• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-23
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• 2003

General drug prices involve three stages: shipment stage, wholesaler stage and retail stage. Policies on drug price differ from country to country. Shipment stage prices are tightly regulated in countries like France and Netherlands. They are free in only a minority of advanced countries, even if these include some major players such as the US, Germany and, in a very limited sense, Japan. The situation in the UK is very complex with a semi-free system, where drug companies are free to set their own prices but cannot exceed a predetermined profit ceiling. Mark-up at both wholesaler and retail stages is formally admitted in most countries observed. Apart from the general drug prices, reimbursement price of insured drugs has been major policy concerns. Most countries reviewed in this study has exerted some control over reimbursement prices, but differ both in the way how and in the extent to which prices are admitted or fixed. Price fixing has been used in France and Japan. Some countries have transformed their system over time, particularly to move to reference pricing in the last decade. This mechanism has empowered the customer, and improved price competition on the market. Referring to the drug price policies in the advanced countries, this study makes some suggestions for the redirection of Korean price policy for reimbursement drug in health insurance as follows: to match appropriate policy tools to each policy goal; to maximize market mechanism through effective reimbursement price fixing which admits mark-ups in wholesaler and retail prices; to introduce reference pricing system in order to redirect patient's demand with a financial incentive to choose the best-priced drugs and to save the finance of health insurance; and to strengthen surveillance and monitoring mechanism in the drug market.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.78-97
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• 2009

This study examined the factors related to family caregiver satisfaction with institutional care services for beneficiaries under the Public Long-Term Care Insurance(PLTCI) system. Determining what contributes to family caregiver satisfaction is a critical step toward implementing effective quality improvement strategies. A national cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted from November to December 2008, using proportionate quota sampling based on the location and level of Long-Term Care of the beneficiaries. Total 1,745 family caregivers wrote informed consents and 733 (response rate 42%) completed questionnaires, which included caregiver characteristics, organizational resources, primary objective and subjective stressors, perceived quality of services, and family caregiver satisfaction. Family caregivers were satisfied overall with institutional care. In multiple regression analysis, there was a statistically significant difference in degree of family caregiver satisfaction according to caregiver characteristics(relationship to beneficiary), primary objective stressors (insurance type of beneficiary), perceived quality of services(respect to family caregivers' idea, ADL support, expertness of staff, careful concern of staff, fulfillment of client's requests, and safety of institution's environment). In public long-term care, satisfaction efforts are in an early stage of development. This study is meaningful as the first attempt to measure family caregiver satisfaction with institutional care for beneficiaries under the PLTCI system, and to identify factors affecting the satisfaction. Among the identified factors, the policy makers, the insurer, and the providers need to pay attention to perceived quality of services, in particular, to improve customer satisfaction. Our findings can provide quality care improvement initiatives in the public long-term care setting.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.344-354
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• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of national health insurance coverage of Chuna therapy in April 2019 on the costs and service uses in automobile insurance. Methods: This study used the claim data from Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. A total of 189,912 inpatients and 1,550,497 outpatients who received Chuna therapy covered by automobile insurance in oriental medical institutions were included. The analysis period was from July 2018 to December 2019, and a total of 18 months before and after April 2019, when Chuna therapy was covered by national health insurance. Interrupted time series analysis was applied to analyze the impact on the costs and service uses of Chuna therapy in automobile insurance before and after April 2019. Results: From July 2018 to December 2019, for 189,912 inpatients the cost and the number of times for Chuna therapy per capita were increased by 22.0% and decreased by 7.3% respectively right after the implementation of the policy. In the case of 1,550,497 outpatients, the cost of Chuna therapy per capita tends to be increased by 0.4% in overall study periods and increased 28.4% immediately after the implementation of the policy. Meanwhile, the number of times and visits for Chuna therapy per capita tends to be increased by 0.4% in overall study periods but decreased by 0.4% after the implementation of the policy. Conclusion: Results suggest that if the national health insurance coverage of oriental medicine services increases according to the policy stance for benefit expansion in national health insurance, the criteria for providing national health insurance benefits should be considered with the comprehensive impacts on the costs and service uses of automobile insurance.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.106-116
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• 2018

