• Archives of design research
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• v.18 no.4 s.62
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• pp.95-104
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to estimate the determinants of product design and analyze the impacts of product design on quality competitiveness, product reliability, and consumer satisfaction in an attempt to provide a foundation for the theory of design management. For this empirical analysis, this study has derived the relevant measurement variables from a survey on 400 Korean manufacturing firms during the period of $August{\sim}October$ 2003. The empirical findings are summarized as follows: First, the determinants of product design are very significantly (at p<0.001) estimated to be the R&D capability, the level of R&D expenditure, the level of innovative activities(5S, TQM, 6Sigma, QC, etc.). This empirical result can support Pawar and Driva(1999)'s two principles by which the performance of product design and product development can be simultaneously evaluated in the context of CE(concurrent engineering) of NPD(newly product development) activities. Second, the hypothesis on the causality: product design${\rightarrow}$quality competitiveness${\rightarrow}$customer satisfaction${\rightarrow}$customer loyalty is very significantly (at p<0.001) accepted. This implies that product design positively affects consumer satisfaction, not directly but indirectly, by influencing quality competitiveness. This empirical result of this study can also support the studies of for example Flynn et al.(1994), Ahire et at.(1996), Afire and Dreyfus(2000) which conclude that design management is a significant determinant of product quality. The aforementioned empirical results are important in the following sense: the empirical result that quality competitiveness plays a bridging role between product design and consumer satisfaction can reconcile the traditional debate between QFD(quality function development) approach asserted by product developers and conjoint analysis maintained by marketers. The first empirical result is related to QFD approach whereas the second empirical result is related to conjoint analysis. At the same time, the empirical results of this study can support the rationale of design integration(DI) of Ettlie(1997), i.e., the coordination of the timing and substance of product development activities performed by the various disciplines and organizational functions of a product's life cycle. Finally, the policy implication (at the corporate level) from the empirical results is that successful design management(DM) requires not only the support of top management but also the removal of communication barriers, (i.e. the adoption of cross-functional teams) so that concurrent engineering(CE), the simultaneous development of product and process designs can assure product development speed, design quality, and market success.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.201-214
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• 2022

This study theoretically and empirically examined whether organizational communication mediates the effect of organizational learning culture perceived by members in the organization on task performance and contextual performance. Organizational learning culture is defined as a culture that is good at creating, acquiring, transferring, and modifying behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights. The hypothesis of this study is that the perceived organizational learning culture can increase performance through organizational communication between members. In particular, we measured communication within the organization into three types: upward, horizontal, and downward. These communications were set as mediating variables. In empirical studies, independent variables were perceived organizational learning culture, mediation variables were upward, horizontal and downward communication, and dependent variables were task performance and contextual performance. Hypothesis 1 is that the organizational learning culture will have a positive effect on employees' tasks and contextual performance. Hypothesis 2 is about the mediating effect of communication on the relationship between Hypothesis 1. In the empirical study, after verifying the validity and reliability of the research variables, correlation analysis and hypothesis verification were conducted. Hypothesis 1 was verified through regression analysis, and all detailed hypotheses were supported. To verify Hypothesis 2, we conducted a bootstrap test using process macro to separate the total, direct, and indirect effects and examine the significance of the indirect effects. As a result, Hypothesis 2 was partially supported. Downward communication mediated organizational learning culture and task and contextual performance, and horizontal communication mediated organizational learning culture and contextual performance. The mediating effect of upward communication was not significant. The results of this study contributed to the suggestion of implications, research limitations, and research directions. Organizational learning culture is the direction and intention of the organization to achieve its goals through the learning and growth of its members. By strengthening internal motivation, organizational members can take voluntary desirable actions that help groups and organizations as well as essential tasks given. since this relationship appears as a medium of downward communication, organizations can strengthen the relationship between organizational learning culture and performance through leadership education.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to find out which factors determine the success of start-up in the initial market and what are the most important determinants. For the empirical analysis, the questionnaire related to the analysis of success factors for start-up success was designed according to the quantitative analysis (AHP technique). First, we selected 8 representative success factors for successful start-up in the initial market. In order to determine the degree of priority among these factors, we surveyed 12 entrepreneurs who are interested in entrepreneurship, universities, research institutes, and public officials. As a result of the empirical analysis, 51% of the funds in the tier 1 were ranked as the top priority to determine success factors. Followed by research and development (32.5%), management (8.7%) and marketing (7.8%). In particular, when each of the four items is calculated as 100 according to the result of the tier 1, and the tier 2 is converted, the foreign investment is analyzed as 43.7%. It was followed by 15.14% of R & D facilities, 14.07% of ideas, 8.7% of managerial ability, 7.29% of domestic investment, 5.85% of buyer feedback, 3.3% of development strategy and 1.95% of marketing strategy. Among the eight success factors, overseas investment items showed the closest preference to half, and it was the most important variable that determines the success or failure of market entry. The implication of this study is that many start-ups in Korea expect to receive investment and support from overseas accelerators. This means that overseas investment itself has been recognized as a start-up that makes services and products that can be used in the global market. A high preference for attracting foreign investment is due to the fact that the amount of investment is larger than that of Korea and that it can flexibly cope with the pressure on the performance compared to domestic investors. In this study, it was meaningful that we could confirm this fact through questionnaires of start-up experts. In future research, we need to find a viable alternative through studying how to provide start-up to foreign direct investment at the national level.