• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2011

Climate change is the variation of long term weather pattern based on statistical diversities in terms of natural and artificial factors. Recent numerous extreme weather phenomena have increasingly obtained people's awareness of climate change. Since water resources field especially has higher vulnerability caused by climate variation, the major part of future preparation should be focused on risk minimization of water resources. However, in reality validation of water resources vulnerability is not well built up. For this research, Delphi Method was applied to evaluate middle/small size rivers in Korea with respect to the degree of vulnerability due to the climate change. Delphi Survey is based on iterative, anonymous characteristics with experts' opinion sharing on the given issues. For this study, three iterative surveys were operated for the degree of vulnerability. First round was for selecting vulnerability indicators in terms of the magnitude of total score, and second and third rounds were for collecting experts' idea with opinion convergence. Per the variance of standard deviation of 2nd and 3rd surveys divergence, we clearly see the achievement of opinion agreement. For the future study, we may need to find an applicable field using delphi indicators with various circumstances.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Construction Safety
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.70-75
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to conduct survey on the DfS system for employees who perform construction-related tasks, analyze the results, and present improvement directions. The results of the survey showed that the system was gradually being settled, with about 82% and 93% positive results on the recognition and necessity of the system. In addition, the three highest response rates for the improvement of the system were first, improving the expertise of DfS-related performance personnel, second, improving the awareness of DfS-related actors, and third, reflecting the appropriate costs associated with DfS. For the realization of the above improvements, it was proposed to prepare a curriculum for improving the professionalism of the staff, to implement an incentive system for improvement of perception, and to prepare appropriate payment criteria for preparing reports available during the construction phase. In addition, the Korea Infrastructure Safety and Technology Corporation will need to perform its active role in order to become a system for preemptive management of risk factors for construction accidents from the design stage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.11
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• pp.1625-1632
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• 2009

This study investigated consumer awareness on imported food safety management. The questionnaire explored status for confirmation as imported foods, consideration factors when imported foods were marketed, ways for finding imported food safety information, people responsible for problems in imported foods safety management, and imported food safety management items. Answers to 1065 questionnaires were analyzed using S-Plus 8.0. The principal results were as follows: 35.7% of respondents always confirmed whether it was imported food. The most important imported foods marketed is children food. 55.1% of respondents think inspectors have responsibility for problems of imported foods safety management. The most important factor for improvement of safety is reinforcement of quarantine. The providing of restricted information only after security problem occurs was the reason for non-satisfaction of safety information.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-30
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• 2007

The study carried out a survey with employees of hospitals located in Daejeon, Chungnam, and Chungbuk from Sep. 12 to Sep. 30, 2005 in order to derive primary elements that affect the improvement of hospital's competitiveness. The study investigated and analyzed the employees' recognition on the change of competitive environment caused by the change of medical environment. The study also analyzed the elements that affect the hospital's competitiveness and the competitive strategies of the hospitals. The conclusion of this study can be summarized as follows. 1. Summary 1) Most of the employees responded that there is a rival in the competitive environment and the competitive is intense. Especially when the employees are married, live in urban areas, have an education level of university graduate or are managers, they tend to think the competitive is very intense. Also, they said that the competitive is based upon the quality of medical service. They mentioned the element that has the biggest effect on the competitiveness is the element of medical consumer and they recognized that the medical services in university and general hospitals have more competitiveness than the one-department hospitals. 2) It was investigated that the medical technique service has the most effect on the hospital's competitiveness. Also, the external service of medical techniques also has a large effect on the hospital's competitiveness. 3) When they were asked for the factors that affect the patients' decision on selecting a hospital, most of them responded "capability and technique of the medical staffs." Also, they said that "sufficient explanation from doctors" and "special center and clinic" are the factors that have big effects on the patients' decision. 4) In the SWOT analysis, most of them responded that the strength is the hospital's characteristics and the weakness is insufficient and obsolete equipment. They said the opportunity is the demands for professional medical service and the risk is the intense competitive among the hospitals. 5) In the SWOT strategy, they emphasized the strategy that uses the opportunity and the strength and the strategy that uses the opportunity while overcoming the weakness. 6) As for the basic competition strategy, most of them thought of the strategy of professionalizing the medical service most importantly. Next, they focused on the strategy of distinct service and the strategy of lower prime cost. 2. Conclusion 1) Because service competition between hospitals is happening seriously, need competitiveness security through right awareness transfer and satisfaction upgrade about medical consumer. 2) For medical technique service upgrade that equip Hospital's competitiveness but affects most, must solidify the countermeasure because professionalizing the medical service and newest medical technique induction should be achieved first, and compose task force for the external service of medical techniques improvement. 3) To improve SWOT of hospital, opportunity and the strength strategy choice that rescue hospital's characteristics heightening professionalizing the medical service level is fancied. 4) As for the basic competition strategy, will have to try in phase triangular position of hospital which is trusted medical level upgrade and excellent manpower security and finance independence through upgrade. The study was only done with hospitals in Daejeon, Chungnam and Chungbuk. Also, it is a study from the side of suppliers of medical service so there are limitations. However, the significance of the study is to present the basic data for improvement of hospital's competitiveness by examining the importance of medical techniques and external service of medical techniques that are the main effects on the improvement of hospital's competitiveness.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.43-50
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• 2011

