Purpose - This study empirically investigates the effects of Official Development Assistance (ODA) on the economic activities of private actors in recipient countries. As a proxy for the economic activities of private actors, we utilize the job creation activities of foreign subsidiaries in recipient countries. The foreign subsidiaries provide a foundation for economic development by creating paying jobs. That is, if ODA has been successfully transferred to foreign subsidiaries, then these foreign subsidiaries should help economic growth and help create a boom in the local market by providing jobs. These jobs eventually lead to the achievement of the primary aims of foreign aid, including poverty reduction. Thus, this study empirically examines the relationship between ODA and the number of jobs created by foreign subsidiaries in recipient countries. Design/methodology - This is the first study to examine the effects of the ODA on the job creation of foreign subsidiaries because it has been hard to obtain internal information related to the employment status of foreign subsidiaries. Fortunately, we have a unique panel dataset provided by the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) for 2006 to 2013. In terms of the empirical specification, we use the generalized least squares (GLS) method. The panel GLS estimator allows us to have an efficient estimation that overcomes the limitations of the panel data. It employs assumptions about the heteroscedasticity between the panels and makes an autocorrelation of the error term within each panel. Findings - We find that ODA influences job creation in foreign subsidiaries. In particular, we found that ODA creates more jobs in sales than in managerial or production positions. This study also shows that the effect of the ODA on the foreign subsidiaries' job creation activities depend on the purpose of the ODA. By examining ODA effects on the foreign subsidiaries' economic activities (e.g., job creation), this study fills a gap in the current literature. Originality/value - Existing studies that focus on the ODA effect have either a macroeconomic point or a microeconomic point of view. However, both approaches do not explain how well foreign aid has influenced private economic actors of recipient countries. In essence, previous researchers found it difficult to obtain the necessary data for internal employment status from foreign subsidiaries. However, thanks to the Korea Export-Import Bank, this study shows that ODA indeed influences the job creation activities of foreign subsidiaries even after controlling for other factors such as FDI, GDP growth rate, employment rate, household expenditure, mother firms' share, etc. By doing so, we can examine how ODA influences the job creation of foreign subsidiaries, which might help economic development and reduce the amount of poverty in recipient countries.

Purpose - In recent times, the international trade environment has been changing rapidly, centering on the online market. In the post-COVID-19 era, small and medium-sized trading companies are facing the problem of not being properly provided with overseas market research, market trend analysis, and trade-related information. Cloud-based digital trade is being sought as an alternative to solve these problems; however, there is a lack of research on the intention to switch to digital trade among small and medium-sized trading companies. Therefore, this study empirically analyzes the intention to switch to digital trade based on the migration theory, and through this, attempts to identify each factor that affects the intention to switch to digital trade. Design/methodology - In this study, in order to identify factors influencing intention to switch to digital trade and innovation resistance of small and medium-sized trading companies, through previous research on migration theory and the PPM (Push, Pull, Mooring) model, each variable was selected for the purpose of the study. Based on this, a research model was established for the factors affecting switching to digital trade of small and medium-sized trading companies and empirically analyzed. In addition, considering the differences in the innovation propensity and maturity of information infrastructure of trading companies as the recipients of innovation, this study analyzes the moderating effect of the mooring effect and seeks ways to establish specific strategies according to the degree. Findings - As a result of empirical analysis, the pull effect was found to have the greatest influence on intention to switch to digital trade. However, the pull factor was found to have an effect on user resistance, and it was confirmed that it was a factor simultaneously inducing positive and negative consumption behaviors among users. In addition, it was found that the higher the company's innovation propensity, the higher the pull effect's influence on the intention to switch, and analysis showed that the push effect had no influence. In addition, companies with high information infrastructure maturity were expected to have a relatively high level of intention to switch compared to companies with low information infrastructure maturity, and the difference between the two groups was found not to be statistically significant. Originality/value - This study is a timely study in that it demonstrated the effect on the switching to cloud-based digital trade for small and medium-sized trading companies and that the cloud system related to digital trade is in full swing. There are academic implications in that it revealed that the pull effect is an important factor in the intention to switch to cloud service. Practical implications were presented in that small and medium-sized trading companies suggested ways to increase the value of the cloud system for switching to digital trade and a way to increase the switching ratio by minimizing the mooring effect. In addition, the study argues that active institutional support from the government is needed to activate cloud service.

Purpose - The policy implications of free trade agreements have traditionally been a matter of debate among economists. The official signing of the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement provides economists with a quasi-natural experiment to analyze the FTA's policy effects. This article aims to more accurately understand the impact of Korea's FTA accession on the macro economy. Design/methodology - This study adopts the counterfactual method based on panel data to find common factors in the generation process of macro data to fit the counterfactual path, to accurately evaluate the effect of the macro policy. Findings - Our research results show that the signing of the Korea-China FTA has a relatively significant short-term positive effect on Korea's economic growth. On average, Korea's real GDP growth rate has increased by 2.1%. This study finds evidence in support of FTA signing not having a significant impact on Korea's GDP growth in the long run. Additionally, we evaluated the impact of the FTA on Korea's imports and exports and found that it had a significant positive impact in the short term, but the trade effect of the FTA is significantly affected by the external macro-environment. Originality/value - First, this study uses macro panel data at the national level to examine the impact of the Korea-China FTA on Korea, and more accurately describes the policy effect of the FTA. Second, our empirical results show that the Korea-China FTA policy impact is subject to occasional changes in the external environment, such as the geopolitical conflict (crisis) between Korea and China, and the US-China trade war. Finally, the analysis shows that the short-term effect of FTA is significant but the long-term is uncertain, which provides empirical evidence for the debate on whether joining FTA can promote national economic growth.

