• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.95-118
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• 2009

Virtual community, which is formed on the internet, is expected to serve the needs of members for communication, information, and knowledge sharing. The executives of organizations should consider operating strategy of virtual community as a new innovation or knowledge pool since members share knowledge. However, many virtual community have failed due to members' low willingness to engage and furthermore to share knowledge with other members. Thus, there is a need to understand and foster the determinants of members' loyalty in virtual community. The objective of this study is to develop an integrated model designed to investigate and explain the relationships between contextual factors, personal perceptions of virtual community, usefulness, ease of use, familiarity, members' trust, reputation, community trust, attitude, satisfaction and loyalty. Empirical data was collected from 286 internet users and tested using structural equation modeling to verify the fit of the hypothetical model. The results show that the usefulness, familiarity significantly influences attitude and members' trust is significantly influence the community trust. And I confirmed that ease of use and attitude play the role of determinants in making the satisfaction, community trust and reputation influence the satisfaction that have the direct effect to making the loyalty. The results of the study can be used to identify the loyalty in virtual community. By investigating the impacts of contextual factors and personal perceptions on virtual community, the integrated model better explains behavior than other proposed models. This study might help executives of virtual communities and organizations to manage and promote community trust, attitude, satisfaction to stimulate members' willingness to revisit the community and futhermore enhance their virtual community loyalty.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2013

This study aims to measure oral health knowledge and practice level among dental clinic patients, and examine their relationships with decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMF) index and the oral health-related quality of life (QOL). Empirical data have been collected from 311 patients through structured questionnaires and dental examinations conducted in Busan area. According to the analysis of causal relationship, oral health knowledge turned out to have a direct effect on oral health practices, which exerted both direct and indirect effects on DMF index and oral health-related QOL. While DMF index directly affected the oral health-related QOL, oral health knowledge proved to have only an indirect effect on DMF index and oral health-related QOL, mediated by oral health practices. Considering all these findings, effective oral health education and other intervention programs should focus on motivating people to participate in the active practices of desirable oral health behaviors, which will lead to the prevention of oral diseases and the subsequent improvement in the QOL.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.141-164
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• 2020

With business environments around the world facing uncertainty and complexity, companies have focused on supply chain management as one of the essential elements in securing a competitive advantage. Successful supply chain management requires internal efforts to strengthen the core competencies of the company and the integration of individual functions in the supply chain. This study aims to investigate the effect of information sharing between companies on supply chain integration and corporate performance. The research hypothesis established in previous studies was analyzed using structural equation modeling. A total of 723 questionnaire responses were used to test the hypotheses of this study. We found that the integration and sharing of information between companies have a great influence on supply chain integration, which has positive effects on corporate performance at the operational and strategic levels, including finance, market share, and customer satisfaction. The integration of supply chains via information integration and sharing between companies can promote the flow of information, services, goods, and money. Therefore, if information is disconnected between actors in the supply chain, it will lead to negative effects on the management of the entire supply chain. On the other hand, if supply chain actors can share information efficiently in real time on one platform, they can expect to optimize the entire supply chain. Information sharing and integration at the strategic and operational levels play a vital role in supply chain integration, which contributes to achieving a company's performance targets and enhancing its competitiveness.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.65-76
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• 2015

Purpose - This article aims to present and test a model regarding franchisors' supporting activities that may positively influence franchisees' attitude toward the franchising headquarter and their own business performance. Moreover, the authors examine the moderating effect of competitive intensity between franchisee attitude and business performance. Most previous research focused on behavioral performance measurements such as satisfaction, trust, and commitment. There are few empirical studies that focus on financial performance data because it is difficult to determine a relational mechanism between behavioral and financial performance. Moreover, financial data is confidential and difficult to collect in many cases. However, this study measures financial performance (e.g., sales revenue per square meter) differently than most previous research, which is mostly focused on the behavioral performance measurements. Research design, data, and methodology - To test our hypotheses, we selected 137 franchisee managers who are running chains of one of the foremost bakery franchise brands in South Korea. This study carefully investigated the reliability, content validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the proposed instrument by analyzing the data obtained from the samples. The data was analyzed using the AMOS structural equation modeling program. Results - The results indicated that: non-financial support activities (e.g., information exchange and communication) had a positive impact on the franchisee attitude toward the franchising headquarter. The franchisee attitude in turn had a positive effect on the headquarters' business performance. Furthermore, competitive intensity could enhance the relationship between franchisee attitude toward franchising headquarter and business performance in a local franchise market. However, financial support activities (e.g., rewards and promotional support) and training had no relationship with either franchisee attitude or business performance. Conclusions - This study provides some practical implications to franchisors in terms of franchise operation and store opening strategies. With respect to the franchise operation strategy, franchisors need to focus on non-financial rather than financial support. Most franchisees consider the necessity of financial support activities and not their sufficiency because these activities are specified in their franchise contract. In addition, it is important for franchisees to maintain a positive attitude for the franchise headquarters. The franchisees with a positive attitude for the franchisor can show a high degree of solidarity for various support activities, and it consequently determines franchisees' sales performance. In terms of franchise store opening strategy, this study suggests an additional criterion that can be considered in determining the location of direct and non-direct management stores (e.g., franchisees' stores). In this research, franchise stores located within high level of competitive intensity are shown to have a high relationship between franchisee attitudes of franchisor support activities and business performance compared to the franchisees located within low competitive intensity level. This result shows that opening non-direct franchise stores is more effective than direct stores in higher competitive market situations. Research contribution, implications, and further research directions are discussed at the end of the paper.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.329-341
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• 2016