Concerning the risk factors of the outbreak of a fire in a traditional market, most of those markets are located in downtown areas or residential areas; thus, although their location may be favorable in terms of marketability, they face a potential risk in that a fire may develop into a large blaze owing to poor environment or the absence of facilities prepared for disaster during a fire. Moreover, as many people are densely poised in the markets, it is very probable that a fire may occur owing to the excessive use of heaters in the winter as well as the reckless use of electric and gas facilities. It seems that traditional markets encounter difficulty being insured against fire, because of their vulnerability and that the vast majority of small-scale sellers are likely to suffer mental anguish and tremendous physical injury in case of a fire. However, most of those sellers in the traditional markets are hand-to-mouth sellers, and they lack awareness of safety concerns and have insufficient experience in safe facility management. As small-scale sellers constitute the majority in the traditional market, the subscription rate of fire insurance in most of the traditional markets is low for the reasons of their needy circumstances and their financial burden. Statistically, the subscription by street vendors is non-existent; therefore, these vendors have a fairly limited access to indemnification after fire damage. Because of these problems, this study's purpose is to identify the current level of insurance subscription by these markets, which are exposed to poor facilities and vulnerability to fire. In order to fix this, it appears that shop owners and consumers will have to band together. For this study, we executed a fire policyholder fact-finding mission at traditional markets with approximately 108 and 981 stores. The research method was executed by an investigation using one-on-one individual interviews using a questionnaire. The contents investigated current insurance subscriptions. The method of analysis looked at the difference of insured amount according to volume size through cross-tabulation of the difference of insured amount by possession form, difference of insured amount by market form, difference of insured amount by category of business, difference of insured amount by market size, etc. Furthermore, the study should be used to propose solutions for problems through theoretical review with the use of a literature research, because the field case study was through interviews with the persons concerned, and the survey of the current insurance subscriptions by traditional market shopkeepers. The traditional market would generally have difficulty affording fire insurance. Fire insurance subscription rates of most of the market proved to be inactive, because of the economic burden of payment. Lack of funds is thought to be the main factor that causes a lack of realization about the necessity of fire insurance. In addition to expensive insurance premiums, sometimes, the companies' valuation of the businesses is lower than their actual valuations, and they do not pay out enough during a claim. The research presents an improvement plan that, when presented at the traditional markets, may strengthen their ability to procure fire insurance through the help of the central government. Researchers connected with the traditional market mainly accomplish the initial research. However, although this research has its limitations, it offers considerable benefits. For future researchers, I would suggest looking at several regions for comparison.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.112-120
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• 2004

