• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.127-152
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• 2008

This study sought to explore how SMEs are utilizing EC. Drawing on existing research on IT and EC related field, this study presented the framework of EC utilization level and analyzed its affecting factors in the point of organizational perspectives; strategy and competency. The impact of EC utilization on firm performance was also examined by employing BSC. Structural equation model was applied to test the relationships among the theoretical constructs with data from 171 SMEs. The results showed that the rate of EC utilization in SMEs is growing quite rapidly. However, manufacturing related firms still remain at a lower level compared to service related firms. As for the two affecting factors of EC utilization level, it was found that the level of EC utilization appeared to be driven not by strategy but by competency. This result implicates that EC utilization in SMEs doesn't reach to strategic purpose yet, while it is dependent on firm's competency. As far as the impact of EC utilization on firm performance, the study showed that the level of EC utilization has significant relationship with all perspectives performance indicators of BSC. This study can provide the managers with current EC utilization pattern and the guidelines as to where to put the efforts in the EC utilization and how to get an effective EC utilization strategy in the future.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.377-384
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• 2009

This study was conducted to examine the effects of electrical conductivity (EC) and rootstock on initial growth and physiological response of grafted pepper in protected cultivation. The pepper (Capcicum annuum L.) cultivars 'Nokgwang' was used as scions, and the cultivars used as rootstocks were Capcicum annuum L: 'Kataguruma', 'Conesian hot' and 'Tantan'. The scion cultivar left ungrafted was used as a control. Two experiments were to examine the effects of the EC levels of nutrient solution on the growth and physiological response of grafted pepper, respectively. Nutrient solution was supplied with three level (1.5, 3.0, 5.0dS/m). By the change of nutrient solution EC level, the plant growth of all seedlings decreased with the increase in EC level. grafted seedling was grafted onto rootstock cultivar 'kataguruma' showed higher growth than the other cultivar at the EC 5.0dS/m level. But this result was slightly different by cultivation time (spring and fall). The total N and P concentration were increased with the increase in EC level, but the Ca and Mg concentration were decreased. Photosynthetic rate of ungrafted seedlings decreased at the EC 5.0dS/m level. But there was no difference between EC 1.5 and 3.0dS/m level. Grafted seedlings showed lower photosynthetic rate at the EC 5.0dS/m level. The activity of SOD do not have a uniformly tendency by the EC level. With the EC 5.0dS/m level, the activity of APX attained higher level than the other EC level. Further study will be needed to examine additional cultivation experiment for more variable rootstock, and development of rootstock for salinity tolerance.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.1B
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• pp.71-85
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• 2011

Saltwater intrusion effects of coastal aquifers in Korea peninsula were analyzed through trend analysis with groundwater level, seawater level, seawater temperature, and electrical resistivity(EC) data sets. Groundwater level and EC data sets from 27 coastal regions were collected and analyzed. Groundwater level was stable for all the regions however EC data showed stable or changing trends (9 increasing, 10 stable, and 8 decreasing regions). Seawater temperature was collected and analyzed for 14 regions and they are increasing for most regions (12 increasing and 2 stable regions). Seawater level was also collected and analyzed for 24 regions and is rising for most regions (18 rising, 3 stable, and 3 falling regions). Especially, west cost regions have stronger increasing tendencies of seawater level, seawater temperature, and EC than eastern and southern coastal regions. Therefore the saltwater intrusion problem can be serious for west cost regions in Korea peninsula and it is necessary to establish a plan to minimize the damages from saltwater intrusion.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.311-316
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• 2011

