• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.157-180
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• 2010

Rapid development of information technology has generated a new industry and market. In particular, network technology such as the Internet and other computer networks made transaction activities switched from traditional offline commerce to e-commerce. Among them, digital content is bit-based object which is created and distributed through electronic environment. In particular, many entertainment contents such as the music, the movies, and the computer game softwares are main products. Although digital content commerce has high potential demand, it lacks the consideration about the factor related to maintaining existing customer such as customer loyalty and switching costs. There has been a number of research on customer loyalty and other factors affecting it in the traditional electronic commerce environment, but there is a lack of research which examines the characteristics of digital content. The study about the effect of switching costs on customer loyalty in digital content commerce is necessary because the customers of digital content commerce market are from those of other e-commerce market or traditional offline commerce market. In addition, customer loyalty and switching costs are important factors because they may build up greater customer retention. For that reason, this study focused on examining the relationships among switching costs, antecedents for switching costs, and customer loyalty in online digital music service industry. The study has three major purposes: (1) to find antecedents of switching costs on digital content commerce and examine effect of antecedents for switching costs; (2) to identify effect of switching costs on customer loyalty in digital content commerce and examine moderating effects of alternative attractiveness; (3) to identify the differences of antecedents for switching costs by contents transmission type(streaming service and downloading service). And, the online digital music service industry is selected in this study since there are many users and transactions incurring. To accomplish these purposes, a survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to 256 informants. Survey instrument was developed based on previous research and pre-established survey items. Total of 206 surveys are collected and used in the data analysis. Among the respondents, 56.8% is male and 43.2% is female. Also, 86 responses were streaming service user group and 120 responses were download service user group. These data was analyzed using regression analysis. Major findings of empirical analysis can be summarized as follows. First, switching costs have positive effect on customer loyalty in digital content commerce environment. Second, the influence of switching costs on customer loyalty increases under conditions of high alternative attractiveness. Third, DRM convenience and breadth of use have positive effect on switching costs. The findings imply that the digital content provider should pay more attention to switching costs in addition to customer satisfaction in order to attract customers. Also, increasing the convenience of DRM use by securing the convenience of user interface and expanding the support device and increasing the service use scope by providing diverse value-added service helps to create a switching barrier. The result of the study can become a practical use in marketing strategy for maintaining existing customer. In particular, switching barrier is very important under conditions of high competition in the online music service market. This study can be used as a basis for further studies about customer retention in digital content commerce.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.63-87
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• 2016

Despite its rising labor costs these days, China still serves the role as 'World's Factory' thanks to a great deal of foreign direct investment, still remaining one of the world's highest, and the global companies, which have been willingly establishing foreign subsidiaries in China. While enjoying the benefits from the Chinese market, these global companies can now take advantages of another market; the one of Korea. If a product produced by a certain global company is actually manufactured in the local factory in China and the product meets specifications of Rules of Origin, the product shall receive preferential treatment under China-Korea FTA. In the perspective of global market, therefore, it is found that China-Korea FTA may have negative effects on chemical industry in Korea, which is considered one of the representatives of China-Korea FTA. This study examines such risks by network analysis, with several cases of 'Beauty or Make-up Preparations (HS Code 3304).' Analysis shows that Korea is classified as the marginal country group but not main country group when it comes to beauty products family. So this can be a great chance to the global cosmetic companies with local factories in China in the sense that they can increase their sales towards the market of Korea based on the China-Korea FTA. Under these concerns, this study suggests two policy alternatives for the chemical industry in Korea to deal with current challenges rising from China-Korea FTA. The suggested alternatives are: to actively attract the global chemical corporations which are yet to directly enter the Chinese market; and to invest on chemical products with high potential of growth as a priority.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.978-987
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• 2015