Recently, the role of the contact center for business-to-consumer (B2C) operations is becoming more and more important as the customer contact point. In particular, an Internet Protocol (IP)-based contact center system is made up of a complicated information system in order to accommodate various customer channels, in addition to the telephone, and to respond in real time. However, until now, evaluations of contact centers have focused on customer service-based research from inbound contact centers. We used the contact center as a measure of performance, focusing on indicators that have traditionally influenced customer satisfaction, such as response rates and service levels. There is insufficient research on the characteristics of the services that a contact center should have and on the evaluation models for information systems. The role of information systems is becoming important as the latest contact center, which has moved from the TDM-driven digital phone system center to the IP-based contact center, accommodates a variety of digital channels other than voice phones. In particular, as offline branches decrease due to the development of the Internet and mobile phones, non-facing responses to customers are important, so the contact center has influenced the enterprise. Therefore, we developed an evaluation model not only in terms of customer service, but also from information system and business aspects, using the AHP and verifying the evaluation model through empirical cases. In particular, content analysis was used to ensure objectivity of AHP evaluation items.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.83-92
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• 2014

Purpose - A business ecosystem refers to mutually dependent systems interconnected by a loose foundation of various ecosystem members such as customers, suppliers, partners, and other stakeholders. The ecosystem-based strategy attempts to achieve competitive advantage for firms by enriching a business ecosystem or building a sustainable business ecosystem through the collaboration and co-evolution of its members. A sustainable business ecosystem is a source of competitiveness for firms anda manageable resource for gaining a competitive advantage. Customers represent the core membership of the business ecosystem and play a pivotal role in building a sustainable business ecosystem. This study examines the effects of customer participation on economic and social value in the business ecosystem and suggests a course of action for building a sustainable business ecosystem. Research design, data, and methodology - Two business cases of South Korea are selected from two different business types: business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) firms. Business ecosystems for B2B and B2C firms reflect contrasting characteristics. Data was collected from in-depth interviews with four representatives of four firms. Results - The study suggested seven propositions for the relationships between customer participation and a sustainable business ecosystem through multiple case studies based on in-depth interviews. The results reveal the following four strategic actions for building sustainable business ecosystems based on the suggested propositions: alignment, systemization, socialization, and co-evolution. Alignment refers to achieving a harmonic balance or virtuous circle among the firm's mission, investment, and value creation. Systemization refers to building and implementing management and infrastructure systems rooted in the corporate culture. Socialization of customers in the business ecosystem reinforces the harmony or virtuous cycle. Finally, co-evolution is associated with the relationship between firms and customers as buyer firms in a restricted business ecosystem. Conclusions - This study considers multiple cases for the execution of a sustainable business ecosystem in collaboration with customers and suggests seven propositions and four strategic actions. The results are based on qualitative data from interviews with business associates from two firms in an open business ecosystem and two firms in a restricted business ecosystem, both in South Korea. Our research results regarding two contrasting business ecosystems shed light on business issues and policy making in Asian business environments, which are in the transition stages from a traditional conglomerate-driven to an inclusive growth-driven economy. The business ecosystem itself should be considered a manageable resource for firms' competitive positions in the market. A customer is a member of the business ecosystem and should thus be viewed not only as a purchasing entity and an object of relationship management but also as a co-creator of value. Therefore, firms should collaborate with customers to build sustainable business ecosystems. For this, firms must create social value, which cannot be created by customers alone, within the business ecosystem. Then, customers participate in a business ecosystem and build it to be favorable to them. Implications for academics and practitioners were suggested.

• East Asian Journal of Business Economics (EAJBE)
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.43-56
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• 2020

Purpose - This study is regarding customer service environment in casino marketing under a study on the factors affecting casino tourist satisfaction based on casino tourists' various needs. Research design and methodology - The study of casino tourism policy factors is proceeded by interviewing tourists of Macao casino. A total of 220 copies were distributed and 193 copies were collected, but 13 copies were not conceded due to insincere responses, and a total of 180 cases were analyzed for this study. Based on the analysis results, the casino tourism policy factors were derived through satisfaction level of casino tourist service as follows. Results - Firstly, the casino tourist satisfaction is a positive influence on casino visits, so efforts should be made to enhance tourist satisfaction when establishing cultural experience programs and casino marketing strategies. Casino culture for tourist should be matured to develop casino tour. In order to increase the satisfaction level of revisiting casino resorts, various cultural products such as clean environment should be developed to enhance the satisfaction level of casino visitors in the future. Secondly, a positive impact of cultural, experiential visits and psychological motivations affect to tourists' psychological stability through cultural experiences as well as casino games. Thirdly, casino tourist satisfaction has been shown to provide a positive impact on behavior intention. Conclusions - Based on the results of this research, the marketing of casino tour is to identify tourists' needs and increase satisfaction.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.187-199
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• 2006

