MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & TRAINING STATE BANK OF VIETNAM HO CHI MINH CITY BANKING UNIVERSITY LÊ THỊ ANH THƯ THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION - COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF VIETNAMESE COMMERCIAL BANKS MASTER THESIS Major: Finance – Banking Major’s code: 8340201 Ho Chi Minh City, 2024 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & TRAINING STATE BANK OF VIETNAM HO CHI MINH CITY BANKING UNIVERSITY LÊ THỊ ANH THƯ THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION - COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF VIETNAMESE COMMERCIAL BANKS MASTER THESIS Major: Finance – Banking Major’s code: 8340201 INSTRUCTOR: Dr. NGUYỄN TRẦN PHÚC Ho Chi Minh City, 2024 i DECLARATION I am Lê Thị Anh Thư, hereby declare that the research "The Impact of Information - Communication Technology Innovation on the Performance of Vietnamese Commercial Banks" is the result of my own individual research. The results of this research are honest and transparent, as clearly demonstrated in the appendix of this thesis. Moreover, all data, images, statistics, legal documents, etc., are fully cited and referenced.
Ho Chi Minh City,…………………………2024 Author Lê Thị Anh Thư ii PREFACE First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my mentor – Dr. Nguyễn Trần Phúc, who guided me throughout the process of completing this thesis. He has been the one to ignite my passion and enthusiasm for learning. His highly scientific approach to guidance has helped me to refine and develop my analytical skills, dialectical thinking, and research capabilities, which I believe are indispensable skills in scientific research.
His patience and dedicated support have played a crucial role in the completion of this thesis. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the esteemed university for providing the conditions and opportunities for me to study and enhance my expertise in the field of Finance and Banking. I believe that this knowledge will be a valuable asset in my future career path. Ho Chi Minh City, …………………………2024 Author Lê Thị Anh Thư iii THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION - COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF VIETNAMESE COMMERCIAL BANKS ABSTRACT Information technology and communication have opened up a new era in how users interact with banking systems.
Investments in infrastructure, resources, and technology assets have been increasingly high, indicating commercial banks' growing concern in this regard. However, the majority of experimental studies in Vietnam currently use indicators such as ROA, ROE to reflect business performance. These indicators are calculated based on book values, thus only reflecting past performance. To overcome this limitation, research has utilized the Tobin's Q indicator.
This is a measure that indicates the efficiency of bank operations in the future, as it reflects the market's expectations of the profitability of these banks, manifested through stock prices. By collecting and analyzing data from 26 commercial banks in Vietnam during the period 2006 – 2022, the study found a positive relationship between innovation in information technology and communication and the surveyed banks' operational performance. These research findings will serve as a foundation, assisting bank managers in forming a stronger basis for considering and promoting investment and innovation policies in information technology and communication resources, with the aim of achieving optimal efficiency for banks. Keywords: Information technology - communication, ICT index, performance.
iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS. iv LIST OF ENGLISH ABBREVIATIONS.vii LIST OF TABLES.viii LIST OF FIGURES.ix LIST OF CHARTS.2 The necessity of the Topic.3 Objectives of the Research.5 Research Subjects and Scope.8 Contributions of the Study.9 Structure of the Thesis.5 CONCLUSION OF CHAPTER 1.6 CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL BASIS AND OVERVIEW OF EMPIRICAL STUDIES.1 Definition of relevant terms.1 The definition of ICT innovation.2 Indicator for Measuring ICT Innovation.3 Definition of Banking Performance.4 Performance Measurement Index.2 Theoretical Basis for the Dependence of Commercial Banks' Performance on Information and Communication Technology Innovation. Transaction Cost Theory.
