyi Zhang and Akimasa Fujiwara. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2014, volume 138, pp. 623-631.

Abstract: Whether or not the number of short-distance trips by motorcycles can be reduced still remains as an ill-answered question, especially in motorcycle dependent cities. Introducing mass transit systems in such cities may reduce long-distance trips by motorcycles on one hand, but may create short access trips by motorcycles on the other. Therefore, this paper aims to clarify the possibility of reducing the use of motorcycles for access trips. Based on subjective expectation data collected in Hanoi in 2009, we found significant disparity in the modal shares of future access modes to/from different stations between motorcycle and non- motorcycle users, suggesting potential influences of state dependence and spatial differences on why people ride motorcycles. For the purpose of this study, we apply a multi-level modeling approach. Estimation results revealed the causal link between current main travel mode and future access mode choices. Current walkers and cyclists tend to choose walking and bicycle modes as future access modes, but they are less likely to choose motorcycles. If current bus users mostly walk from their homes to bus stops, they do not tend to ride motorcycles to access to/from urban railway stations in future. Additionally, people may dislike riding motorcycles from their homes to stations if they request the improvement of sidewalk and pedestrian facilities for better accessibility. Inversely, those selecting measures to improve parking facilities prefer motorcycles than other access modes. Moreover, it is empirically confirmed the significant influences of spatial variations and inter-household variations on choices of future access modes. The findings of this study suggest the importance of incorporating state dependence, spatial variations and inter-household variations in future studies of access mode choice behavior. [sci].

Saigon’s “Do-Your-Timers”: Rural Transformation and the Urban Transition in Saigon.
Saigon’s “Do-Your-Timers”: Rural Transformation and the Urban Transition in Saigon.
James H. Spencer. in: Globalization and Urbanization: The Global Urban Ecosystem Roman & Littlefield Publishers, 2014 June.

Abstract: During the past decade, the world reached the point of becoming more urban than not, as the majority of people on the planet now live not in small towns or villages but in provincial, national, and global cities. Scholars have long been fascinated by so-called global cities, world cities, and the urban engines of the global economy. James H. Spencer argues, however, that such an emphasis misses the central fact that urbanization goes well beyond the usual suspects of New York, Tokyo, London, and Shanghai. The author charts urbanization across the Global South and North, resulting in what he describes as a planetary global urban ecosystem. This concept that challenges us to realize that in daily life, their similar physical and social ecosystems that make cities more understandable to each other than to their own rural hinterlands. Spencer’s vivid case studies of Addis Ababa, Ho Chi Minh City, Honolulu, and New York draw out the commonalities of our intertwined built and social environments and how they express a shared humanity across continents and cultures.


**Labor

Economic Growth and Employment in Vietnam.
Economic Growth and Employment in Vietnam.
David Lim. Routledge, 2014.

Abstract: Vietnam has enjoyed significant economic success since the implementation of its "doi moi" reforms, including rapid growth in GDP, exports and foreign and domestic investment, and a shedding of poorly-performing state-owned enterprises. Despite this, however, the economic situation for many ordinary people in Vietnam is fragile, with income only just above the poverty line, and high unemployment, especially among the young. In addition, inflation is high, and the state-owned sector is still large, much of it still performing badly. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the current economic situation in Vietnam. It outlines the state of the economy, paying special attention to employment, discusses government policies including on trade and integration with the global economy, and concludes by assessing the key challenges facing Vietnam’s economy going forward.


**Law and legislation

Constitutional developments in Vietnam in the first decade of the twenty-first century.
Constitutional developments in Vietnam in the first decade of the twenty-first century.
Bui Ngoc Son. in: Constitutionalism in Asia in the Early Twenty-First Century, Cambridge University Press, 2014 April.

Abstract: Examining developments in the first decade of the twenty-first century, this authoritative collection of essays studies the evolving practice of constitutional law and constitutionalism in Asia. It provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse constitutional issues and developments in sixteen East, Southeast and South Asian countries. It also discusses the types of constitutionalism that exist and the general trends in constitutional developments whilst offering comparative, historical and analytical perspectives on Asian constitutionalism. Written by leading scholars in the field, this book will be of great interest to students and scholars alike.


**Social issues  

Household's Coping Strategies and Recoveries from Shocks in Vietnam.
Household's Coping Strategies and Recoveries from Shocks in Vietnam.
Van Quang Tran. The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, 2014.