Purpose : Methicillin Resistant-Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus(MR-CNS) infection has become an increasingly important cause of morbidity in NICU infants. We investigated the c linical characteristics of MR-CNS sepsis. Methods : This study included 40 neonates with MR-CNS sepsis who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University from January 1998 to July 2002. MR-CNS sepsis was defined as MR-CNS recovery from blood with clinical symptoms and signs of infection. Retrospective analyses of the medical records of patients with MR-CNS sepsis were performed. The analyses included demographic findings, clinical features, hospital courses, risk factors for infection including invasive procedures and mortality. Results : From 1998 to 2002, there were 40 cases of MR-CNS sepsis, comprising 17.7% of late onset infections in NICU of Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital. The male/female ratio was 1.5 : 1. The mean gestational age of infected babies was $32.4{\pm}4.3$ weeks at birth. And the first positive MR-CNS culture was done in the day $10.6{\pm}9.3$ after birth. Clinical symptoms such as fever, dyspnea, cyanosis, grunting, bradycardia, vomiting and diarrhea were frequent in MR-CNS. Mechanical ventilation was applied in 12 cases and catheter was inserted in 11 cases. The mortality(12.5%) directly attributable to MR-CNS sepsis was similar to other late onset infections. Conclusion : MR-CNS is a pathogen responsible for most late onset and nosocomial infections. And it will be life-threatening in high-risk neonate. Awareness of increasing infections due to MR-CNS in NICU is important not only for infection control but also placing a great limit in use of antibiotics and invasive procedures, especially in premature infants.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2011

Purpose: Sharing genetic information with family members is important for cancer awareness and prevention. The purpose of this study is to examine disclosure patterns of positive BRCA genetic test results to patients' relatives. Materials and Methods: A total of 106 probands who had positive BRCA genetic test results from the Korean Hereditary Breast Cancer Study participated in our study. Subjects were asked whether they had disclosed their genetic test results to first-, second-, and third-degree relatives. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify factors associated with positive result sharing with close and distant relatives. Results: In total, 99 respondents (93.4%) informed at least one at-risk relative of the test result, and they all reported that they had disclosed their genetic test result to a first-degree relative. Communication of test results to other relatives occurred significantly less often, with only 31 of 99 subjects (31.3%) sharing their results with second- or third-degree relatives. In the results of univariate analyses, disclosure of genetic test results to more distant relatives was associated with marital status and months since post-test counseling. The reasons for communication were to provide information about the BRCArelated cancer risk and to recommend the genetic test. Conclusion: Most individuals with the BRCA mutation share their test results with first-degree family members; however, these results reach more distant relatives significantly less often. Therefore, it is necessary to encourage patients' communication with extended family members through systematic genetic counseling.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.293-301
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• 2016

This study aimed to design and operate a complementary integrated health management program based on the connection between the hypertension and diabetes management programs and the oral health programs at a public health center. It also proposed to suggest the phased evaluation indicators. In this study, 48 adults registered in the hypertension and diabetes management program were selected from the Gangneung public health center. The clinic-specific programs were led by dental hygienists and operated for visitors twice every two weeks. The programs were designed based on the logical model, and indicators for evaluating the structure, process, and outcome were presented and applied to the input, process, output, and outcome. The evaluation indices consisted of quantitative and qualitative indicators, and the planning and operation, goal achievement, and effect of each program were assessed. The process evaluations were assessed by the appropriateness of the managers and the operating fidelity of the programs. Indicators for evaluating the outcomes were gingival bleeding, oral health knowledge, oral health awareness, and the satisfaction of the participant and the manager. The clinic-specific programs resulted in positive changes in the evaluated outcomes. The integrated health management of visitors to the hypertension and diabetes management program is important as the general and oral health has common risk factors. Furthermore, long-term operation and continuous monitoring of oral health programs are necessary to evaluate the common factors in chronic disease management.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 2005

