• Title/Summary/Keyword: Laws and policies

Search Result 419, Processing Time 0.027 seconds

Structural Adjustment of Domestic Firms in the Era of Market Liberalization (시장개방(市場開放)과 국내기업(國內企業)의 구조조정(構造調整))

  • Seong, So-mi
    • KDI Journal of Economic Policy
    • /
    • v.13 no.4
    • /
    • pp.91-116
    • /
    • 1991
  • Market liberalization progressing simultaneously with high and rapidly rising domestic wages has created an adverse business environment for domestic firms. Korean firms are losing their international competitiveness in comparison to firms from LDC(Less Developed Countries) in low-tech industries. In high-tech industries, domestic firms without government protection (which is impossible due to the liberalization policy and the current international status of the Korean economy) are in a disadvantaged position relative to firms from advanced countries. This paper examines the division of roles between the private sector and the government in order to achieve a successful structural adjustment, which has become the impending industrial policy issue caused by high domestic wages, on the one hand, and the opening of domestic markets, on the other. The micro foundation of the economy-wide structural adjustment is actually the restructuring of business portfolios at the firm level. The firm-level business restructuring means that firms in low-value-added businesses or with declining market niches establish new major businesses in higher value-added segments or growing market niches. The adjustment of the business structure at the firm level can only be accomplished by accumulating firm-specific managerial assets necessary to establish a new business structure. This can be done through learning-by-doing in the whole system of management, including research and development, manufacturing, and marketing. Therefore, the voluntary cooperation among the people in the company is essential for making the cost of the learning process lower than that at the competing companies. Hence, firms that attempt to restructure their major businesses need to induce corporate-wide participation through innovations in organization and management, encourage innovative corporate culture, and maintain cooperative labor unions. Policy discussions on structural adjustments usually regard firms as a black box behind a few macro variables. But in reality, firm activities are not flows of materials but relationships among human resources. The growth potential of companies are embodied in the human resources of the firm; the balance of interest among stockholders, managers, and workers of the company' brings the accumulation of the company's core competencies. Therefore, policymakers and economists shoud change their old concept of the firm as a technological black box which produces a marketable commodities. Firms should be regarded as coalitions of interest groups such as stockholders, managers, and workers. Consequently the discussion on the structural adjustment both at the macroeconomic level and the firm level should be based on this new paradigm of understanding firms. The government's role in reducing the cost of structural adjustment and supporting should the creation of new industries emphasize the following: First, government must promote the competition in domestic markets by revising laws related to antitrust policy, bankruptcy, and the promotion of small and medium-sized companies. General consensus on the limitations of government intervention and the merit of deregulation should be sought among policymakers and people in the business world. In the age of internationalization, nation-specific competitive advantages cannot be exclusively in favor of domestic firms. The international competitiveness of a domestic firm derives from the firm-specific core competencies which can be accumulated by internal investment and organization of the firm. Second, government must build up a solid infrastructure of production factors including capital, technology, manpower, and information. Structural adjustment often entails bankruptcies and partial waste of resources. However, it is desirable for the government not to try to sustain marginal businesses, but to support the diversification or restructuring of businesses by assisting in factor creation. Institutional support for venture businesses needs to be improved, especially in the financing system since many investment projects in venture businesses are highly risky, even though they are very promising. The proportion of low-value added production processes and declining industries should be reduced by promoting foreign direct investment and factory automation. Moreover, one cannot over-emphasize the importance of future-oriented labor policies to be based on the new paradigm of understanding firm activities. The old laws and instititutions related to labor unions need to be reformed. Third, government must improve the regimes related to money, banking, and the tax system to change business practices dependent on government protection or undesirable in view of the evolution of the Korean economy as a whole. To prevent rational business decisions from contradicting to the interest of the economy as a whole, government should influence the business environment, not the business itself.