Abstract: There has been a great deal of the literature on the effects of shocks on a household's well-being as well as on the choice of ex-ante and ex-post strategies in the context of risk exposure. However, researchers have paid little attention to the ability of a household to recover from an adverse event. Additionally, the livelihood of those in the developing world has been increasingly affected by macroeconomic instabilities and extreme weather conditions. This study aims to investigate the forces that shape a household's recovery from misfortune. The analyses are applied to the case of Vietnam by using data collected from household surveys from years 2007 to 2010 and a discrete time proportional hazard model to find the determinants of the shock recovery. The results show that a household's characteristics do not strongly determine the shock recovery but physical assets do. Shocks covariates such as more losses and higher severity make the misfortune harder to recover from. Additionally, coping strategies sometimes help poor households recover better from the losses. [sci].

Asean and Human Trafficking: Case Studies of Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Asean and Human Trafficking: Case Studies of Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Naparat Kranrattanasuit. Martinus Nijhoff, 2014.

Abstract: Trafficking in persons is a serious crime that affects the human rights, dignity and integrity of all its victims including women, men, and children in the Association of Southeast Asia Nation (ASEAN) region. ASEAN has made efforts to fight human trafficking through inter alia the establishment of regional counter-human trafficking laws and human rights bodies to establish best norms and practices for its member countries. Nevertheless, the International Labour Organization (ILO) recently declared that there are more than 11.7 million forced labor victims in the Asia-Pacific region encompassing the biggest concentration of forced labour victims in the world. This book reviews the achievements and the deficiencies of ASEAN’s counter-human strategies at the national and regional level. It offers suggestions for the reform of ASEAN's anti-trafficking laws and for the creation of a regional anti-trafficking human rights body specialized in preventing human trafficking, promoting equal protection of all trafficking victims, and prosecuting human traffickers.

The Need to Communicate: Fighting Human Trafficking in Vietnam.
The Need to Communicate: Fighting Human Trafficking in Vietnam.
Mark D. Raschke. US Naval War College Naval Station Newport, 2014.

Abstract: The author analyzes human trafficking in Vietnam, while providing a basic understanding of the global response to this problem, and how Vietnam can best nest its efforts within global mechanisms. These mechanisms belong to organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and will be a key component of any solution to this problem within the region and in Vietnam. Finally, the author discusses the need to agree on the common assessment criteria that is required to address this problem and how a shared operations center and common database are two mechanisms that Vietnam should construct to build on the work of the UN, ASEAN and AusAID. [Raschke-2014].

Vietnamese Migrant Workers in Thailand - Implications for Leveraging Migration for Development.
Vietnamese Migrant Workers in Thailand - Implications for Leveraging Migration for Development.
Nancy Huyen Nguyen and John Walsh. Journal of Identity and Migration Studies, 2014, volume 8, number 1, pp. 68-94,144.

Abstract: A greater flow of people to and from each of the Mekong countries is catching the attention of the general public and academic researchers. As one of the fastest growing countries in the GMS, Thailand is attracting the majority of migrant workers from its neighbours. At a smaller scale, when compared with those from Lao PDR, Cambodia and Myanmar, Vietnamese workers are also joining this increasing trend in immigration to Thailand. By analyzing information from secondary data sources, this research paper attempts to provide further insights into the social and economic impacts generated by the Vietnamese migrant workers in Thailand both at home and the host country. The study discovers that moving to Thailand for work has eased the pressures of rural unemployment and underemployment that have plagued Vietnam recently. Meanwhile, Vietnamese workers are helping soothe the stress caused by the increasing demand for unskilled and low skilled labourers in Thailand. The study further learns that the long-established community of Vietnamese migrants in Thailand is encouraging the increasing movement of Vietnamese workers to Thailand. The study findings suggest meaningful implications for future policies in leveraging labour migration for development. [Huyen&Walsh-2014].

Broadening stakeholder participation to improve outcomes for dam-forced resettlement in Vietnam.
Broadening stakeholder participation to improve outcomes for dam-forced resettlement in Vietnam.
Jane Singer, Pham Huu Ty and Hoang Hai. Water Resources and Rural Development, 2014.

Abstract: Forced resettlement due to hydropower dam construction in Vietnam continues to result in poor outcomes, in part due to the poor productivity of replacement agricultural land, poor local governnance, and constrained access by displaced farmers to forest land and fisheries. This paper critically examines three recent initiatives in Vietnam that promise to promote more stable livelihoods for displaced populations and to strengthen participation in development for residents as well as civil society. The first is a payment for environmental services (PES) scheme for hydroelectric revenuesharing to fund forest maintenance and monitoring by displaced households, while the second focus is an intergovernmental organization (IGO)-initiated project that prioritizes gender empowerment and participation. The PES scheme promises a sustainable income stream for displaced households and has institutionalized legal and government backing, but it entails high transaction costs and a lengthy planning phase. The IGO project offers residents generous compensation and the rights embodied in IGO involuntary safeguards, but a lack of effective livelihood support and poor communication provide cautionary notes. A third, rights-based approach by Vietnamese civil society organizations (CSOs) involves advocacy to achieve effective reallocation of state-managed forest land to displaced villagers. The authors examine the potential for benefit-sharing mechanisms, IGOs, and CSOs, backed by new legislation and expanding space for civil society in Vietnam, to address the problems posed by inadequate local governance. They conclude that although these approaches show merit for nationwide replication, there is a need for including these external stakeholders in local resettlement management bodies. [sci].


