• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.1-22
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• 2022

Purpose - This paper empirically investigates the effect of a rise in the global value chain (GVC) on the industry-level efficiency of resource allocation (based on plant-level inefficiency measures) in Korea, with a focus on various channels through which a rise in the GVC can increase competition among firms and thus induce resources to be allocated more efficiently across firms. Design/methodology - We empirically investigate the relationship between the industry-specific importance of GVC and the industry-level allocative inefficiency that is measured as the dispersion of the plant-level marginal revenue of capital (MRK) as in Hsieh and Klenow's (2009) influential model. We compute MRK dispersion for industries sorted by various characteristics that are closely related to firm/industry sensitivity to the GVC. In other words, we compute the average industry-level MRK dispersion for industries sorted by industry-specific importance of GVC and compute the difference between the two groups of industries (higher vs. lower than the median GVC); we also calculate the difference between industries sorted by industry-specific export (import) intensity. This is our difference-in-difference estimate of the MRK dispersion associated with the GVC for the export (import)-intensive industry versus the non-export (non-import)-intensive industry. This difference-in-difference estimate of the MRK dispersion conditional vs. unconditional on firm-level productivity is then calculated further (triple-difference estimate). Findings - A rise in GVC is associated with a decrease in the MRK dispersion in the export-intensive industry compared to the non-export-intensive industry. The same is true for industries that rely heavily on imports versus those that do not (i.e., import intensive vs. non-intensive). Furthermore, the reduction in the MRK dispersion in the export-intensive industry associated with an increase in the GVC is disproportionately greater for high-productivity firms. In contrast, the negative relationship between GVC and MRK dispersion in the import-intensive industry is disproportionately smaller for high-productivity firms. Originality/value - Existing studies focus on the relationship between GVC and aggregate output, exports, and imports at the country level. We investigate detailed firm/industry-level mechanisms that determine the relationship between GVC, trade, and productivity. Using the plant-level data in South Korea, we investigate how GVC is related to the cross-firm MRK dispersion, an important measure of allocative inefficiency, based on Hsieh and Klenow's (2009) influential economic theory. This is the first study to provide plant-level evidence of how GVC affects MRK dispersion. Furthermore, we examine how the relationship between GVC and MRK-dispersion varies across export intensity, import intensity, and firm-level productivity, providing insight into how GVC can affect firms' exposure to competition in the global market differently depending on market conditions and thus generate trade-related productivity gains.

• East Asian Journal of Business Economics (EAJBE)
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.1-13
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• 2019

Purpose - Based on transaction cost perspective and institution-based perspective, this research attempts to investigate the effect of outsourcing on a firm's performance and how it interacts with institutional context in which the firms operate. Research design, data, and methodology -With a sample of 164 manufacturing firms form South Korea, we examine the direct effects of outsourcing on the a firm's level of product innovation and internationalization and the moderating effects of competitive pressure and property right protection as important external factors that could affect the effectiveness of outsourcing decision. Result - The findings show that outsourcing not only enhance a firm's capability to concentrate on its core competencies, but also to increase a firm's combinative capacity to acquire external knowledge. Furthermore, we finds that in a highly competitive environment, potential knowledge spillovers to other competitors may attenuate the potential benefits of outsourcing. Conclusion - Outsourcing can enhance a firm's innovation activities by providing valuable access to external knowledge and also to complementary resources from the external partners, which in turn enables firms to focus on core competences.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.23-30
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• 2013

Purpose - The study attempts to investigate the relationship between inventory management and firm performance using a multi-dimensional aspect of inventory management with respect to lean management practices across countries. Research design, data, and methodology - 1643 manufacturing firms from Japan and the US that SIC ranges from 2000 to 3999 were chosen to conduct the empirical test. This study employs hierarchical OLS regression analysis to examine the impact of control variables, ABI, EBI, and the interaction between ABI and EBI on firm performance. Results - The result indicates that in Japan high level of inventory negatively influences the accounting flows of business, while US manufactures exhibit strong positive impact of ELI on firm performance across accounting and market measures. The results show that the complementarity between the amount and the speed of inventory does exist. Except for Tobin's q, the sign of interaction term coefficient is negative, suggesting that when the amount of inventory increases and it stays longer in a firm, market values, ROS, and ROA suffers. Conclusions - The major finding of this study is that there exist some complementarities between the scope and implication of inventory management for lean strategy across countries, particularly in U.S. and Japanese firms.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.987-996
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• 2021

The development of Internet technology can affect firm value through the use of social media by business people. Nowadays, social media affect businesses of all sizes in several different ways. Despite the various benefits obtained by using social media, research at the organizational level and its impact on business performance have not grown as fast as desired. This research aims to examine the effect of social media on oil and gas firms' value. The research sample consists of 9 oil and gas firms listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange 2013-2018. Social media proxies are firms' social media, other social media mentions, and social media sentiment. Firm value is measured by the market value to assets ratio. Data analysis uses a random-effect regression test. Based on the analysis, the social media account of a firm has a positive effect on firm value. It indicates that social media give advantages for oil and gas firms to give a signal of business prospect, make use of opportunities related to industry alliances, recruit employees globally, and c. On the other hand, the positive sentiment on social media has no effect on oil and gas firms' value.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.77-92
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to explore how IT routines influence firm performances. To do this, a research model are proposed which includes 5 constructs: firm performance, business process performance, IT infrastructure flexibility, IT personnel knowledge, and IT routines. It is presumed that the IT routines enhance other IT capabilities (IT infrastructure flexibility and IT personnel knowledge) and subsequently business process performance which in turn influence firm performance. Then, with 243 firm level data, the proposed dynamics were empirically validated and tested using PLS. The study result revealed that all the routes proposed in the model are statistically significant.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.75-83
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• 2017

