• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.131-163
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to empirically analyze how social comparative learning of forum participants affects learning effects with an emphasis on participants' characteristics. As today's society is changing at a fast pace, the desire for new knowledge and information has grown accordingly. To quench this thirst for knowledge and information, seminars, symposiums, conferences, forums, conventions, exhibitions, and more are taking place as part of knowledge sharing events across the world. Also, the increased need for knowledge and information exchange has led the development and growth of the convention industry and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (Exhibitions)(MICE) industry. Especially, forum is a type of event which invites professionals and specialists to discuss diverse topics and share their knowledge and experience with the audience. The participants utilize it as an opportunity to get close to information providers and enjoy the pleasure of knowledge exchange. However, there have been few empirical analyses on who the participants are, why they attend forum, how they pick up and learn new information and knowledge, and what kinds of learning effects they achieve after the event. This paper is to analyze how social comparative learning of the forum's participants influences learning effects based on Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory (1977, 1997, 1982. 2001) and Leon Festinger's Social Comparative Theory (1950, 1954). By dividing the participants into two groups, one with high level of self-efficacy and the other with low level of self-efficacy, we have examined the differences in learning effects between the two groups using them as moderating variables. This study was conducted in 'MBN Y Forum 2016,' which is one of the most representative knowledge exchange forums of South Korea. An online survey was distributed out and, 1,307(39.2%) out of the total participants of 3,338 have completed the survey. The survey included questions about whether the participants have gained positive or negative motivations by comparing themselves to the speakers (upward comparison learning) and other participants (lateral comparison learning). The results have shown the quality of messages that the speakers are presenting as knowledge providers is the most significant factor that acts on learning effects. Particularly, the participants had higher levels of self-efficacy and self-esteem than average people. They had a clear goal to learn from the speakers (upward comparison) and received positive motivations from them. In other words, no negative learning effects had been found. This presents a managerial implication that having a qualified speaker is necessary for a forum to be successful. On the other hand, the results from the comparison with the other participants (lateral comparison) were different. The participants were likely to compare themselves to the other participants through observational learning. They could compare listening attitudes, language skills, or capabilities to ask a question. The results have showed the participants received positive motivations from the lateral group but at the same time were jealous of abilities of the others. When the quality of a question by a participant is not good enough, it can have a negative influence on the participants' learning effects. The first group with high levels of self-efficacy and self-esteem had no correlation to negative learning effects from the speakers. They rather had a strong desire to learn from the speakers. On the contrary, the participants perceived the lateral group as a learning subset and competitor. The second group with low levels of self-efficacy and self-esteem saw the quasi-group as a rival. This presents that the individual learning effects can be different depending on the participants' characteristics.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.77-96
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• 2011

An exhibition is defined as market events for specific duration to present exhibitors' main products to business or private visitors, and it plays a key role as effective marketing channels. As the importance of exhibition is getting more and more, domestic exhibition industry has achieved such a great quantitative growth. But, In contrast to the quantitative growth of domestic exhibition industry, the qualitative growth of Exhibition has not achieved competent growth. In order to improve the quality of exhibition, we need to understand the preference or behavior characteristics of visitors and to increase the level of visitors' attention and satisfaction through the understanding of visitors. So, in this paper, we used the observation survey method which is a kind of field research to understand visitors and collect the real data for the analysis of behavior pattern. And this research proposed the following methodology framework consisting of three steps. First step is to select a suitable exhibition to apply for our method. Second step is to implement the observation survey method. And we collect the real data for further analysis. In this paper, we conducted the observation survey method to obtain the real data of the KIDS & EDU EXPO for Children in SETEC. Our methodology was conducted on 160 visitors and 78 booths from November 4th to 6th in 2010. And, the last step is to analyze the record data through observation. In this step, we analyze the feature of exhibition using Demographic Characteristics collected by observation survey method at first. And then we analyze the individual booth features by the records of visited booth. Through the analysis of individual booth features, we can figure out what kind of events attract the attention of visitors and what kind of marketing activities affect the behavior pattern of visitors. But, since previous research considered only individual features influenced by exhibition, the research about the correlation among features is not performed much. So, in this research, additional analysis is carried out to supplement the existing research with data mining techniques. And we analyze the relation among booths using data mining techniques to know behavior patterns of visitors. Among data mining techniques, we make use of two data mining techniques, such as clustering analysis and ARM(Association Rule Mining) analysis. In clustering analysis, we use K-means algorithm to figure out the correlation among booths. Through data mining techniques, we figure out that there are two important features to affect visitors' behavior patterns in exhibition. One is the geographical features of booths. The other is the exhibit contents of booths. Those features are considered when the organizer of exhibition plans next exhibition. Therefore, the results of our analysis are expected to provide guideline to understanding visitors and some valuable insights for the exhibition from the earlier phases of exhibition planning. Also, this research would be a good way to increase the quality of visitor satisfaction. Visitors' movement paths, booth location, and distances between each booth are considered to plan next exhibition in advance. This research was conducted at the KIDS & EDU EXPO for Children in SETEC(Seoul Trade Exhibition & Convention), but it has some constraints to be applied directly to other exhibitions. Also, the results were derived from a limited number of data samples. In order to obtain more accurate and reliable results, it is necessary to conduct more experiments based on larger data samples and exhibitions on a variety of genres.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.45
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• pp.397-415
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• 2016

This paper will investigate how animated practice can be a research form as practice-led research in an ethnography approach. This practice-led research will explore the issue of the construction of contemporary identities (based on the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) and in particular, the Korean youth culture and identity, exemplified, for example, creation of 'avatars' in the virtual characters of animated online games such as Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games (MMORPGs). In this proposed discussion, I will argue that the sudden period of change in contemporary Korea bears some resemblance to the Victorian era as explored in gothic fiction (e.g. Jekyll and Hyde). In this sense, my animation investigates the connection between the fictional Jekyll and Hyde and a real murder incident by a young Korean boy, which actually happened on the 16th November 2010, in SouthKorea.I will, therefore, construct this practice-led research to obtain the primary data consisted of online and offline practices in 'social ethnography'. These practices engage with specific Korean youth identity, comparing the 'avatar' with the real lives of participants. However, this paper will only focus on the (ethnographic) research process and strategy, using animated (visual) practices, rather than giving the meaning of the specific case of 'Korean-ness'. Eventually, I will explore the four different animated representations as it presents the distinctive animated realties or documentaries by online and offline practices. My intention is to visually interpret the issue of 'Korean-ness' within its socio-cultural context, adapting the convention and code of Jekyll and Hyde concept into an animated documentary in the 'virtual' world (auto-animated documentary by recording avatar interviews and online game footages) and the 'real' world (self-created animated documentary, based on real people and events).