• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.207-230
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• 2022

A survey on the understanding of environment-friendly certification system was conducted for certified operators. The survey included the necessity of certification system, difficulties in producing certified products, and general evaluation of the current certification system. Certified operators were generally satisfied with the certification system in terms of the certification standards, the public subsidy programs, and the farm management costs. Individuals with parallel production farms were relatively less satisfied than the group with full-time organic farmers. Analysis using the ranking probit model indicated that the longer the certification experience, the more highly aware the need for the certification system was. Our results indicated that policy strategies are needed to enlarge the marketability of environment-friendly agricultural products since economic factors of organic products were the most important factor for maintaining and expanding certification in overseas as well as in Korea. It seems to be necessary to implement economic triggers for certified operators to continue their certification programs by promoting the transition period certification for individual farms in parallel with conventional agriculture. Analysis of the variables correlated with the expansion of environment-friendly agriculture by the logit model implied that certified operators with the younger age and higher annual incomes were more likely to expand environment-friendly agriculture. Therefore, it might also be important to provide financial support and incentives for new entry farmers to participate in environment-friendly agriculture and establish a system to share the know-how of successful certified organic farmers.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.97-111
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• 2015

A preliminary study on the existing attraction effect and compromise effect was started on the experiment studies about product or service and conducted on the empirical studies on things, research trips, staff recruitment process in the research and the actual US presidential election. However most studies have been limited in the theories of the frequency range and no research about combining compromise effect and attraction effect with the types of promotion. The purpose of this study verifies that how attraction effect and compromise effect in the choice option of the choice process for brand varies according to the types of promotion. This study compares the difference of choice of brand between the influence of the attraction effect and compromise effect. The independent variables among the manipulated variables are as follows : (1) Brand choice (attraction effect and compromise effect), (2) Promotion Type (price promotion/non-price promotion). This study was manipulated in between-subjects design and within-subjects design. The results of this study will be able to see the implications for the positioning strategy of offering several new products such as practical dimensions of promotion strategy because the entry of new brands rather increases market share of similar existing brands.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.720-735
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• 2009

This paper studies the characteristics of the restructuring of chemical industrial complex in JiLin city since 1978 focusing on enterprise organization, the process of production, labor, and consumer market. The number of chemical industrial enterprises and their partnership with subcontractors have increased since 2001. As for the type of cooperation group, research institutes and local government are accounted for the greatest portion. The chemical industrial enterprise in JiLin which has adopted Fordism production method still has the highest percentage in 2007. And in the shift process of production system after China's entry into WTO(in 2001), chemical industrial enterprise in JiLin city takes allowing more investment in production technologies as core strategy, while taking improvement in equipment and development of new products as core strategy in the shift process of production technology. The degree of labor re-education was highest in 2007, and as for the relationship between labor and management, enterprises which evaluate the ability of performance of duty are increasing. The characteristics of restructuring of chemical industrial complex on consumer market, domestic market accounted for the greatest portion, on the other side the export is feeble. As for strategy of market restructuring, industrial enterprise in JiLin city should use Quality improvement and high-value added as core strategies to cope with alteration of market.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.61-118
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• 2008

