Determinants of credit risk at Vietnam bank for agriculture and rural developments in Can Tho City

The aim of this study is to investigate factors affecting credit risks of the borrowers (both corporate and individual customers) of Vietnam bank for agriculture and rural development's branch at Can Tho city (lender), thereby proposing several solutions to improve the bank’s operational efficiency in the upcoming years. Simultaneous qualitative and quantitative research methods are applied and secondary data from 102 corporate customers and 2100 individual clients are collected directly from the financial report of the Can Tho branch of Vietnam bank for agriculture and rural development (Agribank) until the end of 2018. A binary logistics model is employed to identify the determinant factors of the credit risk of bank customers. Estimation results reveal that the credit risk of corporate customers is affected by the factors of sales growth, return on sales ratio, Debt to equity ratio, collateral-to-outstanding loan balance ratio, and customer's loan history which are consistent with those of previous studies, whereas the credit risk of individual customers is influenced by the factors of age, educational level, loan purpose, loan maturity, type of collateral, customer income, and customer loan history, which are confirmed by previous studies. The empirical findings of the article imply that the Can Tho branch of Agribank should take precautions in order to limit the credit risk of bank customers. In addition, several governance recommendations are given for bank’s manager to improve the operational efficiency of bank.

Factors associated with food safety compliance among street food vendors in Can Tho city, Vietnam: implications for intervention activity design and implementation

Background Street food plays a valuable role in several Asian countries including Vietnam. Improving the safety of street food is an important responsibility for many local food authorities. This study aims to characterize the business profile of fixed and mobile street food vendors, and to compare their compliance with the food safety criteria. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire and observational checklist to assess the ten Vietnamese food safety criteria prescribed under Decision No. 3199/2000/QD-BYT for street food vendors in Can Tho city. A total of 400 street food vendors, composed of fixed and mobile vendors, in urban areas of the city were randomly selected for the survey. Results The study showed significant differences between the two types of street food vendors in educational level (p = 0.017); business profile, including types of foods vended, area in use, number of employees, training in food safety, and business registration paperwork; and the status of compliance with the ten-food hygiene and safety criteria (p < 0.01). Poisson regression analysis found that education attainment (IRR = 1.228, p = 0.015), food safety training (IRR = 4.855, p < 0.01), total business capital (IRR = 1.004, p = 0.031) and total area in use (IRR = 1.007, p = 0.001) appeared to be significantly positively associated with food safety and hygiene compliance. In contrast, mobile vending type was negatively associated with the likelihood of adhering to the ten criteria (IRR = 0.547, p = 0.005). Conclusions These findings emphasize the need for training and education programs to improve food safety knowledge and practice among street food vendors. Basic infrastructure and services, especially clean water, proper sanitation, and waste disposal facilities, should be provided to help street food vendors better practice food safety and hygiene regulations.

The Impact of Work Stress on Job Satisfaction of Employees at Can Tho Radio and Television Station

The study aims to demonstrate the influence of work stress on job satisfaction of employees at Can Tho Radio and Television (TV) Station. Research data were collected from 140 employees working at the Radio and TV Station of Can Tho City. Applying the structural equation modeling, the research has pointed out factors forming work stress. They include work overload, pressure from the manager, income pressure, workplace relationships, and working conditions. When work stress forms, it negatively impacts the job satisfaction of the staff at Can Tho Radio and TV Station. Keywords: work stress, satisfaction, employee, Can Tho Radio and Television Station.

Application of GIS on building the spatial database for supporting drainage management in Ninh Kieu District

Ninh Kieu District is located in the center of Can Tho City, established under the Government’s Decree No. 05/2004/ND-CP. This is a modern and rich district, with a history of formation and development associated with the Mekong Delta. According to statistics in 2019, Ninh Kieu District has an average population of 280,792 people, with a population density of 9,605 people/km2 and an area of 29.23 km2. In the current period, the urbanization process in Ninh Kieu District takes place at a fast and strong pace. This has made it impossible for the urban drainage system to keep up with this change, thereby creating great difficulties for the drainage management here. In order to deal with these enormous challenges, the managers in this area need to incorporate new technologies into drainage management. This paper presents the main result of building a spatial database to support drainage management for Ninh Kieu District. This is considered as a fundamental source of data for application of GIS in urban drainage research and management in Ninh Kieu District.

IMPACTS OF PUSHING AND PULL FACTORS ON TOURIST SATISFACTION AND RETURN INTENTION TOWARDS RIVER TOURISM IN CAN THO CITY, VIETNAM

This study was conducted to demonstrate the impacts of push and pull factors on tourist satisfaction and behavioural intention of visitors towards Can Tho City river tourism. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyse the data. Research data were collected by direct interviews with 235 visitors who have experienced the river tour in Can Tho City. The research has shown that push and pulls factors positively affect destination satisfaction. Besides, destination satisfaction promotes the return intention, willingness to pay, and positive word of mouth of visitors towards river tourism. The study proposes important implications to effectively use river tourism image of Can Tho City, thereby attracting both domestic and foreign tourists. These solutions may help improve the tourism industry of the city.