  • PDF

The Improvement Measurement on Dispute Resolution System for Air Service Customer (항공서비스 소비자 분쟁해결제도의 개선방안)

  • Lee, Kang-Bin
    • The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
    • /
    • v.33 no.2
    • /
    • pp.225-266
    • /
    • 2018
  • In 2017, 1,252 cases of damages relief related to air passenger transport service were received by the Korea Consumer Agency, a 0.8% drop from 1,262 cases in 2016, the first decline since 2013. In 2017, 444 cases (35.4%) out of received cases of damages relief in the field of air passenger service received by the Korea Consumer Agency were agreed on, and out of cases that were not agreed on, the most number of 588 cases (47.0%) were concluded due to information provision and counseling, and 186 cases (14.9%) were applied to the mediation of the Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee. Major legislations that contain regulations for the damages relief and disputes resolution of air service consumers include the Aviation Business Act and the Consumer Fundamental Act, etc. The Aviation Business Act provides the establishment and implementation of damage relief procedure and handling plan, and the receiving and handling of request of damage relief by air transport businessman, and the notice of protection standard for air traffic users. The Consumer Fundamental Act provides the establishment and management of the consumer counseling organization, the damage relief by the Korea Consumer Agency, the consumer dispute mediation, and the enactment of the criteria for resolving consumer disputes. The procedures for damages relief of air service consumers include the receiving and handling of damages relief by air transport businessman, the counseling, and receiving and handling of damages relief by the Consumer Counseling Center, the advice of mutual agreement by the Korea Consumer Agency, and the dispute mediation system by the Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee. The current system of damage relief and dispute mediation for air service consumer have the problem in the exemption from obligation of establishment and implementation of damage relief plan by air transport businessman under the Aviation Business Act, the problem in the exemption from liability in case of nonfulfillment and delay of transport by aviation businessman under the criteria for resolving consumer disputes in the aviation sector, and the uppermost limit in procedure progress and completion of consumer dispute mediation under the Consumer Fundamental Act. Therefore, the improvement measurements of the relevant system for proper damage relief and smooth dispute mediation for air service consumer are to be suggested as follows: First is the maintenance of the relevant laws for damage relief of air service consumer. The exemption regulation from obligation of establishment and implementation of damage relief plan by air transport businessman under the Aviation Business Act shall be revised. To enhance the structualization and expertise of the relevant regulation for protection and damage relief of air service consumer, it will be necessary to prepare the separate legislation similar to the US Federal Regulation 14 CFR and EU Regulation EC Regulation 261/2004. Second is the improvement of criteria for resolving air service consumer disputes. For this, it will be necessary to investigate whether the cause of occurrence of exemption reason was force majeure, and distinguish the exemption from liability in case of nonfulfillment and delay of transport by aviation businessman under the criteria for resolving consumer disputes in the aviation sector, and revise the same as exemption reasons regulated under the air transport chapter of the Commercial Act and Montreal Convention 1999, and unify the compensation criteria for the nonfulfillment of transport that the substitute flight was provided and the delay of transport. Third is the reinforcement of information provision for damage relief of air service consumer. Aviation-related government agencies and concerned agencies should cooperate with airlines and airports to provide rapidly and clearly diverse information to the air traffic users, including laws and policies for damages relief of air service consumers. Fourth is the supplement to the effectiveness, etc. of consumer dispute mediation. If there is no sign of acceptance for dispute mediation, it is not fair to regard it as acceptance, therefore it will be necessary to add objection system. And if a dispute resolution is requested to another dispute settlement agency in addition to the Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee, it is excluded from the damage relief package, but it should be allowed for the party to choose a mediation agency. It will be necessary to devise the institutional measures to increase the completion rate of mediation so that the consumer dispute can be resolved efficiently through the mediation. Fifth is the introduction of the air service consumer arbitration system. A measure to supplement the limitations of the consumer dispute mediation system is to introduce the consumer arbitration system, but there are two measurements which are the introduction of the consumer arbitration under the Consumer Fundamental Act and the introduction of the consumer arbitration under the Arbitration Act. The latter measurement is considered to be appropriate. In conclusion, as a policy task, the government should prepare laws and system to enhance the prevention and relief of damages and protection of the rights and interests of air service consumers, and establish and implement the consumer-centric policy for the advancement of air service.