The purpose of this research is to construct research framework for international franchising based on existing literature and to identify research components in the framework. Franchise can be defined as management styles that allow franchisee use various management assets of franchisor in order to make or sell product or service. It can be divided into product distribution franchise that is designed to sell products and business format franchise that is designed for running it as business whatever its form is. International franchising can be defined as a way of internationalization of franchisor to foreign country by providing its business format or package to franchisee of host country. International franchising is growing fast for last four decades but academic research on this is quite limited. Especially in Korea, research about international franchising is carried out on by case study format with single case or empirical study format with survey based on domestic franchise theory. Therefore, this paper tries to review existing literature on international franchising research, providing research framework, and then stimulating new research on this field. International franchising research components include motives and environmental factors for decision of expanding to international franchising, entrance modes and development plan for international franchising, contracts and management strategy of international franchising, and various performance measures from different perspectives. First, motives of international franchising are fee collection from franchisee. Also it provides easier way to expanding to foreign country. The other motives including increase total sales volume, occupying better strategic position, getting quality resources, and improving efficiency. Environmental factors that facilitating international franchising encompasses economic condition, trend, and legal or political factors in host and/or home countries. In addition, control power and risk management capability of franchisor plays critical role in successful franchising contract. Final decision to enter foreign country via franchising is determined by numerous factors like history, size, growth, competitiveness, management system, bonding capability, industry characteristics of franchisor. After deciding to enter into foreign country, franchisor needs to set entrance modes of international franchising. Within contractual mode, there are master franchising and area developing franchising, licensing, direct franchising, and joint venture. Theories about entrance mode selection contain concepts of efficiency, knowledge-based approach, competence-based approach, agent theory, and governance cost. The next step after entrance decision is operation strategy. Operation strategy starts with selecting a target city and a target country for franchising. In order to finding, screening targets, franchisor needs to collect information about candidates. Critical information includes brand patent, commercial laws, regulations, market conditions, country risk, and industry analysis. After selecting a target city in target country, franchisor needs to select franchisee, in other word, partner. The first important criteria for selecting partners are financial credibility and capability, possession of real estate. And cultural similarity and knowledge about franchisor and/or home country are also recognized as critical criteria. The most important element in operating strategy is legal document between franchisor and franchisee with home and host countries. Terms and conditions in legal documents give objective information about characteristics of franchising agreement for academic research. Legal documents have definitions of terminology, territory and exclusivity, agreement of term, initial fee, continuing fees, clearing currency, and rights about sub-franchising. Also, legal documents could have terms about softer elements like training program and operation manual. And harder elements like law competent court and terms of expiration. Next element in operating strategy is about product and service. Especially for business format franchising, product/service deliverable, benefit communicators, system identifiers (architectural features), and format facilitators are listed for product/service strategic elements. Another important decision on product/service is standardization vs. customization. The rationale behind standardization is cost reduction, efficiency, consistency, image congruence, brand awareness, and competitiveness on price. Also standardization enables large scale R&D and innovative change in management style. Another element in operating strategy is control management. The simple way to control franchise contract is relying on legal terms, contractual control system. There are other control systems, administrative control system and ethical control system. Contractual control system is a coercive source of power, but franchisor usually doesn't want to use legal power since it doesn't help to build up positive relationship. Instead, self-regulation is widely used. Administrative control system uses control mechanism from ordinary work relationship. Its main component is supporting activities to franchisee and communication method. For example, franchisor provides advertising, training, manual, and delivery, then franchisee follows franchisor's direction. Another component is building franchisor's brand power. The last research element is performance factor of international franchising. Performance elements can be divided into franchisor's performance and franchisee's performance. The conceptual performance measures of franchisor are simple but not easy to obtain objectively. They are profit, sale, cost, experience, and brand power. The performance measures of franchisee are mostly about benefits of host country. They contain small business development, promotion of employment, introduction of new business model, and level up technology status. There are indirect benefits, like increase of tax, refinement of corporate citizenship, regional economic clustering, and improvement of international balance. In addition to those, host country gets socio-cultural change other than economic effects. It includes demographic change, social trend, customer value change, social communication, and social globalization. Sometimes it is called as westernization or McDonaldization of society. In addition, the paper reviews on theories that have been frequently applied to international franchising research, such as agent theory, resource-based view, transaction cost theory, organizational learning theory, and international expansion theories. Resource based theory is used in strategic decision based on resources, like decision about entrance and cooperation depending on resources of franchisee and franchisor. Transaction cost theory can be applied in determination of mutual trust or satisfaction of franchising players. Agent theory tries to explain strategic decision for reducing problem caused by utilizing agent, for example research on control system in franchising agreements. Organizational Learning theory is relatively new in franchising research. It assumes organization tries to maximize performance and learning of organization. In addition, Internalization theory advocates strategic decision of direct investment for removing inefficiency of market transaction and is applied in research on terms of contract. And oligopolistic competition theory is used to explain various entry modes for international expansion. Competency theory support strategic decision of utilizing key competitive advantage. Furthermore, research methodologies including qualitative and quantitative methodologies are suggested for more rigorous international franchising research. Quantitative research needs more real data other than survey data which is usually respondent's judgment. In order to verify theory more rigorously, research based on real data is essential. However, real quantitative data is quite hard to get. The qualitative research other than single case study is also highly recommended. Since international franchising has limited number of applications, scientific research based on grounded theory and ethnography study can be used. Scientific case study is differentiated with single case study on its data collection method and analysis method. The key concept is triangulation in measurement, logical coding and comparison. Finally, it provides overall research direction for international franchising after summarizing research trend in Korea. International franchising research in Korea has two different types, one is for studying Korean franchisor going overseas and the other is for Korean franchisee of foreign franchisor. Among research on Korean franchisor, two common patterns are observed. First of all, they usually deal with success story of one franchisor. The other common pattern is that they focus on same industry and country. Therefore, international franchise research needs to extend their focus to broader subjects with scientific research methodology as well as development of new theory.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.43-61
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• 1981

