• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.53-74
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• 2012

A challenge in fostering virtual communities is the continuous supply of knowledge, namely members' willingness to contribute knowledge to their communities. Previous research argues that giving away knowledge eventually causes the possessors of that knowledge to lose their unique value to others, benefiting all except the contributor. Furthermore, communication within virtual communities involves a large number of participants with different social backgrounds and perspectives. The establishment of mutual understanding to comprehend conversations and foster knowledge contribution in virtual communities is inevitably more difficult than face-to-face communication in a small group. In spite of these arguments, evidence suggests that individuals in virtual communities do engage in social behaviors such as knowledge contribution. It is important to understand why individuals provide their valuable knowledge to other community members without a guarantee of returns. In virtual communities, knowledge is inherently rooted in individual members' experiences and expertise. This personal nature of knowledge requires social interactions between virtual community members for knowledge transfer. This study employs the social capital theory in order to account for interpersonal relationship factors and identity theory for individual and group factors that may affect knowledge contribution. First, social capital is the relationship capital which is embedded within the relationships among the participants in a network and available for use when it is needed. Social capital is a productive resource, facilitating individuals' actions for attainment. Nahapiet and Ghoshal (1997) identify three dimensions of social capital and explain theoretically how these dimensions affect the exchange of knowledge. Thus, social capital would be relevant to knowledge contribution in virtual communities. Second, existing research has addressed the importance of identity in facilitating knowledge contribution in a virtual context. Identity in virtual communities has been described as playing a vital role in the establishment of personal reputations and in the recognition of others. For instance, reputation systems that rate participants in terms of the quality of their contributions provide a readily available inventory of experts to knowledge seekers. Despite the growing interest in identities, however, there is little empirical research about how identities in the communities influence knowledge contribution. Therefore, the goal of this study is to better understand knowledge contribution by examining the roles of social capital and identity in virtual communities. Based on a theoretical framework of social capital and identity theory, we develop and test a theoretical model and evaluate our hypotheses. Specifically, we propose three variables such as cohesiveness, reciprocity, and commitment, referring to the social capital theory, as antecedents of knowledge contribution in virtual communities. We further posit that members with a strong identity (self-presentation and group identification) contribute more knowledge to virtual communities. We conducted a field study in order to validate our research model. We collected data from 192 members of virtual communities and used the PLS method to analyse the data. The tests of the measurement model confirm that our data set has appropriate discriminant and convergent validity. The results of testing the structural model show that cohesion, reciprocity, and self-presentation significantly influence knowledge contribution, while commitment and group identification do not significantly influence knowledge contribution. Our findings on cohesion and reciprocity are consistent with the previous literature. Contrary to our expectations, commitment did not significantly affect knowledge contribution in virtual communities. This result may be due to the fact that knowledge contribution was voluntary in the virtual communities in our sample. Another plausible explanation for this result may be the self-selection bias for the survey respondents, who are more likely to contribute their knowledge to virtual communities. The relationship between self-presentation and knowledge contribution was found to be significant in virtual communities, supporting the results of prior literature. Group identification did not significantly affect knowledge contribution in this study, inconsistent with the wealth of research that identifies group identification as an important factor for knowledge sharing. This conflicting result calls for future research that examines the role of group identification in knowledge contribution in virtual communities. This study makes a contribution to theory development in the area of knowledge management in general and virtual communities in particular. For practice, the results of this study identify the circumstances under which individual factors would be effective for motivating knowledge contribution to virtual communities.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.65-70
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• 2005

