Journal of Finance - Marketing Research

Exploring gender differences in the impact of digital financial literacy on personal financial behavior: A PLS-MGA approach

2025-12-19T01:19:36+00:00

In the context of rapidly evolving digital finance, this study aims to assess the impact of digital financial literacy (DFL) on individual financial behavior (FB) within the framework of digital transformation in Vietnam, with a specific focus on examining gender as a theoretical moderator in this relationship, as posited by Gender Role Theory. Data were collected from 329 bank account-holding adults in urban areas through an online survey and analyzed using the SEM-PLS model, combined with 5,000-sample bootstrapping and the advanced PLS-MGA (Multi-Group Analysis) technique. The findings reveal that DFL positively influences FB, with a significantly stronger effect observed among males compared to females, thereby empirically validating the proposed moderating role of gender. Consequently, the study proposes policy recommendations for digital financial education and the design of gender-tailored financial services to promote positive financial behavior. Theoretically, this research provides a nuanced understanding by integrating digital financial literacy with gender role perspectives, contributing to the literature on financial behavior in digital environments. Methodologically, it demonstrates the utility of PLS-MGA in uncovering subgroup differences in emerging economy contexts.

Thresholds of asset size and ownership structure impact on profit rate: Case study of Vietnamese commercial banks listed on the HOSE

2026-01-19T07:00:26+00:00

Recent studies on the performance of businesses in general and commercial banks in particular have shown that size is an important factor affecting the performance or profitability of businesses. The size of commercial banks in Vietnam has certain differences. Studies supporting the theory of economies of scale argue that the larger the size, the higher the efficiency (Hughes & Mester, 2013; Shehzad, De Haan & Scholtens, 2013). Some other studies have found a negative relationship between size and profit, profitability of banks (Feng & Serlestis, 2010; De Haan & Poghosyan, 2012a, b). Hansen (1999) proposed a threshold regression model (Threshold estimate model) to help determine the threshold value that changes the impact of size on performance. Based on Hansen's model (1999), banks with an asset size exceeding 𝑒11.2261≈75,064.24 (Prob = 0.4770) no asset threshold exists. The regression results show that 6/7 independent variables have an impact on ROA of the banks in the research sample. This is the scientific basis for bank managers to study and adjust the ownership structure and decide to increase their assets in the future in a reasonable way, bringing the highest profitability.

Corporate social responsibility and employee green behavior in the tourism industry with mediating role of organizational trust

2025-12-29T08:38:51+00:00

In the context of tourism industry in Vietnam increasingly facing the demand for sustainable development, employee green behavior (EGB) is considered a core factor reflecting the level of transformation of organizational values into sustainable practices. This study aims to explore how employees' awareness of corporate social responsibility (CSR) affects green behavior at the workplace, with a focus on analyzing the mediating role of organizational trust (OT). Applying a qualitative research method combined with typical case studies at tourism enterprises in Xuan Huong Ward - Da Lat, this study conducted 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed the themes in a reflective manner (Braun & Clarke, 2006). This results show that the transformation from CSR awareness to green behavior does not occur linearly, but through an emotional-moral layer, in which organizational trust plays the role of “invisible glue”, promoting value empathy and proactive behavior. Three main themes are drawn including: (1) CSR as an indicator of ethics and intrinsic commitment, (2) organizational trust as an emotional foundation for green behavior, and (3) green behavior as an expression of organizational attachment and professional identity. The study contributes to localizing the CSR–OT–EGB model in the context of Vietnamese organizational culture, while expanding the theory of ethical behavior in organizations through the lens of emotions and reflection.

From challenge recognition to strategy proposal: qualitative insights in promoting smart tourists for smart tourism destination development in Vietnam

2026-01-12T08:30:56+00:00

Smart tourism destinations have emerged as an important development orientation in Vietnam, yet the progress remains hindered by various challenges, even from tourists themselves. This study aims to uncover the challenges preventing Vietnamese tourists from actively engaging in smart tourism ecosystems, i.e., transforming themselves into “smart tourists”. Employing an expert-based qualitative research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with practitioners working in the tourism field to identify existential challenges to leverage practical recommendations. The drawn findings highlight four main categories of challenges: (1) disparities in technology grasp and consumption, (2) price concerns in smart travel, (3) privacy and security concerns, and (4) the complexity of technology. These challenges not only limit tourists’ willingness to engage but also raise concerns about the inclusiveness and effectiveness of current smart tourism development strategies in Vietnam. By emphasizing the central role of tourists as active stakeholders in smart tourism ecosystems and systematically identifying the barriers that inhibit their engagement, the study contributes to existing literature with a deeper understanding of tourist-related constraints in smart tourism development and offers practical implications for tourism destination managers and policymakers to cohere smart tourists and smart tourism destinations toward more inclusive and sustainable smart tourism development.

Fear-Based marketing of parental monitoring tools: Reinforcing overcontrol and child dependence

2026-01-24T03:47:09+00:00

In the context of digital parenting, many campaigns appeal to parental fears to promote monitoring apps and access-restriction devices. This study examines how such advertising strengthens overcontrolling tendencies and reshapes perceptions of “good parenting”. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on ten video ads coded for five fear themes (loss of control, cyberbullying, online predators, digital addiction, physical danger) and five solution strategies (monitoring, filtering, location tracking, screen time limits, and non-internet devices). The results show that fear of losing control was present in approximately 90% of the sample, often in relation to cyberbullying or physical threats. The two dominant solution strategies were monitoring apps and non-internet devices. Across the sample, these solutions framed parents as vigilant guardians and children as passive dependents. This threat–solution narrative turns anxiety into reassurance and implicitly normalizes tech monitoring as responsible parenting. The findings illustrate how fear appeals may be used to justify excessive surveillance and reconfigure parenting norms in the digital era, but they also emphasize the importance of conducting ethical marketing activities, informing users of potential privacy threats, and maintaining an appropriate balance between safety and independence.