This study investigates the awareness levels of Korean textile companies and develops appropriate response plans for the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement. The study also explores practical and realistic directions that the Korean textile industry must initiate. A qualitative study was conducted on 10 individuals for a more in-depth and demonstrative understanding that provide a better awareness on the responses of the textile industry towards the Korea-US FTA. The results of this study are as follows. First, the effect of the Korea-US FTA on the textile industry was insignificant. Second, industry members determined that fabric sectors and specialized fabrics (such as industrial materials and finished clothing products) could realize benefits through the Korea-US FTA. Third, industry members emphasize that the current focus is on FTAs by countries that have solidified their positions as manufacturing and sewing bases for the US and Europe (such as Southeast Asia) and not the Korea-US FTA. Based on results acquired through this study, the response measures to enter the U.S. market are as follows. First, the industry must develop high-performance and high value-adding direct export products suited to the needs of the US market in order to realize the benefits of the Korea-US FTA. Second, the industry and government must cooperate to actively host and participate in overseas trade shows that can actively open sales channels within the US. Third, the self-sustainability of textile companies must be cultivated through continuous and focused government training.

• Archives of design research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.55-63
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• 2000

Date of Bureau of Statistics, including those of Bank of Korea and KDI, in 1995 indicates a market scale of approximately ￦2,800,000,000 in jewelry and personal ornaments, witch points out an average growth rate of 15.3% a year for ten years from 1986 up to 1995, representing a occupancy ratio of 0.78% per G.N.P. Despite the fact that the jewelry and personal ornaments industry has the possibility of high growth it raises problems such as illegal transactions, distortion of quality grades of jewelry (price deference by appraising agencies in Diamond, fabrications of quality in Gold). Furthermore, the personal ornaments market may be said to be still at an early state, as compared with that of advanced countries, including the USA and Japan, due to the small scale of the industry's distribution firms. Accordingly, in order for us to develop the jewelry and personal ornaments industry, one of the value added projects, an improvement in the distribution system of the jewelry and personal ornaments industry. Development of techniques of production and new design, ect, are required. Futhermore, the industry is expected to develop when its importance and contribution to the national economy, a correct understanding of the long-term vision of the industry are expended to all the industries.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.22-40
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• 2015

Cellulose fibers is one of the most abundant in nature. It has many distinctive features: abundant in nature, biodegradable, non-toxic, eco-friendly, sustainable, easy to fabricate, hydrophilic, and cost-effective. Cellulose fibers, known as pulp, is produced from cellulose-containing materials by the pulping process. As the raw material, wood has been most commonly used while recycled pulp has been also used to some degree. Thus, pulp usually refers to wood pulp. Generally, the pulp and paper industry is regarded as the commodity market where the cost should be much more important than the quality. It also belongs to a mature market where the growth is slow, or even in decline. Accordingly, technological development has been rather stagnant for the industry. Recently, however, the pulp and paper industry has faced very serious challenges. First, due to digital technology, there has been a steady decline in the need for pulp and paper products. The digital industry has continuously replaced printed products such as books, newspapers, and magazines. Second, there has been a trend initiated by developed countries to limit the use of wood as the raw material for the sake of environmental protection. This forces the industry to find a more efficient use of wood pulp as well as finding alternative, non-wood sources. Third, as an individual becomes wealthier and more conscious of health-care, the quality of a product becomes more important than the cost. Thus, a paradigm shift is needed from the cost-conscientious to the quality conscientious. The objective of this article is to review the technologies aimed at engineering cellulose fibers for producing high-value added paper products.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.51-68
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• 2018

This paper compares the differences in management performance in the logistics market and analyzes the differences in business characteristics depending on the industry types. In addition, the effects of industry types and business characteristics on management performance are examined. The analysis method used is ANOVA and K-means clustering. The implication of the study are as follows. First, in the logistics market in Japan, there was a difference in management performance among the types of industry. The warehousing service type had the highest profitability and stability among all the industry types. Second, differences in business characteristics by industry types were tested. It was found that offshore cargo transportation type was more capital intensive than the other types. In addition, warehousing service type had higher business leadership and credit transaction than others. Third, industry types and clusters based on business characteristics had a significant impact on management performance through interaction effects. For the profitability variables in detail, other clusters had a significant effect between transportation types(onshore and offshore cargo) and warehousing service type. On the other hand, in stability variables, one cluster was effective in all types, which is a characteristic that lowers both capital intensity and business leadership.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.63-72
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• 2009

