PURPOSE: This study aims to clarify the effect mechanism of subjective norms on entrepreneurial intention. The results of how subjective norms contribute to forming start-up intention are ...inconsistent and unclear, which is notable in previous research. By integrating the theory of planned behavior and the theory of self-efficacy, we investigate whether entrepreneurial self-efficacy and attitude toward entrepreneurship serially mediate the relationship between subjective norms and intention to start a business. In addition, this study examines the moderate role of entrepreneurial education on the serial indirect effect of subjective norms on entrepreneurial intention via entrepreneurial self-efficacy and attitude toward entrepreneurship. METHODOLOGY: This study utilized a sample of 958 master’s students in Vietnam to investigate a moderated-serial mediation model of subjective norms on entrepreneurial intention. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out to check the reliability and validity of the scales. Then, the SPSS PROCESS macro developed by Hayes was employed to test the research model. Specifically, Model 6 was used to examine the serial indirect effect of subjective norms on start-up intention and Model 84 was implemented to investigate the moderate effect of entrepreneurial education. FINDINGS: The results of this study found that entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial attitude significantly mediate subjective norms’ effect on entrepreneurial intention. Especially, the results reveal that the serial mediation effect of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and attitude toward entrepreneurship was significant and entrepreneurial self-efficacy and attitude toward entrepreneurship played a fully mediating role in the relationship between subjective norms and start-up intention. In addition, this study found that the serial mediation effect of subjective norms on start-up intention via entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial attitude was negatively moderated by entrepreneurial education. IMPLICATIONS: The results of this study further clarify the relationship between subjective norms and entrepreneurial intention and the role of entrepreneurial education, therefore, contributing to narrowing the notable gap between this relationship. Besides, our study provides several implications for governments and policymakers to promote the intention to start a business. The finding of our study indicates that subjective norms are an important factor in promoting entrepreneurial intention. Therefore, policymakers should take some actions to promote entrepreneurial culture, such as strengthening propaganda activities to promote the image of successful entrepreneurs, praising businesses and entrepreneurs who contribute to society, and giving evidence of their contribution to the development of the country. Promoting an entrepreneurial culture may increase peer group pressure on potential entrepreneurs, thus enhancing the intention to start a business. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: This study expects to contribute to a better understanding of the effect mechanism of subjective norms on entrepreneurial intention and explain the role of entrepreneurial education in this relationship. This study explores the mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial attitude in the relationship between subjective norms and the intention to start a business. Additionally, this study demonstrates that entrepreneurial education weakens the serial mediation model of subjective norms on the intention to start a business.
Elasticity and viscosity of soft tissues can be obtained from the complex shear modulus imaging (CSMI). CSMI is often used not only to investigate the structure of tissues but also to detect tumors ...in tissues. One of the most popular ways to categorize the methods used in CSMI is into quasi-static and dynamic methods. In the dynamic method, a force excitation is used to create the shear wave propagation, and the particle velocities are measured to extract their amplitude and phase at spatial locations. These parameters are then employed to directly or indirectly estimate the Complex Shear Modulus (CSM) represented by elasticity and viscosity. Algebraic Helmholtz Inversion (AHI) algorithm provides the direct estimation of CSM using the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) technique. The limitation of this method, however, is that the noise generated from measuring the particle velocity strongly degrades the accuracy of the estimation. To overcome this problem, we proposed in this paper an adaptive AHI (AAHI) algorithm that offers a good performance in CSMI with a mean error of 2.06%.
This study was carried out to investigate the surface roughness in infeed centerless grinding process. The experiment was performed to determine the influence of several technological parameters on ...the surface roughness. The grinding wheel of Hai Duong Company, Vietnam, was used to machine the SCM435 steel. The experimental matrix was designed using central composite design (CCD). The machining parameters that were used as the input parameters in this study include the workpiece center height, dressing feed rate, regulating wheel velocity, and infeed rate. From the experimental data, an initial model of the surface roughness was built as a quadratic function. Further, a Box-Cox transformation was used to develop a new model from the initial surface roughness data with better accuracy than that of the initial model. The accuracy of the proposed model was verified by comparing the values of the mean absolute error, mean square error, and determination coefficients. This direct approach can be applied for the investigation of other factors during machining processes and can be used in the optimization of machining processes.
Vietnam is in the process of economic transformation which involves lots of requirements for road transport infrastructure development to create a driving force for socio-economic growth and to meet ...the needs of industrialization and modernization. To have synchronous and sustainable process of developing road infrastructure, maintenance should be paid attention to make the most of the capacity of the existing. Understanding the importance of this work, since 2013, Vietnam Government has issued a relatively sufficient series of policies on road repair and maintenance management. However, there are still shortcomings in road maintenance administration (i.e., discrepancies among legal regulations, challenges in maintenance planning, ineffective selection of contractors, insufficient financing, improper spending, limited introduction of science and technologies), which can hardly be resolved all together at once. The article has studied about the administration and use of the Maintenance Fund and mobilization capital in several countries around the world, at the same time analyzes the status quos of maintenance administration in Viet Nam in the following aspects: management strategies; planning and implementation; policies and regulations on maintenance administration; road quality management; management of maintenance fund, and application of science and technology. Along with the questionnaire in a 3-step approach and SPSS software, the authors have built four groups of influential factors to the road maintenance administration, as well as assessed the level of influence and rationality of each factor. The study then has suggested emergent and practical solutions for more efficient road maintenance management towards sustainable operation of road transport infrastructure.
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