1. Does rural credit mediate vulnerability under idiosyncratic and covariate shocks? Empirical evidence from Vietnam using a multilevel model. 

European Journal of Development Research, Springer 2021 (SSCI, Scopus (Q1), IF: 2.449) ) with Hang Bui. 

Abstract: This study explores the relationship between the uptake of credit and household vulnerability in rural Vietnam in terms of two main vulnerability indicators—vulnerability as expected poverty (VEP) and vulnerability to food poverty (VFP)—using data from the 2012 Vietnam Access to Resources Household Survey. VEP and VFP are examined under two decompositions, idiosyncratic vulnerability and covariate vulnerability, by constructing a multilevel structure model. The analysis accounts for two critical problems (selection bias and endogeneity) through an endogenous switching regression model. Generally, the results indicate the positive impacts of credit uptake on poverty alleviation and VEP reduction. Nevertheless, credit uptake increases VFP. Noticeably, compared to other categories of credit, productive credit is found to be more pronounced in reducing either idiosyncratic or covariate vulnerability. There is also suggestive evidence that although credit has positive effects overall, taking on either formal or semiformal credit has negative impacts on both poverty and vulnerability reduction. Hence, towards formal credit, government policies should concentrate more on credit costs and support preferential loan rates for poor rural households for productive purposes. 

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2. Non-farm employment, food poverty and vulnerability in rural Vietnam

Environment Development and Sustainability, Springer 2020 (SCIE, Scopus (Q1), IF: 4.080), with Huyen Hoang.

Abstract: This study sheds light on the effects of non-farm employment on household food poverty and vulnerability among rural households in Vietnam using data from the Vietnam Household Living Standard Survey of 2010. Vulnerability to food poverty constitutes a certain probability that a non-poor household will become food-poor or that a food-poor household will remain in poverty in future.

The results suggest that non-farm employment exerts a positive and statistically significant effect on the reduction in household food poverty and vulnerability. Specifically, participating in non-farm employment will help decrease the probability of falling into food poverty in future by roughly 19%. We also document that 31% of non-food-poor households in rural areas suffered from vulnerability to food poverty, indicating their high probability of falling into food poverty in future. Additional results from regional evaluation suggest that the North-west region of Vietnam is most vulnerable to food poverty and has an urgent need of targeted government development policies; improving access to non-farm employment could help mitigate vulnerability.

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3. Factor substitution in rice production function: the case of Vietnam

Economic Research, Taylor and Francis 2019 (SSCI, Scopus (Q2); IF: 3.080) with Huyen Hoang and Hang Bui.

Abstract:  Vietnamese rice production has achieved remarkable success over the last couple of decades. This is due to land and market reforms, known as ‘Doi Moi’. There were noticeable changes in policies, such as land and production systems, which were transformed from a collective to an individual contract system in the 1980s. Vietnam made progress in rice production through the legalisation of the privatisation of farm properties and a huge investment in irrigation systems. The country not only ensured its domestic demand, but also started exporting rice and gradually became the second largest exporter in the world. An estimate of the Constant Elasticity of Substitution function (CES) for Vietnam’s rice production is essential for the government to design effective policy on agricultural production.

This study makes the first attempt to estimate the nested CES model for Vietnamese rice production in 2012. The paper finds that the elasticity of substitution of Vietnam's nested CES model lies between 0.44 and 0.46. The results indicate the weak substitutability between land and the capital-labour composite in the nested CES model. This also suggests that it is impossible to take labour as the substitutable factor for land and capital. 

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4.  Entry Mode Choice and Performance of Foreign Direct Investment Firms in Emerging Economies: Micro-evidence from Viet Nam

ERIA Discussion Paper Series with Huyen Hoang and Hang Bui.

Abstract:  Does the right entry mode choice help foreign direct investment (FDI) firms to perform efficiently in emerging economies? This study attempts to answer this question by examining the impact of the entry mode choice made by FDI firms on their post-entry performance in emerging markets. Using a dataset derived from specific firms for the period 2002–2016, this study accounts for the selection biases and inherent differences of FDI firms that affect their selection of entry strategies. The study found that, with regard to the manufacturing sector, the ownership type with a wholly owned subsidiary (WOS) had negative impacts on either the technical efficiency or the total factor productivity (TFP) of firms. Conversely, regarding all sectors in the economy, the WOS is likely to have a positive role on technical efficiency and TFP. It is also interesting to see that for firms with an equity joint venture (EJV) type, the higher proportion of capital contribution from domestic firms might lead to lower technical efficiency and TFP. It implies that the higher degree of management and control by the domestic firms compared with foreign firms would have negative impacts on the EJV firms’ performance.

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5.  Risk management: The foundation theory of finance risk and market risk in International Organizations

Proceeding of 2007 International Conference of Market Development and Investment Strategy, National Taipei University, Taiwan.

Works in progress

• Should I stay or should I leave? A study on immigration and environmental disasters.

• An empirical study on the vulnerability of the informal sector: Evidence from Vietnam.

• The Mechanism Design Theory: From theory to empirical studies. Some suggestions to Vietnam.

• The Rise of India: Policy and economic growth in India.

• The Social Choice Theory and its application to economics welfare.