Purpose - With its considerable water resources, Lao People's Democratic Republic, hereafter Lao PDR, is considered to become the "battery" of the Southeast Asia region in the next 20 years. This paper explores the investment opportunity in the hydroelectricity development project in the Lao PDR. Research design, data, and methodology - Three significant investment factors including cultural factor, political factors, and economic factors are being literally analyzed. In fulfilling the purpose of this analysis, Num Theun 2 Power Company or NTPC, a current largest hydropower project in the country, is selected for an example of a mega investment project model in the country. Results - NTPC's investment plan, budgets, and current revenue and rate of return are briefly discussed throughout the paper. In addition, this paper also briefly compares and contrasts of the investment in the Lao PDR and investment in its neighboring Singapore who is considered one of the leading developed economies in the region. Conclusions - A recommendation is being proposed on the last section of this paper in the areas that Lao PDR may consider adopting in order to make its investment environment becomes more attractive to foreign investors.

Purpose - This research analyzes the impact of motivations to dine out and selected attributes of customers on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Based on collected data, this study aims to suggest effective marketing strategies to help manage traditional Korean food restaurants. Research design, data, and methodology - The data were collected from the customers who visited traditional Korean food restaurants in Jeon-Ju for two months from December, 2015. The available data were 402 from collected 450 customers' data and they were analyzed by using SPSS 19.0. Result - These are the results of data analysis. First, environmental, personal and perceived factors influence on the motivations to dine out at Korean food restaurants which affect customer satisfaction. Next, selected attributes from Korean food restaurants have impacts on customer satisfaction. Third, motivations to dine out Korean food restaurants affect customer loyalty. Moreover, physical environments, curiosity and need satisfactions, which are the selected attributes, have impacts on customer loyalty. Lastly, it has been identified that customer satisfaction in Korean food restaurants influences customer loyalty. Conclusions - Satisfaction and good brand image of Jeon-Ju will increase customers' intention to revisit. This study has found that high customer satisfaction leads to re-visitation.

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of education & training and organizational culture on job satisfaction and organizational commitment and then examine the difference that would appear depending on the job title in the case of Korean employees in the manufacturing industry. Research design, data, and methodology - Our sample consisted of 1,013 administrative employees in the manufacturing industry with data extracted from the 4th Human Capital Corporate Panel (2011) survey. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were conducted. Results - Results showed that education & training had positive effect only on job satisfaction while organizational culture had positive effect on both job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Components under education & training (duration of the formal learning, efficacy of formal learning and efficacy of informal learning) and organizational culture (equity, communication, talent recognition, innovation) that were found to be affecting job satisfaction and organizational commitment revealed to be different depending on the hierarchical position of the employee. Conclusions - Different approach and policy for each group of job title could be considered in order to increase job satisfaction and enhance organizational commitment of the employees.

Purpose - This study aims to understand the relationship between Chinese local SNS usage and social capital building through Chinese international students in South Korea. A research model that illustrates the relationship between the SNS usage (i.e., intensity, communication and social capital building is proposed. Based on the analysis, this study will provide responses to the question of if SNS really presents the danger of trapping international consumers in their local comfort zone or enhance social capital for the users. Research design, data, and methodology - The survey questionnaire is circulated among the WeChat (a Chinese local SNS) users who are the Chinese international students studying in South Korea. The collected data is analyzed by structural equation method using SPSS and AMOS. Results - Proposed hypotheses of the positive relationships between the attachment of SNS use and both individuals' bridging and bonding social capital are supported. It's also supported that (1) interpersonal communication, (2) interpersonal communication with old friends, and (3) interpersonal communication for making new friends on SNS positively influence individuals' bridging social capital. Conclusions - This paper demonstrates the importance of intensity of WeChat use and interpersonal communication that impact Chinese international students' bridging and bonding social capital on WeChat.

