New UEH Publications Alert (No. 1 – February 2026): UEH records 14 international publications this week

04 Feb, 2026

In Week 1 of February 2026, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) recorded 14 international research papers published in reputable journals indexed in Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus. Among these, 08 papers are ranked in Q1–Q2 (SSCI/SCIE), reflecting UEH’s strong research capacity and international academic integration across a wide range of fields, from economics and management to technology and engineering.

An overview of prominent research directions

Research excellence and international academic standing

A key highlight of last week’s scientific activities was the outstanding quality of recent research publications. Specifically, eight (08) studies were published in Web of Science–indexed journals (SSCI, SCIE) ranked in Q1 and Q2. These indicators are widely recognized as critical benchmarks that affirm the academic rigor, reliability, and international recognition of UEH’s faculty members and research teams within the global scholarly community.

Interdisciplinary approaches to address contemporary challenges

The newly published studies clearly reflect the diversity of research fields, spanning Economics, Finance, Management, Technology, and Engineering. The research topics are closely aligned with current global issues, demonstrating a strong integration of theoretical foundations and practical applications:

+ Economics and Public Policy: The studies provide in-depth analyses of the impacts of policy instruments such as environmental taxation, trade liberalization, and regional decentralization. These works offer multidimensional insights into how public policies influence the informal economy, labor markets, and macroeconomic structural transformation.

+ Digital Transformation and Technology: Research in this area focuses on the key determinants of successful and sustainable digital transformation, including the adoption of emerging technologies (such as cloud computing), human-centered artificial intelligence (AI), and the role of knowledge-based resources and organizational trust.

+ Green Finance and Sustainable Development: Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), several studies provide empirical evidence on the effectiveness of clean technology (cleantech) investments, ESG indicators in the banking system, and comparative analyses of sustainability performance across countries. In parallel, topics related to green marketing, sustainable consumption, and urban brand governance are also strongly emphasized.

Notably, the recent publication portfolio also includes in-depth studies in the fields of Science and Engineering, particularly research on fractional thermoelastic systems of equations. This development highlights UEH’s strong transformation in expanding its research landscape, promoting multidisciplinarity and strengthening interdisciplinary knowledge integration.

Overall, this series of new publications not only enriches the University’s academic knowledge base but also offers practical policy implications, contributing meaningfully to addressing socio-economic development challenges in an evolving global context.

Publications list (this week)

1) “Don’t judge a book by its cover”: enhancing perceived quality and purchase intention of ugly food via retailers’ strategies

Authors: Thu-Hang Hoang, Quynh-Hoa Le, My Uyen Le, Nhu Ngo Vu Quynh, and Phuong-Linh Phan Nguyen

Journal: British Food Journal - WoS | SCIE | Q1 | IF: 4.2

Snippet: Retailers play a crucial role in addressing food waste by promoting consumer acceptance of “ugly” or imperfect produce. This study investigates the impact of marketing communication tactics on ugly food consumption and explores the moderating effect of consumers’ price consciousness, offering insights into how these strategies can contribute to reducing food waste.

2) Adoption in human-like AI system: A moderated-mediation approach

Authors: Vu Minh Ngo, Hang Thuy Thi Le, and Ngoc Thuy Vuong

Journal: Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity - Scopus | Q1

Snippet: Human-like AI systems increasingly interact with users as partners, but it is still unclear how perceived humanlikeness leads to adoption and when transparency helps or dilutes that effect. We propose a sequential moderated-mediation model in which social presence (perceived human-likeness) increases certainty, certainty increases trust, and trust increases intention to use the system. Transparency is expected to weaken the social presence-to-certainty link.

3) An implementation-oriented framework for city branding: a context-sensitive and ready-to-use approach

Authors: Thi Hanh An Le, Tu Anh Trinh, Phuong Vy Nguyen Tran, Phuc Tam Le Do, and An Neven

Journal: Place Branding and Public Diplomacy - Scopus | Q2

Snippet: In a rapidly urbanizing world, city branding has evolved from a positioning tool to a strategic instrument for urban governance and policy alignment, helping cities articulate shared visions, coordinate development, and engage diverse stakeholders. Yet, existing frameworks, whether conceptual or practical, often remain fragmented, lacking adaptability to varied urban contexts and integration across planning, communication, and governance domains.

4) Comparative Sustainability Efficiency of G7 and BRICS Economies: A DNMEREC-DNMARCOS Approach

Authors: Hoang-Kha Nguyen and Nhat-Luong Nhieu

Journal: Mathematics - WoS | SCIE | Q1 | IF: 2.2

Snippet: Sustainability assessment has emerged as a critical research area given the pressing challenges of balancing economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity. This study aims to develop an objective and reproducible framework to evaluate sustainability efficiency across countries by integrating multiple development dimensions into a unified decision model.

5) Environmental taxes and the economy: New evidence of the shadow economy

Authors: Canh Phuc Nguyen, Nguyen Doan, Huong Doan, Cong Thanh Nguyen, and Binh Quang Nguyen

Journal: Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics - WoS | SSCI | Q1 | IF: 2.5

Abstract/snippet: This study examines the influence of environmental taxes on the shadow economy for a global sample of 61 countries in two subsamples (high-income group-HIG and low- and middle-income group-LMG) with data available from 2002 to 2018. Environmental taxes are found to increase the shadow economy significantly across the globe and two subsamples.

