• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.9
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• pp.719-726
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• 2020

Education policy is a dynamic process featuring social development trends. The world countries have focused their education program on empowering the learners for future life and work. This paper aims to assess the higher education curriculum based on a survey of 280 students, employers, alumni, and lecturers in both social sciences and natural sciences in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The fuzzy decision-making method, namely the Fuzzy Extent Analysis Method (F-EAM), was applied to measure the relative weight of each parameter. Seven factors under the curriculum development have been put in the ranking. Input with emphasis on foreign language was the highest priority in curriculum development, given the expected demand of the labor market. Objective and learning outcome and teaching activities ranked second and third, respectively. The traditional triangle of teaching content, methodology, and evaluation and assessment are still proven their roles, but certain modifications have been defined in the advanced curriculum. Teaching facilities had the least weight among the seven dimensions of curriculum development. The findings are helpful for education managers to efficiently allocate scarce resources to reform the curriculum to bridge the undergraduate quality gap between labor supply and demand, meeting the dynamic trends of social development.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.229-238
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• 2023

Purpose: This study analyzed the effects of virtual reality simulation-based problem-based learning on nursing students' critical thinking ability, problem-solving ability, and self-efficacy in the nursing care of women undergoing induction of labor. Methods: A nonequivalent control group pretest and posttest design was employed. The study participants included 52 nursing students (24 in the experimental group and 28 in the control group). The experimental group took a problem-based learning (PBL) class in the first week, and then engaged in self-directed learning using virtual reality simulation. In the second week, lectures about emergency nursing care for induction of labor and drug administration were given. The control group participated in PBL in the first week and lectures in the second week. The study was conducted from April 17 to May 19, 2023. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test, Fisher exact test, analysis of variance, and the independent t-test. Results: Before-and-after differences between the two groups were statistically significant in problem solving ability (t=-5.47, p<.001) and self-efficacy (t=-5.87, p<.001). Critical thinking ability did not show a statistically significant difference between the two groups. The score for satisfaction with the virtual reality simulation program was 3.64±5.88 out of 5 in the experimental group. Conclusion: PBL education using a virtual reality simulation was found to be an effective way of teaching. Although convenience sampling was used, PBL education using virtual reality can be used as an educational strategy to enhance nursing students' problem-solving ability and self-efficacy.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.78-96
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• 2005

The purpose of this empirical study is to investigate whether costs are 'sticky' -that is, whether costs increase more when revenues rises than they decrease when revenues falls by an equivalent amount by using the financial data fromf korean general hospital Financial data used in this study were obtained from the Database of Korean Health Industry Development Institute and analyzed using multiple regression model in dummy variables. The main results of this study are as follows: First, we found, for 69 Korean general hospitals for 3 years(2000~2002), that total hospital costs, hospital labor costs, hospital administrative costs were sticky, these costs provided strong support for the sticky costs hypothesis 1, but hospital material costs were shown to be proportional to sales revenues. Second, this results provided strong support for the hypotheses that the' degree of stickiness was lower in sales revenues declining that were preceded by revenue-declining periods (hypothesis 2-1), and that stickiness was less pronounced in a second successive year of revenue decline(hypothesis 2-2). Third, this results provided strong support for the hypothesis(hypothesis 3) that stickiness was greater hospitals that employ relatively more people to support their sales revenues(hypothesis 4) that stickiness was greater for hospital that used relatively more assets to support their sales revenues. After all, a managerial implication of this study was that sticky cost, for the general hospital, could be recognized and controlled.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.430-440
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• 2021

We analyzed research trends of 288 Korean academic dissertations and articles regarding platform work, using topic modeling and keyword network analysis method. Research disciplines of many studies were laws, business administration, and economics fields. Thigh frequent themes were platform labor protection measures and direct or indirect effects of the sharing economy. The main keywords were digital, value, industry, and labor in terms of infrastructure and structural change. Besides, the main topics were the protection of platform workers, the values of sharing services, digital paradigm, and platform regulations. Based on the results of the analysis, we derived four implications and suggestions such as researching structural frames in macroscopic contexts, generalizing case analysis, and technology supplementation by applying average and quantitative analysis methods, researching individual competency development to realize the essential symbiotic value of sustainability, and developing customized vocational education and training programs.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.470-475
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• 2021