Those specifications of the CLIA analytical tolerance limits are consistent with the performance goals in Six Sigma Quality Management. Six sigma analysis determines performance quality from bias and precision statistics. It also shows if the method meets the criteria for the six sigma performance. Performance standards calculates allowable total error from several different criteria. Six sigma means six standard deviations from the target value or mean value and about 3.4 failures per million opportunities for failure. Sigma Quality Level is an indicator of process centering and process variation total error allowable. Tolerance specification is replaced by a Total Error specification, which is a common form of a quality specification for a laboratory test. The CLIA criteria for acceptable performance in proficiency testing events are given in the form of an allowable total error, TEa. Thus there is a published list of TEa specifications for regulated analytes. In terms of TEa, Six Sigma Quality Management sets a precision goal of TEa/6 and an accuracy goal of 1.5 (TEa/6). This concept is based on the proficiency testing specification of target value +/-3s, TEa from reference intervals, biological variation, and peer group median mean surveys. We have found rules to calculate as a fraction of a reference interval and peer group median mean surveys. We studied to develop total error allowable from peer group survey results and CLIA 88 rules in US on 19 items TP, ALB, T.B, ALP, AST, ALT, CL, LD, K, Na, CRE, BUN, T.C, GLU, GGT, CA, phosphorus, UA, TG tests in chematology were follows. Sigma level versus TEa from peer group median mean CV of each item by group mean were assessed by process performance, fitting within six sigma tolerance limits were TP ($6.1{\delta}$/9.3%), ALB ($6.9{\delta}$/11.3%), T.B ($3.4{\delta}$/25.6%), ALP ($6.8{\delta}$/31.5%), AST ($4.5{\delta}$/16.8%), ALT ($1.6{\delta}$/19.3%), CL ($4.6{\delta}$/8.4%), LD ($11.5{\delta}$/20.07%), K ($2.5{\delta}$/0.39mmol/L), Na ($3.6{\delta}$/6.87mmol/L), CRE ($9.9{\delta}$/21.8%), BUN ($4.3{\delta}$/13.3%), UA ($5.9{\delta}$/11.5%), T.C ($2.2{\delta}$/10.7%), GLU ($4.8{\delta}$/10.2%), GGT ($7.5{\delta}$/27.3%), CA ($5.5{\delta}$/0.87mmol/L), IP ($8.5{\delta}$/13.17%), TG ($9.6{\delta}$/17.7%). Peer group survey median CV in Korean External Assessment greater than CLIA criteria were CL (8.45%/5%), BUN (13.3%/9%), CRE (21.8%/15%), T.B (25.6%/20%), and Na (6.87mmol/L/4mmol/L). Peer group survey median CV less than it were as TP (9.3%/10%), AST (16.8%/20%), ALT (19.3%/20%), K (0.39mmol/L/0.5mmol/L), UA (11.5%/17%), Ca (0.87mg/dL1mg/L), TG (17.7%/25%). TEa in 17 items were same one in 14 items with 82.35%. We found out the truth on increasing sigma level due to increased total error allowable, and were sure that the goal of setting total error allowable would affect the evaluation of sigma metrics in the process, if sustaining the same process.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7543-7550
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• 2013

Objective: To evaluate associations between tea consumption, alcohol drinking and physical activity and breast cancer risk among Chinese females. Methods: Three English databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect and Wiley) and three Chinese databases (CNKI, WanFang and VIP) were independently searched by 2 reviewers up to December 2012, complemented by manual searches. The quality of included studies was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale items. Random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Potential publication bias was estimated through Egger's and Begg's tests. Heterogeneity between studies was evaluated with $I^2$ statistics. Results: Thirty-nine studies involving 13,204 breast cancer cases and 87,248 controls were identified. Compared with non-drinkers, regular tea drinkers had decreased risk (OR=0.79, 95%CIs: 0.65-0.95; $I^2$=84.9%; N=16). An inverse association was also found between regular physical activity and breast cancer risk (OR=0.73, 95%CIs: 0.63-0.85; $I^2$=77.3%; N=15). However, there was no significant association between alcohol drinking and breast cancer risk (OR=0.85, 95%CIs: 0.72-1.02; $I^2$=63.8%; N=26). Most of the results from the subgroup analysis were consistent with the main results. Conclusion: Tea consumption and physical activity are significantly associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer in Chinese females. However, alcohol drinking may not be associated with any elevation of risk.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.1-25
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• 2010

This study attempted to empirically test the determinants of stock returns in Korean stock market applying multi-factor model proposed by Haugen and Baker(1996). Regression models were developed using 16 variables related to liquidity, risk, historical price, price level, and profitability as independent variables and 690 stock monthly returns as dependent variable. For the statistical analysis, the data were collected from the Kis Value database and the tests of forecasting power in this study minimized various possible bias discussed in the literature as possible. The statistical results indicated that: 1) Liquidity, one-month excess return, three-month excess return, PER, ROE, and volatility of total return affect stock returns simultaneously. 2) Liquidity, one-month excess return, three-month excess return, six-month excess return, PSR, PBR, ROE, and EPS have an antecedent influence on stock returns. Meanwhile, realized returns of decile portfolios increase in proportion to predicted returns. This results supported previous study by Haugen and Baker(1996) and indicated that firm-characteristic model can better predict stock returns than CAPM. 3) The firm-characteristic model has better predictive power than Fama-French three-factor model, which indicates that a portfolio constructed based on this model can achieve excess return. This study found that expected return factor models are accurate, which is consistent with other countries' results. There exists a surprising degree of commonality in the factors that are most important in determining the expected returns among different stocks.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4 s.114
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• pp.482-493
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• 2005

