• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.450-475
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• 2008

The successful diffusion of innovation depends on an understanding of the consumer innovators, although they represent a small group of consumers. Researchers have studied the personalities of innovators to explain how these are associated with innovativeness. This paper examined the relationships of need for uniqueness, susceptibility to interpersonal influence, attention to social comparison information, and role-relaxed consumption to individual innovativeness. Data were collected from 319 students in Seoul. The results supported by large hypothesized relationships among these variables. Based on the results of the analysis, practical implications were discussed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.126-133
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• 2009

This study examined the relationship of what kind of creative thinking has as factors for emotion design products for consumers focusing on the successful cases of emotion products. For the design creativity attribute used in this experiment, the design evaluation creativity tools revealed in Kim Eun-Ju's 2007 design creativity evaluation tool development were used mostly MP3s, which have various forms, functions and sizes were selected as the target for experiment. Results of the experiment showed that for design creativeness items for MP3 as single products, uniqueness, favorableness and convenience were relevant. Accordingly, the common features of design creativeness items for emotional products were identified. According to the result, for emotional designs, the interest level of uniqueness for the design creativity evaluation items and the functional items for practicality had a high relativity. Therefore, there is a need to examine the common features between the design creativity items for products other than MP3s in the future.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.79-89
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• 2018

Purpose - This research aims to investigate the factors that influence consumer's overseas online shopping behavior. Consumers adopt overseas online shopping as a new buying way and more and more consumers prefer overseas online shopping than traditional shopping ways. Consumers' behaviors in this shopping experience can be different from other shopping experiences. With the increase of overseas online shopping, we need to find antecedents and results of overseas online shopping. Especially there would be positive or negative factors which influence overseas online shopping motivation. To find the relationship, this study examines self-efficacy and impulsivity as major factors which influence overseas online shopping. We also suggest that several attitude factors increase self-efficacy and it is positively related to customer satisfaction. On the other hand, we assume that overseas online shopping factors influence impulsivity of buying and it will decrease customer satisfaction. Research design, data, and methodology - This empirical study data were collected from Korean people who experience overseas online shopping. The subjects for this study were confined to shoppers who used overseas online shopping within the past six months. A total of 267 responses were gathered. SPSS 23.0, PLS 2.0 software were used in the data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to show sample characteristics. We examined reliability, validity test for constructs. All measurement items used seven-point scales(1= very strong disagree, 7 = very strongly agree) drawn from previously published papers. Partial Least Square method was applied to find the relationship between antecedent factors and dependent factors and hypotheses were estimated. Results - Results show that perceived superiority, perceived ease of use, perceived transaction safety, perceived behavioral control positively affect self-efficacy. Self-efficacy influences positively to consumer's post purchase satisfaction. Perceived monetary benefit and perceived uniqueness motivated impulse buying. This can make consumer's post purchase dissatisfaction. Conclusions - This paper attempted to confirm the existence of both the positive and negative faces of overseas online shopping. The result reveals that self-efficacy is a major factor which may increase satisfaction in the overseas online shopping. Usually, we can think monetary benefit and uniqueness of products motivate overseas online shopping. But it can also intrigue impulse buying and negatively affect customer relationship. Therefore companies should provide enough products information to their potential customers and they might apply adequate processes such as recommendation, comparing systems to build long term relationship with their customers.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2010

