ISSN : 1738-3110
Purpose - This study aims to clarify the meanings of small enterprise and modify criteria for explaining its range. Prioritizing the number of full time workers first and the sales next are proper as a new concept and range. Research design, data, and methodology - In research, 'small company' is a basic concept because the range of its standard is categorized as a 'small company' in the policy system of small & medium business. This study focuses on the solutions with ① evaluation on sales, ② standard for excluded ones ③ regulation for excluded business types in 'Act on Protection and Support for Small Enterprise'. Results - Clarifying the range of standard with maintaining the title is advisable. The scope should resist the current criteria or adopt a new standard which contains not only full time workers but also the sales. The new one may raise the policies' effectiveness because it can sort the 1% people of small enterprises. Conclusions - However, there should be a preventive system for sorting out the non-eligible ones not conformed to the CAP for small company. Therefore, it is desirable to prepare the system with 'unsuitable ones list' or regulate large income·inappropriate business types in 'Act on protection and support for small enterprise'.
Purpose - As socially responsible consumption increases, green marketing emerges as a new philosophy in marketing. A number of companies are now putting forth green marketing strategies. But there is no single definition of "green brand" that can be used interchangeably. In this paper, we attempt to explore the meaning for "green brand," especially in Information and Technology products. Research design, data, and methodology - The author developed qualitative and quantitative research design. In particular, the paper approaches this topic from the Asian consumers' perspective and applies ethical concepts to green brand research. For this, Chinese and Korean consumers were used as consumer segmentation variables to investigate their ethical perspectives. Results - Qualitative research showed that there are several attributes and benefits we need to consider for green brand. Quantitative study showed positive correlations of the two variables: the higher the consumer ethics are, the more they prefer green brands. Conclusions - The current study shows that consumers clearly have a certain propensity toward green brand equity. Thus, marketers should consider the consumers' evaluation about green brands. This paper also proposes that ethics have a close relationship with green brand equity, and companies may use ethics in marketing strategy management.
Purpose - This study investigates whether corporate social responsibility(hereafter CSR) management activities affect companies' performance. Depending on the CSR management activities and companies' type (national and multinational), we examined whether there is any difference in their CSR activities on Corporate Performance. Research design, data, and methodology - Data were collected from 230 surveys with a sample group consisting of employees in multinational corporations located in Seoul and Gyeonggi and 224 copies were used from 3 May 2016 to 17 May 2016. The data was analyzed by SPSS 21.0. Results - The empirical results show that CSR management activities positively influence on financial and non-financial corporate achievement and CSR may be interpreted as a strategic method to improve corporate value. But the impacts of CSR activities on performance were different between domestic and multinational corporations. The reason that the legal responsibility was overruled as a factor for financial and non-financial achievement in domestic company may be that CSR management activity is perceived as an indulgence to hide or beautify negative behavior regarding corporate illegal behavior, thus it does not deliver value. Conclusions - CSR activities can be delivered differently between domestic and multinational corporations, and further study should be done why there are differences between corporations.
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to discuss success factors behind ATO distribution channels by examining successful partnerships between producers and alternative trading organizations (ATOs). Research design, data, and methodology - This is a case study, an analytical approach, which illustrates how the partnership between producers and ATOs has strengthened the fair trade and the performance of participants in the trade based on the example of the trading relationship between Beautiful Coffee, an alternative trading organization dealing coffee related products, and the coffee cooperative union (CCU), a coffee producing cooperative in Gulmi, Nepal. Results - Beautiful Coffee in the partnership with HELVETAS empowered small coffee farmers by a successful institutionalization of CCU that consolidated the distribution channel to be more efficient. Also, Beautiful Coffee and its partnership with KOICA have tried to increase productivity and quality of coffee beans. Conclusions - The case of Beautiful Coffee demonstrates that the partnership between producers and alternative trading organizations (ATOs) has benefited the fair trade partners. In other words, Beautiful Coffee's partnerships with a NGO working in the local producing area, HELVETAS, and a government aid agency, KOICA could strengthen the relationship between the producers and the ATO, and thus contributes to the whole distribution channel.