Groundwater Quality Assessment Using Water Quality Index, Principal Component and Cluster Analyses: A Case Study

This study assessed groundwater quality in Can Tho city, Vietnam using groundwater quality index (GWQI), principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis (CA). Groundwater samples were collected in April (dry season) and October (rainy season) in 2019 and then analyzed for thirteen parameters: pH, color, total hardness, chloride, sulfate, chemical oxygen demand, magnesium, total iron, nitrate, arsenic, lead, mercury, and coliforms. The results showed that the values of these parameters were mainly within the Vietnamese regulations on groundwater quality, except for coliform density. Computed GWQI values in all monitoring sites were lower than 50 and suitable for potable purposes. The GWQI values in the dry season were slightly higher than in the rainy season because of higher concentrations of Cl-, SO42-, COD, As, Pb, and coliforms in the southeast of Can Tho. The results of CA revealed that 27 monitoring sites can be divided into nine clusters in the dry season and five clusters in the rainy season, which means that more noticeable spatial variation in groundwater quality occurred in the dry season. The PCA results can explain 63.4% and 73.9% of the total variation in the dry season via 4PCs and in the rainy season via 3PCs, respectively. It also indicated that this water resource could be affected by different sources such as industrial and agricultural activities, domestic wastewaters, and saltwater intrusion. These findings can be useful for policymakers in assessing current groundwater status and recognizing threats to its quality, and then developing long-term management policy.

Factors impacting the financial efficiency of pig farming models in Can Tho City

The study’s objective is to evaluate the financial efficiency and determine the factors affecting pig farming models’ financial efficiency in Can Tho City. The study collected data from 118 households raising pigs for meat. The methods used in the study include financial ratios analysis and multivariable linear regression. The research results show that models of raising pigs for meat have high financial efficiency. The financial performance of the models is positively correlated with the educational level of the farmer and the participation in technical training programs. In contrast, financial efficiency is negatively correlated with seed cost, feed cost, farm drug cost, and total risk.

Assessment of a website aimed at providing information on mental health to secondary school students in Can Tho city, Vietnam

Background The stigmatization of mental health problems is a primary barrier for young people to approach mental health services when they suspect they might have such problems. Nevertheless, the internet has become a common platform on which they are likely to seek information on mental health. As such, this study aimed to explore responses from secondary school students in Can Tho city regarding suckhoetre.vn website. This website provided information on health and mental health, and this study assessed the potential relevance, appeal, accessibility, usefulness, and sustainability of the website. Methods A cross-sectional study included 643 secondary school students in Can Tho city selected by cluster sampling. Two weeks after the students were introduced to the website, they were invited to evaluate it using an anonymous questionnaire. The Chi-squared test was used to assess the significance of differences in the distribution of selected students’ sociodemographic characteristics. Results Most (98.6%) participants visited the website in the two-week period, 74% once or twice a week, the others more often, up to once a day. Their activities included reading information (85.8%), seeking help (17.7%), sharing information (15.5%), giving advice to others (11.0%), and chatting or giving comments (9.8%). Most students rated the website very highly in terms of appeal, relevance, accessibility, and usefulness, and wanted to have access to the website in the future. These findings are positive signals to pursue the possible use of a website on mental health for secondary school students to help raise awareness and support good mental health among adolescents in Can Tho city and beyond. Conclusion A website designed to provide information to secondary school students appeared to be a promising way to provide access to information on the topic of mental health. The website should be maintained and introduced widely to students, teachers and parents, with regular evaluation of the effectiveness of this website.

Instant Flood Risk Modelling (Inform) Tool for Co-Design of Flood Risk Management Strategies with Stakeholders in Can Tho City, Vietnam

Flood risk reduction strategies play an important role in flood risk management (FRM) and these strategies are being co-designed with the engagement of the stakeholder through multiple consultations and co-designing sessions. Effective participation of stakeholders in interactive work sessions requires fast and accurate modeling systems with a user-friendly interface, which can simulate the impact due to various flood reduction measures selected by the stakeholders and also generate outputs that can be understood by all stakeholders, especially those who are not FRM specialists. Presenting an easy-to-understand tool with easy inputs and outputs for a variety of stakeholders and at the same time providing reliable and accurate results for a range of scenarios and interventions is a challenge. Seven requirements that are essential for a user-friendly flood risk tool were used to develop an instant flood risk modeling tool. This paper presents a web-based hydraulic tool, i.e., instant flood risk model (Inform), to support FRM in the urban center of Can Tho city (Ninh Kieu district), Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Inform was developed based on (i) a simplified 1D model for the entire Mekong Delta; and (ii) flood hazard and damage maps, and estimated flood damage for Ninh Kieu district in Can Tho city obtained directly from the 1D/2D coupled model for Ninh Kieu district. Inform rapidly generates flood levels, flood hazard and damage maps, estimated damages. Pilot testing with experts confirmed that Inform qualifies as a reliable co-design tool for developing FRM strategies as it features an inbuilt input library, comprises flexible options, easy to use, produces quick results and has a user-friendly interface. With the help of an interactive web-based tool such as Inform presented here, it is possible to co-design FRM strategies for Can Tho or any other city that is subject to flood risk.

Factors Affecting Learners’ Satisfaction and Loyalty to the Vietnamese American Training Center, Can Tho City

The objective of the study is to determine factors affecting the satisfaction and loyalty of learners to the quality of training services at the Vietnamese American Training Center (VATC) in Can Tho City. The research data were collected from 200 learners studying at VATC Can Tho. Applying structural equation modeling (SEM), the study has demonstrated four factors affecting learner satisfaction, including textbooks and materials; managerial and administrative procedures; facilities, and training programs. Besides, the study has pointed out that satisfaction positively affects learners’ loyalty to VATC Can Tho. Some managerial implications to improve learners’ satisfaction and loyalty to VATC Can Tho were suggested such as Develop training programs, Upgrade learning materials, Improve administrative procedures, and Enhance the center's facilities. Keywords: satisfaction, loyalty, Vietnamese American Training Center.