The Kuroko-type seafloor massive sulfide deposits found in the western Pacific have been considered to have potentials for economic recovery of Au, Ag, Cu, Zn, and Pb. In this study, a preliminary model was developed for the technical and economic evaluation of them. The FRSC site on Lau Basin in the Tonga EEZ was selected as a target. In this study, no construction In for the metallurgical processing subsystem was accounted for. Instead, it was assumed to sell the Cu, Zn, and Pb concentrates to the existing sulfide customer smelter. The low total investment costs for the development make the venture very attractive. However, the result of the economic feasibility evaluation is still less attractive with the mean metal yield of the Kuroko on land. It is considered that commercial mining may be plausible if the richer metal yields are applied to the development. Quantitative information for metal yield is necessary for a more accurate evaluation. However, the important resource potential information regarding the amount of ore body, the inside structure, and the metal yields have not yet been clarified sufficiently. h addition, the flotation of ore body using seawater has not been tested yet. It is necessary to solve these problems through the experimental R&D and a survey.

• 한국디지털정책학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.33-40
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• 2007

The Customs Administration, unlike other administrative service, should respond to constantly changing external environment. The Customs has to actively adapt itself to government policy changes, economic changes and international environment changes to facilitate the flow of trade logistics and maintain trading relations wi th other countries. The purpose of this paper is to explain policy directions of the Korea Customs Service which enforces various policies related to tariff and non-tariff barrier elimination for the trade liberalization while the Korean government is pursuing FTAs on a multi-track basis. This paper aims to seek ways to apply FTA policies to the Korean society and economy in a smooth manner. First of all, this paper examines changes in Customs administration brought by the proliferation of FTAs to such areas as FTA negotiations, import/export management, duties and taxes collection, drawback reduction/exempt ion of duty application area of preferential tariff rate and country of origin management. Then, the paper sets FTA missions of "supporting Customs Administration to lead the new trend of free trade environment" after analyzing the environment changes. To achieve the FTA mission mentioned above, the KCS designated 4 strategies and 40 implementation tasks. The 4 strategies are named "4C Strategies" taking initial letters from Client-oriented, Customized procedures, Cooperation and Constitution. "4C" also refers to Foresee(strategies to foresee the successful establishment of FTA policies) or For C(Customer or Customs). The KCS will continue to create new tasks through various channels and monitor their implementation process, and to help FTA regime successfully take root in Korea.

• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.63-89
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• 2013

The purpose of this paper is to explain the entropic measures could cause the organization to increase the entropy. The organization as an open system has a tendency to input new energy to adapt itself to the change in its surroundings. This intention of inputting energy into organization is based on the second law of thermodynamics, the laws of entropy.Entropy is a measure of disorder, or a measure of progressing towards thermodynamic equilibrium. The entropy of an isolated system increases. Organizations have to open to their environment, have to do something to reduce their entropy. But, this attempt to reduce entropy entails another entropy. This study shows the side effects by giving examples of illegal receipt of worker's compensation insurance. The implications through the cases of illegal receipt of workers' compensation are as follows. Firstly, organizational policy is that inaction in itself may be the best policy, unless we always think the action best. Secondly, public organization should be careful in substituting business management in the private sector such as customer satisfaction(CS) for the value in public sector. Thirdly, the setting the expiration date of organizational policy could be the way to slow down the degree of entropy.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.15-28
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• 2022

Recently, government agencies are actively adopting the platform model as a means of public policy. However, existing studies on the public platform are minimal and have focused on user experiences or the possibility of public usage of the platform model. Now the research concerning building governance structure and utilizing network effects of the platform after adopting the platform model in the public sector is keenly required. This study intended to ignite academic dialogue on the governance of public platforms in the context of digital transformation. This study focused on a case of the 'Special delivery,' a public delivery app established by Gyeonggi-do. In order to analyze the characteristics of the public platform and its governance structure, data were collected from press releases, policy reports, and news articles. Data was analyzed using the frame of Hagui's platform design factors and Ansell & Gash's collaborative governance model. The results of the public platform analyses showed 1) incompleteness in the value trade-off accounting, which was designed for platform business based on general cost-benefit analysis, and 2) a closed governance structure that limits direct participation of diverse user groups(i.e., service provider, customer) in order to enhance providers' utility by preventing customers' excessive online activities. The results of this study provided theoretical and policy implications regarding designing the strategy for accounting for value trade-offs and functioning governance structure for public platforms.