A New Understanding on Environmental Problems in China - Dilemma between Economic Development and Environmental Protection - (중국 환경문제에 대한 재인식 -경제발전과 환경보호의 딜레마-)

  • Won, Dong-Wook
    • Journal of Environmental Policy
    • /
    • v.5 no.1
    • /
    • pp.45-70
    • /
    • 2006
  • China has achieved great economic growth above 9% annual since it changed to more of a market economy system by its reform and open-door policy. At the same time, China has experienced severe ecological deterioration, such as air and water pollutions caused by its rapid urbanization and industrialization. China is now confronted with environmental pollution and ecological deterioration at a critical point, at which economic development in China is limited. Moreover, environmental problems in China have become a lit fuse for social fluctuation beyond pollution problems. The root and background of environmental problems in China, firstly, are its government's lack of understanding of these problems and incorrect economic policies affected by political and ideological prejudice. Secondly, the plundering of resources, 'the principle of development first' which didn't consider environmental sustainability is another source of environmental deterioration in China. In addition, a huge population and poverty in China have increased the difficulty in solving its environmental problems, and in fact have accelerated them. The Chinese government has established many environmental laws and institutions, increased environmental investments, and is enlarging the participation of NGOs and the general public in some limited scale to solve its environmental problems. However, it has not obtained effective results because of the lack of environmental investments owing to the government's limit of the development phase, a structural limit of law enforcement and local protectionism, and the limit of political independency in NGOs and the lack of public participation in China. It seems that China remains in the stage of 'economic development first, environmental protection second', contrary to its catch-phrase of 'the harmony between economic development and environmental protection'. China is now confronted with dual pressure both domestically and abroad because of deepening environmental problems. There are growing public's protests and demonstrations in China in response to the spread of damage owing to environmental pollution and ecological deterioration. On the other hand, international society, in particular neighboring countries, regard China as a principal cause of ecological disaster. In the face of this dual pressure, China is presently contemplating a 'recycling economy' that helps sustainable development through the structural reform of industries using too much energy and through more severe law enforcement than now. Therefore, it is desirable to promote regional cooperation more progressively and practically in the direction of building China's ability to solve environmental problems.

  • PDF

A Study on the Protection and Management System of the Southwestern Coast Tidal Flat for Inscription in the World Heritage List (서남해안 갯벌의 세계유산 등재를 위한 보호 및 관리체계 연구)

  • Moon, Kyong-O
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
    • /
    • v.48 no.3
    • /
    • pp.80-95
    • /
    • 2015
  • The purpose of this study is to establish an effective protection and management system for World Heritage (WH) nomination of Southwestern Coast Tidal Flat (SCTF) by proposing a model of protection and management. SCTF has a potential to become a representative best practice to achieve a sustainable development for human society. SCTF has a potential Outstanding Universal Values (OUVs) for WH nomination, thus a harmony between human and nature for wise use of natural resources needs to be pursued. It is required to present the system of SCTF's protection and management and to analyze present status of the regions in the Tentative List by comparing the case which were already inscribed as WH. For better protection of nominated areas, SCTF should expand an area for protection with additional designation. For the management system, two separate management systems such as the Department of Culture & Tourism and the Department of Oceans & Fisheries need to be reconciled. Because of this overlapping management structure, the management of the nominated sites has been inefficient and long-term management plan is lacking. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate conflicting management system of each local government and make a long-term, integrated management plan. To make an efficient and sustainable protection and management, it is essential to set up a collaboration system by integrating various stakeholders such as central and local governments, academic organizations, local residents, and NGOs. As in the case of Wadden Sea, the combined community system of the stakeholders mentioned above should be established. Because it is essential for local residents to understand a basic concepts for protection and management, it is necessary to establish capacity-building of local people. The protection and management structure should be set up by bottom-up processes, that is the proper structure shoud be based on thorough research on local society as well as thorough communication with local residents to make relevant laws and policies. This study also propose the proper plan for better conservation and management of SCTF.

