• Korean small business review
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.65-87
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• 2010

With the advent of knowledge-based society, the revitalization of technological innovation type SMEs, termed "inno-biz" hereafter, has been globally recognized as a government policymakers' primary concern in strengthening national competitiveness, and much effort is being put into establishing polices of boosting the start-ups and innovation capability of SMEs. Especially, in that the inno-biz enables national economy to get vitalized by widening world markets with its superior technology, and thus, taking the initiative of extremely competitive world markets, its growth and development has greater significance. In the case of Korea, the government has been maintaining the policies since the late 1990s of stimulating the growth of SMEs as well as building various infrastructures to foster the start-ups of the SMEs such as venture businesses with high technology. In addition, since the enactment of "Innovation Promotion Law for SMEs" in 2001, the government has been accelerating the policies of prioritizing the growth and development of inno-biz. So, for the sound growth and development of Korean inno-biz, this paper intends to offer effective management strategies for SMEs and suggest proper policies for the government, by researching into the effect of technological innovation capability and technology commercialization capability as the primary business resources on business performance in Korean SMEs in the light of market information orientation. The research is carried out on Korean companies characterized as inno-biz. On the basis of OSLO manual and prior studies, the research categorizes their status. R&D capability, technology accumulation capability and technological innovation system are categorized into technological innovation capability; product development capability, manufacturing capability and marketing capability into technology commercialization capability; and increase in product competitiveness and merits for new technology and/or product development into business performance. Then the effect of each component on business performance is substantially analyzed. In addition, the mediation effect of technological innovation and technology commercialization capability on business performance is observed by the use of the market information orientation as a parameter. The following hypotheses are proposed. H1 : Technology innovation capability will positively influence business performance. H1-1 : R&D capability will positively influence product competitiveness. H1-2 : R&D capability will positively influence merits for new technology and/or product development into business performance. H1-3 : Technology accumulation capability will positively influence product competitiveness. H1-4 : Technology accumulation capability will positively influence merits for new technology and/or product development into business performance. H1-5 : Technological innovation system will positively influence product competitiveness. H1-6 : Technological innovation system will positively influence merits for new technology and/or product development into business performance. H2 : Technology commercializing capability will positively influence business performance. H2-1 : Product development capability will positively influence product competitiveness. H2-2 : Product development capability will positively influence merits for new technology and/or product development into business performance. H2-3 : Manufacturing capability will positively influence product competitiveness. H2-4 : Manufacturing capability will positively influence merits for new technology and/or product development into business performance. H2-5 : Marketing capability will positively influence product competitiveness. H2-6 : Marketing capability will positively influence merits for new technology and/or product development into business performance. H3 : Technology innovation capability will positively influence market information orientation. H3-1 : R&D capability will positively influence information generation. H3-2 : R&D capability will positively influence information diffusion. H3-3 : R&D capability will positively influence information response. H3-4 : Technology accumulation capability will positively influence information generation. H3-5 : Technology accumulation capability will positively influence information diffusion. H3-6 : Technology accumulation capability will positively influence information response. H3-7 : Technological innovation system will positively influence information generation. H3-8 : Technological innovation system will positively influence information diffusion. H3-9 : Technological innovation system will positively influence information response. H4 : Technology commercialization capability will positively influence market information orientation. H4-1 : Product development capability will positively influence information generation. H4-2 : Product development capability will positively influence information diffusion. H4-3 : Product development capability will positively influence information response. H4-4 : Manufacturing capability will positively influence information generation. H4-5 : Manufacturing capability will positively influence information diffusion. H4-6 : Manufacturing capability will positively influence information response. H4-7 : Marketing capability will positively influence information generation. H4-8 : Marketing capability will positively influence information diffusion. H4-9 : Marketing capability will positively influence information response. H5 : Market information orientation will positively influence business performance. H5-1 : Information generation will positively influence product competitiveness. H5-2 : Information generation will positively influence merits for new technology and/or product development into business performance. H5-3 : Information diffusion will positively influence product competitiveness. H5-4 : Information diffusion will positively influence merits for new technology and/or product development into business performance. H5-5 : Information response will positively influence product competitiveness. H5-6 : Information response will positively influence merits for new technology and/or product development into business performance. H6 : Market information orientation will mediate the relationship between technology innovation capability and business performance. H7 : Market information orientation will mediate the relationship between technology commercializing capability and business performance. The followings are the research results : First, as for the effect of technological innovation on business performance, the technology accumulation capability and technological innovating system have a positive effect on increase in product competitiveness and merits for new technology and/or product development, while R&D capability has little effect on business performance. Second, as for the effect of technology commercialization capability on business performance, the effect of manufacturing capability is relatively greater than that of merits for new technology and/or product development. Third, the mediation effect of market information orientation is identified to exist partially in information generation, information diffusion and information response. Judging from these results, the following analysis can be made : On Increase in product competitiveness, directly related to successful technology commercialization of technology, management capability including technological innovation system, manufacturing capability and marketing capability has a relatively strong effect. On merits for new technology and/or product development, on the other hand, capability in technological aspect including R&D capability, technology accumulation capability and product development capability has relatively strong effect. Besides, in the cast of market information orientation, the level of information diffusion within an organization plays and important role in new technology and/or product development. Also, for commercial success like increase in product competitiveness, the level of information response is primarily required. Accordingly, the following policies are suggested : First, as the effect of technological innovation capability and technology commercialization capability on business performance differs among SMEs; in order for SMEs to secure competitiveness, the government has to establish microscopic policies for SMEs which meet their needs and characteristics. Especially, the SMEs lacking in capital and labor are required to map out management strategies of focusing their resources primarily on their strengths. And the government needs to set up policies for SMEs, not from its macro-scaled standpoint, but from the selective and concentrative one that meets the needs and characteristics of respective SMEs. Second, systematic infrastructures are urgently required which lead technological success to commercial success. Namely, as technological merits at respective SME levels do not always guarantee commercial success, the government should make and effort to build systematic infrastructures including encouragement of M&A or technology trade, systematic support for protecting intellectual property, furtherance of business incubating and industrial clusters for strengthening academic-industrial network, and revitalization of technology financing, in order to make successful commercialization from technological success. Finally, the effort to innovate technology, R&D, for example, is essential to future national competitiveness, but its result is often prolonged. So the government needs continuous concern and funding for basic science, in order to maximize technological innovation capability. Indeed the government needs to examine continuously whether technological innovation capability or technological success leads satisfactorily to commercial success in market economic system. It is because, when the transition fails, it should be left to the government.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.39-57
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• 2012