Purpose - This study aimed to develop a new practical and universally applicable service quality model by improving the service quality measurement model proposed by many previous studies. Research design, data, and methodology - An in-depth analysis on what influences such service quality model had on the improvement effect of service quality, and Service Evaluation Model("SEM"), which was revised from the existing service quality measurement model, was developed. The model is divided into the two integrative categories: First, activity, that is the group of service-related activities. Next is item, the group of service-related objects. The level of service is evaluated for each category via survey questionnaire on service level evaluation. Based on the model, SEM has visibility by structuring the whole service industry. Results - For the application of the new service quality model, this study attempted to examine the appropriateness of the newly proposed service quality model by applying it to retail service field. Conclusions - As a result, the proposed service model would be a useful and applicable service quality measurement model required by many organizations. Service company can set up self check service levels. Through these results, they can look for the ways to provide better services to customers. Service users can ensure the objectivity of business plan based upon SEM.

Purpose - If control-ownership disparity is large, managers will not actively reduce costs; rather, they will maintain unutilized resources or possess surplus resources even when sales decrease with the purpose of increasing personal utility from status, power, compensation, and prestige. These managers' utility maximizing tendencies cause cost stickiness. We examine whether asymmetric behavior related to costs becomes stronger when there is a large disparity between ownership and control rights. Research design, data, and methodology - We construct a regression model to examine the relationship between control-ownership disparity and cost stickiness. STICKY, a dependent variable representing cost stickiness is a value found using the method of Weiss (2010), and Disparity is an interest variable that shows control-ownership disparity. Results - This study is based from the unique situations in Korea, in which high control-ownership disparity is common in firms. Large control-ownership disparity was found to increase cost stickiness of corporations. Conclusions - The results of this study imply that controlling shareholders may be regarded as a threat to the interests of minority shareholders and corporate values especially when controlling shareholders have significant influence over managers or the power to make managerial decisions as owners of a corporation.

Purpose - This study has its purpose to identify the correlation between factors and moderating variables that can reduce job burnout by setting a positive relationship with a leader and ethicality of the leader as factors reducing job burnout and helping behavior as a moderating variable. Research design, data, and methodology - The research design would make theoretical perceived ethical leadership and LMX toward helping assistance, and job burnout using by structural equation method. Results - As a result, both positive behaviors and recognition on ethical leadership of a leader have been confirmed to influence on mitigation of job burnout. Especially, among the two factors, ethicality has shown to be more efficient to alleviate exhaust compared with positive behavior of a leader. Conclusions - Theoretical perceived ethical leadership and LMX toward a leader, helping assistance, and job burnout are statistically significant, however, the helping behavior of members is the factor increasing a job burnout. These results can be interpreted as the difficulties of relation setting with the members for the leader, and although loyalty and responsibility toward right leader may induce helping behavior, and positive behavior for organization can impact on the job burnout. It can be concluded that the ethicality of a leader is an essential factor for the development of organization.

Purpose - This paper aims to measure the overall satisfaction of online grocery shopping and identify the quality components of online grocery delivery service. Furthermore, we examine the relationship between service quality, customer loyalty, customer satisfaction and intention of repurchase. Research design, data, and methodology - To test hypotheses, data was collected using questionnaires from online grocery shopping customers living in Korean local regions (Daejeon, Cheonan, Sejong). Quantitative research is applied using confirmative factor analysis and multiple linear regressions. Results - On the whole, customers are satisfied with the online grocery shopping. We found that convenience and reliability of grocery delivery service have a positive effect on the customer loyalty and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, we found that customer satisfaction has a mediating effect between convenience, reliability and customer loyalty. However, responsiveness of grocery delivery service does not have a positive effect on the customer loyalty and customer satisfaction. Conclusions - Since the quality of groceries are very sensitive to time and difficult to standardize, we need to analyze the quality components of delivery service unlike other commodities and find relationships with customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and repurchase intention. The results of research will contribute to providing satisfactory service and capturing loyal customers in retail industry.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to measure the effect of reputation in culture oriented market on revisit intention and word of mouth(WOM) effects for Traditional Market. Research design, data, and methodology - 5 point Likert-scale has been adopted for this study designed based on previous study. Used SPSS ver.23, factor analysis & Cronbach's alpha, correlation, regression test were made. 277 samples were used for analysis. Results - Tourist satisfaction as an element that affects on revisit intention and word of mouth effects for traditional Market. Their goods images and impressions from experience of traveling and purchasing keep in mind and be another place and story to talk others. Culture is an important factor that maintains and regenerates cities and cities should be perceived as cultural places instead of simple physical places. Culture was associated with higher revisit and word of mouse intentions for traditional market. The tourists can select a new places and visit the market if it has a special culture and special food which people can like and enjoy even they do not have regional brand image. Conclusions - Tourist satisfaction of users in traditional markets and their revisit intentions and the results indicated that higher customer satisfaction was associated with higher revisit and word of mouse intentions. Culture factors will be the motive to find out peoples a hometown in heart.