Factors influencing local community participation in sustainable ecotourism development at Vam Sat tourist site, Can Gio commune

2025-12-23T01:40:17+00:00

This study addresses a critical gap in the ecotourism literature by examining the determinants of local community participation in sustainable ecotourism development within a biosphere reserve context, where empirical evidence remains limited and fragmented. Drawing on established theoretical perspectives, the study proposes a conceptual model that integrates community attitude, institutional policy barriers, service capacity, local resources, perceived benefits, and social capital as key explanatory factors. Data were collected from 150 local residents at the Vam Sat Tourist Site and analyzed using SPSS 27 through reliability testing, exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and linear regression. The findings reveal that community attitude, institutional policy barriers, service capacity, local resources, and social capital exert positive and significant effects on participation decisions, with community attitude emerging as the strongest predictor. Notably, perceived benefits do not show a statistically significant effect, suggesting that community engagement in ecotourism is driven less by short term economic expectations than by institutional trust, social relationships, and attitudinal commitment. This unexpected result offers an important theoretical insight by challenging benefit centered participation assumptions in ecotourism research. The study contributes to the literature by refining participation theory in protected areas and provides policy relevant implications for ecotourism governance in biosphere reserves, emphasizing the need for institutional transparency, capacity building, and network-based community engagement mechanisms.

Corporate tax avoidance and stock price crash risk: The moderating role of audit quality

2026-01-20T05:49:43+00:00

Drawing on agency theory, this study aims to examine the moderating effect of audit quality on the relationship between corporate tax avoidance and stock price crash risk. Using panel data of 140 firms listed on HOSE and HNX from 2017 to 2024, and addressing endogeneity issues through GMM, the results reveal that audit quality shows a significant moderating effect on the relationship between corporate tax avoidance and stock price crash risk. These results highlight that tax avoidance provides an opportunity for managers to conceal bad information, which may accumulate and trigger stock price collapses, while audit quality mitigates such concealment behavior by the managers, promotes more transparent information disclosure and thereby reduces the stock price crash risk. The study contributes to the literature by showing evidence of these relationships from an emerging market and highlights important implications. Investors should incorporate tax avoidance indicators and also the audit quality of corporates into risk assessments, while policymakers are encouraged to strengthen tax enforcement, enhance disclosure requirements and promote improvements in external audit firms to enhance stock price market transparency and stability.

Unique competitive advantages of restaurant industry in vietnam during the new normal period

2025-12-08T10:34:42+00:00

The restaurant industry was one of the first industries to be hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic, as it is a service industry that relies heavily on tourism. In the most difficult times, the Vietnamese restaurant industry used its unique competitive advantages to adapt and overcome the difficulties caused by the pandemic. Thanks to that, the industry has regained its growth rate after the pandemic, even surpassing the previous level. However, those unique competitive advantages have not received much attention to maximizing the value they bring. Therefore, this study aims to provide authentic information on the unique competitive advantages that the Vietnamese restaurant industry is relying on to recover and grow impressively. This study uses a sequential mixed-method approach including qualitative research with in-depth semi-structured interviews with 14 respondents and quantitative research with an online survey with a sample size of 202 samples. The four key points explored and verified in this study include a diverse and rich menu, highly valued human resources, the ability to adapt to a rapidly changing business environment, and low prices while still ensuring quality. This study will provide in-depth insights into the Vietnamese restaurant industry, which can help to take advantage of and promote the advantages to effectively develop this industry in the new normal state after COVID-19.

Labor structural transformation and unemployment rate in Vietnam: Testing in the frequency domain

2025-12-19T03:13:04+00:00

This study investigates the causal relationship between labor structural transformation and the unemployment rate in Vietnam over the period 2003-2023. Utilizing time-series data and frequency-domain causality testing, the research employs the Modified Lilien Index (MLI) to quantify the extent of labor reallocation across economic sectors. The empirical findings reveal that structural labor shifts exert a significant causal impact on unemployment in the medium and long term, while no clear effect is observed in the short term. Moreover, unemployment does not appear to influence labor reallocation in reverse. These results suggest that long-term policy interventions such as workforce reskilling, labor market information systems, rural-to-urban labor mobility incentives, and enhanced social protection are essential to sustainably mitigate structural unemployment. By applying frequency-domain analysis, the study offers a novel perspective on the temporal dynamics of labor market adjustments, contributing valuable empirical evidence for labor policy formulation in transitioning economies.

Agricultural tourism development solutions: A case study of Ben Tre province

2026-01-06T08:57:18+00:00

Agricultural tourism is a strategic pillar in Vietnam's rural development strategy to 2030, particularly for Ben Tre Province, which possesses a unique ecosystem of over 78,000 hectares of coconut plantations. This study aims to systematically assess development conditions and propose comprehensive sustainable solutions to enhance the province's competitive advantage. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research utilized primary data from 153 tourists surveyed between February and April 2025 alongside secondary data analysis. were applied to evaluate four key factor groups: resources, facilities, human resources, and local policies. The findings reveal that while Ben Tre has strong resource attractiveness (Mean = 3.79), significant bottlenecks exist in infrastructure specifically 61.4% dissatisfaction with accommodation and human resources, where 68.6% of respondents were dissatisfied with foreign language competency. Notably, international tourists demonstrated significantly higher expectation standards regarding facilities compared to domestic groups (p < 0.001). The paper’s novel contribution lies in addressing the gap between descriptive potential and empirical evaluation a proposed solution framework. This includes synchronized facility upgrades, green management models, and standardized training to advance Ben Tre’s tourism toward global professionalism and sustainability.