Purpose - The concept of lifetime job has disappeared, and men are interested in business foundation to work continuously with similar jobs. The value of business foundation is thought to be important in accordance with the viewpoint of society, government, individuals and family. Research design, data, and methodology - The economic exchange between South Korea and China has been expanded, and they are likely to play an important role in entry into China by business foundation in accordance with economic exchange between the two countries. As Korean residents inflow overseas, small businessmen business foundation shall be given attention scientifically and Korean Chinese business foundation shall be given attention as well. Results - The study investigated the effects on psychological characteristics and small business foundation motives upon business foundation will by using models. Self-efficacy and self achievement had positive influence upon small business foundation of Korean Chinese. The use of control variable had explanatory power (29.6%). Conclusions - The findings would help the government's small business foundation system to promote small business foundation and to be a guide for expansion in Korean Chinese's small business markets. An education program should be developed to strengthen Korean Chinese's self efficacy considering psychological characteristics.
Purpose - This study investigates the determinants that affect the number of IT Incident tickets of an IT Service Provider ("ITSP") to logistics industry in order to improve its management process by reducing the incident tickets. Research design, data, and Methodology - This study uses weekly data of IT incident tickets from September 2012 to June 2015. Correlation and regression analyses are conducted. Six identified determinants i.e., IT Change, User Errors, Shipment Volume, Network, Hardware and Software Issues are used as the explanatory variables. Results - Our findings show as following. First, our analysis indicates that IT Change is not a significant determinant as opposed to what commonly believed by many as the most important factor. Second, Software issue is the highest contributor to the Major IT incident tickets, followed by User Error, Network and Hardware issues. Third, it seems there is lead-lag relationship between IT Change and Major IT Incidents tickets as indicated by earlier studies. Fourth, the relationship between IT Change and Major IT tickets is also affected by shipment volume. Conclusions - As policy recommendation, all identified determinants should be treated according to priority. In addition, improving the way IT Changes are implemented will definitely reduce the IT incident tickets.
Purpose - This paper is for the Analysis on the Hindrance Factors and Activation Scheme by the Type of Distribution Channel in Direct transaction of Agricultural Products. As the distribution structure of agricultural products has become changable, farmers seem to use the type of direct distribution in order to enhance the receiving price. This study aims to explore the hindrance factors and income variation rate in direct transaction of agricultural produces, specifically focusing on the 167 farmers. Research design, data, and methodology - To ascertain the hindrance factors exactly by the type of distribution channel, the managements were classified by four subcategories, that is high sales percentage with shopping malls, SNS, shopping malls and SNS, and off-line direct transaction. Results - As a result of the hypothesis test, hinderance factors in online direct deal activation were found to be in the order of the difficulty in continuous content production, the difficulty in shopping mall operation and maintenance, and the difficulty in card commission problems, and in the order of the difficulties in continuous content production, the difficulty in continuous content production, the difficulty in shopping mall operation and maintenance, and the difficulty in branding for the SNS group. Thus, it can be seen that the difficulty in continuous content production, shopping mall operation and maintenance were found to be the biggest obstacles. In addition, hindering factors in online direct deal activation were found to be in the order of the difficulty in credit card settlement, the difficulty in publicity, and the difficulty in dealing with unsold goods. The group with high sales rate in shopping mall was found to be increased by 23.9% in the gross income compared to the previous year, the group with high SNS sales ratio increased by 56.5%, the group with direct offline transaction increased by 37.1%, among which the group with the highest increase rate of SNS sales ratio was found to be the highest from the rate of increase/decrease of the income, which was statistically significant. Conclusions - It can be suggested that government and local government may provide agricultural management with supporting plan which in turn can activate direct transaction in any possible ways.