This paper analyzed the differences in the relationship between banking service automation and employment by bank ownership type. We found significant differences in the restructuring of the labor force and increasing banking service automation between foreign banks (owned by foreign capital) and local banks. Foreign banks showed the possibilities of reducing the regular labor force through the increase in banking service automation. However, banking service automation in local banks has reduced only the number of irregular employees but increased regular employees. This paper suggests new evidence on the differences between foreign and local banks in banking personnel management with the increase in banking service automation. This paper contributes to the preceding research areas of banking, business, and governance. In addition, this paper provides important insights on banking service automation, employment, and foreign banks for banking managers and policymakers.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.187-208
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• 2000

By the activation of ovary hormone, many morphological changes occur in the epithelial cell lines and muscle cells in rat uterus. These two cells in uterus are important to the implantation of embryo, maintaining pregnancy and starting parturition. One important change associated with the morphological change of these two cells in uterus is the change on prostaglandin(PG) metabolism. Its presence and synthesis in endometriurn and myometrium in uterus affects estrous cycle and the start of embryo implantation in uterus. It also performs as an important modulator in parturition. So the abnormally weak expression of PG causes difficulty during labor and over-expression causes pre-term labor. PG biosynthesis starts from either free or liberated arachidonic acids from membrane phospholipid by phospholipase. Such arachidonic acids are converted into PG catalyzed by Cyclooxygenase. Under normal physiological condition, Cyclooxygenase-1(COX-1) having 602 units of amino acids controls the synthesis of PG. It acts as a local hormone regulating vasomodulation of blood flow, flexible muscle movement, increasing the blood permeability and contributing the protective role in preserving integrity of the stomach lining and Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is induced by the inflammation, pregnancy and increased its expression until parturition. Lipid metabolite like PG is located in uterine and expression of COX-2 increased with pregnancy. Increased expression of COX proteins in epithelial cells and myometrial cells are told to increase the muscle contractility in uterus but decreased right after the labor in rat. It is a good sign indicating that COX proteins are deeply related to the start of labor. Currently, Several studies report the use of PG and COX-2 inhibitor as medication for controlled abortion or to prevent pre-term labor but they entail various side-effects. Our study proposed to suggest use of acupuncture as an another mediator to control abortion or pre-term labor without causing unnecessary side-effects by those medicines. Two acupuncture sites, LI-4 & SP-6 were selected due to their known efficacy. From the immunohistochemical staining of COX-2, normal expression of COX-2 protein in nonpregnant SD rat's uterus revealed that COX-2 protein was primarily detected in the lumina epithelial lining and in the epithelial cell lining contacting the stromal cells. High resolution optical microscopic scanning revealed distinguishable staining in the myometrial mucosa. LI-4 acupuncture administered nonpregnant rat's uterus showed strong expression for COX-2 in endometrium contacted with lumina epithelial lining of rat uterus and in myometrial mucosa. Stromal cells showed more staining than untreated nonpregnant rat's uterus and stronger staining in stromal cells contacting myometrial layer compared to untreated nonpregnant rat's uterus. SP-6 acupuncture administered nonpregnant rat's uterus showed weak expression for COX-2 in myometrial layers and stromal cells but no staining was visible in lumina epitheliai and glandular epithelial cells. Few stromal cells and myometrial mucosa were positively stained for COX-2. Pregnant SD rat's uterus was also immunostained for COX-2 expression after 18 days of pregnancy. Unlike to untreated nonpregnant rat's uterus, luminal epithelial cells were not positively stained for COX-2 but stronger staining for COX-2 was revealed in stromal cells. LI-4 acupunctured SD rat's uterus had very strong expression of COX-2 in luminal epithelial lining. Few stromal cells showed stronger positive COX-2 staining and myometrial layers also showed more expression than untreated pregnant rat. SP-6 acupuncture administered pregnant SD rat's uterus showed positive expression of COX-2 in epithelial cells of luminal mucosa layer but weaker than that of LI-4 acupuncture treatment's case. However, strong positive staining was revealed in stromal mucosa and myometrial layers. Virgin SD rat's uterus motility index during LI-4 acupuncture was 66.52 % (Prob〉T = 0.0197) compared to its motility before the acupuncture treatment but the motility index was slighdy elevated up to 79.58 % (Prob〉T = 0.1175) after the acupuncture. During the SP-6 acupuncture treatment for 30 minutes, uterus motility index was 90.52 % (Prob〉T = 0.1832) showing lesser decrement but consequently reached similar motility index decreasal to 79.95 % (Prob〉T = 0.0215) after the acupuncture treatment as LI-4 showed. LI-4 acupuncture tend to be a quick treatment to reducing the uterus motility in a virgin rat but eventually both two acupuncture administration created very similar reduction of uterus motility seeing the index after the both acupunctures. The uterus movement monitored during the LI-4 acupuncture administered for 30 minutes, Pregnant SD rat showed decreased motility down to 77.90 % (Prob〉 T = 0.0076) compared to uterus motility before the acupuncture and it continuously decreased down to 71.81 %(Prob〉T = 0.0214) after the removal of needle. The statistical analysis using paired t-test showed significance difference for both two motility indexs at =0.05. SP-6 acupuncture administered to pregnant SD rat also had similar pattern of decreasing uterus motility index down to 74.70 % (Prob〉T = 0.1730) during the initial 30 minutes acupuncture administration and it was continuously lowered to 71.52 % (Prob〉T = 0.0155) after the acupuncture. The paired t-test resuit for SP-6 suggest prompt response of uterus motility index to the SP-6 acupuncture treatment but consequently reached same level of inducing the motility reduction as LI-4 at =0.05 level.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.115-137
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• 2010