Purpose - This study aims to find ways to have CSR efforts lead to a purchase decision. For this purpose, this research examines the influence of the perceived CSR proximity on the purchase intention and studies the moderating role of psychological distance. Research design, data, and methodology - A total of 185 undergraduate students from a university in Korea were recruited and were randomly assigned to the conditions of a 2 (CSR proximity: close vs. far) × 2 (temporal distance: near vs. distant) × 2 (information type: concrete vs. abstract) between-subjects design. ANOVA was conducted to test the hypotheses. Results - When consumers construe a purchase decision at a high level via the far psychological distance, a firm's CSR efforts are considered important for the purchase decision. Conversely, when consumers construe a purchase decision at a low level via the near psychological distance, a firm's CSR efforts are not considered for the purchase decision. Conclusions - This research demonstrates that people have a greater intention to purchase products from a firm whose CSR proximity is perceived as being close rather than far. Furthermore, this study shows that the psychological distance moderates the effect of CSR proximity on the purchase intention.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.25-37
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• 2022

Investment decisions are one of the most fundamental issues in financial management. This study aims to determine the factors that affect investment decisions in the energy industry and to contribute to the companies in this industry to develop strategic policies. The System GMM analyzes were carried out using the data of companies registered on the stock exchange for the period 2000-2015. The findings showed that industrial competition and firm size were important factors influencing the investment decisions of firms in the energy industry. The findings indicated a nonlinear relationship between industrial competition and the rate of investment in the energy sector. Depending on the firm's size, the effect of industrial competitiveness on investment varies. Smaller businesses are more impacted by the level of competition than larger ones. The investment rate decreases depending on the increase in cash holding level and firm risk. When the subgroups in the energy industry are examined, it is determined that they reveal some differences in terms of financial structure. A higher investment rate results from a higher retained earnings ratio. The investment rate of firms falls as a company's risk level and sales revenue variability increase.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.9
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• pp.341-350
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• 2020

This study aims to verify the relationship between overseas activities and performance of Korea's SMEs during the last financial crisis. Whether overseas activity performance of enterprises differed was determined based on characteristic variables, including the degree of concentration on R&D and marketing. This study also examined how SMEs' international transactions and their performance differed based on internal variable such as the level of stock holding and firm size. This study developed a model for analyzing the relationship between the level of internationalization and performance of Koran SMEs listed in the KOSDAQ. We used firm-level data, including annual reports and various data sources such as the KISVALUE program. To smooth annual fluctuations in accounting data, we used a three-year average from 2006 to 2009 for each variable in the study. The results showed that proactive overseas activities ultimately had a positive effect on an enterprise's performance, even though it initially had a negative effect. Therefore, enterprises should focus their capacity on R&D and marketing environment. Although numerous studies have focused on the relationship between overseas activities and performance of enterprises, the present study analyzed whether enterprises should continuously engage in overseas activities and what capacities they should strengthen during a global economic recession.

• Asia Pacific Journal of Business Review
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.56-66
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• 2016

This paper analyzes the impact of CSR on the capital market in Korea. Using listed firm data, we found that the creation of a sustainability report that indirectly measures the level of CSR can bring the stock rate of return difference of the capital markets representative market index. First, when a firm that publishes a sustainability report was compared in terms of its market rate of return, it showed a return increase of about 2%. We found that higher returns were gained through the competitive advantage of related business when the firm was actively involved in social responsibility. Second, subdivided by industry, firms belonging to the capital goods industry were found to reach a rate of return higher than that of industry. These firms were noticeable in that they were mainly industries that caused environmental pollution. Third, in an additional analysis, foreign investors were given the sustainability report of financial businesses, which was interpreted as a result of industrial properties. A sustainability report is a comprehensive report on the economic, environmental, and social activities of a firm. Firms must learn that they can gain trust through publishing trustworthy reports while achieving the lasting power of growth from the stakeholders.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.37-60
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• 2015

As global competition has become keener, importance of standardization has increased due to international trade between firms and countries. Since standardization provide compatibility for parts or products, maintaining a good level of standardization is one of key success factors. This paper studies impact of standardization status and educational effort of standardization on performance of the firm. Also, characteristics of the firm, industry, history, acknowledge of need for education of standardization of the firm are considered as antecedents of standardization status and educational effort on standardization. Data was collected from information and technology and electronics industries. This paper found that characteristics of the firm and acknowledge of need for education on standardization have positive impact on the number of education on standardization. Results of this study also show that the number of education classes and of employees participated in the class positively affect R&D performance and production and quality improvement. Implication of this study is finding the relationship between importance of standardization education and competitiveness of the firm in global market.