With the introduction of smart phones in the late 2000's, the audio guides of museums have been gradually replaced by the mobile apps of smart phones. Although many studies have been already conducted about the mobile apps in the fields of tourism or finance, it is hard to find empirical research on the mobile docent apps. This study aimed to investigate the influence of the various factors of mobile docent apps on user satisfaction and intention to reuse. For this goal, based on the review of literature and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), a research model was constructed that consists of information timeliness, information service quality, ubiquitous access, and interactivity, along with the variables of TAM such as perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness. A survey was conducted at Rodin museum in the United States where all the information about exhibitions is provided over a smart docent app. 210 surveys were collected, and 204 valid ones were used for analysis. The analysis using structural equation modeling revealed that information timeliness, information service quality, and interactivity have significant influence on perceived ease of use; ubiquitous access and interactivity showed significant impact on perceived usefulness. The perceived ease of use and usefulness then had significant impact on satisfaction and intention to re-use.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.59-68
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• 2019

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine the differential mediating effects of three dimensions of buyer trust in the influence of supplier characteristics on the relationship performance. In this study, transaction characteristics were classified into competences and assets. The corporate reputation is considered as intangible assets, the customer-linking capability is considered among the competencies and transaction specific asset is selected from tangible assets. This study is also to examine the moderating effect of technical environment uncertainty in the effects of integrity and benevolence on the intention to continue trading. This study aims to provide a guide on which dimension suppliers should manage and how to improve their trust in order to maintain business with companies in technical environment uncertainty. Research design, data, and methodology - The data for the empirical analysis of this study were obtained by interviewing the 274 purchasing managers of Daegu - Gyeongbuk small and medium enterprises. The items used in this survey were partially modified to fit the characteristics of the B2B industry. The reliability and validity of the variables were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 18.0 programs and hypotheses were verified through the structural equation modeling. Results - In this study, reliability was examined by Cronbach 'α test. Composite Reliability and Average Mean Variance extracted value exceeded the baseline values. As a result of hypotheses testing, the hypothesis that the transaction specific asset will improve the benevolence and that benevolence will improve the intention to continue the transaction were rejected and all the other 9 hypotheses were adopted include 2 moderating hypothesis. Conclusions - This study shows which dimension of trust suppliers should appeal to the buyer according to the uncertainty of the technology environment in order to maintain the transaction with the buyer. competence and integrity are important when technology environment uncertainty is low, and competence and benevolence are important when technical environment uncertainty is high. In order to improve competence, corporate reputation and transaction-specific asset are important. To improve integrity, corporate reputation and customer-linking capability are important. In order to improve benevolence, customer-linking capability is important. And various implications were discussed.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1185-1192
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• 2012

The typical operating temperature of an automotive fuel cell is lower than that of an internal combustion engine, which necessitates a refined strategy for thermal management. In particular, the performance of the cooling module has to be higher for a fuel cell system because the temperature difference between the fuel cell and the surrounding is lower than in the case of the internal combustion engine. Even though the cooling system of an automotive fuel cell determines the operating temperature and temperature distribution of the fuel cell, it has attracted little research attention. This study presents the mathematical model of a cooling system for an automotive fuel cell system using Matlab/$Simulink^{(R)}$. In particular, a radiator model is developed for design optimization from the development stage to the operating stage for an automotive fuel cell. The cooling system model comprises a fan, pump, and radiator. The pump and fan model have an empirical relation, and the dynamics of the pump and fan are only explained by motor dynamics. The basic design study was conducted, and the geometric setup of the radiator was investigated. When the control logic was applied, the pump senses the coolant inlet temperature and the fan senses the coolant out temperature. Additionally, the cooling module is integrated with the fuel cell system model so that the performance of the cooling module can be investigated under realistic operating conditions.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.37C no.11
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• pp.1064-1076
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• 2012

