• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.49-57
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• 2014

Purpose - Theorists and researchers in the area of customer satisfaction generally agree that product satisfaction intervenes between expectancy disconfirmation and various post-purchase cognitive states including attitude and behavioral intention. Studies in a variety of settings have supported the effect of expectation and its disconfirmation on satisfaction, but only a small number of studies address the cognitive consequences of satisfaction decisions and none report data on choice processes such as brand selection. This study examines the influence of satisfaction and its determinants on behavioral intention and product preference in eight coffee shops across the country. Generally it was found in both overall and summed attribute analyses that satisfaction was a function of expectation and disconfirmation, that intention was a function of satisfaction, and that preference was influenced by satisfaction and disconfirmation, the latter having the greater effect. Research design, data, and methodology - The main objective of this study was to assess the dimensions of consumer selection and satisfaction in choosing a coffee shop. In order to achieve this objective, a study of coffee shops across the country was conducted. This study comprised in-depth questionnaires distributed to coffee shop customers. A survey was conducted from September 1, 2011 to September 30, 2011, involving franchise coffee shop, independently owned coffee shop, and roastery coffee shop customers. Results - Hypothesis 1-1, which states that coffee shop choice attributes differ based on the type of coffee shop, is accepted. It has a significance level of 0.05, according to choosing properties of coffee shop by convenience of transportation, varieties of beans, residence of the owner (manager), information, and relationships. Hypothesis 1-2, which states that satisfaction with the choice factor differs depending on the type of coffee shops, is accepted. The P-values for cleanliness and varieties of beans were 0.04 and 0.00, respectively, and have a significance level of 0.05, according to the satisfaction with the chosen coffee shop. Hypothesis 2-1, which states that the importance of the choice attributes in coffee shop selections differs based on the demographic characteristics of the customers, is accepted. According to the t-test result, convenience of parking and residence of the owner (manager) are significant. Hypothesis 2-2, which states that satisfaction with the choice factor will differ depending of the type of coffee shop, is accepted. According to the t-test result, convenience of parking and residence of the owner (manager) are significant. Conclusions - This study has shown that intention to revisit a certain shop is most likely correlated to satisfaction in all cases. In order to offer subsequent developments for coffee shops, this study also identifies relations between customer satisfaction and selection by finding significant factors. In order to maximize customers' satisfaction, coffee shops should analyze and satisfy customers' needs and wants in terms of coffee service. While the findings do not generalize beyond the mall sampling procedure used here, we have hopefully identified a close approximation of the process of satisfaction decisions used by consumers generally.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.7-16
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• 2014

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to target Chinese consumers of Korean agri-food through the analysis of agri-food brand identity images to set future directions for proposed agri-food exports to China. Since negotiations began for a free trade agreement (FTA) between Korea and China, some Koreans have worried about the Korean agriculture sector. The world trading system has undergone many changes in recent years. Since the start of FTA negotiations on agriculture, China and Korea have faced a heightened sense of crisis. China is trying to export agricultural products so actively that its agricultural exports could increase by more than 7% annually. China exported about one-tenth of its agricultural products to Korea in the period 2002-2010. Recently, the importance of brand identity has tended to increase, as the world becomes one unified market. In this situation, we should try to promote agri-food exports to China. It is very important to understand consumers' recognition of Korean food and the image of the Korean agri-food industry, to establish an export strategy. Research design, data, and methodology - This study targeted 2,800 adult men and women aged 25-59 years living in four major cities in China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Qingdao) with a household income within the top 10% level in the China, using the one-to-one interview survey method. In addition, four groups by region (eight people per group) for a total of 32 groups were surveyed by using the focus group interview (FGI) research method, and impressions of imported agri-food were surveyed using 17 questions about fresh agri-food and 22 questions on processed agri-food. Factor analysis, brand positioning, biplot analysis, and so on, were carried out based on the results of these surveys. This research presents the brand identity of Korean food; according to the analyses, the brand identity is based on trust, safety, and attractiveness. Result - Factor analysis results showed that Chinese consumers expect four major qualities in imported fresh agri-food: freshness/safety, attractive appearance, premium branding, and excellent taste/quality. In the case of processed agri-food, it turned out that Chinese consumers are focused on safety/hygiene/freshness, health, and taste. In addition, in the fresh agri-food analysis by country, American foods had the upper hand; the image of American foods was also recognized as the most positive for processed agri-food. Meanwhile, according to the biplot analysis, Korean agri-food is strongly preferred for its appearance, but no country is strongly preferred as regards the level of freshness/safety that is expected by Chinese consumers. Conclusions - In this study, we analyzed the image of imported agri-food expected by Chinese consumers by reconstructing agri-food characteristics from the brand perspective. The research result shows that a Korean brand identity must be the ultimate goal for activities undertaken to enhance the image of Korean agri-food in the future. Additional research is needed because brand image can be formed through various channels.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.57-66
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• 2017