Information technology (IT) outsourcing, the use of a third-party vendor to provide IT services, started in the late 1980s and early 1990s in Korea, and has increased rapidly since 2000. Recently, firms have increased their efforts to capture greater value from IT outsourcing. To date, there have been a large number of studies on IT outsourcing. Most prior studies on IT outsourcing have focused on outsourcing practices and decisions, and little attention has been paid to objectively measuring the value of IT outsourcing. In addition, studies that examined the performance of IT outsourcing have mainly relied on anecdotal evidence or practitioners' perceptions. Our study examines the contribution of IT outsourcing to economic growth in Korean industries over the 1990 to 2007 period, using a production function framework and a panel data set for 54 industries constructed from input-output tables, fixed-capital formation tables, and employment tables. Based on the framework and estimation procedures that Han, Kauffman and Nault (2010) used to examine the economic impact of IT outsourcing in U.S. industries, we evaluate the impact of IT outsourcing on output and productivity in Korean industries. Because IT outsourcing started to grow at a significantly more rapid pace in 2000, we compare the impact of IT outsourcing in pre- and post-2000 periods. Our industry-level panel data cover a large proportion of Korean economy-54 out of 58 Korean industries. This allows us greater opportunity to assess the impacts of IT outsourcing on objective performance measures, such as output and productivity. Using IT outsourcing and IT capital as our primary independent variables, we employ an extended Cobb-Douglas production function in which both variables are treated as factor inputs. We also derive and estimate a labor productivity equation to assess the impact of our IT variables on labor productivity. We use data from seven years (1990, 1993, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007) for which both input-output tables and fixed-capital formation tables are available. Combining the input-output tables and fixed-capital formation tables resulted in 54 industries. IT outsourcing is measured as the value of computer-related services purchased by each industry in a given year. All the variables have been converted to 2000 Korean Won using GDP deflators. To calculate labor hours, we use the average work hours for each sector provided by the OECD. To effectively control for heteroskedasticity and autocorrelation present in our dataset, we use the feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) procedures. Because the AR1 process may be industry-specific (i.e., panel-specific), we consider both common AR1 and panel-specific AR1 (PSAR1) processes in our estimations. We also include year dummies to control for year-specific effects common across industries, and sector dummies (as defined in the GDP deflator) to control for time-invariant sector-specific effects. Based on the full sample of 378 observations, we find that a 1% increase in IT outsourcing is associated with a 0.012~0.014% increase in gross output and a 1% increase in IT capital is associated with a 0.024~0.027% increase in gross output. To compare the contribution of IT outsourcing relative to that of IT capital, we examined gross marginal product (GMP). The average GMP of IT outsourcing was 6.423, which is substantially greater than that of IT capital at 2.093. This indicates that on average if an industry invests KRW 1 millon, it can increase its output by KRW 6.4 million. In terms of the contribution to labor productivity, we find that a 1% increase in IT outsourcing is associated with a 0.009~0.01% increase in labor productivity while a 1% increase in IT capital is associated with a 0.024~0.025% increase in labor productivity. Overall, our results indicate that IT outsourcing has made positive and economically meaningful contributions to output and productivity in Korean industries over the 1990 to 2007 period. The average GMP of IT outsourcing we report about Korean