A Plan for Activating Elderly Sports to Promote Health in the COVID-19 Era (코로나19 시대 건강증진을 위한 노인체육 활성화 방안)

  • Cho, Kyoung-Hwan
    • Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
    • /
    • v.14 no.7
    • /
    • pp.141-160
    • /
    • 2020
  • The purpose of this study was to devise a specific plan for activating sports to promote health in old age against the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Through literature review, it also analyzed the association between health status and COVID-19 in old age, suggested health promotion policies and projects for elderly people, and presented a plan for activating sport to promote health in old age against COVID-19 era. First, it is necessary to revise the relevant laws, including the Sport Promotion Act and the Elderly Welfare Act, partially or entirely, make developmental and convergent legislations for elderly health and sports, and establish an institutional device as needed. Second, it is necessary to build an integrated digital platform for the elderly and make a supporting system that links facilities, programs, information, and job creation as part of a New Deal program in the field of sports on the basis of the Korean New Deal. Third, it is necessary to train elderly welfare professionals. Efforts should be made to establish more departments related to elderly sports in universities and make it compulsory to place elderly sports instructors at elderly leisure and welfare facilities. Fourth, it is necessary to develop contents related to health in old age. This means performing diverse movements by manipulating them through a virtual reality (VR) simulation. Fifth, it is necessary to make a greater investment in research and development related to elderly sports and relevant fields. This means the need to conduct constant research on healthy and active aging in a systematic and practical way through multidisciplinary cooperation. Sixth, it is necessary to establish and operate an elderly management agency (elderly health agency) under the influence of the Office of the Prime Minister. This means the need to secure independence in implementing the functions related to health promotion in old age and make comprehensive operation, which involves all the issues of health promotion in old age, daily function maintenance and rehabilitation, social adjustment, and long-term care, by establishing an elderly management agency in an effort to give lifelong health management to the elderly and cope with the untact, New Normal age.

Present Status of Domestic Air Transport Industry and Policy Proposal for National Carrier's Sustainable Development (국내 항공운송산업의 현황 및 지속발전을 위한 정책제언)

  • Choi, Doo-Hwan;Hwang, Ho-Won
    • The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
    • /
    • v.33 no.2
    • /
    • pp.3-34
    • /
    • 2018
  • Korea's air transport industry has a 70-year history since Korea National Airline was establishment in October 1948. Korea has 9 airlines which have international air transport business licenses, and as of 2017, air transport performance(Domestic & International) is ranked 8th in the world. Through analysis of Korea's air transport industry, this paper examines the essential problems of the domestic air transport industry and what policies and laws should be supplemented, and presents an "Policy Directions for the Air Transport Industry" that can continue to grow into a global aviation leading country in the future. Analysis of aviation statistics shows that the nation's air transport industry has a very high growth rate, and national airlines continue to invest in sustainable growth. Furthermore, new companies are also trying to enter the market. As of November 2018, four companies applied for licenses for international air transport business, one for international air transport business (cargo) license, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is expected to decide whether to issue the license by first quarter of 2019. While some expect price reductions and consumer benefits through competition promotion, others worry about worsening airline financial structures and reducing safety investment due to competition. To sum up the problems of the nation's air transport industry, first, low-cost airlines focus only on attracting domestic demand, and thus have a weak foundation for continued growth. Second, the rapid growth in recent years has led to the lack of aviation professionals such as pilots and technicians and the saturation of slots at major airports. Third, since the financial soundness of airlines is not systematically managed, the financial situation of airlines can quickly deteriorate and the damage can be attributed to consumers. In order for the national airlines to continue to develop, the first is to focus on the endless demand of the global aviation market and to secure international competitiveness. Second, the government should support the airline infrastructure according to the size of the air transport industry, third, we will systematically nurture aviation experts who will lead the future of the nation's air transport industry, and finally, the government will have to continuously manage the financial status of airlines to prevent consumer damage in advance. Nowadays the air transport industry has become very competitive. Not only do airlines have to work hard for the sustainable development of national airlines, but all government agencies must support our airline companies in policy to win international competition.