Using bidding data collected from the World Bank's open database, this research performed a series of competitive analyses of the major countries that have participated in the Bank's engineering consulting services contracts in Vietnam. The goal of the analysis was to evaluate the performance of Korean engineering firms to date, and provide strategic recommendations for future projects. Results showed that Korean firms had a high bid acceptance rate, comparable to major developed countries. The success was attributed to the high technical scores in the selection process. Comparatively, financial scores were not competitive and inferior to developing countries such as China and India. Results of a 'Skitmore' analysis revealed that Korea was competitive in medium size projects and were situated between developed and developing countries. Korea thus needs to increase participation in basic and detailed design services, 2) improve labor costs through 'localization' and latest technologies, and 3) and venture into larger sized projects.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.371-380
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• 2017

PURPOSE. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the stress distribution in Locator attachments in mandibular two-implant overdentures according to implant locations and different loading conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Four three-dimensional finite element models were created, simulating two osseointegrated implants in the mandible to support two Locator attachments and an overdenture. The models simulated an overdenture with implants located in the position of the level of lateral incisors, canines, second premolars, and crossed implant. A 150 N vertical unilateral and bilateral load was applied at different locations and 40 N was also applied when combined with anterior load at the midline. Data for von Mises stresses in the abutment (matrix) of the attachment and the plastic insert (patrix) of the attachment were produced numerically, color-coded, and compared between the models for attachments and loading conditions. RESULTS. Regardless of the load, the greatest stress values were recorded in the overdenture attachments with implants at lateral incisor locations. In all models and load conditions, the attachment abutment (matrix) withstood a much greater stress than the insert plastic (patrix). Regardless of the model, when a unilateral load was applied, the load side Locator attachments recorded a much higher stress compared to the contralateral side. However, with load bilateral posterior alone or combined at midline load, the stress distribution was more symmetrical. The stress is distributed primarily in the occlusal and lateral surface of the insert plastic patrix and threadless area of the abutment (matrix). CONCLUSION. The overdenture model with lateral incisor level implants is the worst design in terms of biomechanical environment for the attachment components. The bilateral load in general favors a more uniform stress distribution in both attachments compared to a much greater stress registered with unilateral load in the load side attachments. Regardless of the implant positions and the occlusal load application site, the stress transferred to the insert plastic is much lower than that registered in the abutment.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.59-71
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• 2014

Purpose. Medical tourism is recently becoming a new industry with great growth potential. The South Korean government is shifting medical tourism from simple cultural tourism to a high value-added industry with a new paradigm. Methods. The government has been providing positive support and marketing policies since the introduction of the article concerning foreign patient attraction to the medical law in 2009, and various types of medical institutions around the country has participated actively in medical tourism by themselves or in cooperation of government bodies and made increasingly greater performance. Results. This study obtained the following results. The medical institutions in Korea have been making efforts to see more development and profitability in diverse ways, including medical tourism for foreign patients and the advance of the Korean medical institutions into foreign markets. However, many local governing bodies and medical institutions participating in medical tourism around the country have primarily focused on examination and treatment on the basis of foreign patients' visit to South Korea and rarely built a medical network with other countries directly for medical tourism. This study presents a case of building a local medical network and a network for international medical tourism successfully on the basis of the local medical association, CMP, which has been formed naturally in Busan. The success factors for CMP included 1) enthusiasm of the official in charge; 2) the medical level, the service level, and open-mindedness of participant medical institutions; 3) cost efficiency due to executive office management with no costs, no conflicts, and constant partnership; 4) security of non-competitive expertise for participants; 5) local factors of CMP; 6) participation of good agencies; 7) reinforcement of participation networks; and 8) post facto management and local doctor management. Conclusions. Its positive effects included patient introduction and greater profitability on an internal basis as well as construction of the collaboration system with the institutions related to medical tourism and confidence. However, there are some limitations: it is still difficult to predict performance due to the short period of their activities, and it is necessary to continue to observe their constant activities since a single medical association was involved.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.106-120
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• 2015