Resource-Based Theory. Economic Growth Theory.3 Empirical Evidence on the Impact of Information and Communication Technology Innovation on Commercial Bank Performance.2 Researches in Vietnam.24 CONCLUSION OF CHAPTER 2.25 CHAPTER 3: DATA AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.3 Explanation of Variables and Research Hypotheses .2 Explanatory Variables, Control Variables, and Research Hypotheses.4 Linear Regression Method.1 Calculation of Input Data.3 Selection of Regression Methods.1 Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) Method.2 Fixed Effects Model – FEM.3 Random Effects Model (REM).4 Choosing the Appropriate Regression Model.5 Testing Model Adequacy and Correcting Deficiencies (if any) .6 System GMM Regression Method.37 CONCLUSION OF CHAPTER 3.38 CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.1 Descriptive Statistics of Variables in the Model.2 Correlation Analysis of Variables in the Model.4 Regression Results and Model Selection.5 Model Diagnostic Tests.1 Test for Heteroscedasticity.2 Test for Autocorrelation.3 Test for Endogeneity.6 Model After Correcting for Defects.7 Discussion of Research Results.46 CONCLUSION OF CHAPTER 4.50 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.2 Suggestions and Recommendations.1 Enhance Investment, Innovation, and Application of ICT Systems .2 Policies Related to Bank Scale.3 Policies Related to Provisioning Ratios.4 Policies Related to Macroeconomics.3 Limitations of the Research and Suggestions for Future Research .1 Limitations of the Study.2 Suggestions for Future Research. xiii vii LIST OF ENGLISH ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviation Meaning AE Allocative Efficiency AI Artificial Intelligence API Application Programming Interface ATM Automated Teller Machine BLUE Best Linear Unbiased Estimator CB Commercial Banks CE Cost Efficiency eKYC electronic Know Your Customer FEM Fixed Effects Model GDP Gross domestic products GMM Generalized method of moments ICT Information and Communication Technology INF Inflation IoT Internet of Things IT Information Technology IV Instrumental variables LDR Loan to deposit ratio LLP Loan loss provision M&A Mergers and Acquisitions MIC Ministry of Information and Communications ML Machine Learning NPLs Non-performing loans OLS Ordinary Least Squares PCA Principal Component Analysis POS Point of Sale PTE Pure Technical Efficiency R&D Research and Development RBV Resource – based view REM Random Effects Model ROA Return on Assets ROE Return on Equity ROS Return on Sales S.GMM System Generalized Method of Moments SBV State Bank of Vietnam SE Scale Efficiency TE Technical Efficiency VIF Variance Inflation Factor WEF World Economic Forum viii LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Summary of sources and preliminary calculation methods for variables used in the model.1 Descriptive Statistics of Variables in the Research Model .3 Multicollinearity Test Results.4 Regression Results of Variables by OLS, REM, FEM Methods .5 Regression Results of Variables Using S.45 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Mechanism of ICT Investment Impact on Performance IT .18 x LIST OF CHARTS Chart 4.1Comparison of ICT Index of BIDV and 25 Other CBs .2 Comparison of Q Index of BIDV, VCB, and 24 Other CBs .3 Comparison of ICT Index of BIDV, VCB, and 24 Other CBs .1 Problem Statement The Fourth Industrial Revolution has become a crucial part of Vietnam's development policies and strategies, as evidenced by numerous important resolutions and decisions from senior leaders. Notably, Resolution No.
52-NQ/TW issued in 2019 explicitly stated the proactive participation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, emphasizing the importance of applying information technology to the comprehensive development of the country. Additionally, the identification of the finance and banking sector as one of the eight priority areas for digital transformation under Decision 749/QĐ-TTg approved by the Prime Minister's "National Digital Transformation Program to 2025, oriented towards 2030" has affirmed the importance of applying information technology to improve the performance of commercial banks in Vietnam. These policies and decisions have laid an important foundation for research on the impact of information technology innovation on banking operations. Understanding the impact of investment and development of information technology on the performance of banks in the context of a business environment and banking management increasingly dependent on digital technology is a crucial part of determining the effectiveness and sustainability of the banking sector in the future.2 The necessity of the Topic From theoretical aspect The Finance and Banking sector plays an extremely important role in economic development and is considered the lifeblood of every nation's economy (Vo Xuan Vinh, Nguyen Huu Huan & Pham Khanh Duy, 2016).