Purpose - This study analyzed the effect of obtaining international products and qualification certification on exports according to the suitability evaluation system. Recently, non-tariff barriers have emerged as technical barriers, and the Biden administration is trying to achieve export growth and economic growth by utilizing the demand for conformity assessment following the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the free trade system from the perspective of Korea. Design/methodology - This study analyzed the effect of a manufacturer's product certification acquisition on a company's export performance using Resource-Based View-based multiple regression analysis. To this end, concentration validity was confirmed through Factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha, and correlation analysis was performed to verify discriminant validity. Findings - Product certification and qualification have a positive impact on the company's export performance. In particular, technological dynamism and relationship control have had a significant impact. Originality/value - Considering that the Conformity Assessment Management Act will take effect in earnest in 2022, this study is believed to suggest that companies that have been certified to meet international standards may improve their export performance and increase their value in the future. International market.

Purpose - With the recent spread of COVID-19, U.S. consumers' consumption pattern is changing towards purchasing large-capacity products, as they stay at home longer. Thus, the current research investigates the effects of box shape and component diversity for large-sized products on product evaluation in logistic business. Moreover, this research examines that information-processing fluency mediates the moderating effects of box shape and product components on target evaluations to confirm psychological mechanism for generating this effect. Design/methodology - In order to examine the hypotheses, the current research conducts two online experiments. The 184 participants (Study 1), and 205 participants (Study 2) of U.S. nationality were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk. This research analyzes the data by using SPSS 25 and PROCESS macro 4.0. Findings - Study 1 demonstrates that when the height of a box is greater than its width, products with single components promote positive target evaluations, while when the width of box is greater than its height, products with a variety of components lead to positive target evaluations. Study 2 shows that the same results are replicated in other product categories and with different box shape ratios. Moreover, Study 2 also finds that the ease of information processing mediates the interaction effects of box shape and component diversity on U.S. consumers' target evaluations. Originality/value - The current research has originality in that it investigates the effect of box shape and product composition diversity on U.S. consumer product evaluation from the perspective of information-processing theory Moreover, this research has practical implications for global traders who prepare for entering the U.S. market.

Purpose - Considering the recent instability of world economy and its heavy dependence on foreign, Korea must formulate breakthrough approaches to proactively cope with these adverse global developments. As such, this study aims to ascertain how participation in global value chains (GVCs) relates to corporate productivity and derive policy implications. Design/methodology - This study utilizes the microdata of Korean manufacturers to develop indicators of GVC participation at the enterprise level and analyzes the effects of GVC participation on the firm's total factor productivity by using fixed effect model. Findings - Enterprises with highest rates of export-side GVC participation see their productivity grow as their export-side GVC participation rates increase. In addition, when companies are classified by their export-side GVC participation rates, increasing export values improves all firm's productivity. In particular, those with low participation rates are analyzed to achieve higher productivity by increasing their imports, not only exports, which implies that companies with lower export-side GVC participation can boost productivity by reinforcing their export and import activities. Originality/value - This research paper distinguishes itself from others in that it makes a novel attempt to design the indicators of GVC participation at the enterprise level, not at the national or industry level. In addition, this study contributes to the existing literature by dividing companies into subgroups depending on their GVC participation rates for each of export and import and identifying variances in the effect of GVC participation on productivity growth among subgroups.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships among Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs), previous M&A experience, and the probability of deal completion in cross-border mergers and acquisitions (CBMAs). Since Chinese SOEs tend to be recognized by host countries as agents of their home country government, this study argues that SOEs will face difficulties in completing CBMA deals. However, the study expects that these difficulties may vary depending on whether the firm has previous M&A experience because firms can gain the knowledge and capabilities necessary to implement subsequent M&As successfully from past M&A experience. Design/methodology - To investigate our argument, we conduct a logistic regression using a sample of 363 CBMA deals from 304 Chinese publicly listed firms during 2007 to 2017. We used SOEs as an independent variable, experience of domestic and foreign M&As as moderating variables, respectively, and CBMA deal completion as the dependent variable. Findings - The study shows a negative and significant relationship between Chinese SOEs and the completion likelihood of CBMA deals. We find that this negative relationship is strengthened when the firm had prior domestic M&A experience, whereas foreign M&A experience alleviated the negative relationship. Originality/value - The issue of government ownership has remained unclear since government intervention has both advantages and disadvantages in pursuing CBMAs. Our findings support literature that argues Chinese SOEs face legitimacy concerns in the host countries, thereby lowering their CBMA deal completion likelihood. Furthermore, the study enriches the literature by identifying different moderating effects of domestic and foreign M&A experience on the negative relationship between SOEs and CBMA deal completion.