The flower industry in Gyeongnam Province is the second largest flower producing area after Gyeonggi Province in Korea. Gyeongnam Province is also one of the provinces where flower industry was first introduced, which has started in the middle of 1960s. The share of Gyeongnam Province was 16.2% in area and 14.3% in sales in 2006. The most outstanding feature of Gyeongnam's flower industry is that it has been particularly specialized in cut-flower industry, the share of which was 77.6% of Gyeongnam Province in area. Another feature is that the industry continued to be shrunk in size due to the expansion of urban area. For Gyeongnam's floral industry to be competitive not only in domestic market but in international market, its competitiveness in quality and price is kept being promoted. In addition, the availability of land is essential to the growth of the flower industry of Gyeongnam Province.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.81-100
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• 2020

Purpose - Based on complexity theory, this study develops a configurational model to predict the profitability of Halal cosmetics firms in the Indonesian and Malaysian markets. The proposed research model involves two level configurations-industry context and selling strategies-to predict high and low scores of a firm's profitability. The industry context configuration model comprises industry stability, product homogeneity, price sensitivity, and switching cost. Selling strategies include customer-focused, competitor-focused, and margin-focused approaches. Design/methodology - This is the first empirical study that calculates causal models using a combination of industry context and selling strategy factors to predict profitability. Data obtained from the marketing managers of cosmetics firms are used to test the proposed configurational model using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). It contributes to the current knowledge of business marketing by identifying the factors necessary to achieve profitability using analysis of condition (ANC). Findings - The results revealed that unique and distinct models explain the conditions for high and low profitability in the Indonesian and Malaysian halal cosmetic markets. While customer-focused selling strategy is necessary to attain a higher profit in both the markets, margin-focused selling strategy appears to be an essential factor only in Malaysia. Complexity of the interactions of selling strategies with industry factors and differences between across two study markets confirmed that complexity theory can support the research configurational model. The theoretical and practical implications are also illustrated. Originality/value - Despite the rapid growth of the global halal industry, there is little knowledge about the halal cosmetic market. This study contributes to the current literature of the halal market by performing a set of asymmetric analytical approaches using a complex theoretical model. It also deepens our understating of how the Korean firms can approach the Muslim consumer's needs to generate more beneficial turnover/revenue.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.155-183
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• 2011

The purpose of this paper is to analyze competition status of Korean and Chinese vessels in the EU market. To achieve this purpose, this study uses Market Share Index, Export Bias Index, Trade Specialization Index, Export Similarity Index, and Market Share Expansion Ratio-Export Similarity Deepening Ratio as analyzing method. The statistical data used in this study are obtained from the trade statistics for 5 years(2005-2009) produced by Korean International Trade Association. The results of this study show that Korean ships are less competitive than Chinese ones in the EU export market in that Korea does not export various kinds of ships but export some restricted kinds of vessels even in the competitive ship, implying that Korea has been gradually losing its competitiveness. These results suggest that Korea should improve the competitiveness of shipbuilding industry by pursuing such differentiated strategies as exporting high value-added vessels while keeping on maintaining Korea's dominance over its competitive ships to overcome China's competitive advantage in the EU region.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.646-660
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• 2008

Korean export of fashion products to the U.S. has fallen off sharply after 2001. Now, Korean fashion companies have to develop higher value-added business. In the U.S., Korean-American fashion companies are taking a primary role in up-stream of the fashion industry. To cut the edge over the U.S. fashion companies, one of the solutions could be to build the business relationship with Korean fashion companies which reflect the recent trend rapidly and have high quality production. On this study, we investigated the marketing strategies of Korean-American fashion companies to seek to start business with Korean fashion companies and make suggestions for Korean fashion companies who want to enter into the U.S. market effectively. To analyze current situation of Korean export to the U.S. and the U.S. fashion industry, we considered various kinds of statistic data, publications and studies. And we performed in-depth interviews with 9 Korean-American fashion companies in LA from $9^{th}$ to $21^{st}$ of July. The results are as follows. first, Korean fashion companies should aim for high-end market with the products of high quality and design. Second, there should be professional agents who manage Korean small-medium fashion companies and connect them with Korean-American fashion companies. Third, Korean fashion companies who want to enter into the retail market of the U.S. have to decide the target market clearly and plan strategic and differentiated merchandising. Fourth, Korean fashion companies can specialize in product developing service like proposing a product or a merchandising line as a package including designs, fabric swatches, trims, production information, etc.