This study is an attempt to identify factors determining the success of international standardization and understand the relationship between the factors, such as government-driven standardization activities. Six factors were identified through factor analysis; namely, 'Direct government support', 'Indirect government support', 'Utilization of standardization bodies', 'Standardization strategy', 'Attainment of a dominant market power', and 'Adoption as an international standard.' The results showed that firstly, support from the government, whether direct or indirect, had no direct effect on the outcome of international standardization efforts, but produced an indirect influence on it through mediating factors such as the attainment of a dominant market power. Secondly, the attainment of a dominant market power proved to be the most important success factor of international standardization, suggesting that the government must direct its efforts to help boost the market power of target standards through measures like promoting a timely market entry and the development of high-quality standards, in a manner to induce market satisfaction, increasing lock-in effects and building a quasi-vertical integration system. Thirdly, direct support from the government holds the key to the success of international standardization with de jure standardization bodies, while the strategic use of standardization bodies appears the most important for the positive outcome of standardization concerning de facto standardization bodies.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.93-113
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• 2012

Early conflict research in channel and organization area have focused on the definition of conflict construct, its cause, consequence and identified conflict resolution management. Recent studies about conflict, however, have explored new assumption of complexity, a multidimensional conflict construct, contextual conflict management strategies, positive and negative conflict/consequence, and the conflict resolution strategy. Although many literatures exists on channel conflict resolution, little research has been done about relationship learning and performance from conflict resolution perspective. This study explores how channel members can achieve a relationship learning, as a conflict resolution mechanism, which enhance co-created value in marketing channel relationship. Therefore we propose that conflict resolution strategies(collaborating behavior and avoiding behavior) influence channel performance(effectiveness and efficiency) through relationship learning processes(learning via information exchange, joint interpretation and coordination, relationship-specific knowledge memory), in view of buyer-seller relationship. The research model is shown at

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.135-142
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• 2015

Purpose - Following the speedy development of the smart phone industry, tourism companies started to increase their brand recognition and sales volume by adopting mobile applications. However, applications for tourism industries are still insignificant. This study tries to analyze empirical evidence from Korean and Chinese consumers who have used mobile tour applications. By using an expansion of the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study will find what factors have effects on user intention for mobile tour applications. The findings will be helpful for the development of mobile tour applications and the tourism industries. Research design, data, and methodology - This study uses the TAM, which was presented by Davis in 1989. This study uses consumer acceptance level, consumer choice attitude, and use intention as the basic variables to fit to the TAM, and adopts choice content quality, brand value, and usage motivation as additional variables to analyze. This study has developed several hypotheses and collected data from 620 users who used mobile applications for tourism during April 1 to April 30, 2015. A total of 612 valid questionnaires were collected and used in the data analysis. The data was analyzed with structural equation modeling using SPSS Win/pc and Amos 22.0. Results - The findings can be summarized as follows: First, the content quality affects the consumer acceptance degree and choice attitude. Second, the brand value has a directly positive effect on the consumer acceptance degree and choice attitude. It is clear that the content quality and brand value play important roles in raising consumer acceptance and choice attitude. Third, usage motivation has no effect on the consumer acceptance degree and choice attitude. Fourth, the acceptance degree does not have any effect on the consumer choice attitude. Fifth, the acceptance degree affects the use intention. Last, the consumer choice attitude affects the use intentions. This indicates that consumer acceptance and choice attitude must both be achieved to induce use intention among consumers. Finally, the effects of the mobile tour application content quality and brand value on consumer acceptance degree and choice attitude were confirmed. Additionally, the effects of the consumer acceptance degree and choice attitude on use intentions were analyzed. Conclusion - It is not meaningful for tourism marketing to launch tour applications in the mobile market without understanding tourism consumer characteristics. When developing mobile tour applications, companies should focus on the characters of consumer choice attitudes as high quality, high brand value, usefulness, and ease of mobile tour applications. This study has limitations in that it did not consider negative factors such as perceived risks or analyze whether there are differences between Korean and Chinese consumers. In the future, we will consider equipping the same mobile tour applications commonly used by both Korean and Chinese consumers, and then examine negative factors as well as the differences in mobile tour applications between Korean and Chinese consumers.