Purpose - Since 1990, the sudden stop in capital flows has caused the economic crisis. The purpose of this research is to suggest the policy measures to mitigate the risk of the sudden stop in capital flows. To this end, we examine the theoretical framework and analyze the case study for countries which are faced with the sudden stop. Also we examine the structural problems of the foreign exchange market in Korea and derive the policy implications to prevent the sudden stop. Research design, data, and methodology - The criteria of whether the sudden stop in capital flows occurs are based upon Calvo et al. (2008). In case the proxy variable for the balance of capital account decreases from the average by over twice standard deviation, we determine that the sudden stop occurs for that country. The sample period is from January 1990 to December 2008, as in Calvo (2014). The sample countries are 17 developed countries and 19 emerging market countries, which are different from those of the previous papers as Agosin and Huaita (2012), and Calvo (2014). When the exchange market pressure index(EMPI) is deviated from the average by over three times standard deviation, we determine that the foreign exchange market is unstable for that country. Results - We find that the characteristics of the sudden stop in capital flows are the bunching or contagion among countries, the rapid drop in real effective exchange rate, and the huge decrease in foreign exchange reserves. Many countries tried to increase foreign exchange reserves and regulate capital flows. Also the foreign exchange market in Korea are found to be the volatile exchange rate, the vulnerable external debt and careless management of the foreign exchange derivatives transaction risk. Conclusions - To lessen the risk in the sudden stop of capital flows, this research suggests the some useful policy measures. To enhance the foreign exchange and distribution market stability, we should improve the price mechanism of exchange rate, hold the appropriate level of foreign exchange reserves, prevent excessive inflows of foreign exchange and promote sound transactions of foreign exchange derivatives.
Purpose - In the major global markets, such as US and China, consumer ethnocentrism has been strengtened and there is a growing need for related study. This research aims to investigate the effects of national pride and national attachment on consumer ethnocentrism, using a nationally representative dataset from 2013 Korean General Social Survey. Based on the reviews of literature in social and political sciences, two dimensions of national pride were considered: national society pride which is based on positive evaluations on the nation's democracy condition or social security system, and national achievement pride which is based on positive evaluations regarding the country's achievements in the areas of technology, art, sports, and so on. Research design, data, and methodology - The authors developed a structural model in which two types of national pride, national society and achievement pride, are proposed to affect national attachment, thus influencing consumer ethnocentrism. 1,294 surveys were used for empirical analysis. The hypotheses were tested by utilizing SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 21.0. The unidimensionality of each construct and the nomological validity were supported from the results of factor analyses and correlation analysis. Results - It was found that both national society pride and national achievement pride have significant and positive effects on national attachment. Consumers who show stronger pride on the social systems or the global achievements of Korea are more likely to remain being a citizen of the country and support the country even in wrong. Also, there was a significant and positive relationship between national attachment and consumer ethnocentrism. Korean consumers who have stronger attachment to Korea tend to express higher ethnocentrism to protect Korean labor market and to promote economic development of the country. Conclusions - The findings of this study showed that companies and government need to emphasize the country's advanced social environments or global competitiveness in technology, sports, art, and so on, to boost national attachment. With a deeper understanding on the relationships among national pride, national attachment, and consumer ethnocentrism, the authors expect that both local and foreign companies in Korea will be able to develop more effective marketing strategies and to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.