The objective of this research was to evaluate an sampling effect of fish species and individual number on sampling techniques of electrofishing and conventional capture methods of cast net and kick net in 38 stream sites sampled during June - September, 2005. For the study, sampling gears were categorized as three types of electrofishing method (EM), conventional sampling technique (CM), and the combined technique (CT) of the electrofishing and the conventional method to compare statistical differences. Major differences of species composition between the CM and EM method were found in some benthic species of Misgurnus mizolepis and Iksookimia koreensis along with lithophilic species of Pungtungia herzi. These species were predominated in the EM rather than the CM, indicating that conventional sampling can underestimate the abundance of benthic or lithophilic species. In contrast ,individual number of typical water column species such as Zacco platypus and Zacco temmincki were more sampled by the CM, so that these fish populations were community overestimated. Also, t-tests on the types of sampling gear from various watersheds of Chogang Stream, Yugu Stream, Daejeon Stream, and Gap Stream showed that total individual numbers and species number in each stream were significantly (t values = 2.806-6.896, p values<0.05, n = 5-14) greater in the CT than the CM. Similar statistical significance (p<1.001, n = (10-24) on sampling seasons were observed during the monsoon and postmonsoon. These results indicate that if the electrofishing is not added to the conventional gears, the abundance of fish population and community can be underestimated and some benthic or lithophilic species may be excluded from the analysis, resulting in overall errors including sampling, fish fauna, and final judgement of community abundance. Overall our results strongly suggest that new application of electrofishing method along with the conventional sampling gears reduce sampling bias on underestimation of the real fish populations and communities.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.333-361
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• 2014

By viewing donors for social welfare organization as both givers and beneficiaries, this study aims to address the correlations between the continuity of donors' contributions and enhanced sense of satisfaction as a consequence of participating in donation activities. The predominant concern of this study centers on: (1) the direct effects of individuals' emotional utility, demonstrable utility, trust toward donee organization, self acceptance on the continuation of their donation; (2) the direct effects of individuals' emotional utility, demonstrable utility, trust toward donee organizations on individuals' self-acceptance; (3) the direct effects of individuals' emotional utility, demonstrable utility on their trust toward a donee organization; (4) the indirect effects of individuals' self acceptance on two paths i.e. emotional utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$self acceptance, and demonstrable utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$self acceptance; (5) the indirect effects of individuals' individuals' trust toward donee organization on self acceptance on four paths i.e. emotional utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$continuity of donation; demonstrable utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$continuity of donation; emotional utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$self-acceptance, and demonstrable utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$self-acceptance; (6) the moderating effects of 'financial status' on the causal relationships in the prescribed structural equation model(SEM). In order to verify the moderating effect of 'financial status', multi-group analysis between each of the two groups were conducted. Research is based on a survey among 1116 donors who had made charitable, monetary contributions to social welfare organizations in Daegu and Kyungpook province. Data was collected from 29 organizations. In order to address the research questions, structural equation were employed. A variety of tests are conducted(metric invariance, critical ratio for difference, structural invariance, multi-group analysis, bias-corrected boot-strapping, latent mean analysis including Cohen's effect test).

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.146
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• pp.307-328
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• 2018

The use of thought experiments has a long history in many disciplines including science. In the field of philosophy, thought experiments have frequently appeared in the pre-existing literature on the contemporary Analytic Philosophy. A thought experiment refers to a synthetic environment where the designer of the experiment-with his or her intuition and imagination-tests common-sense knowledge. It can be understood as a conceptual tool for testing the validity of the common understanding of an issue or a phenomenon. However, we are not certain about the usefulness or efficacy of a thought experiment in knowledge production. The design of a thought experiment is meant to lure readers into believing as intended by the experiment itself. Thus, regardless of the purpose of a thought experiment, many readers who encounter the experiment could feel deceived. In this paper, to analyze the logic of thought experiments and to seek the source of uneasiness the readers and critics may feel about thought experiments, I draw lessons from three renowned thought-experiments: Thomson's 'ailing violinist', Putnam's 'brain in a vat', and Searle's 'Chinese room'. Imaginative thought experiments are usually constructed around a gap between the reality and the knowledge/information at hand. From the three experiments, several lessons can be learned. First, the evidence of the existence of a gap provided via thought experiments can serve as arguments for counterfactual situations. At the same time, the credibility and efficacy of the thought experiments can be damaged as soon as the thought-experiments are carried out with inappropriate and/or murky directions regarding the procedures of the experiment or the background of the study. According to D. R. Hofstadter and D. C. Dennett(1981), the 'knob setting' in a thought experiment can be altered in the middle of a simulation of the experimental condition, and then the implications of the thought experiment change altogether, indicating that an entirely different conclusion can be deduced from thought experiment. Lastly, some pre-suppositions and bias of the experiment designers play a considerable role in the validity and the chances of success of a thought experiment; thus, it is recommended that the experiment-designers refrain from exercising too much of their imagination in order to avoid contaminating the design of the experiment and/or wrongly accepting preconceived/misguided conclusions.