6) ESG performance, bank lending, and the COVID-19 pandemic: international evidence

Authors: Anh-Tuan Doan, Anh-Tuan Le, and Huong Nguyen

Journal: China Finance Review International - Scopus | Q1

Snippet: This research explores the relationship between banks’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and lending practices throughout the world.

7) Evaluating cleantech as a financial investment

Authors: Le Van

Journal: Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy - WoS | SCIE | Q2 | IF: 3.9

Snippet: "This study evaluates cleantech as a financial investment through its interaction with the stock market from global and local perspectives. Global financial assets include the S&P Kensho Cleantech Index (KSCT) and the S&P GLOBAL 1200 (SPG).
Local financial assets include the S&P/TSX Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Index (RECT) and the S&P/TSX Composite Index (TSX). "

8) Formal Trade and the Informal Economy: Evidence From GATT/WTO Membership

Authors: Nguyen Doan

Journal: World Economy - WoS | SSCI | Q1 | IF: 2.4

Snippet: In recent decades, an increasing number of countries have joined international trade agreements such as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and its successor, the World Trade Organization (WTO). However, the effects of trade liberalisation on labour markets and economic transformation remain debated.

9) Integrated City Branding to Tackle Urban challenges and enhance resident’s quality of life: key insights for emerging Asian Cities

Authors: Tran Phuong Vy Nguyen, Thi Hanh An Le, Tu Anh Trinh, and Minh Hoang Long Le

Journal: Place Branding and Public Diplomacy - Scopus | Q2

Snippet: This report presents a qualitative, multi-case study analyzing the city branding strategies of nine prominent Asian-Pacific cities. The study’s primary purpose is to identify key insights for urban administrators in emerging markets by examining the application of the integrated city branding framework proposed by An et al. (2024).

10) Intellectual Capital and Intention to Adopt Cloud-Based Accounting: Unveiling the Impact of Organizational Learning Capability and Perceived Benefits

Authors: Hiep Thien Trinh

Journal: Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting - Scopus | Q2

Snippet: Previous studies have examined the technological, organizational, and environmental factors that lead to the intention to adopt a new technology. This study is unique that it considers a different perspective on the mediating role of organizational learning capability in the relationship between each intellectual capital component and the behavior of technology adoption, especially in the context of cloud-based computing’s wider spread in many business functions, including cloud-based accounting and finance infrastructure.

11) Pathways to Green Purchase Intention in FMCG Industry: A Combined Approach of PLS-SEM and fsQCA

Authors: Dinh Van Hoang, Nguyen Ngoc Ngan Anh, Nguyen Thi Xuan, Pham Ngoc Han, Do Phuong Ngan, Nguyen Le Khanh Linh, Luu Nguyen Khoi, Vuong Thiet Tung, and Trang Thi-Thuy Duong

Journal: Sage Open - WoS | SSCI | Q1 | IF: 2

Snippet: This study examines the impact of green marketing strategies on consumer green purchase intention in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry in an emerging market, investigating the mediating roles of green trust and green brand image. Using a mixed-method approach combining qualitative interviews with PLS-SEM and fsQCA analyses of 275 valid responses, the study reveals that perceived green marketing strategies positively influences green purchase intention, mediated by green trust.

12) Regional authority and the shadow economy

Authors: Canh Phuc Nguyen, Nguyen Doan, Binh Quang Nguyen, and Huong Doan

Journal: International Economics and Economic Policy - Scopus | Q2

Abstract/snippet: Despite extensive institutional efforts to tackle the shadow economy, this sector remains prevalent globally. This study endeavors to examine how regional authority could influence the size of the shadow economy.

13) Some qualitative properties of solution to a fractional thermo-viscoelastic system with nonlinear sources

Authors: Van Y Nguyen, Cong Nhan Le, and Xuan Truong Le

Journal: Nonlinear Analysis: Real World Applications - WoS | SCIE | Q1 | IF: 1.8

Snippet: In the paper, we consider a fractional thermo-viscoelastic system with nonlinear sources and study some of its qualitative properties based on the interaction of the fractional viscoelastic and thermal damping with the external forces. By using the theory of linear Volterra differential-integral equations of convolution type and the Banach fixed point theorem, we first prove the local well-posedness and maximal regularity of the weak solution.

14) Taxation and economic complexity: Further evidence regarding environmental taxes

Authors: Nguyen Doan, Canh Phuc Nguyen, Huong Doan, and Binh Quang Nguyen

Journal: Environment, Development and Sustainability - WoS | SCIE | Q2 | IF: 4.2

Snippet: This study identifies the effect of taxation on economic complexity by exploring the contemporary context of environmental taxes. Our model uses a dynamic approach with a global sample of 98 countries from 2006 to 2020.

The New UEH Publications Alert series will continue to provide weekly updates on UEH’s latest international publications. We cordially invite faculty members, learners, and UEH alumni to stay tuned and join us in promoting the spirit of Research Contribution for All.

Pillar: Research

News & Photos: Department of Research - Development and Global Engagement), Department of Communications and Partnerships