Purpose - In the present study, it has become the most important necessity in our daily lives that consumers' psychological factors affect the use of smartphones, and it has been analyzed through behavioral economic approaches. In this respect, the present study is intended to apply the heuristic theory and the prospect theory among behavioral economics theories to examine how psychological factors affect consumers' product selection. Research design, data, and methodology - In the present study, using smartphone repurchase as a dependent variable, whether regulatory focus effects have interaction effects on behavioral economic theories and behavioral economic effects such as possession (ownership) effects, framing effects, and brand recollection. As an analysis method, questionnaire surveys conducted with university students in Incheon were examined through Two-Way ANOVAs using the SPSS23 package. Results - The analysis from the results are as follows. Using smartphone repurchase as a dependent variable, the main effects and interaction effects on two variables; satisfaction difference with product functions and positive framing variable were statistically significant. Using repurchase as a dependent variable was statistically significant, there was no interaction effect between the two variables; satisfaction difference with product functions and the difference of brands in possession. Using smartphone repurchase as a dependent variable, interaction effects on two variables; satisfaction difference with product functions and the lengths of product possession periods were not statistically significant. The results from the analyses of interaction effects of brand recollection and brands type were statistically significant in possession using repurchase as a dependent variable. The results from the analyses of the main effect of the brands type were statistically significant in possession using repurchase as a dependent variable. Conclusions - The implication of the present study is that it suggests the factors that became important for customers' smartphone purchase following the change in the meaning of smartphones from practical products in the past to hedonic products. Limitations of the present study are first, the study subjects are limited to students and the number of copies in questionnaires is only approximately 130, which is insufficient, so that the present study is not sufficient as a study for entire smartphone users.
Purpose - In today's markets, new technologies such as social network systems and user generated contents have provided consumers with access to unlimited amounts of information and an ability to communicate with other consumers in the world. Specially, the massive of the internet and the development of online communities and interactive platforms offer the potential to cocreate with a large number of consumers. Significant changes in marketplace suggest that simply being consumer oriented is not enough, so firms must learn from and collaborate with consumers to create values that meet their individual and dynamic needs. In these sense, emergent perspectives in marketing highlight new opportunities for co-opting consumers as a means to define and cocreate value through their engagement. Although the importance of consumer co-creation with firms, the current literature lacks the respond to two questions: (1) who are the most competent consumers for creating the values with firm? and (2) what are the stimulaters to help the consumers engage for co-creation? To this answer the question, this research investigate how to structure consumer motivations to encourage consumers to be more engaged for co-creation and what drives a consumer to get involved to respond to a call for co-creation. Research design, data, and methodology - To empirically test the hypotheses, a survey was conducted among consumers who had experienced the co-creation including upstream, downstream, autonomous, and sponsored co-creation with the firms. We collected a total of 343 responses. After we excluded 37 questionnaire because of incomplete responses, a total of 306 questionnaire remained. Working with a sample of 306 responses in Seoul and Kwangju, hierarchical moderated regression is employed to test research hypotheses. Results - The results indicated that consumer creativity and emergent nature are positively related to engagement in co-creation including upstream, downstream, autonomous, and sponsored co-creation. Also, the relationships between consumer creativity/emergent nature and engagement in co-creation were moderated by intrinsic motivation in case of upstream and downstream co-creation. Finally, interaction effects between consumer creativity/emergent nature and extrinsic motivation were not significant. Conclusions - These results suggest that marketing managers have to consider the consumer personality such as creativity and emergent nature and stimulate the intrinsic motivation of consumer to achieve the co-creation project successfully.
Purpose - This study has been conducted based on the assumption that technology acceptance for the traditional markets introduce Augmented Reality Technology system into traditional markets in order to increase the influence on consumer purchasing intention. The Augmented Reality Technology system on this study has been carried out by a modeling study based on Davis(1989)'s Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Research design, data, and methodology - Before starting the research, we inquired previous researches and defined the basic concept for each research with applying some parts of them. By doing this, we were able to find out if the users had perceived ease of use and the feeling of usefulness for the technology acceptance in using traditional markets. As a result, we measured how efficiently those factors could have an influence on traditional market visit. Moreover, we analyzed the result with actual proofs, assuming that such a visiting intention would affect consumers purchasing intention Results - To summarize the results, first, we have found that the necessity for augmented reality technology for traditional markets and its convenience in use can have a positive effect on visiting traditional markets. Second, we have discovered that the feeling of easiness in use, technological usefulness, and its visiting intention for Augmented Reality Technology can positively influence on the users' purchasing intention. Conclusions - By taking advantage of the research results from this study, the technological acceptance for the traditional markets suggests not only a positive impact on the users' visiting traditional markets but also an influence on the users' purchasing intention for the goods that are sold in the traditional markets. The weak point of this study is that it did not have sufficient theoretical explanation for technological acceptance in traditional markets, and it also lacked theoretical research to apply Augmented Reality Technology to the distribution industry. In order to overcome these drawbacks, we have to conduct thoughtful empirical analysis and research. Lastly, we insist that we will have to carefully verify reliability for the questionnaire data collected by the Internet survey panels in the future.