industries is 1.44 times greater than that in U.S. industries reported in Han et al. (2010). Further, we find that the contribution of IT outsourcing has been significantly greater in the 2000~2007 period during which the growth of IT outsourcing accelerated. Our study provides implication for policymakers and managers. First, our results suggest that Korean industries can capture further benefits by increasing investments in IT outsourcing. Second, our analyses and results provide a basis for managers to assess the impact of investments in IT outsourcing and IT capital in an objective and quantitative manner. Building on our study, future research should examine the impact of IT outsourcing at a more detailed industry level and the firm level.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.23-48
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to provide criteria which help executives to make decisions through the analysis of profitability of ultrasonography conducted in each medical department. In order to achieve such purpose, the study conducted break-even analyses on three medical departments of a university hospital in which has used ultrasonography was largely conducted in diagnosing diseases and performing surgeries. The research was carried out from January to June 2008. The data necessary for calculating cost, were collected using by computerized data. The results of the study were summarized as follows. 1. The Cost structure of each medical department: The Cost of ultrasonography was divided into direct cost and indirect cost through the categorization by cost object. Labor cost accounted for the largest portion of the direct cost with 69.3% in the department of obstetrics and gynecology, 67.4% in the department of radiology and 58.2% in the cardiac ultrasonography center, which followed by the depreciation cost of ultrasonography equipment. The calculation of the average material cost of each ultrasonographic test by medical test found that the cardiac ultrasonography center took first place with 2,355 won, followed by the department of obstetrics and gynecology with 266 won and the department of radiology with 233 won. As for the power cost of ultrasonography equipment, the department of radiology took fist place with 442,000 won. The power cost, however, did not affect much the cost price, because it accounted for only a small portion of the cost. As for indirect cost, the cardiac ultrasonography center ranked first with 7,156,000 won. Building depreciation cost accounted for the largest portion of the indirect cost. 2. Break-even analysis: Under the supposition that cost price can be divided into fixed cost and variable cost, a break-even analysis was conducted using the cost price confirmed through the cost structure of each medical department. As for the average customary charge of ultrasonography test conducted in each medical department, the department of obstetrics and gynecology charged 24,627 won, the department of radiology 53,179 won and the cardiac ultrasonography center 65,174 won. According to these results, the charges of ultrasonography test imposed by the department of radiology and the cardiac ultrasonography center wre enough to surpass break-even levels, but the charge imposed by the department of obstetrics and gynecology was not enough to offset the cost price. In conclusion, labor cost accounted for the largest proportion of cost price of ultrasonography test conducted in diagnosing diseases and performing surgeries in medical departments, followed by the fixed cost of ultrasonographic equipment depreciation cost. In medical department where the current charge of ultrasonography test turned out not to offset cost price through the break-even analysis of ultrasonographic equipment, ways to reduce fixed cost which accounts for the largest proportion of the cost price should be sought. Even medical departments whose current charge of ultrasonography test is enough to surpass break-even level are required to work for efficient management and cost reduction to continuously generate profits.