The unabated influx of micro businesses has turned the Korean retailing market to a rat race, which causes severe financial distress for micro business owners due to heavy competition. The woes of these micro business owner's are exacerbated by the presence of large scale distributors such as Super Supermarket(SSM) and large discount stores. In summary, the Korean retail market is overburdened an uneconomically viable. Retailing has low barriers to entry which attracts unskilled labor or those with little capital. These start-ups have low opportunity costs since they would make low wages elsewhere in the economy. Thus, these owners are content with relatively low returns on their investment. These 'subsistence ventures' are maintained for economical viability rather than economic growth. These 'subsistence ventures' intensifies competition among small-scale businesses. The presence of large retail corporations also aggravates the situation. The recent stagnation of the economy has worsened the retail market in Korea. The overwhelming competition solidifies the coarse structural system and the prolonged economic sluggishness has increased the risk of insolvency for micro business owners. As the economy continues to stagnate, the imminent risk in retailing market will rise up to surface threatening economic stability. More systematic inflows and outflows of retailers are required in order to redress this structural problem. It has been empirically shown that the self-employment rate is high in Korea compared to other OECD countries. To draw the comparison of self-employment rate by industry, Korea shows high rates among transportation, whole sale, retail, education, lodging, and restaurants. In the case of the transportation and education service sectors, this high rate can be explained by the idiosyncratic nature of Korean culture. In the transportation sector, political policies favor private cap service and private freight carriers. In the education service sector, Koreans put particular emphasis on education that leads to many private institutions that outnumber other OECD countries. For these singular reasons, Korea maintains high micro business, self-employed rates particularly in retailing. A comparable nation is Japan, with its similar social, economic, cultural environment among OECD countries. Unlike Korea, Japan has much lower rates of micro business which continues to decrease. Also Korean retailers are much more destitute than Japanese. The fundamental problem of Korean retailing is the involuntary exit of these 'subsistence ventures,' micro businesses with low margins, in which a small drop in demand can lead to financial difficulties for the owner. This problem will be exacerbated when Korean babyboomers retire and join the micro business ventures. The first priority in order to cope with the severity of oversupply in retailing is to provide better opportunities for the potential self-employers. There should be viable alternatives to subsistent ventures. Strengthening the retirement program, scrutiny of exit process, reconfiguration of policy funds are the recommendations.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.94-115
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• 2017