During the past 10 years, sales of luxury goods increased significantly to more than US$ 130 billion in 2007. In this industry, more than half of the revenue comes from Asia where the average income has risen significantly, and the demand for luxury products is forecast to grow rapidly. Purchasing luxury brands appears to be an intriguing social phenomenon that is profitable for companies in this region. As a newly developed country, Korea is one of the most attractive luxury markets in Asia. Currently, a total of 120 luxury fashion brands have entered the Korean market, primarily in luxury districts in Seoul where the competition is fierce. The purposes of this study are to: (1) identify antecedents of attitude toward luxury brands, (2) examine the effect of attitudes toward luxury brands on customer equity, (3) determine the impact of attitudes toward luxury brands on customer lifetime value, and (4) investigate the influence of customer equity on customer life time value. Previous studies have examined materialism, social need, experiential need, need for uniqueness, conformity, and fashion involvement as antecedents of attitude toward luxury brands. Richins and Dowson (1992) suggested that that materialism influences consumption behavior relative to quantity of goods purchased. Nueno and Quelch (1998) reported that the ownership of luxury brands conveys information related to the owner's social status, communicates an image of success and prestige, and is a determinant of purchase behavior. Experiential need is recognized as an important aspect of consumption, especially for new products developed to meet consumer demand. Since luxury goods, by definition are relatively scarce, ownership of these types of products may fulfill consumers' need for uniqueness. In this study, value equity, relationship equity, and brand equity are examined as drivers of customer equity. The sample (n = 114) was undergraduate and graduate students at two private women's universities in Seoul, Korea. Data collection was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire survey in March, 2009. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, reliability analysis, and regression analysis using SPSS 15.0 software. Data analysis resulted in a number of conclusions. First, experiential need and fashion involvement positively influence participants' attitude toward luxury brands. Second, attitude toward luxury brands positively influences brand equity, followed by value equity and relationship equity. However, there is no significant relationship between attitude toward luxury brand and customer lifetime value. Finally, relationship equity positively influences customer lifetime value. In conclusion, young consumers are an important potential consumer group that tries different brands to discover the ones most suitable for them. Luxury marketers that use effective marketing strategies to attract and engender loyalty among this potentially lucrative consumer group may increase customer equity and lifetime value.

• Management Science and Financial Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.73-91
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• 2007

We investigate factors that influence the choice of high-share brands(HSBs) vs. low-share brands(LSBs) among various product and consumer characteristics related to brand-share perceptions. Specifically, using 8 product categories varying in terms of purchase decision involvement, we show how the influencing factors vary across the categories. At the general level that cover all the 8 categories, our hierarchical Bayesian regressions analysis shows that factors that favor high-share brands are purchase decision involvement, search goods, experience goods, price-quality relationship, positive network externalities, and price-prestige beliefs. Conversely, consumers who value variety seeking and need for uniqueness favor low-share brands. The effects of these factors, however, vary across product categories. The identification of these characteristics can help brand managers establish a more effective brand-share strategy in such areas as setting an optimal market share goal, extending a brand, and developing ad copy. Furthermore, our consumer segmentation analysis demonstrates the general market has two distinct segments - (1) a segment composed of HSB buyers(86%) and (2) a segment composed of LSB buyers(14%). The two segments are also shown to have different significant factors that explain their brand choice. Our segmentation analysis can help marketers establish a marketing strategy that targets a specific segment of interest.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.481-488
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• 2008

This study examined the relationship of what kind of creative thinking has related factors for emotion design products in order to let consumers focusing on the successful cases of emotion products. For the design creativity attribute used in this experiment, the design evaluation creativity tools revealed by Kim Eun-Ju's 2007 design creativity evaluation tool development were used mostly and of the 12 most common emotion products and general product, MP3s, which have various forms, functions and sizes were selected as the target for experiment. Results of the experiment showed that for design creativeness items of all emotional products, vision creation, favorableness, convenience, practicality and being purchasable were relevant, while for MP3, uniqueness, favorableness and convenience were relevant. Accordingly, the common features of design creativeness items for emotional products were identified. When summing up the contents of the two experiments above, for emotional designs, the interest level of uniqueness for the design creativity evaluation items and the functional items for practicality had a high level of relativity. Therefore, there is a need to examine the common features between the design creativity items for general products other than MP3s in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.55 no.4 s.94
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• pp.1-15
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• 2005

For every country, the flag is a major symbol that represents the country. Establishing image though the use of the country's symbol is more important for achieving national competitiveness in this global age. In Korea, Taekuki has not been actively applied to fashion products, however Korean people began to realize the Taekuki as a motif of fashion with 2002 World Cup. Thus, research on fashion product development applying Taekuki is needed. This research developed designs for fashion product development applying Taekuki. In addition, through suggesting various applied motives, this research explored the product possibility of global fashion design that represents Korean identity and fashion. For research method, after research on fashion design process, design development was progressed according to the 4-phases that comprehends processes previous researchers presented. First, in the problem recognition phase, background on the introduction of Taekuki to products and Taekuki fashion during 2002 World Cup was analyzed. Then, the need and possibility of fashion product development applying Taekuki's formative characteristics were found. Second, in research and analysis phase, meaning and history of Taekuki as well as flag fashion product developments in the U.S. and England examples were reviewed. Also, individual interviews with experts and consumers were conducted to collect qualitative data regarding product and design direction. Third, in idealization for problem solving phase, 62 designs including 43 apparels and 19 accessories were emerged. Finally, in evaluation phase, 40 university students majoring design evaluated designs' creativity, function, uniqueness, symbol, aesthetics, and harmony. Through this research, it is expected that fashion products applying Taekuki will be formly established as a fashion item. Furthermore, it is also expected that product development in other categories, brand planning, and product development using other national symbols such as name, anthem, and flower will be followed.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.51-89
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• 2007