Review of Responsibility in Case of Medical Tour Disputes (의료관광 분쟁시 책임주체에 대한 검토)

  • Moon, Sang hyuk
    • The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
    • /
    • v.17 no.1
    • /
    • pp.107-135
    • /
    • 2016
  • Medical tour can be said to be a new high added-value tour industry of 21st century. The development of varied and distinguished medical tour products by each country will further vitalize the medical tour industry. As the interest in such medical tour increases, it is necessary to analyze the demand and interests of tourists accurately and prepare medical tour products to be provided in order to develop and promote medical tour products. The government considers the medical tour industry as an industry with high expected effects in job creation through promotion of experts in global healthcare industry and national economy development through high added-value creation, and has expanded aid policies in medical tour field with improvement of medical tour immigration system, one-stop service system for medical tourists, and medical tour labor force promotion system. Nevertheless, there are disputes between foreign patients and medical tour inviting businesses, along with medical accident disputes between foreign patients and medical staff and disputes with those working in the tourism industry. This article reviews the types of disputes occurring around the inviting businesses related to medical tours and tried to review the resolutions. Through this, it was found that medical tour inviting businesses have the responsibility to connect the mediated benefits and risks and also the responsibility to process the tasks. Thus, in case dispute occurs due to passive actions from establishing agency agreement to active mediation results, it is difficult to escape the liabilities. Also, in a medical tour agency contract, the inviting business must be aware that it bears the responsibility to explain and advise the details on benefits and risks to foreign patients. The "Guide to arbitration system for resolution of medical disputes with foreign patients" by Korea Health Industry Development Institute Act presents a method to resolve disputes according to the [laws on medical accident damage relief and medical dispute arbitration] in case a dispute due to medical accidents occurs to foreign patients when the foreign patients prepare diagnosis agreement, Whether such method is sufficient to protect foreign patients, however, is thought to require discussions from more diverse perspectives. In order to vitalize medical tourism, the development of diverse products is also important, but the countermeasures against related disputes should also be prepared. Such is expected to contribute to a greater advancement based on trust of foreign medical tourists alongside excellent medical technologies.

  • PDF

An Analysis of the Quantitative Changes of Elements on Golf Courses - With Special Reference to the Membership Golf Courses in Capital Area, Korea - (한국 골프 코스 구성 요소의 정량적 변화 분석 - 수도권 회원제 골프장을 대상으로 -)

  • Rho, Joon-Taek;Cho, Se-Hwan
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
    • /
    • v.40 no.6
    • /
    • pp.112-126
    • /
    • 2012
  • The theme is to analyze the time-series changes of design elements on golf courses and golf country club and its factors influencing to the changes with regard to 81-membership country club located in the Capital Area of Seoul, created in the periods from 1964 until 2011. The research methods is to analyze the time-series changes of environmental factors influencing to the changes of the elements on the golf course by book review, and to compare and speculate the results of the analysis on the environmental factors with the time-series changes on the golf course elements of statistical analysis as like regression analysis. The research results were as follows. The first, the environmental factors influencing to the change of golf course elements were analyzed as the five elements of the golf-related policies and regulations, the economy, the numbers of golfers, PGA and KPGA golf tournaments, the golf instruments. The second, the type and scale of the location of the golf course were showing trends of transformation from flat ground to mountainous one and from small scale to large one. The third, it was analyzed that he golf course elements as like the sizes, length, numbers of golf course elements as like fairway, green, bunker, teeing ground and pond were influenced by the law and regulation, the increase of amateur golfers, the promotion of techniques of golfers, the increase of the chance of foreign course designer's involvement to domestic market through the opening of PGA and KPGA tournaments etc. The fourth, the promotion of golf instruments and the flying distance were the factors influencing to the numbers of bunker, the lengths of holes. The fifth, it was revealed that the trends of increase of sizes of ponds influenced by enacting environmenal friendly laws and regulations, considering of landscaping, reflecting of design trends followed by the opening of PGA tournaments. Finally, it was proposed that the further research would be introduced with regard to the qualitative analysis onto the changes and influential factors of golf course design.

The Determinants of Consumption Characteristics and Patterns of Elderly Households (고령자 가구의 소비특성 및 소비패턴 결정요인)