'Arirang folk song in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea' was inscribed to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014 and 'Tradition of kimchi-making in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea' followed in 2015. It is presumed that North Korea was influenced by the Republic of Korea inscribing 'Arirang, lyrical folk song in the Republic of Korea' to the list in 2012 as well as 'Kimjang, making and sharing kimchi in the Republic of Korea' in 2013. These cases show the necessity (or possibility) of cultural exchanges between the two Koreas through UNESCO ICH lists. The purpose of this article is to explore the possibility of inter-Korean cultural integration. Therefore, I would like to review UNESCO's ICH policy and examine the ways of cooperation and joint nominations to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity between the two Koreas. First, I reviewed the amendments to the laws and regulations of the two Koreas and how the two countries applied the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Although the cultural exchange is a non-political field, given the situation between South and North Korea, it is influenced by politics. Therefore, we devised a stepwise development plan, divided into four phases: infrastructure development, cooperation and promotion, diversification, and policymaking and alternative development. First a target group will be needed. In this regard, joint nominations to the Representative List of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity will be suitable for cooperation. Both countries have already started separate nominations on shared ICH elements to the UNESCO lists. Therefore, I have selected a few elements as examples that can be considered for joint nominations. The selected items are makgeolli (traditional liquor), jang (traditional soybean sauce), gayangju (homebrewed liquor), gudeul (Korean floor heating system), and jasu (traditional embroidery). Cooperation should start with sharing information on ICH elements. A pilot project for joint nomination can be implemented and then a mid-term plan can be established for future implementation. When shared ICH elements are inscribed on UNESCO ICH lists, various activities can be considered as follow-ups, such as institution visits, performances, exhibitions, and joint monitoring of the intangible cultural heritage. Mutual cooperation of the two Koreas' intangible cultural heritage will be a unique example between the divided countries, so its value will be recognized as a symbol of cultural cooperation. In addition, it will be a foundation for cultural integration of the two Koreas, and it will show the value of their unique ICH to the world. At the same time, it will become a good example for joint nominations to the Representative List recommended by UNESCO.

• Korean small business review
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.101-121
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• 2020

Marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of The Korean Association of Small Business Studies, this paper was carried out to shed light on the historical trend of 40 years of small and medium business research through the papers published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Small Business and to consider the direction of future small and medium business research. In particular, we will focus on small and medium venture business policies and strategic management aspects of small and medium venture businesses to analyze the contents of published papers related to the subject and contribute to finding implications and future research directions. In order to analyze the research trends of small and medium venture business policies and strategic management sectors of small and medium venture companies covered in the Asia Pacific Journal of Small Business from 1979 to 2019, the analysis was divided by time and item based on research subjects, research methods, researchers, etc., and the primary analysis results are as follows: First, out of a total of 1,056 research papers, research papers on small and medium venture enterprise policy and strategic management showed a ratio of about 14% and 11% of the total research. Second, in terms of research subjects, the proportion of policy research on funds and start-ups and ventures was high in the field of small and medium venture enterprise policy, and the research on internationalization strategy was carried out the most in the area of strategic management. Third, qualitative research was more prominent until the 1980s, but the proportion of quantitative research began to increase after the 1990s, and since then, quantitative research has been carried out more than qualitative research. Fourth, over the past 40 years, Hanyang University, Kyungpook National University, Konkuk University, etc. were the institutions that presented research papers most actively in the areas of small and medium venture business policy and strategic management, and the research institute's participation was somewhat insufficient. The main implications of this study for the continuous development of the Asia Pacific Journal of Small Business are as follows. First, it is necessary to enhance the link between research on policy research and strategic management of small and medium venture companies in terms of research subject matter. Second, more diversity should be pursued in terms of research methods. Third, it is necessary to increase the participation rate of public and private research institutes related to small and medium venture enterprises in academic societies.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.158-175
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• 2005

Statement of problem. Every effort has been continually made to obtain objectivity in measuring the longevity of fixed restorations, such as by establishing unified judgement standard for deciding success and adopting statistical method that analyzes the data of successful and failed cases at the same time. In Korea, however desired level of development has not to be made in this field yet. Purpose. This study, adopting California Dental Association (CDA) quality evaluation system, established objective standard for deciding success, and inferred the longevity of fixed restorations and their failure analysis through adopting Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Material and method. In order to assess the longevity of flxed restorations serviced in Korea and causes of failure, a total of 1109 individuals (aged 15-74, 716 women and 393 men loaded with 2551 unit fixed restorations, and 1934 abutments) who lived in Kyung-In Province were examined and the findings were as follows : Results. 1. Length of service of fixed restorations serviced in Korea was 6.86$\pm$0.15 yr (mean), 5.5 yr (median), and the rate of success was 65.82% in 5 year survival, and 21.15% in 10 year survival. 2. When there was patient's need for replacing old prosthetics, longevity of fixed restorations was 7.51$\pm$0.27 yr (mean), 7 yr (median), and the rate of success was 61.08% in 5 year survival, and 17.57% in 10 year survival. 3. Longevity of fixed restorations was longest in the over-sixty age group(9.21$\pm$0.66) and that of the teen age group(3.39$\pm$0.28) was shortest (p<0.05). 4. Longevity of fixed restorations of women (7.38$\pm$0.18 years) was longer than that of men (6.00$\pm$0.26) (p<0.05). 5. As for the provider factor (such as unlicensed performers, university hospitals, and private clinic), there was no statistically significant difference in longevity of fixed restorations. 6. Defective margin (34.78%). periodontal disease (12.15%), periapical involvement (11.73%), was the most frequent causes of failure and poor esthetics group showed the longest life above all (p<0.05). Actual frequent causes of failure after removing old prosthetics were defective margin, periapical involvement, periodontal disease and uncemented restoration. In 75.67% of the cases, abutment state after removing old prosthetics was good enough for loading another prosthetics. 7. There was found to have statistically significant influence between longevity of single crown (6.35$\pm$0.20 yr) and that of 3 unit fixed restorations (7.60$\pm$0.30 y) (p<0.05). In each case the most frequent cause of failure was defective margin. 8. The number of cantilever pontic, pontic/abutment ratio, oral hygiene status were found to have no statistically significant influence on longevity of fixed restorations in all groups (p>0.05). 9. Longevity of fixed restorations made of non precious metal was longest (9.60$\pm$0.40 yr) semi precious and precious trailing behind(p<0.05). 10. Group function group (37.04%) and partial group function group (44.62%) were predominant in frequency but showed no correlation between them and among different types of occlusal plane and different types of occlusal surface (p>0.05). 11. Longevity of fixed restorations was longest in the centric interference group(9.35$\pm$0.62) (p<0.05) among different types of occlusal interference. Conclusion. We found that longevity of fixed restorations serviced in Korea is affected by age, gender and type of material, and that most frequent cause of failure is defective margin. In order to assess the accurate longevity of axed restorations, unified research design. overcoming inter-observer difference and establishing the objective research items are needed. Furthermore, it is thought that prospective approach through thorough study and regular follow-ups is needed just from the start of research. Nationwide detailed studies on length of service of fixed restorations manufactured in Korea are hoped to be conducted hereafter.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.210-223
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• 2023

