The Necessity of Electric School Bus: A Comparative Study of Myanmar and Vietnam

Purpose: This research aims to ascertain key factors which influence the necessity of South Korean electric school buses in Myanmar and Vietnam. The interest in business sustainability and the demand for electric or safe school buses are increasing in Myanmar and Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach: As quantitative research, this study relies on a non-probability sampling method to collect data sets from experts in both countries. As this research covers three steps, including 1) literature reviews, 2) preliminary analysis and 3) Consistent Fuzzy Preference Relations (CFPR) analysis, robust outcomes were found and established in this study. Findings: Among five driving factors, including 1) safety, 2) technology, 3) industry, 4) environment and 5) policy reasons, this research demonstrated that while in Vietnam, safety and environmental reasons are the crucial driving factors, in Myanmar, safety and technical reasons are the critical driving elements towards the necessity of electric school buses. Research limitations/implications: Even though this paper lacks an underpinning theory, as an exploratory state, both policymakers and business leaders in South Korea, Vietnam and Myanmar can refer to our findings and analysis to facilitate the necessity of electric school buses and enhance perceived safety. Originality/value: As a first attempt covering the range from business to safety aspects, this research demonstrated that safety is the most crucial factor influencing the necessity of South Korean electric school buses in Myanmar and Vietnam.