INTRODUCTION Due to the high broadband internet penetration rate and its group-oriented culture, various types of online communities operate in Korea. This study use 'Uses and Gratification Approach, and argue that members' usage-needs satisfaction with brand community is an important factor for promoting community commitment. Based on previous studies identifying the effect of brand image on consumers' responses to various marketing stimuli, this study hypothesizes that brand image can be a moderate variable affecting the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction with brand community and members' commitment to brand community. This study analyzes the influence of usage-needs satisfaction on brand community commitment and how apparel brand image affects the relationships between usage-needs satisfactions and community commitments. The hypotheses of this study are proposed as follows. H1-3: The usage-needs satisfaction of apparel brand community (interest, transaction, relationship needs) influences emotional (H1), continuous (H2), and normative (H3) commitments to apparel brand communities. H4-6: Apparel brand image has a moderating effect on the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and emotional (H4), continuous (H5), and normative (H6) commitments to apparel brand communities. METHODS Brand communities founded by non-company affiliates were excluded and emphasis was placed instead on communities created by apparel brand companies. Among casual apparel brands registered in 6 Korean portal sites in August 2003, a total of 9 casual apparel brand online communities were chosen, depending on the level of community activity and apparel brand image. Data from 317 community members were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis, moderated regression analysis, ANOVA, and scheffe test. Among 317 respondents answered an online html-type questionnaire, 80.5% were between 16 to 25 years old. There were a total of 150 respondents from apparel brand communities(n=3) recording higher-than-average brand image scores (Mean > 3.75) and a total of 162 respondents from apparel brand communities(n=6) recording lower-than-average brand image scores(Mean < 3.75). In this study, brand community commitment was measured by a 5-point Likert scale: emotional, continuous and normative commitment. The degree of usage-needs satisfaction (interest, transaction, relationship needs) was measured on a 5-point Likert scale. The level of brand image was measured by a 5-point Likert scale: strength, favorability, and uniqueness of brand associations. RESULTS In the results of exploratory factor analysis, the three usage-needs satisfactions with brand community were classified as interest, transaction, and relationship needs. Brand community commitment was also divided into the multi-dimensional factors: emotional, continuous, and normative commitments. The regression analysis (using a stepwise method) was used to test the influence of 3 independent variables (interest-needs satisfaction, transaction-needs, and relationship-needs satisfactions) on the 3 dependent variables (emotional, continuous and normative commitments). The three types of usage-needs satisfactions are positively associated with the three types of commitments to apparel brand communities. Therefore, hypothesis 1, 2, and 3 were significantly supported. Moderating effects of apparel brand image on the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and brand community commitments were tested by moderated regression analysis. The statistics result showed that the influence of transaction-needs on emotional commitment was significantly moderated by apparel brand image. In addition, apparel brand image had moderating effects on the relationship between relationship-needs satisfaction and emotional, continuous and normative commitments to apparel brand communities. However, there were not significant moderate effects of apparel brand image on the relationships between interest-needs satisfaction and 3 types of commitments (emotional, continuous and normative commitments) to apparel brand communities. In addition, the influences of transaction-needs satisfaction on 2 types of commitments (continuous and normative commitments) were not significantly moderated by apparel brand image. Therefore, hypothesis 4, 5 and 6 were partially supported. To explain the moderating effects of apparel brand image, four cross-tabulated groups were made by averages of usage-needs satisfaction (interest-needs satisfaction avg. M=3.09, transaction-needs satisfaction avg. M=3.46, relationship-needs satisfaction M=1.62) and the average apparel brand image (M=3.75). The average scores of commitments in each classified group are presented in Tables and Figures. There were significant differences among four groups. As can be seen from the results of scheffe test on the tables, emotional commitment in community group with high brand image was higher than one in community group with low brand image when transaction-needs satisfaction was high. However, when transaction-needs satisfaction was low, there was not any difference between the community group with high brand image and community group with low brand image regarding emotional commitment to apparel brand communities. It means that emotional commitment didn't increase significantly