This study developed elementary and middle school career education programs linked to science subjects and local natural resources, and explored learning effects and implications for developing and operating career programs. In order to achieve the research purpose, a 10-hour career education program using local natural and social resources was developed and applied to 25 elementary and middle school students in rural areas. As a result of the study, most of the elementary and middle school students who participated in this study were not well aware of the natural and social resource value of the area where they lived. Therefore, when developing and operating a regional-based career education program for elementary and middle school students in rural areas, it is necessary to operate a separate teaching/learning activity time so that students can fully know the natural and social information and resource values of the region. In addition, in order to enhance students' participation and interest in career education programs, it is necessary to organize the operation of the program in groups, not individuals, and to guide students in detail by dividing the program's performance process into several sub-steps. Finally, the core material of regional-linked career education-related programs focused more on their own content, that is, agricultural products grown by parents, and future job settings were higher in start-ups that directly operate companies such as travel agencies and manufacturing companies. Given the recent emphasis on career education in the curriculum, it is suggested that local students should pay more attention to finding materials with local resource value in the field of geoscience, which is closely related to natural resources, and developing and operating them as career education programs linked to local resources.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.1-15
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• 2016

Startups in Korea are experiencing for themselves the laws of survival through competition in the local and international market, and are performing active business movements based on these. Korea's economic growth rate is 2.6% due to the slump in the domestic demand and reduced exports brought by the MERSC incident in 2015. The Korea Development Institute has estimated the economic growth rate in 2016 to be around 3.0%. South Korea's economy is facing the crisis of low-growth solidification due to the decrease in economic growth, and it is forecasted that growth without employment and polarization will worsen. Startups in the high-tech industrial generation of a particular field wherein the market environment is rapidly changing must maintain a competitive advantage with the capabilities and functions exclusive to them. It is very important that they maintain a competitive edge by utilizing the capabilities exclusive to startup companies. Likewise, the accumulation of resources is also crucial in determining the success of a startup business. In a poor local startup ecosystem, majority of the startup companies are performing their business activities while striving for survival, rather than success. About 80% are struggling to survive and are failing to overcome the "Death Valley" faced 3-5 years after establishing the company. Since majority of the startups fail to achieve results during the initial stages of foundation, the importance of research on business activities and achievement during the early stages of establishment is being raised. In accordance to this, this research has performed an actual analysis on how the activities of startups during their preparation phase and early stages affect their achievements. A survey was done on the CEOs or executives (people in a position to make decisions) of local small and medium-sized enterprises that are considered start-ups, and 203 valid data were collected and analyzed. Results showed that the discoveries and utilized activities necessary for the businesses of startups have a significant impact on their achievement through the entrepreneur resources and external partners' cooperation; additionally, the related implications were discussed.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.231-244
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• 2020

With the rapid progress of the 4th industrial revolution, technical human capitals are considered to be the core competing factors of the enterprise. Technical manpower training of the 4th industrial revolution through technical education has become an essential task of venture start-ups. The opening of technical training courses and the education support system of companies are increasing, but the shortage of technical manpower is getting worse. This study was conducted to analyze the factors affecting participation intention of the 4th industrial revolution technology education. The research model was established based on the model of goal-directed behavior. For the analysis, 250 valid questionnaire data were used to test with a structural equation model. The results of the study are as follows. First, attitude had a positive effect on the intention to participate in education. Second, subjective norms had a positive effect on the intention to participate in education. Third, the perceived behavioral control has not been tested for a significant influence on educational participation intention. Fourth, positive and negative anticipated emotions had a significant effect on educational intention. The impact of significant variables were found in the order of positive anticipated emotions, attitudes, negative anticipated emotions, subjective norms. On the other hand, as a result of testing the mediating effect of desires, it was found that desires plays a mediating role between attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, positive anticipated emotions, negative anticipated emotions, and participation intention. In particular, the causal relationship between perceived behavioral control and intention to participate in education was not significant, but perceived behavioral control had a significant effect(full mediation) on participation intention through desires. Based on the results of this study, the following implication were suggested. First, the model of goal-directed behavior(MGB) was applied to the technical education field. Second, the direct relationship between antecedent variables and behavioral intentions was simultaneously tested. Third, unlike the existing education-related research, the factors affecting participation in education were analyzed. Fourth, the importance of desires for education were suggested.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2014