This survey was conducted to assess the consumer perceptions of food-related hazard in 500 housewives from all over Korea. The subjects were selected by stratified random sampling method. The survey was performed using structured questionnaire through telephone interview by skilled interviewers. The results showed that 34.6% of the respondents felt secure and were not concerned about food safety, and 65.4% were concerned about food safety. Logistic regression analysis showed that the increasing concern on food brands, food additives (such as food preservatives and artificial color), and imported foodstuffs indicated the current increasing concern on food safety. Other related factors indicating the increasing concern on food safety were education level and care for children's health. The respondents who cared about food safety expressed a high degree of concern on processed foodstuffs such as commercial boxed lunch (93.3%), imported foods (92.7%), fastfoods (89.9%), processed meat products (88.7%), dining out (85.6%), cannery and frozen foods (83.5%), and instant foods (82.0%). The lowest degree of concern was on rice. All the respondents perceived that residues of chemical substances such as pesticides and food additives, and endocrine disrupters were the most potential food risk factors, followed by food-borne pathogens, and GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). However, these results were not consistent with scientific judgment. Therefore, more education and information were needed for consumers' awareness of facts and myths about food safety. In addition, the results showed that consumers put lower trust in food products information such as food labels, cultivation methods (organic or not), quality labels, and the place of origin. Nevertheless, the respondents expressed their desire to overcome alienation, and recognized the importance of knowing of the origin or the producers of food. They identified that people who need to take extreme precautions on food contamination were the producers, government officials, food companies, consumers, the consumer's association, and marketers, arranged in the order of highest to lowest. They also believed that the production stage of agriculture was the most important step for improving the level of food safety Therefore, the results indicated that there is a need to introduce safety systems in the production of agricultural products, as follows: Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), and Traceability System (75).

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.61-118
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• 2008