This study aimed to determine the effect of EC (electrical conductivity) levels of nutrient solution in hydroponic culture on allyl-isothiocyanate (AITC) content within plant tissues, Vitamin C content and physiological responses in wasabi plant (Wasabia japonica M. 'Darma'). The 'Darma' was grown for 5 weeks with a deep flow technique (DFT) system controlled at 5 different EC levels, including 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and $5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. In result, the highest total content of AITC showed at EC level 5 and $3dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ for 1 or 5- week, respectively. The total content of AITC increased about 1.2-1.4 times when the plants were grown in the EC levels between 0.5 and $2dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, whereas the content decreased about 6 and 56 % in the EC level 3 and $5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, respectively. The content of AITC was relatively higher in petiole tissue, about 53 %, taken from 1 week-grown plants when the EC was controlled between 0.5 and $2dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. Root tissue also had relatively higher content of AITC, about 45.1 %, when the EC was controlled at 3 and $5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. However, a 5-fold decrease in the AITC content was found in blade tissue and a 6.8-fold decrease in root when the EC was controlled at $5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ for 5 weeks. There was no significant difference in the vitamin C content in 1-week grown leaf tissues under the different EC level treatments; but, the content increased about 27% in 5-week grown plants at the EC level between 0.5 and $2dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, compared to the 1 week-grown leaf tissue. Electrolyte leakage of leaf tissue taken from 3-week grown plant was 3-fold higher at the EC level $5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, compared to the EC level between 0.5 and $2dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. Chlorophyll content, photosynthesis rate and transpiration rate were decreased when the EC was controlled at higher than $2dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. Leaf water content, specific leaf area and growth were decreased when the EC was controlled at $5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ for 5 weeks. All the integrated results in this study suggest that the EC level of nutrient solution should be maintained at lower than $3dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ in order to improve nutritional value and quantity required for hydroponically grown wasabi as functional vegetable.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2019

This study was carried out to acquire basic data for a long-term hydroponic culture through investigating water and inorganic ion uptake characteristics at different EC level of nutrient solution of three tomato varieties. Three different tomato varieties, the European type(cv. Daphnis), the Asian type(cv. Super Doterang) and cherry type(cv. Minichal), were used for the investigation. Also, the deep flow technique(DFT) was applied. The three different electrical conductivity(EC) level(1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 dS·m-1) of hydroponic nutrient solution were used as variable. At a high EC level of nutrient solution, the leaf area and fresh weight decreased in the early stage, and its growth(plant height, leaf number, leaf area, fresh-weight) was poor with salt stress. Result showed that the higher the EC level of the nutrient solution, the lesser was water uptake. The water uptake was not significantly different from varieties in the first survey, but In the second survey, the 'Daphnis' did not show a significant decrease in water uptake in the EC level higher than 2.0 dS·m-1., on the other hand, 'Super Doterang' presented very low water uptake. At a low EC level, N, P, and K, were absorbed more than the concentration of the irrigation water, while Ca, Mg, S uptake were low. At a high EC level, almost ions absorbed less than 50% of the initial concentration of irrigation water. Thus, imbalance among ions was severe at low EC level compared to high EC level. 'Daphnis' was a variety that effectively utilize nutrients under nutrient stress, showing high absorption at low concentration condition and low absorption at high concentration condition. However, 'Daphnis' suffered most seriously by absorbing nutrients excessively.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.21
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• pp.271-297
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• 2007

Since B2C EC websites not only become a valuable channel for selling goods to customers and for communicating with the potential clients, but also offer companies an important vehicle for attaining competitive advantages in the new digital economy, the design and content of website must reflect its business goals and customers' needs. However, as little empirical evidence on the effect of B2C EC website contribution of firm performance exist, the functionality of B2C EC website has been decided voluntarily from its business experience. Hence, there has been a call for a rigorous empirical studies to examine the function level of an B2C EC website application. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the function level of B2C EC website and its performance considering the characteristics of B2C EC strategy as moderating variable. 125 questionnaires from internet shopping malls which sell physical goods direct to an individual end consumer were collected. The results showed that four factors(price, product recognition, reliability enhancement, and purchase confidence) affect positive effects on the performance of shopping mall, and the characteristics of B2C EC strategy can be considered as a significant moderating variable between price factor and the performance of shopping mall.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.260-265
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• 2007