  • Kim, Jinhun
    • 한국노년학
    • /
    • v.36 no.3
    • /
    • pp.905-926
    • /
    • 2016
  • Although the concept of the elderly varies depending on scholars and laws, as consumption expenditure is deeply associated with income due to the nature of this study, 55 years old was set as the low limit standard for the elderly according to Prohibition of Discrimination on Age in Employment and Employment Promotion for the Aged Act and the elderly households were limited to single-elderly person household and an elderly couple family household for this study. It is considered consumption characteristics as a significant analysis subject in terms of social welfare because it could be understood as an expressed need which was a reflection of desire. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the consumption characteristics of the elderly households by stereotyping the consumption pattern of the elderly households, and find the determining factors for consumption patterns and thus contribute to the establishment of related policies through the expressed needs of the elderly households. K-means of cluster analysis was performed by putting the consumption expenditure of the elderly households to investigate inherent structural type of consumption pattern of the elderly households, which were the investigation subjects. As a result, four groups were stereotyped and named as below: 'health care-centered type', 'saving-centered type', 'livelihood-centered type', and 'food expenses-centered type' Binary Logistic Regression analysis was used to identify the factors that influence the decision of consumption pattern of the elderly households. The result of study showed that the elderly households faced all different needs and problems and thus there is a need for various approach plans to solve this situation. In particular, although the elderly have been viewed as economically poor people so far, the study showed that there were also kind of prepared households through saving. Overall, livelihoodcentered type accounted for the highest portion and, as a factor that influenced this, marital state and household income played an important role. Therefore, it is considered that more active efforts to increase the income of the elderly households are needed. In addition, age, owning of house and subjective health state were found to also have significant influence. Through these results of the study, the elderly's own improvement of awareness on health, presentation of overall standard for health state of the elderly, securement of the elderly's access to cultural life, and financial management coordination for improvement of quality of life, development and dissemination of jobs suitable for the elderly, and dissemination of communal life household, which is a cooperation residential type, were presented as institutional task in the conclusion.

A study on the activation plan of domestic franchise companies third party logistics (국내 프랜차이즈 기업의 제3자 물류 활성화에 관한 연구 : 본아이에프 사례 중심으로)

  • Cho, Jun-ho;Lee, Sang-Youn
    • The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
    • /
    • v.2 no.2
    • /
    • pp.15-24
    • /
    • 2011
  • Modern enterprises should concentrate their efforts on continuous improvements in focusing their development in the core areas of business and to reduce their expenses and to enhance the quality of service for customers. The enterprises should focus on their core business while outsourcing the non-core areas of business to external specialists for the purpose of reducing cost. In South Korea, the enterprises are becoming increasingly interested in outsourcing their logistics function, especially in using IT technologies to the 3PL. The underlying reason for this trend is because the logistics costs of Korean businesses are much higher than that of other advanced countries. This higher logistic costs weakens the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the overseas export markets and even dampening the balance of international trade. Domestically, the higher logistics costs have the effect of raising prices in the local markets and thus affecting the local economy. Therefore a solution is urgently needed to save the logistics costs for the Korean companies in the interest of increasing national competitiveness. Outsourcing to the 3PL is becoming an attraction solution to this problem. Thanks to the increasing supply of professional logistics companies, many of the enterprises are switching to the Third Party Logistics. Nevertheless the enterprises do not yet utilize the integrated third-party logistics services on a full scale. This study analyzes present conditions and problems of the domestic third-party logistics market and suggests directions for future development. To solve the problems in the domestic third-party logistics market, four actions are recommended. First there should be new supporting policies in the laws and regulations and a system for small and medium sized companies to grow. Solutions to structural problems such as abnormal multilevel merchandising, illegal operation of private cars, and freight dumping should be implemented concurrently. Furthermore, standards for new companies entry into the market should be enhanced to allow only the competitive distribution companies to enter the market. Second, development of variety of educational programs is needed through establishing human-resource development system and specialized formal educational institution focused on this market. Third, the third party distribution companies, which seek long-term relationships with the owners of goods, should endeavor to strengthen their communications capability. Fourth, adoption of high-tech distribution system and the advent of U-Logistics, making use of RFID is urgent. This study has the limitation of objectivity because it does not include various comparative case studies about companies relating to the Third Party Logistics and domestic franchise companies. However, this study is significant to the extent that it analyzes the general present conditions and the problems of domestic Third Party Logistics and suggests recommendations for revitalization of Third Party Logistics. For future studies, analyzing the successful cases of international third party logistics companies' empirical data and studying the application into domestic franchise companies would improve the objectivity of the results. This would assist the domestic third party logistics companies not only to perform excellent domestic logistics function but also to enter into the global market for international logistics.

  • PDF