**Water

A Cooperative Game Analysis of Transboundary Hydropower Development in the Lower Mekong: Case of the 3S Sub-basins.
A Cooperative Game Analysis of Transboundary Hydropower Development in the Lower Mekong: Case of the 3S Sub-basins.
Seemanta Bhagabati, Akiyuki Kawasaki and others. Water Resources Management, 2014, volume 28, number 11, pp. 3417-3437.

Abstract: Hydropower development has enormous economic, environmental, and social impacts at a local, national, and trans-national level. It has been suggested that transboundary water conflicts, such as those that may arise from hydropower development, may be addressed through benefit sharing. This study attempts to investigate the net benefits of hydropower development and water resources utilization in transboundary sub-basin, the Sekong, Sesan and Srepok (commonly known as 3S) sub-basin, in the Mekong River Basin using a game theory approach. This study proposes a methodology for analyzing complex transboundary river-basin issues using the game theory concepts, such as core stability and incentive compatibility. A wide range of parameters have been incorporated to define models and methodologies, and an adaptation strategy for the area has been proposed. The results suggests that benefit sharing and cooperation among the riparian countries would lead to benefits to all. It is observed that the greater the cooperation, the higher is the total benefits. External funding and optimal usage of funds will also play a critical role in this context in the near future. The results of the study will provide a basis for local policy decisions and regional planning in the Mekong River and beyond. [spr].

Piped-Water Supplies in Rural Areas of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam: Water Quality and Household Perceptions.
Piped-Water Supplies in Rural Areas of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam: Water Quality and Household Perceptions.
Gert-Jan Wilbers, Zita Sebesvari and Fabrice G. Renaud. Water, 2014, volume 6, number 8, pp. 2175--2194.

Abstract: In the Mekong Delta (MD) in Vietnam, piped-water supply stations are being intensively built to reach the millennium development goal (MDG) to provide safe and clean drinking water resources to communities. However, studies focusing on the effectiveness of supply stations in reaching these goals are scarce to date. Water samples from 41 water supply stations in the MD were collected between June and October 2012. Water samples were analyzed for general parameters, salinity, nutrients, metal(loid)s and microbial indicator bacteria and compared with World Health Organization (WHO) and Vietnamese drinking water guidelines. In addition, 542 household interviews were conducted to investigate the connection rate to piped-water and people’s perceptions regarding piped-water supplies. The results show that water guidelines were exceeded for pH (min. 6.2), turbidity (max. 10 FTU), Cl (max. 1,576 mg•L−1), NH4 (max. 7.92 mg•L−1), Fe (431.1 µg•L−1), Hg (11.9 µg•L−1), and microbial indicator bacteria (max. total coliform 50,000 CFU 100 mL−1). Moreover, more than half of the interviewed households with access to a piped-water supply did not use this supply as a source of drinking water due to (i) high connection fees; (ii) preference for other water sources; and (iii) perceived poor quality/quantity. Our study shows that the maintenance and distribution of water supply stations should significantly improve in order for piped-water to become a reliable drinking water source. Additionally, alternatives, such as rainwater harvesting and decentralized treatment facilities, should also be considered. Free full text http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/6/8/2175/htm.

**Trade

The Impact of WTO Accession: Case Study of Vietnam.
The Impact of WTO Accession: Case Study of Vietnam.
Hoang Chi Cuong. LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, 2014 June.

Abstract: The aim of this research is to assess the possible impact of the WTO on economic institutional changes, FDI inflows, and exports and imports of Vietnam. To achieve reliable and persuasive outcomes and to enhance the significance of the research, the author will employ the gravity model using the Hausman-Taylor (1981) estimator and updated figures from trustworthy sources (e.g., WTO negotiation documents of Vietnam, relevant research papers, state agencies and international organizations such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB), etc.) for the empirical analysis in this research. This research should be especially useful to professional in international economics field, or anyone else who may be considering evaluating the impact of the WTO and FTAs on FDI flows and foreign trade of the member countries.







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