This study was carried out to complement water quality standards and to establish new concept for water quality standards reflecting current state of water quality in small streams. By this purpose, discriminant analysis was performed and Water Quality Level Model (WQLM) was developed using the data such as EC, BOD, $COD_{Mn}$, SS, T-N, T-P, $NH_3-N$ in 224 agricultural streams. To give water quality level for water quality parameters, it divided into 20% respectively in the order of excellent water quality. On the basis of the lowest water quality level, water quality level of small streams is granted. As a result of it, number of stream corresponding to Level I was no, Level II was 2 streams, Level III was 22 streams, Level IV was 70 streams, and Level V was 130 streams. Average of water quality in each level was the highest in Level V. EC, SS, and T-N of 7 parameters were selected in variance concerned water quality level. By standardized canonical discriminant function coefficient, EC of three variances was the highest in 0.625 at the discriminant power. The next was T-N (0.509), SS (0.414). By discriminant function for water quality level, Level II was equal to $-2.973+19.376{\times}(EC)+0.647{\times}(T-N)+0.009{\times}(SS)$, Level III was equal to $-3.288+19.190{\times}(EC)+0.733{\times}(T-N)+0.041{\times}(SS)$, Level IV was equal to $-4.462+27.097{\times}(EC)+0.792{\times}(T-N)+0.053{\times}(SS)$, and Level V was equal to $-9.117+40.040{\times}(EC)+1.305{\times}(T-N)+0.111{\times}(SS)$. As a result of test at real agricultural watershed of Jeongan and Euidang in Gongju city, the fitness of WQLM was high to 88.78%. But, to get accomplished water quality assessment more exactly in agricultural streams, we had to concentrate and get vast data, and WQLM was modified and complemented continually.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.18-38
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• 2001

This paper attempts to identify variables which affect Korean electronic commerce(EC) venture's strategies for the international market entry decision making. Especially in the perspective of quality management perspective, it is highly relevant question which factors are critical when the industry has high technology driven characteristics such as EC, product quality related factors or environmental factors. Technology competence, operational competence, local marketing competence, psychological barriers, domestic competition level, and local infrastructure level are included to generate the explaining model for international market entry decision. The result is that the higher technology competence and local marketing competence are the significant factors. The higher the perception in these factors, the higher the intention to enter the international market in EC industry. These factors play a pivotal role in determining to go abroad the foreign EC market. Our finding implies that the subjective confidence on quality of EC solution(technology competence) and venture's capability of maintaining it(local marketing competence) are the important factors, when EC ventures make the decisions to enter the foreign markets.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.52-60
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• 1992

The optimum management of nutrient solution needs the effective combination of fertilizers as well as the accurate control of nutrient solution. This study was attempt to make a supporting system for effective fertilizer combination by using computer and also to develop a EC predicting equation for keeping the EC of solution within the allowable range after application of combined fertilizers. The supporting system consists of three parts : (1) data bases, (2) rules for deciding the kinds and amounts of fertilizers and (3) main control. With input data, the main control automatically constructs the network connecting the related data bases and subsequently executes the operation of searching proper fertilizers through it. For more effective searching, fertilizers are classified into two levels(level 1 and level 2) in consideration of solubility, price, and frequency in use, and searched in that order. The EC prediction equation, a extended form of the Robinson and Stroke's theoretical equation only available for a binary electrolyte, is suggested for predicting the EC of the nutrient solution containing many kinds of inorganic compounds. The comparison of predicted and measured ECs showed good agreements with the high correlation between the predicted EC decrement by ion interaction and the actual one(limiting EC minus measured EC).

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.418-423
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• 2017

In hydroponics, the nutrient solution is supplied considering the water and nutrient uptake characteristics of crops. However, as the ionic uptake characteristics are changed as a result of the weather conditions or the growth response of the crops, the root zone can not be maintained in optimal condition. In addition, the coir substrate has been used mainly for the tomato cultivation in place of the inorganic substrate, there are few studies on long-term cultivation using coir substrate. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of EC level of irrigation solution on tomato growth and inorganic ions of root zone in soilless culture using coir. Coir substrate mixed with 5 : 5 chip and dust was used. EC level of irrigation solution was 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and $3.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. At the initial stage, $NO_3-N$, P, Ca and Mg in the drainage were lower than the irrigation level at 1.0 and $1.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. However, EC $2.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ or higher, all the ions except P were highly concentrated in the drainage. The average fruit weight was not significantly different between 1.0 and $1.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ until 3th cluster, but from the next cluster, the higher the EC level, the smaller the weight. The number of fruit and yield to 6th cluster was the highest at $1.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. From the next cluster, The yield was decreased with the higher EC level. At the early stage of growth, BER occurred only in EC $3.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, but increased in all treatments with increasing irradiation. The incidence rate of EC $3.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ was higher than that of the lower EC level treatment.