• Strategy21
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• s.34
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• pp.93-127
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• 2014

During the four years following the sinking of the Cheonan frigate in 2010, the South Korean public opinion has seen changes in four basic ways. First, public polls with respect to the cause of the sinking show that 70% of the people consider North Korea as the culprit, while 20% maintain that it was not an act carried out by North Korea. Second, the opinions relative to the cause of the incident seem to vary according to age difference, generational difference, and educational difference. From 2011, people in their 20s showed 10% increase in regarding North Korea as the responsible party. People in their 30s and 40s still have a tendency not to believe the result of the investigation carried out by the combined military and civilian group. Third, the most prominent issue that arose aftermath of the Cheonan incident is the fact that political inclination and policy preference are influencing the scientific determination of the cause. In other words, scientific and logical approach is lacking in the process of determining the factual basis for the cause. This process is compromised by the inability of the parties concerned in sorting out what is objective and what is personal opinion. This confused state of affairs makes it difficult to carry on a healthy, productive debate. Fourth, rumors, propaganda, and disinformation generated by pro-North Korea Labor Party groups in the internet and SNS are causing considerable impact in forming the public opinion. Proposed Strategy 1. The administration can ascertain public trust by accurately determining the nature of the provocation based on accurate information in the early stages of the incident. 2. Education in scientific, logical, rational methodologyis needed at home, school, and workplace in order toenhance the people's ability to seek factual truths. 3. In secondary education, the values of freedom, human rights, democracy, and market economy must be reinforced. 4. It is necessary for the educational system to teach the facts of North Korea just as they are. 5. Fundamental strength of free democratic system must be reinforced. The conservative, mainstream powers must recognize the importance of self-sacrifice and societal duties. The progressive political parties must sever themselves from those groups that take instructions from North Korea's Labor Party. The progressives must pursue values that are based on fundamental human rights for all. 6. Korean unification led by South Korea is the genuine means to achieve peace in a nuclear-free Korean peninsula. The administration must recognize that this unification initiative is the beginning of the common peace and prosperity in the Far East Asia, and must actively pursue international cooperation in this regard.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.279-291
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• 2015

Objective: The purpose of the study is to evaluate appropriate weight for aged farmers in manually handling livestock feed in bags using ergonomic methods. Background: In the livestock industry in South Korea, despite the trend of aging of labor manpower, heavy items are still manually handled in many farms. In particular, among stockbreeding works, the handling of feed in bags weighing 25~30kg is reported as a cause of frequent injuries and musculoskeletal system diseases. However, studies on the standard for recommended weight allowed considering the physical characteristics of aged farmers older than 60 years with greatly decreased physical strength and muscle strength are insufficient. Method: To evaluate appropriate weight for handling of heavy livestock feed in bags, physical techniques for measuring recognized levels of physical work loads, the NLE (NIOSH lifting equation) a method that is an observation type technique, and an ergonomic modeling technique to predict compressive force imposed on L5/S1 were used. Subjects who participated in the experiment were organized into two groups of males/females with mean age exceeding 60 years, and lifting tasks were evaluated for nine weight levels. Results: Based on the results of psychophysical measurement, females showed a tendency of more drastic increases compared to males when weight was over 19kg. The results of estimation of regression models for the weight, 18.0 kg ($r^2=0.97$) and 15.3kg ($r^2=0.97$) were evaluated as stable load for males and females, respectively. In addition, both the observation type evaluation and ergonomic model evaluation showed stable loads in a range of 15~18kg. Conclusion: Given the results of the study, the weight of the feed in bags currently distributed to farms can become a cause of not only overexertion but also farm work related disasters such as musculoskeletal disorders and safety accidents. Providing livestock feed in bags weighing not more than 19kg for aged farmers is judged desirable, and managerial improvement for this matter is considered necessary. Application: The results of the present study can be utilized as useful data for institutional improvement of the weight of livestock feed in bags.