Purpose - Purpose of this paper is to review and examine FTA of two countries, Korea and China, in terms of the investment aspects in bilateral FTA. Traditionally, there have been much mutual exchanges for international trade and investment between two countries for a long time. As the FTA has established between Korea and China in recent years, it can be expected that there will be more possibilities to take wide investment opportunities, which is mutual benefit to both countries in FTA era. Research design, data, and methodology - The methodology to be taken is to look into, first general economic situations and a brief look at FTA from each countries, and then to examine investment aspects in present and future between Korea and China. Results - The result examined in this research is that each country has been involved into mutual investment step by step, and it is also revealed that investment activities have been growing steadily as time goes by. Conclusions - The FTA between Korea and China has new chance and hope for mutual co-operation in relation to investment aspects of the FTA at the level of economic exchanges, which can fully utilize national resources of each country.

Purpose - This study examines lenders' reactions to M&A, based on the strength of the lender-borrower relationship and the lender's expectations of the potential benefits or risks of the deal. Research design, data, and methodology - This research addresses the lender's influence on the implementation stage of a large-scale strategic action such as M&A to understand the motivation and dynamics of lenders' responses and empirically examines how the lender-borrower relationship influences the focal firm's merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions, using data on 501 M&A deals in Japan from 1990 to 2010. Results - The presented analysis found that lenders that have a strong lender-borrower relationship, especially those showing a high debt equity ratio, support borrowers' M&A progress and the target firm's lenders resist the deal progressing and may raise the acquisition premium if their current power relative to borrowers is weak. Conclusions - Stakeholders including lenders do not favor strategies of focal firms that threaten their future benefits, while they also tend to estimate the potential benefits and losses by comparing their current circumstances with those of other stakeholders. The empirical results of the presented analysis help explain the mechanism of lenders' reactions and offer insights into the power of a closer and stronger lender-borrower relationship.

Purpose - The objective of this study is to identify the effects of the communication cues and anonymity on group polarization in mobile communication settings, both in terms of route and extent. Research design, data and methodology - Laboratory experiments were conducted to achieve the above research objective; the effect of communication cues on group polarization with social presence as mediation and the direct effect of anonymity, social presence, and perceived cohesion were analyzed. The experiments were conducted by the participation of 240 people, who were divided into 48 groups of 5 people. Results - According to the results, the difference in intergroup polarization due to communication cues and anonymity was insignificant. From this analysis, the structural equation model, communication cues and anonymity did not affect group polarization through social presence. Moreover, anonymity did not affect group polarization through perceived cohesion; however, anonymity directly affected group polarization. Conclusions - This research can help to explain the discussions and the related decision-making actions on internet forums, which have recently come to the rise as well as provide foundational basis in newly establishing policies for the forums.

