Vietnamese Learners’ Performance in The IELTS Writing Task 2

IELTS is popular in Vietnam thanks to its reliability and applicability. Writing task 2 has been acknowledged to be the most challenging for IELTS learners. However, in Vietnam, not much research has attempted to investigate in an in-depth manner as to what are the problems, causes, and consequently the suggestions of such a notion. The research hence aims to investigate the phenomenon in a more thorough, empirical manner. To this end, the study employed the participation of 205 IELTS learners from two language centers in Ho Chi Minh city to provide their opinions regarding the problems, causes, and recommendations deemed the most pressing, acute, and beneficial, respectively. With convenience sampling and survey being the chosen research design, the research was quantitative in nature, producing numerical data as a result. Further analysis conducted via comparing the means of the items listed in the questionnaire yielded based on the IELTS band descriptors managed to discover a series of problems, causes, and suggestions considered the most relevant to the Vietnamese learners concerning IELTS writing task 2. The research thus served as the basis for teachers and learners of IELTS writing task 2 to identify the recurrent issues and provide relatable approaches.

English Learning Strategies of Economics-majored Students at Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City

The purpose of this research paper is to look into the current situation of using learning strategies and the key factors that influence English learning strategies of tertiary students who major in economics at Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City. On the basis of Oxford’s (1990) theory on language learning strategies, the study conducted a questionnaire survey with the participation of 300 students. The results show that economics-majored students use English learning strategies at a relatively high frequency, with the metacognitive strategies group having the highest frequency; the groups of affective strategies and compensation strategies have the lowest frequency of use. It also draws a conlusion that individual factors such as gender, grade level, and major do not appear to have a significant impact on students' use of English learning strategies. There are no significant differences between male and female students, between students of all grades, and between students of different majors in the frequency of using English learning strategies.

A comparative study of dengue virus vectors in major parks and adjacent residential areas in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The primary dengue virus vectors, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, are primarily daytime biting mosquitoes. The risk of infection is suspected to be considerable in urban parks due to visitor traffic. Despite the importance of vector control for reducing dengue transmission, little information is available on vector populations in urban parks. The present study characterized mosquito habitats and estimated vector densities in the major urban parks in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and compared them with those in adjacent residential areas. The prevalences of habitats where Aedes larvae were found were 43% and 9% for the parks and residential areas, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (prevalence ratio [PR]: 5.00, 95% CI: 3.85–6.49). The prevalences of positive larval habitats were significantly greater in the parks for both species than the residential areas (PR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.04–2.22 for A. aegypti, PR: 10.10, 95% CI: 7.23–14.12 for A. albopictus). Larvae of both species were positively associated with discarded containers and planters. Aedes albopictus larvae were negatively associated with indoor habitats, but positively associated with vegetation shade. The adult density of A. aegypti was significantly less in the parks compared with the residential areas (rate ratio [RR]; 0.09, 95% CI: 0.05–0.16), while the density of A. albopictus was significantly higher in the parks (RR: 9.99, 95% CI: 6.85–14.59). When the species were combined, the density was significantly higher in the parks (RR: 2.50, 95% CI: 1.92–3.25). The urban parks provide suitable environment for Aedes mosquitoes, and A. albopictus in particular. Virus vectors are abundant in the urban parks, and the current vector control programs need to have greater consideration of urban parks.

The Economies Scale of Agricultural Product Processing Companies Listed on Stock Exchange in Hochiminh City and Hanoi, Vietnam

This study applied the Cobb-Douglas production function to identify economics efficiency of 18agricultural product processing companies listed on the Stock exchange in Ho Chi Minh City(HOSE) and Hanoi (HNX) in such sectors as fisheries, rubber and sugar in the period 2009-2013.The method employed FEM and REM models using panel data. The results showed thatperformance of all and each sector in this study has increasing returns to scale. In particular,firms in the sectors of fisheries and rubber primarily relied on raising capital to increasetheiroutput value, while those in the sugar sectormainly increase labors toimprove theiroutput value. Finally, the paper also provides some policy implications to improve theefficiency of capital and labor in the agricultural product processing companies.

Factors affecting consumers purchase decision: A case study in car market in Ho Chi Minh City

This paper aims to examine the factors affecting purchase decision cars of consumers to enable car manufacturers to find out the possible vulnerability between the expectations of customers and products on the market. The research uses a random survey with a group of 271 consumers in Ho Chi Minh City. Results of factor analysis and regression show that three factors including: safety features, reliability and resale value actually have positive impact on the purchasing decision automobiles consumer. On the practical significance, the study proposes some solutions to help manufacturers and distributors offering reasonable policies in order to improve sales, profits, expanding markets in Vietnam. Besides, the study also has some limitations, so the next study should be expanded and further research to be able to explain more of the factors affecting purchase decision cars of consumers.

Factors affecting on the Apartment purchase decision of officers in Small and Medium - sized enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City

In recent years, demand for housing has increased in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) despite of apartment market’s felling into the freeze. Besides, apartment`s price has continuously dropped, but the situation has not improved much. Do not the real estate companies really understand the need of buyers ? This paper researches factors affecting the decision to purchase apartment of officers in Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in HCMC. We surveyed 321 buyers, using Cronbach`s Alpha Scale testing method, Exploratory Factor Analysis method and multivariate regression methodology. The results indicated that the decision to buy an apartment of officers was affected by three important factors which are habitat environment, characteristics and finance respectively. From the research results, this paper also proposes some solutions to bring the supply and the demand of apartment in HCMC closer together, thereby contributing to solve difficulties for market.

The impact of social media marketing on brand loyalty: The case of digital products in Vietnam

This study aims at researching and analysing the effects of social media marketing on brand loyalty of customers. The data were collected through surveys of 230 customers of digital products in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The research results show 05 elements of social media marketing have positive impact on customers’s brand loyalty. Five factors include: (1) offers advantageous campaigns of digital brands; (2) offers relevant content to consumer’s concern; (3) brand contents are frequently updated; (4) offers popular contents shared between friends and (5) appears on various devices and offers applications on social media. Based on research results, this study also proposes a number of implications for management at enterprises.

Climate trends and climate change scenarios in Ho Chi Minh City

This paper reviews the trends of climate and climate change scenarios in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). The linear regression method is used to determine the trend and variation of past climate (1980-2019) at Tan Son Hoa station. The annual average temperature tends to increase about 0.024°C/year (r2=0.54) and the rainfall tends to increase about 6.03 mm/year (r2=0.67). For temperature scenario, by 2030 the annual average temperature in the whole city will increase from 0.80- 0.81°C (RCP4.5) and 0.92-0.98°C (RCP8.5). By 2050, it will increase 1.23-1.33°C (RCP4.5) and 1.55-1.68°C (RCP8.5). By 2100, it will increase 1.75-1.88°C (RCP4.5) and 3.20-3.55°C (RCP8.5) compared to the base period. Regarding rainfall scenario, in 2030, the city-wide average rainfall will increase by 12-21% (RCP4.5) and by 12-17% (RCP8.5). By 2050, the average rainfall is likely to increase by 13-15% (RCP4.5) and 15-17% (RCP8.5). By 2100, the average rainfall is likely to increase by 18-22% (RCP4.5) and 20-21% (RCP8.5) compared to the base period.