without high satisfaction of transaction-needs, despite the high apparel brand image. In addition, when apparel brand image was low, increase in transaction-needs did not lead to the increase in emotional commitment. Therefore, the significant relationship between transaction-needs satisfaction and emotional commitment was found in only brand communities with high apparel brand image, and the moderating effect of apparel brand image on this relationship between two variables was found in the communities with high satisfaction of transaction-needs only. Statistics results showed that the level of emotional commitment is related to the satisfaction level of transaction-needs, while overall response is related to the level of apparel brand image. We also found that the role of apparel brand image as a moderating factor was limited by the level of transaction-needs satisfaction. In addition, relationship-needs satisfaction brought significant increase in emotional commitment in both community groups (high and low levels of brand image), and the effect of apparel brand image on emotional commitment was significant in both community groups (high and low levels of relationship-needs satisfaction). Especially, the effect of brand image was greater when the level of relationship-needs satisfaction was high. in contrast, increase in emotional commitment responding to increase in relationship-needs satisfaction was greater when apparel brand image is high. The significant influences of relationship-needs satisfaction on community commitments (continuous and normative commitments) were found regardless of apparel brand image(in both community groups with low and high brand image). However, the effects of apparel brand image on continuous and normative commitments were found in only community group with high satisfaction level of relationship-needs. In the case of communities with low satisfaction levels of relationship needs, apparel brand image marginally increases continuous and normative commitments. Therefore, we could not find the moderating effect of apparel brand image on the relationship between relationship-needs satisfaction and continuous and normative commitments in community groups with low satisfaction levels of relationship needs, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS From the results of this study, we draw several conclusions; First, the increases in usage-needs satisfactions through apparel brand communities result in the increases in commitments to apparel brand communities, wheres the degrees of such relationship depends on the level of apparel brand image. That is, apparel brand image is a moderating factor strengthening the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and commitment to apparel brand communities. In addition, the effect of apparel brand image differs, depending on the level and types of community usage-needs satisfactions. Therefore, marketers of apparel brand companies must determine the appropriate usage-needs, depending on the type of commitment they wish to increase and the level of their apparel brand image, to promote member's commitments to apparel brand communities. Especially, relationship-needs satisfaction was very important factor for increasing emotional, continuous and normative commitments to communities. However the level of relationship-needs satisfaction was lower than interest-needs and transaction-needs. satisfaction. According to previous study on apparel brand communities, relationship-need satisfaction was strongly related to member's intention of participation in their communities. Therefore, marketers need to develope various strategies in order to increase the relationship- needs as well as interest and transaction needs. In addition, despite continuous commitment was higher than emotional and normative commitments, all types of commitments to apparel brand communities had scores lower than 3.0 that was mid point in 5-point scale. A Korean study reported that the level of members' commitment to apparel brand community influenced customers' identification with a brand and brand purchasing behavior. Therefore, marketers should try to increase members' usage-needs satisfaction and apparel brand image as the necessary conditions for bringing about community commitments. Second, marketers should understand that they should keep in mind that increasing the level of community usage needs (transaction and relationship) is most effective in raising commitment when the level of apparel brand image is high, and that increasing usage needs (transaction needs) satisfaction in communities with low brand image might not be as effective as anticipated. Therefore, apparel companies with desirable brand image such as luxury designer goods firms need to create formal online brand communities (as opposed to informal communities with rudimentary online contents) to satisfy transaction and relationship needs systematically. It will create brand equity through consumers' increased emotional, continuous and normative commitments. Even though apparel brand is very famous, emotional commitment to apparel brand communities cannot be easily increased without transaction-needs satisfaction. Therefore famous fashion brand companies should focus on developing various marketing strategies to increase transaction-needs satisfaction.