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the impact of buyer-supplier cooperation on suppliers' trust on buyers and the moderating role of buyers' governance mechanism between the sharing activities and trust. Research design, data, and methodology - An integrated research model is designed to materialize the research hypotheses. First, the impact of buyer-supplier cooperation is empirically analyzed by looking into how the sharing activities, in the field of information, resource, and knowledge, of buyer with supplier will affect the trust of supplier on buyer. Second, the moderating effect of contract-based governance mechanism of buyer is empirically analyzed. Third, the influence of trust on innovation performance of suppler is empirically analyzed. Results - Our findings provide supporting evidence for some of our hypotheses. First, all of the sharing activities are significantly influential, but in different degree, to trust of supplier. Second, contract-based governance mechanism of buyer have a moderating effect on the relationship between sharing activities and trust, positively in resource-sharing activities, negatively in information-sharing activities, not significant in knowledge-sharing activities. Third, supplier's trust on buyer positively affects supplier's own innovation performance. Conclusions - The strategies applied in supply chain management have become important as the competition among firms has shifted from competition between individual firms to competition between supply chains. A customer's sharing activities with its supplier may contribute to an increase in innovation performance. The supplier's information-sharing activity with its customer could affect its information-sharing activities with its main supplier. Cooperative activity with a partner in the supply chain is cultivated and amassed into relationship knowledge, and this study shows that the cooperative relational knowledge related to information-sharing activities enables firms to participate in sharing activities with their main suppliers. Increasing evidence shows that sharing various activities between buyer and supplier improves trust and performance outcomes, and enables firms to maintain competitive advantage. From the perspective of knowledge theory, external knowledge is becoming more important in firms' innovation activities, because innovative knowledge is acquired primarily through interaction with another organization. In addition, relationship learning could be an important tool in absorbing the supplier's core technology, information, expertise, and core competencies, increasing relational value.

Purpose - Korean Wave that overspreads around Asia and America, especially the Korean beauty wave, has reached Mongolia and Mongolian consumers. Mongolia consumers usually prefer foreign cosmetic brands to local brands, because the local brands cannot satisfy fast changing needs and wants of local consumers. Research design, data, and methodology - Based on previous studies about life style of Mongolian consumers, advertisement properties and consumer behaviors, we propose a research model and related hypothesis. In order to test hypotheses, we analyzed 366 survey data out of 376 by eliminating improper 10 responses. Factor analysis and reliability analysis was conducted by SPSS 22.0. We used multiple regression analysis and parameter analysis to test the relation between variables. Results - As exploring the Mongolian consumers' current usage of cosmetic products, we found that the customers' focus is how the products fit with their skin. Mongolian consumers often get the information about cosmetic products through TV and internet. Mongolian consumers show positive attitudes on the appearance of Korean celebrities in responsibility, while there is no significant effect on attractiveness. Mongolian consumer's behaviors toward brand have positive effect on both responsibility and attractiveness of Korean commercial celebrities. Responsibility and attractiveness of Korean commercial celebrities have positive effect on the behaviors toward advertisements of cosmetic products. Conclusions - Behaviors toward advertisements of cosmetic products have positive effect on both purchase intention and loyalty of customer. Responsibility and attractiveness of Korean commercial celebrities have positive effect on mediating variable of behavior toward advertisement and independent variable of purchase intention. Responsibility and attractiveness of Korean commercial celebrities have positive effect on mediating variable of behavior toward advertisement and independent variable of loyalty of customer. In order to improve the effect of advertisements, firms need to consider not only the technique of the model but also the image of model in regard to trust and professionalism appealing to consumers. In addition, firms need to choose the model who fits in with the image of the firms and the products and service of the firms. Finally, Mongolian consumers tend to acquire the shopping information through TV advertisements, especially featuring Korean popular stars, thus, TV advertisements can be a wise option in Mongolian cosmetic market.

Purpose - The present study theoretically reviews the use of power norm according to the cultural orientation of consumers to categorize the shopping value that corresponds to the use of the power norm when consumers use local food stores. Research Design, Data, and Methodology - Based on the data collected from the survey to 130 undergraduates, salaried men and people at large, the group with cultural value orientation was divided further into the group of horizontal individualism and that of vertical collectivism by using cluster analysis of SPSS 18.0 program. And regression analysis of SPSS 18.0 was employed to verify the hypotheses. Results - The following conclusions were shown in the empirical study. First, in the group of vertical collectivism, contribution to regional profits and competitiveness, economic value and service superiority can positively affect the attitude to the local food stores while the social responsibility activity in the community can't. In the group of horizontal individualism, however, contribution to regional profits and competitiveness, social responsibility activity, economic value and service superiority were all found to positively affect the attitude to the stores. Second, the distinctive shopping value of the stores such as escapism, entertainment value and prestige does not affect the attitude to the stores. Third, the positive effects that the stores' level of responsibility for the outgroup community can exercise on the attitude to the stores turned out to be bigger in the group of horizontal individualism than in the group of vertical collectivism. Fourth, the impact that the degree of the stores' contribution to regional profits and competitiveness has on the attitude to the stores was found to be positive in both groups. However, no difference existed in the degree of positive effects between them. Conclusions - Marketing managers of local food stores should pay more attention to managing their contribution to practical shopping value and to interests as well as competitiveness of regional society, and to persuading consumers of the horizontal individualistic group by performing responsible activities for the outgroup of local society regardless of the types of consumers' cultural orientation.