Along with economic growth which affects to the overall increase in income level within society, more permissible leisure time, and change in values of the life style directly affected to the more demand of performance arts. The theaters where the performance contents are actually accomplished have been built with various objectives and now there are 232 of performing art theaters are in operation at various locations over the country. The purpose of this research is to identify behavioral factors regarding how the preferable choice were made from the various type of the performance arts, study for the correlation on post behavior customer based on the survey conducted at Sori Art Center. As a result of this research, there were strong correlation were identified between how the preferable choice were made among the various type of performance and Customer's intend of returning visit /perceivd value. In addition to the aforementioned result, the survey result shows that the excellence of the facility, hospitality level of the staffs, and additional customer services were the meaningful positive factors and user convenience/subsidiary facilities were negative factors to the overall service quality control activities. The research reveals meaningful correlations between quality of the customer service factors and how the preferable choice were made by customer that lead to strategic plan which will increase competitiveness of the Sori Art Center. Extensive research for the Sori Art Center which represents cultural power of the local community would be exemplary case not only for the art centers in metropolitan area but also other local areas within the country.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.111-133
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• 2006

This study was examined to reveal the medical Science of Balhae which was not well displayed until now. For this, the category of the medical science of Balhae(渤海) was decided in diachronic and synchronic perspective and the concrete contents of the medical science of Balhae(渤海) was presumed. Balhae(渤海) succeeded to the medical science of Koguryo(高句麗) and its orthodoxy. Through the interchange between Balhae(渤海) and the country as Dang(唐) and Shilla(新羅), Balhae(渤海) accepted new medical knowledge. Balhae(渤海) had a customs to eat a cake made of rice flour and artemisia paste on the Tano Festival(端午) to overcome its constitutional character. And medicines as Gon-po(昆布), Doo-shi were treated valuable. and they used Ondol(溫突). Balhae(渤海) advanced suigeneris abscess medicine(治腫醫學), and they valued much of Hyangyak(鄕藥). And they took the serious view on the scripture in the education and on the simplic in the clinic. It shows Balhae(渤海) had the unique medical tradition of our nation. The medical institution and medical educational system of Balhae(渤海) was fundamental to that of Koguryo(高句麗), and it was established in the reference of the system of Dang(唐) and Shilla(新羅). It influenced the establishment of medical system and medical education of Corea(高麗) later on. And the medical doctor of the Balhae(渤海) who was dispatched to Japan imparted the advanced medicine of Balhae(渤海) and it was fundamental to the Japanese medical development. Balhae(渤海) produced superior acupuncture on the basis of superior materials which are represented as metalwork technology and Corea-copper(高麗銅) which are handed down from the Old-Chosun(古朝鮮) and Koguryo(高句麗). And we can suppose the level of Balhae(渤海) through the fact that the acupunctual technique of Koguryo(高句麗) was spread out to the nearby country. By the tradition of acupuncture and moxibustion, the theory of Bi-bo(裨補) that cure a disease on the theory of acupuncture and moxibustion appeared in the north and south branch period(南北國時代). And we can prusure the level of acupuncture of Balhae(渤海) through this fact. Balhae(渤海) educated herbal medicine with priority given to Shin-nong-bon-cho-kyong(神農本草經) stand on the serious view on the scripture. They produced a various herbs on the basis of broad territory and suigeneris herbal medicine. It is famous herb of Balhae(渤海), that To-sa-ja, Gon-po(昆布), Doo-shi, Ginseng(人蔘), Woo-hwang(牛黃), Song-ja(松子), Hwang-myung-kyo (黃明膠), Baek-bu-ja(白附子), Sa-hyang(麝香), Honey(蜜).

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.101-113
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• 2011

Objectives : Trend of R&D of herbal medicine for dementia treatment was examined based on the quantitative information analysis for establishing the national strategy of research on dementia treatment with oriental medicine. Methods : Definition was made to clarify the technology for development of herbal medicine for dementia treatment. Based on the initial keyword provided by experts in the field, queries were compounded to conduct search in the search engines of WoS and DWPI. The raw data (papers or patents) extracted from the initial search were examined by expert-review before objects of analysis were determined. Then, the accumulated data was analyzed in terms of year, country and organization, which led to examination of the trend of R&D. And the research performance evaluation for dementia treatment technologies was also made in terms of country, organization and researcher based on the forward citation analysis. The international cooperation intensity was examined on the basis of analysis of network by researcher before analysis results were put together to select lead researchers. Results : According to the quantitative information analysis of 1,330 articles that were selected as analysis objects, the number of papers on natural products research for dementia treatment has increased by around 4.6 times in recent five years. This indicates that the intensive studies have been underway recently. It was found to be the US that had the highest level in research filed of herbal medicine for dementia treatment and the highest capacity of international cooperation for that purpose. On the contrary, Korea had the share of papers at 5.1%, the number of countries in cooperation research at 8, and the article quality index at 0.40, showing that the qualitative level was insufficient, compared to the quantitative outcome. In particular, Korea was found to have no intensity of international cooperation among researchers. In case of patent, the results of information analysis of 305 patents selected as analysis objects demonstrated that China had the highest share while Korea had the very low frequency of patent application quantitatively. Conclusions : In this study, the research to develop herbal medicine for dementia treatment has recently drawn much attention that has spread around the globe. Therefore, these results suggest establishing the strategy to develop technology for dementia treatment with oriental medicine in the future based on quantitative information analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.1031-1040
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• 2021

