• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2019

Purpose - This paper empirically investigates the competition effect of exports between Korea and China in their common-export markets considering market sophistication. Modern market sophistication includes an importing country's aggregate demand for products of high quality, design, novelty, eco-friendliness, and even IPR protection. Using an empirical analysis to identify the demand for product quality across countries, this paper estimates the effects of market sophistication on the competition between Korean exports and Chinese products. Design/Methodology - Our empirical model considers the relationship between an importing country's consumer sophistication and the export competition between Korea and China. This study employs the existing theoretical framework to identify the aggregate demand for product quality across countries. Using a quite direct measurement (the consumer sophistication index, our analysis investigates the differential effects of Korea's export market sophistication, particularly in markets where Korean exports are in competition with similar Chinese products. Findings - Our main findings can be summarized as follows: the negative effects of the export competition between Korea and China on Korea's exports are stronger in third markets where consumers are less sophisticated while the effects are not as pronounced in markets where consumers are more sophisticated. This result, however, best applies to differentiated goods which significantly vary in product quality. Originality/value - Existing studies focus on the supply side of production and make the assumption that the market preference for export quality is identical across countries. This paper attempts to evaluate the export competition between Korea and China from the demand-side perspective. This area of trade studies is underexplored both empirically and in theory, although the issue has long been important to Korean and world trade.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.237-251
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• 2019

This paper seeks to recommend strategic policy options geared towards enhancing sophistication level of Ulsan City's major export industries in the Republic of Korea. Ulsan's major export industries, including shipbuilding, automobile and petrochemical industries, turn out to be based mostly on low to medium technology with low R&D intensity suggesting relatively low level of product sophistication. Using a recent Eurostat high-tech industry classification table which suggests 9 high-tech industries, the paper identifies Ulsan's chemical industry as the only RCA industry. Focusing on chemical industry products at HS 6-digit level, specific products are identified at the efficiency frontier for future policy considerations.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.37-59
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• 2021

Purpose - Although models of innovation and exporting dominate recent studies of relations between innovation and access to foreign markets, relations between innovation and foreign direct investment (FDI) are less explored. This is especially true of relations between types of innovation and FDI. We fill that gap in the literature with empirical evidence that clarifies whether firms enter foreign markets through exports or FDI. Design/methodology - In order to assess the role of innovation in firms' international engagement strategies, we develop research hypotheses and present new empirical evidence on firms' choice of entry - exports and FDI - based on firm-level data. Findings - Our empirical results suggest that the impact of product innovation is more significant in transition from being a purely domestic firm to an exporter, while process innovation more significantly affect transition from being an exporter to a multinational enterprise. Our results also support 'self-selection into FDI' rather than 'learning-by-performing FDI' in the relationship between innovation and firms' overseas expansion. Originality/value - Recent literature on the relationship between innovation and firms' participation in foreign markets is dominated by models of innovation and export behavior. However, foreign direct investment by multinational enterprises may also be associated with firms' innovative activities. We first analyze how product and process innovations influence firms' choices to initiate exports or FDI.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.205-229
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• 2014

Global production networks (GPNs) emerged as multinational companies strategically relocated different stages of their value chain over many regions. Since GPNs require moving materials, parts, components and finished products across national borders multiple times, as well as coordinating it efficiently, they are intensified further within an integrated region. Within the region, developed countries which enjoy a comparative advantage in higher value-added tasks specialize in the production of ICT parts and components and exhibit high export RCA indices while developing countries show high import RCA indices. But, as developing countries upgrade technological capabilities and achieve industrial upgrading through participation in GPNs, their level of sophistication improves. East Asian countries have participated in GPNs to a greater degree when compared to countries in other regions because of a variety of factors. They have benefited much as shown by a significant increase in the level of ICT sophistication and export shares, which in turn led to uneven regional developments of GPNs in the ICT parts and components industry.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.47-67
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• 2017

This paper analyzes industries of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk province of the Republic of Korea using the product space model that was developed mid 2000s on the basis of a network analysis framework. The study examines the structure of the product space for the 421 export items at HS 4-digit level after grouping them into 4 categories; classics, emerging champions, marginals and the disappearing products. The results suggest a significant structural transformation in the product space for the local industries and the scope and magnitude of such transformation was rather large. We were also able to confirm that the structural transformation of the product space differs from industry to industry and from group to group. While the approach used is not without shortcomings, our findings also indicate that information extracted from the world merchandise trade by way of product space indicators can be quite useful in identifying structural transformation of industries.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.33-40
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• 2017