Purpose - In Chinese rose market, Korea competes against Latin American and African countries, but is not so competitive in terms of price and quality, implying the importance of using appropriate marketing strategies. This study aims to examine Chinese rose consumers' recognition and attributes of preference for roses produced in Korea, in order to use the result as baseline data for Korean rose exporters to China and provide implications that help establish a variety of marketing strategies targeting each region, income and age group. Research Design, Data and Methodology - 112 Chinese people were involved and interviewed in Chinese horticulture industry who had participated in 2016 Hortiflorexpo IPM Beijing. Online questionnaire survey was additionally conducted with 533 Chinese living in Korea and China. The Conjoint Analysis was conducted for region, age, and income group of respondents to estimate the relative importance of rose attributes evaluated by each population group and the utility derived from each attribute level. This process aimed to compare respective population groups for the relative importance and utility to derive implications for targeted marketing strategies. Results - The analysis finds that Chinese rose consumers prioritize rose color, followed by price, flowering stage, and flower size in purchasing roses. They prefer red roses most, followed by pink and then yellow. Moreover, they prefer larger roses, and relatively cheaper roses. The analysis reveals they prefer roses in their 20%-flowering stage to more than 40%-flowering stage. Conclusions - Establishing marketing strategies differentiated for each Chinese consumer group is critical in expanding Korean rose export. The analysis finds while Chinese consumers living in Beijing considered rose color and flowering stage more importantly than their counterparts in Shanghai, Chinese consumers living in Shanghai considered rose price and size more importantly than their counterparts living in Beijing. Therefore, establishing marketing strategies based on these attributes of preference in each region is necessary. Mid & low-income consumer groups considered price as the most important factor, and high-income consumer groups considered rose color as the most important one. It is, thus, important to focus on rose color when establishing a marketing strategy with targeting the high-income consumer group.

Purpose - The current distribution enterprises have realized the necessity for integrated and specialized images in their stores. From those reasons, visual merchandising has been considered as a powerful means towards brand value judgement as well as maximizing both brand and corporate identity. This research intends to study and discuss the current situations in Korean visual merchandising and its future concept setting. Based on the research findings, this paper tries to propose the basic concept for development strategies of visual merchandising in Korean distribution market. Although the studies on visual merchandising in Korean traditional markets have been continued, visual merchandisers have been distorted by display control centers in real situations. Therefore, this study tries to set both current and future concepts in visual merchandising for further discussions and a new complement formulation. Research design, data, and methodology - This study has investigated previous studies with the way of normative study by comparing, organizing concepts and relating terms on visual merchandising. In order to be an exact research, it seems to be more appropriate to analyze this study with a deductive analysis way rather than inductive as for getting the core of visual merchandising. Besides, this study changed the term 'visual merchandising' into 'VMD', and used it as an unified one. Results - Visual merchandising has an important key in retail planning. With focusing on organizing visual merchandising concepts, it should be adequate for domestic circumstances because there are various visual merchandising concepts with different perspectives. Thus, it is necessary to establish a concept including modern and Korean features through previous studies and data. Visual merchandising can be defined as followings. It enhances the value of shop images from visual aspects and conveys brand concepts effectively. Its task is to plan and manage products sales by combining three merchandising domains such as interior, display, and merchandising. Conclusions - There are some limitations on setting academic concepts in visual merchandising due to its features as to be taken in the field focused studies. More meaningful case studies should be performed as an area of future studies. Therefore, it is necessary to perform an effectiveness analysis on empirical visual merchandising state and present the course of development.