The purpose of this research is to construct research framework for international franchising based on existing literature and to identify research components in the framework. Franchise can be defined as management styles that allow franchisee use various management assets of franchisor in order to make or sell product or service. It can be divided into product distribution franchise that is designed to sell products and business format franchise that is designed for running it as business whatever its form is. International franchising can be defined as a way of internationalization of franchisor to foreign country by providing its business format or package to franchisee of host country. International franchising is growing fast for last four decades but academic research on this is quite limited. Especially in Korea, research about international franchising is carried out on by case study format with single case or empirical study format with survey based on domestic franchise theory. Therefore, this paper tries to review existing literature on international franchising research, providing research framework, and then stimulating new research on this field. International franchising research components include motives and environmental factors for decision of expanding to international franchising, entrance modes and development plan for international franchising, contracts and management strategy of international franchising, and various performance measures from different perspectives. First, motives of international franchising are fee collection from franchisee. Also it provides easier way to expanding to foreign country. The other motives including increase total sales volume, occupying better strategic position, getting quality resources, and improving efficiency. Environmental factors that facilitating international franchising encompasses economic condition, trend, and legal or political factors in host and/or home countries. In addition, control power and risk management capability of franchisor plays critical role in successful franchising contract. Final decision to enter foreign country via franchising is determined by numerous factors like history, size, growth, competitiveness, management system, bonding capability, industry characteristics of franchisor. After deciding to enter into foreign country, franchisor needs to set entrance modes of international franchising. Within contractual mode, there are master franchising and area developing franchising, licensing, direct franchising, and joint venture. Theories about entrance mode selection contain concepts of efficiency, knowledge-based approach, competence-based approach, agent theory, and governance cost. The next step after entrance decision is operation strategy. Operation strategy starts with selecting a target city and a target country for franchising. In order to finding, screening targets, franchisor needs to collect information about candidates. Critical information includes brand patent, commercial laws, regulations, market conditions, country risk, and industry analysis. After selecting a target city in target country, franchisor needs to select franchisee, in other word, partner. The first important criteria for selecting partners are financial credibility and capability, possession of real estate. And cultural similarity and knowledge about franchisor and/or home country are also recognized as critical criteria. The most important element in operating strategy is legal document between franchisor and franchisee with home and host countries. Terms and conditions in legal documents give objective information about characteristics of franchising agreement for academic research. Legal documents have definitions of terminology, territory and exclusivity, agreement of term, initial fee, continuing fees, clearing currency, and rights about sub-franchising. Also, legal documents could have terms about softer elements like training program and operation manual. And harder elements like law competent court and terms of expiration. Next element in operating strategy is about product and service. Especially for business format franchising, product/service deliverable, benefit communicators, system identifiers (architectural features), and format facilitators are listed for product/service strategic elements. Another important decision on product/service is standardization vs. customization. The rationale behind standardization is cost reduction, efficiency, consistency, image congruence, brand awareness, and competitiveness on price. Also standardization enables large scale R&D and innovative change in management style. Another element in operating strategy is control management. The simple way to control franchise contract is relying on legal terms, contractual control system. There are other control systems, administrative control system and ethical control system. Contractual control system is a coercive source of power, but franchisor usually doesn't want to use legal power since it doesn't help to build up positive relationship. Instead, self-regulation is widely used. Administrative control system uses control mechanism from ordinary work relationship. Its main component is supporting activities to franchisee and communication method. For example, franchisor provides advertising, training, manual, and delivery, then franchisee follows franchisor's direction. Another component is building franchisor's brand power. The last research element is performance factor of international franchising. Performance elements can be divided into franchisor's performance and franchisee's performance. The conceptual performance measures of franchisor are simple but not easy to obtain objectively. They are profit, sale, cost, experience, and brand power. The performance measures of franchisee are mostly about benefits of host country. They contain small business development, promotion of employment, introduction of new business model, and level up technology status. There are indirect benefits, like increase of tax, refinement of corporate citizenship, regional economic clustering, and improvement of international balance. In addition to those, host country gets socio-cultural change other than economic effects. It includes demographic change, social trend, customer value change, social communication, and social globalization. Sometimes it is called as westernization or McDonaldization of society. In addition, the paper reviews on theories that have been frequently applied to international franchising research, such as agent theory, resource-based view, transaction cost theory, organizational learning theory, and international expansion theories. Resource based theory is used in strategic decision based on resources, like decision about entrance and cooperation depending on resources of franchisee and franchisor. Transaction cost theory can be applied in determination of mutual trust or satisfaction of franchising players. Agent theory tries to explain strategic decision for reducing problem caused by utilizing agent, for example research on control system in franchising agreements. Organizational Learning theory is relatively new in franchising research. It assumes organization tries to maximize performance and learning of organization. In addition, Internalization theory advocates strategic decision of direct investment for removing inefficiency of market transaction and is applied in research on terms of contract. And oligopolistic competition theory is used to explain various entry modes for international expansion. Competency theory support strategic decision of utilizing key competitive advantage. Furthermore, research methodologies including qualitative and quantitative methodologies are suggested for more rigorous international franchising research. Quantitative research needs more real data other than survey data which is usually respondent's judgment. In order to verify theory more rigorously, research based on real data is essential. However, real quantitative data is quite hard to get. The qualitative research other than single case study is also highly recommended. Since international franchising has limited number of applications, scientific research based on grounded theory and ethnography study can be used. Scientific case study is differentiated with single case study on its data collection method and analysis method. The key concept is triangulation in measurement, logical coding and comparison. Finally, it provides overall research direction for international franchising after summarizing research trend in Korea. International franchising research in Korea has two different types, one is for studying Korean franchisor going overseas and the other is for Korean franchisee of foreign franchisor. Among research on Korean franchisor, two common patterns are observed. First of all, they usually deal with success story of one franchisor. The other common pattern is that they focus on same industry and country. Therefore, international franchise research needs to extend their focus to broader subjects with scientific research methodology as well as development of new theory.