Many studies have highlighted the importance of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) system in improving productivity and economic growth at both the enterprise and national levels, concluding that delays in investing and applying advanced techniques and technologies are among the main reasons for cultural, social, and economic regression (Brynjolfsson and Hitt, 1996). 2 In the banking sector, technological advancements have been widely adopted since the 2000s when the Internet became popular after nearly a decade of development, most notably the explosion of electronic banking (Polasik, Piotr Wisniewski, 2009). Nowadays, it is not difficult to find examples of ICT products used in the banking sector, such as ATMs, chip cards, phone banking services, magnetic ink character recognition, electronic funds transfer, electronic data interchange, and online banking. For banking business activities, the application of ICT brings new markets, new goods, new services, and more efficient distribution platforms, including online, mobile, and Internet banking (Rahman, Hamid, and Khan, 2015).
Thus, significant efforts by many banks can be seen in keeping up with the trend of applying modern technology to enhance their products' features, utilities, and quality. This not only creates significant competitive advantages but also saves labor and transportation costs, thereby increasing bank profits. It can be said that digital transformation has brought banks many opportunities to access and provide services to diverse customer segments, promoting comprehensive financial development (Del Gaudio, Porzio, Sampagnaro and Verdoliva, 2021). From practical aspect Currently, the importance of evaluating information technology (IT) assets in determining a company's competitive health and capabilities for future business activities is increasingly gaining attention from managers, consultants, financial analysts, and economic researchers.
Accordingly, IT resources and capabilities are decisive to a company's ability to survive and sustainably develop, as confirmed by Nolan, who stated that IT capability was a significant differentiator for banks with effective performance in the mid-1980s compared to banks with lower profitability (Nolan, 1994). However, many studies have shown conflicting results when examining the relationship between IT investment and corporate profitability (Brynjolfsson, 1993). Researchers have argued that besides helping to increase enterprise productivity and product value, IT also allows removing entry barriers, eliminating monopoly positions, and promoting market competitiveness, thus affecting the goal of creating 3 long-term profits for companies investing in IT systems (Hitt and Brynjolfsson, 1996). Additionally, some opinions suggest that the characteristics of the sample used, measurement errors, and the inability to control industry-specific factors also affect performance and are among the reasons for unexpected results (Hitt and Brynjolfsson, 1996).
Therefore, the author conducts the study "The Impact of Information and Communication Technology Innovation on the Performance of Commercial Banks in Vietnam" to determine the impact of applying ICT systems on the performance of banks in Vietnam.3 Objectives of the Research 1.1 General Objective The research focuses on examining the effectiveness of IT investment and application by commercial banks (CBs) through the financial efficiency indicators of these organizations. Based on this, recommendations will be proposed to help managers decide on appropriate policies to optimize operating costs and maximize benefits for the banks.2 Specific Objective This thesis examines the impact of the ICT Index on the performance of 26 CBs surveyed during the period from 2006 to 2022.4 Research Question Research question: How does the ICT Index impact the performance of Vietnamese CBs? 1.5 Research Subjects and Scope Research Subject: The research subject is the impact of ICT innovation on the performance of Vietnamese CBs through the Tobin’s Q ratio. Scope of the Study: The study focuses on 26 CBs in Vietnam during the period from 2006 to 2022. These CBs have fully participated in surveys on the readiness for IT investment and application throughout the research period.
4 Additionally, the period from 2006 to 2022 was chosen because the data, such as the ICT Index and financial performance indicators, can be fully collected to support panel data regression analysis.6 Research Methodology The data sources presented in the research are compiled from various reports, including governance reports, annual reports, and audited financial statements published on the official websites of the enterprises. Additionally, the study uses historical data on stock trading prices at year-end collected from HOSE and HNX.