• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2022

Purpose: This study predicted cost asymmetry as a determinant of investment efficiency, and empirically analyzed the relationship between cost stickiness and investment efficiency. Research design, data and methodology: Using a sample of 4,382 Korean firm-year observations over 2011-2017 period, I examined the relationship between cost stickiness and investment efficiency. Asymmetrical cost behavior is measured as model of Homburg and Nasev (2008) and model of Park, Koo, and Pae (2012). Investment efficiency is measured as Chen, Hope, Li, and Wang (2011)'s model. Results: Firms with cost stickiness are less efficient in their investment than firms with non-cost stickiness. In other words, cost stickiness is an empirical result that supports the previous research on cost decision-making from perspective of managers pursuing private benefits due to information asymmetry. Conclusions: By showing that the manager's decision-making on the cost behavior affects the investment efficiency corresponding to capital management, the implications for the mechanism for efficient capital management are provided. Through the empirical results, it was shown that the cost stickiness is a product of opportunistic cost decision-making due to information asymmetry, and it is to present evidence that expands the meaning of the causes of asymmetric cost behavior.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.23-38
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• 2022

Purpose - This research intends to find out whether R&D cost stickiness shows differentiated aspects depending on exports in Korea. A cost behavior that indicates a lower rate of costs decrease when sales decrease than the rate of costs increase when sales increase is called cost stickiness. This sticky cost behavior is caused by considering the adjusting costs. This study aims to empirically verify that R&D cost stickiness is greater in export firms than in non-export firms. We also investigate the effect of exports on R&D cost stickiness is nonlinear. Design/methodology - We obtain data for the analysis from Kis-Value and TS2000 from 2012 to 2020. This study tests for R&D cost stickiness of exports using the cost stickiness model developed by Anderson et al. (2003) that is used in a lot of prior literature. To explore the nonlinear behavior of R&D cost stickiness we include a quadratic term of exports in our model. Findings - The results of our analysis are as follows. First, we observed that R&D costs of export firms are more sticky than that of non-export firms. Our result indicated that export firms are less likely to reduce R&D costs in decreasing sales periods in preparation for future sales recovery. Second, our empirical evidence shows that export firms view R&D costs much favorably. However, we hypothesize that the effect of export intensity on R&D costs may not necessarily be linear. Our result shows the effect of exports intensity on R&D stickiness is thus nonlinear, forming a reverse U-shaped curve. When export intensity exceeds a certain threshold, the growth rate of R&D costs appears to be viewed negatively. Firms with relatively high export intensity do not support R&D costs, viewing them as taking away firms' resources from other more productive costs. On the contrary, those with export intensity under the threshold view R&D costs as beneficial and therefore promote further R&D costs when revenue decreases. Originality/value - The results of this research can contribute academically to the expansion of empirical research on R&D cost stickiness. R&D cost stickiness varies by industry. As a result of our research, the managers of export firms recognize the importance of R&D to lead innovation. We expected that this research contributes to further studies on R&D costs and cost stickiness. Second, this research has implications from a business perspectives. Our findings of export firms' R&D stickiness suggest that export firms' managers should consider keeping the stickiness of R&D when revenue decreases because it is essential for exporting firms to maintain their R&D stickiness to secure long-term competitiveness. R&D stickiness can be used on a practical basis to emphasize the need for continuous investment in exporting firms' R&D activities.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.196-219
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• 2021

Purpose - We attempted to empirically verify the effects of managerial attributes on cost stickiness in exporters. Exporters are often affected not only by external factors such as exchange rate but also by internal factors such as managerial attributes regarding their business activities. Because cost stickiness is the product of a manager's decision-making, it has been considered that managerial attributes have a great influence on the behavior. Therefore, our study was intended to find out whether cost stickiness shows differentiated aspects depending on managerial attributes in exporters. Design/methodology - We considered two managerial attributes: CEO power and managerial overconfidence. First, CEO power was measured as CEO pay slice. In addition, managerial overconfidence was measured based on three methodologies presented by previous studies. To measure cost stickiness, we used multiple methodologies presented by prior research. Findings - The results of our empirical analysis are as follows. First, in export firms, the greater CEO power is, the greater cost stickiness is. This result suggested that export managers with great influence little respond to temporary sales decrease promptly, little reduce related production costs flexibly in preparation for future sales recovery, but leave room to endure costs for idle resources. Second, the greater managerial overconfidence is, the greater cost stickiness is. This result indicated that export managers with great overconfidence on their decision-making often view the prospect for sales recovery positively; therefore, they little respond to temporary sales decrease immediately, little reduce related production costs flexibly for future sales recovery, but leave room to endure costs for idle resources. Third, export managers with great influence in their businesses and great overconfidence in their decision-making tend to show relatively great cost stickiness. The results proposed that the combination of the two factors functions to make cost stickiness greater. Originality/value - Our study is differentiated from extant studies in that we provided empirical evidence of the effects of managerial attributes on their business activities in exporters. Specifically, we verified the effects of managerial attributes on cost stickiness in Korean exporters. The results of our study are expected to contribute to providing useful information for exporters and start-ups.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.93-118
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• 2022