In this study, the actual condition of ultrasound examination was conducted for radiological technologist working across the country. The measuring tool of the study was a questionnaire, and it was targeted to radiological technologist engaged in ultrasound examination at medical institutions located across the country from February 01 to July 31, 2021. In consideration of the COVID-19 situation, 431 questionnaires suitable for research were analyzed using the SPSS/PC Ver 18.0 program using email and SNS in a non-face-to-face manner. The general characteristics of study subjects, ultrasound examination job characteristics, and job satisfaction factors were analyzed using descriptive statistics. As a result of analyzing the job characteristics of radiological technologist who perform ultrasound examination as overall job satisfaction, the overall job satisfaction was 3.30 ± 0.56. The job satisfaction level of radiological technologist performing ultrasound examinations was higher than the average of 3.0 points, indicating a higher job satisfaction level than the average. Since insurance coverage for ultrasound examinations started, many radiological technologists have been very interested in ultrasound examination work. Therefore, the Korean radiological technologists of Association and radiological technolgists engaged in ultrasound examination more attention and effort should be put into strengthening professionalism.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.45-64
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• 2022

Purpose - This paper examines South Korea's potential status as a carbon leakage country, and the level of risk posed by the Korean emissions trading scheme (ETS) for Korean industries. The economic effects of border carbon adjustments (BCAs) to protect energy-intensive Korean industries in the process of achieving the carbon reduction target by 2030 through the Korean ETS are also analyzed. Design/methodology - First, using the Korean Input-Output (IO) table, this paper calculates the balance of emissions embodied in trade (BEET) and the pollution terms of trade (PTT) to determine Korean industries' carbon leakage status. Analyses of the risk level posed by carbon reduction policy implementation in international trade are conducted for some sectors by applying the EU criteria. Second, using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, three BCA scenarios, exemption regulations (EXE), reimbursement (REB), and tariff reduction (TAR) to protect the energy-intensive industries under the Korean ETS are addressed. Compared to the baseline scenario of achieving carbon reduction targets by 2030, the effects of BCAs on welfare, carbon leakage, outputs, and trading are analyzed. Findings - As Korea's industrial structure has been transitioning from a carbon importing to a carbon leaking country. The results indicate that some industrial sectors could face the risk of losing international competitiveness due to the Korean ETS. South Korea's industries are basically exposed to risk of carbon leakage because most industries have a trade intensity higher than 30%. This could be interpreted as disproving vulnerability to carbon leakage. Although the petroleum and coal sector is not in carbon leakage, according to BEET and PTT, the Korean ETS exposes this sector to a high risk of carbon leakage. Non-metallic minerals and iron and steel sectors are also exposed to a high risk of carbon leakage due to the increased burden of carbon reduction costs embodied in the Korean ETS, despite relatively low levels of trade intensity. BCAs are demonstrated to have an influential role in protecting energy-intensive industries while achieving the carbon reduction target by 2030. The EXE scenario has the greatest impact on mitigation of welfare losses and carbon leakage, and the TAF scenario causes a disturbance in the international trade market because of the pricing adjustment system. In reality, the EXE scenario, which implies completely exempting energy-intensive industries, could be difficult to implement due to various practical constraints, such as equity and reduction targets and other industries; therefore, the REB scenario presents the most realistic approach and appears to have an effect that could compensate for the burden of economic activities and emissions regulations in these industries. Originality/value - This paper confirms the vulnerability of the Korean industrial the risk of carbon leakage, demonstrating that some industrial sectors could be exposed to losing international competitiveness by implementing carbon reduction policies such as the Korean ETS. The contribution of this paper is the identification of proposed approaches to protect Korean industries in the process of achieving the 2030 reduction target by analyzing the effects of BCA scenarios using a CGE model.