Purpose - This study attempted to discover the impact of the Korea-China FTA(Free Trade Agreement) on electronic products distribution industry. Strategies will be provided to expand both countries' trade after the Korea-China FTA. Research design, data, and methodology - This study analyzed the differences before and after the Korea-China FTA, using an RCA(Revealed Comparative Advantage) index, TC(Technology Sophistication Index) index and TSI(Trade Specialization Index) that considered the FTA tariff situation. Data was collected from the International Trade Statistics Database and Korea, China Customs Service. Results - The results indicate that following the Korea-China FTA, China and Korea's bilateral trade of electronic products is expected to expand, and both countries will experience net welfare gains from the markets' expansion. Korea is competitive in several key products, although it faces competition from China. China's electronic products' competitiveness have indicated an increasing trend. Conclusions - The two countries should closely cooperate and communicate with each other. Ultimately, Korea should focus on high-tech, sophisticated techniques to gain market advantage. On the other hand, with the tariff decrease as well as the labor cost and labor force base, China will greatly be able to benefit from the manufacturing of medium- to low-end products in the future.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.203-224
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to review and analyze the protection measures for the importer's interests through the utilization of electronic delivery order(e-D/O) with the implementation of trade facilitation measures such as the simplification of customs procedures by the Korea Customs Service. The Korea Customs Service has been introducing several custom facilitation measures through the use of EDI system in the export and import processes. Korea has also already achieved a comparable level of sophistication in trade automation and custom simplification field. However, the full benefits of the trade automation and custom simplification measures have not yet achieved through the frequent illegal delivery of the imported goods in the bonded areas. Therefore, it is argued in this study that the introduction and the full utilization of e-D/O would help to reap the trade automation and custom simplification measures in Korea. In conclusion, it is emphasized that it would be very crucial for the Korean government to introduce the trusted repository for distribution of the electronic trade-related documents and the construction of the one stop single window platform for the trade and customs facilitation.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.237-256
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• 2017

The members of Food Valley in Netherlands recognised that the networking function is the most important among demand articulation, network formation and innovation-process support. Furthermore, SMEs expect the support of internationalization from Food Valley organization. It is expected that the function of Food Valley which can establish effective network and environment for open innovation will be more significant in the future. Our government also designated Iksan as a national food cluster for preparing the growth of international food market and promoting the effective growth of domestic food industry. As noted earlier in the case of Food Valley, the government should make Iksan Cluster focus on building network for innovation and development of domestic food industry through making innovative environment between food industry and local university. And then, this food cluster will become the center of export of food products and sophistication of domestic food sector.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.22
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• pp.137-165
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• 2007

It seems high time to increase productivity by adopting e-business to overcome challenges posed by both external factors including the appreciation of Korean won, oil hikes and fierce global competition and domestic issues represented by disparities between large corporations and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Seoul metropolitan and local cities, and export and domestic demand all of which weaken future growth engines in the Korean economy. The demands of the globalization era are for innovative changes in businessprocess and industrial structure aiming for creating new values. To this end, e-business is expected to play a core role in the sophistication of the Korean economy through new values and innovation. In order to examine business performance in e-business-adopting industries, this study analyzed the home shopping industry by closely looking into the financial ratios including the ratio of net profit to sales, the ratio of operation income to sales, the ratio of gross cost to sales cost, the ratio of gross cost to selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense, and return of investment (ROI). This study, for best outcome, referred to corporate financial statements as a main resource to calculate financial ratios by utilizing Data Analysis, Retrieval and Transfer System (DART) of the Financial Supervisory Service, one of the Korea's financial supervisory authorities. First of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of net profit to sales is as following. CJ Home Shopping has registered a remarkable increase in its ratio of net profit rate to sales since 2002 while its competitors find it hard to catch up with CJ's stunning performances. This is partly due to the efficient management compared to CJ's value of capital. Such significance, if the current trend continues, will make the front-runner assume the largest market share. On the other hand, GS Home Shopping, despite its best organized system and largest value of capital among others, lacks efficiency in management. Second of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of operation income to sales is as following. Both CJ Home Shopping and GS Home Shopping have, until 2004, recorded similar growth trend. However, while CJ Home Shopping's operating income continued to increase in 2005, GS Home Shopping observed its operating income declining which resulted in the increasing income gap with CJ Home Shopping. While CJ Home Shopping with the largest market share in home shopping industryis engaged in aggressive marketing, GS Home Shopping due to its stability-driven management strategies falls behind CJ again in the ratio of operation income to sales in spite of its favorable management environment including its large capital. Companies in the Group B were established in the same year of 2001. NS Home Shopping was the first in the Group B to shift its loss to profit. Woori Home Shopping has continued to post operating loss for three consecutive years and finally was sold to Lotte Group in 2007, but since then, has registered a continuing increase in net income on sales. Third of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of gross cost to sales cost is as following. Since home shopping falls into sales business, its cost of sales is much lower than that of other types of business such as manufacturing industry. Since 2002 in gross costs including cost of sales, SG&A expense, and non-operating expense, cost of sales turned out to have remarkably decreased. Group B has also posted a notable decline in the same sector since 2002. Fourth of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of gross cost to SG&A expense is as following. Due to its unique characteristics, the home shopping industry usually posts ahigh ratio of SG&A expense. However, more than 80% of SG&A expense means the result of lax management and at the same time, a sharp lower net income on sales than other industries. Last but not least, the result of the trend analysis on ROI is as following. As for CJ Home Shopping, the curve of ROI looks similar to that of its investment on fixed assets. As it turned out, the company's ratio of fixed assets to operating income skyrocketed in 2004 and 2005. As far as GS Home Shopping is concerned, its fixed assets are not as much as that of CJ Home Shopping. Consequently, competition in the home shopping industry, at the moment, is among CJ, GS, Hyundai, NS and Woori Home Shoppings, and all of them need to more thoroughly manage their costs. In order for the late-comers of Group B and other home shopping companies to advance further, the current lax management should be reformed particularly on their SG&A expense sector. Provided that the total sales volume in the Internet shopping sector is projected to grow over 20 trillion won by the year 2010, it is concluded that all the participants in the home shopping industry should put strategies on efficient management on costs and expenses as their top priority rather than increase revenues, if they hope to grow even further after 2007.