This study is preliminary founding start-ups of restaurant entrepreneurs to study the characteristics of management in order to provide useful information was studied. Survey period is from 2013 March 15 to August 31. About the nature of the preparation and establishment founder findings restaurant entrepreneurs of Western Gyeongnam area were most often in the form of an independent establishment has been compiled, work experience and other industries operating experience was more than restaurant entrepreneurs of operating experience. Hypothesis Testing in accordance with results of this study are as follows. First, the 50 founders than 30 founders quickly when the customer complaint or that service, order food and non-food note is issued after obtaining the order or that provide food, no customer is often inconvenient check the sharing services, such as personnel activities were devoting a lot of effort. Second, the re-startups restaurant entrepreneurs than new startups restaurant entrepreneurs was founded after the founder of career-related customer complaints about food more active coping was, and re-startups restaurant entrepreneurs by the founder other than business founded by the founder of the food-related customer complaints more aggressively for coping, respectively. Third, restaurant entrepreneurs of the store operations management has integrity, words and actions match, such as the degree of belief in the promise of reliability and the possibility of failure, which means the degree of recognition and response efforts are having an impact deal. Fourth, restaurant of food service management services and after-sales service has impact on the founder of the self-efficacy and self-efficacy of pre-service features and reliability founder affecting. Fifth, the revenue of the restaurant for dealing with customer complaints management includes efforts are having an impact. Sixth, restaurant founder of reliability and customer care has influenced the self-efficacy. Seventh, management of operational management activities have a positive impact on business performance are.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.27-42
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• 2020

Startup accelerators have emerged as new investment entities that help early startups, which are not easy to survive continuously due to lack of funds, commercialization capabilities, and experiences. As their positive performance on early startups and the ecosystem has been proven, the number of early startups which want to receive their investment is also increasing. However, they are vaguely preparing to attract accelerators' investment because they do not have any information on what factors the accelerators consider important. In addition, researches on startup accelerators are also at an early level, so there are no remarkable prior studies on factors that decide on investment. Therefore, this study aims to help startups prepare for investment attraction by looking at what factors are important for accelerators to invest, and to provide meaningful implications to academia. In the preceding study, we derived five upper level categories, 26 lower level accelerators' investment determinants through the qualitative meta-synthesis method, secondary data analysis, observation on US accelerators and in-depth interviews. In this study, we want to derive important implications by deriving priorities of the accelerators' investment determinants. Therefore, we used AHP that are evaluated as the suitable methodology for deriving importance and priority. The analysis results show that accelerators value market-related factors most. This means that startups that are subject to investment by accelerators are early-stage startups, and many companies have not fully developed their products or services. Therefore, market-related factors that can be evaluated objectively seem to be more important than products (or services) that are still ambiguous. Next, it was found that the factors related to the internal workforce of startups are more important. Since accelerators want to develop their businesses together with start-ups and team members through mentoring, ease of collaboration with them is very important, which seems to be important. The overall priority analysis results of the 26 investment determinants show that 'customer needs' and 'founders and team members' understanding of customers and markets' (0.62) are important and high priority factors. The results also show that startup accelerators consider the customer-centered perspective very important. And among the factors related to startups, the most prominent factor was the founder's openness and execution ability. Therefore, it can be confirmed that accelerators consider the ease of collaboration with these startups very important.