Purpose - This paper examines the explanatory power of the agency theory in the determination of cash holdings for Korean retail firms. If the agency theory holds, a firm with strong corporate governance structure tends to have low cash holdings. A strong governance structure makes the CEO of this firm to behave in the interests of shareholders and thus the CEO has low incentive to stockpile cash holdings, which can be easily diverted for the CEO's own managerial purposes. We investigate this relationship between corporate governance structure and cash holdings, by using corporate governance scores as a proxy variable that captures the effectiveness of corporate governance mechanism. Research design, data, and methodology - We adopt the sample of publicly listed retail firms in KOSPI market from 2005 to 2013. Financial and accounting statements are gathered from the WISEfn database. We also use the corporate governance scores published by Korean Corporate Governance Service. The relationship between the corporate governance scores and cash holdings is cross-sectionally estimated based on the ordinary least square method. This estimation method is widely accepted in the existing literature. The sample of large conglomerates, Chebol, and the remainder firms are separately examined as well, to account for the distinctive internal financing environment in these large conglomerates. Results - We mainly contribute to the extant literature by providing empirical evidence against the agency theory of cash policy. Unlike the prediction of agency theory, we confirm statistically insignificant or even positive correlations between the set of corporate governance scores and cash-asset ratios. Almost all the major corporate governance attributes including total score, shareholder rights, board structure, and the quality of information disclosure do not show negative correlations with cash holdings, which poses a strong challenge to the validity of the agency theory in the determination of retail firms' cash holdings. Conclusions - This study presents interesting empirical results with respect to the cash policy in Korean retail firms. Consistent to prior studies, I verify that the agency theory only limitedly explains the level of cash holdings. Future studies may obtain more robust results by examining a longer sample period.
Purpose - Salesperson perceptions of the fairness and accuracy of a performance evaluation system were examined by managerial and professional employees of large organization. The performance evaluation process is central to many personal decisions such as attitude for job and sales performance. This study investigates the relationship between perceived evaluation fairness, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and sales performance. The main purpose of this study is to develop and empirically test a comprehensive model of salespersons' perceived evaluation fairness on sales performance. For this purpose, we identified the structural relationship between perceived evaluation fairness, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and sales performance. Also we investigate the mediating effects on job satisfaction and organizational commitment between perceived evaluation fairness and sales performance. Research design, data, and methodology - To empirically test these relationships, data were collected by in-depth interviews from sales managers and questionnaire surveys from 300 salespersons who work for sales area (credit card company, insurance company). Demographically, the overall sample was 91.6% female, 77.9% 30s and 40s, and 34% college educated, with an average tenure with their present organizations of 4 years. The questionnaire was composed of total 20 items dealing with frequency, quality, and consequences of perceived evaluation fairness, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and sales performance. To test the research hypotheses, collected data analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structure equation model (SEM). Results - Through extensive and rigorous literature review process of related literature(Perceived evaluation fairness, Job satisfaction, Organizational commitment, Sales performance), research model and research hypothesis was set up. This study obtains the following research results. First, perceived evaluation fairness has a positive effect on job satisfaction, whereas the effects of perceived evaluation fairness on organizational commitment and sales performance did not show statistically significant result. Second, job satisfaction and organizational commitment have complete mediating roles to the relationship between perceived evaluation fairness and organizational commitment, and relationship between perceived evaluation fairness and sales performance. Conclusions - Based on the results, salespersons' perceived evaluation fairness is one of the key independent variable for making high job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and sales performance. Finally the theoretical, managerial implication and research limitations are mentioned in the discussion.