Purpose - Export marketers may have incentives to attempt real earnings management to avoid low reported earnings. Therefore, we attempted to verify the relationship between cost stickiness and real earnings management in the context of export marketing. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from exporters that settle-accounts in December excluding financial businesses listed on the stock market from 2015 to 2019. Multiple regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. Findings - The results showed that there is a negative relationship between cost stickiness and real earnings management. In addition, the results showed that export marketers little attempt to offset the cost inefficiency caused by the increase in expense because of cost stickiness with opportunistic management activities through real earnings management. Rather, as the level of real earnings management appears lower, exporters showing cost stickiness are expected to report management performance based on actual marketing. Furthermore, exporters with a high level of managerial centrality or high managerial overconfidence little attempt to offset cost inefficiency caused by cost stickiness with real earnings management activities. Research implications or Originality - Our study is the first to investigate the quality of earnings information of exporters with cost stickiness. Based on the results, we suggested efficient marketing strategies for exporters.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.51-57
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• 2016

Purpose - If control-ownership disparity is large, managers will not actively reduce costs; rather, they will maintain unutilized resources or possess surplus resources even when sales decrease with the purpose of increasing personal utility from status, power, compensation, and prestige. These managers' utility maximizing tendencies cause cost stickiness. We examine whether asymmetric behavior related to costs becomes stronger when there is a large disparity between ownership and control rights. Research design, data, and methodology - We construct a regression model to examine the relationship between control-ownership disparity and cost stickiness. STICKY, a dependent variable representing cost stickiness is a value found using the method of Weiss (2010), and Disparity is an interest variable that shows control-ownership disparity. Results - This study is based from the unique situations in Korea, in which high control-ownership disparity is common in firms. Large control-ownership disparity was found to increase cost stickiness of corporations. Conclusions - The results of this study imply that controlling shareholders may be regarded as a threat to the interests of minority shareholders and corporate values especially when controlling shareholders have significant influence over managers or the power to make managerial decisions as owners of a corporation.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.36-42
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• 2021

This study aims to examine whether there are some differences in the cost stickiness of R&D expenses of IT companies before and after the COVID-19 crisis. Before COVID-19, IT companies did not reduce R&D expenses even if sales decreased, resulting in cost stickiness. As a result, it appears that during the COVID-19, IT companies adjust R&D expenses in proportion to changes in sales. This is interpreted as a reduction in R&D investment, which takes a long time to create results, in case of a decrease in sales due to uncertainty in future management performance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In other words, during the COVID-19 risk period, IT companies, like other companies, reduced R&D expenses as sales decreased, resulting in reduced cost stickiness. This study differs from existing literature in that it examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the R&D expenditure behavior of companies in the IT industry.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.539-557
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• 2012

This study purposes to analyze how the level of diversification affects cost stickiness behavior. Specifically, we document that cost stickiness behavior is bigger in case of firm with a high level of related diversification. The purpose mentioned above are empirically tested using 1,508 firm-year data listed on Korea Stock Exchange from 2000 to 2009 and regression analysis methods were used for the analysis of the research hypotheses. The following are the results of this study : First, the increase in SG&A(selling, general and administrative costs) as sales increases is greater than the decrease in SG&A in respect to the equivalent decrease in sales. Second, cost stickiness behavior is bigger in case of firm with a high level of diversification. Also, cost stickiness behavior is bigger as the level of related diversification increase. These results imply that the level of diversification effects on the cost stickiness behavior.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.339-346
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• 2022

Corona-virus(COVID-19), which has affected the world economy and Korea economy widely since 2020 could have an effect on management future perspectives. Thus this paper investigate whether the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on cost stickiness is contingent on operating uncertainty. By using the sample listed in KOSPI and KOSDAQ from 2018 to 2020. I find that COVID-19 increase cost stickiness when sales growth volatility is low. This paper contribute to the literature by providing the empirical evidence which contains that the effect of COVID-19 on cost stickiness varies with operating uncertainty.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.100-107
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• 2018

This study investigated the effect of corporate international diversification on cost stickiness. A cost behavior that indicates a lower rate of cost reduction when the volume of sales decreases than the rate of cost increase when the volume of sales is increased is called cost stickiness. This cost behavior is caused by decisions made by considering the adjusting costs of the manager, and for corporate international diversification, the decision making on the adjustment cost of the manager has been reduced by the offsetting accruals hypothesis. From the empirical results, we observed that the cost stickiness of international diversified companies decreases. It is expected to contribute to the capital market and academia by identifying whether corporate international diversification can have a significant impact on management decision making related to costs.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.25-38
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• 2022

The purpose of this paper is to verify the cost behavior of non-listed companies in Mongolia from 2013 to 2018. And we investigate the relationship between cost behavior and earnings management. Earnings management was measured using the Big-Bath and avoiding loss incentives. Big-Bath suspected firms report a very large loss and avoiding loss suspected firms have a bite profit. The results of this study are as follows. First, non-listed firms in Mongolia, operating costs(oc) and selling, general and administrative(sga) costs show the cost stickiness. Second, cost stickiness was different depending on the earnings management. The suspected avoiding loss firms have upward earnings management incentives, operating costs and sga costs all present anti-cost stickiness. The suspected big bath firms strengthen the cost stickiness of operating costs and sga costs. This study is meaningful in that it first analyzed the relationship between earnings management and cost stickiness of non-listed firms in Mongolia using empirical data. It will be meaningful in that it provides relevant information to those interested in research and investment.