Interest in the Quality of working life is spreading rapidly and the phrase has entered the popular vocabulary. That this should be so is probably due in large measure to changes in the values of society, nowadays accelerated as never before by the concerns and demands of younger people. But however topical the concept has become, there is very little agreement on its definition. Rather, the term appears to have become a kind of depository for a variety of sometimes contradictory meanings attributed to it by different groups. A list of all the elements it if held to cover would include availability and security of employment, adaquate income, safe and pleasant physical working conditions, reasonable hours of work, equitable treatment and democracy in the workplace, the possibility of self-development, control over one's work, a sense of pride in craftsmanship or product, wider career choices, and flexibility in matters such as the time of starting work, the number of working days in the week, Job sharing and so on altogether an array that encompasses a variety of traditional aspirations and many new ones reflecting the entry into the post industrial era. The term "quality of working life" was introduced by professor Louis E. Davis and his colleagues in the late 1960s to call attention to the prevailing and needlessly poor quality of life at the workplace. In their usage it referred to the quality of the relationship between the worker and his working environment as a whole, and was intended to emphasize the human dimension so often forgotten among the technical and economic factors in job design. Treating workers as if they were elements or cogs in the production process is not only an affront to the dignity of human life, but is also a serious underestimation of the human capabilities needed to operate more advanced technologies. When tasks demand high levels of vigilence, technical problem-solving skills, self initiated behavior, and social and communication skills. it is imperative that our concepts of man be of requisite complexity. Our aim is not just to protect the worker's life and health but to give them an informal interest in their job and opportunity to express their views and exercise control over everything that affects their working life. Certainly, so far as his work is concerned, a man must feel better protected but he must also have a greater feeling of freedom and responsibility. Something parallel but wholly different if happening in Europe, industrial democracy. What has happened in Europe has been discrete, fixed, finalized, and legalized. Those developing centuries driving toward industrialization like R.O.K, shall have to bear in mind the human complexity in processing and designing the work and its environment. Increasing attention is needed to the contradiction between autocratic rule at the workplace and democratic rights in society.n society.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.115-154
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• 2017

This article offers a review of the major literature about sectoral innovation studies of Korea and its implications over the past 30 years. The literature on the sectoral innovation studies in Korea has focused on analysing successful technological catch-up from an evolutionary perspective and most of research has centered on the issues about entry strategies, learning mechanisms. Recently "Emerging economies" like Korea in the 2000s face major challenges as they make a transition from (a) a phase of economic development characterised by 'catching up' with the global technological frontier, involving technological "imitation", to (b) a phase of continuing development based on the development of new knowledge for globally leading (post catch-up) product and process innovation. This paper reviews those bodies of literature of patterns of sectoral innovation, technological capability accumulation and catch-up process, catch-up innovation and institutions, and patterns of growth dynamics. Finally, given the importance of sectoral innovation studies, we suggest that industrial upgrading, transition towards leadership, dark side of catch-up issues are needed for future research directions.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2023

Impact investment involves investing in companies that pursue both social value and financial returns. It focuses on addressing various social problems through innovative solutions while generating profits. The domestic impact investment ecosystem has experienced significant growth with the support of the government and public institutions. In 2021, it witnessed a 3.5-fold increase over three years, reaching a total of 700 billion won in operating assets. In order to foster qualitative growth alongside this quantitative expansion, it is crucial to conduct research specifically on impact investment, which sets it apart from conventional venture investment. This study aims to empirically analyze the unique factors that influence impact investment decisions. Firstly, the factors affecting investment decisions were identified through a literature analysis. Then, a consultation and Delphi survey involving 11 representatives and evaluators from impact investment companies was conducted to determine the major investment determinants. Subsequently, an AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) survey was carried out with 10 impact investment evaluators to ascertain the relative importance of these factors. The analysis revealed the following order of importance for the top factors: market>entrepreneur(team)>product/service>finance. Furthermore, the importance of specific factors was identified in the following order: market competition and entry barriers>new market creation>market growth and potential expansion>team expertise and capabilities. Unlike previous studies that primarily focus on general startup investment factors, this research demonstrates that impact investment places greater emphasis on market-related factors and considers the sustainability and profitability of the business model to be more important than the social impact of social ventures.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2018.10a
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• pp.26-27
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• 2018

With entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol to promote the fair sharing of the benefits of accessing and utilizing genetic resources, much support has been given to research on the development of biomaterials and products using domestic natural resources. Conservation and resource-saving of native species became very important through Nagoya Protocol enactment. The trend of cosmetic industry has been shifing from use synthetic chemicals to natural biomaterials, due to the safety regulations on new materials, ban on animal experiments, and expansion of cosmeceuticals range. In addition, functional cosmetic range has been expanded from whitening, wrinkle improvement, and ultraviolet shielding, to hair loss, hair loss alleviation, acne relaxation, and moisturizing of atopic skin, thus causing the activation of research about field of efficacy evaluation on natural biomaterials and commercialization. Chungbuk province is fostering the bio industry as a key industry for regional economic growth. For this purpose, Osong Biotechnology Complex/Ochang Science Industrial Complex in middle area, Jecheon biovalley in northern region, and Chungju Enterprise city have been established, thus playing a pivotal role in Bio innovative cluster in Korea. In particular, it was established the osong cosmetics clinical research support center to develop the cosmetics industry in chungbuk, thereby supporting clinical trials, efficacy evaluations, overseas certification, and overseas market entry in order to advance into the global market. In addition, oriental plants such as astragalus propinquus, schisandra chinensis, eucommia, alpiniae oxyphyllae fructus and biancaea sappan are being actively studied as global cosmetic ingredients through the promotion of various national research and development projects using natural materials in chungbuk province. The chungbuk natural product industry is expected to grow further throughout cosmetics industry development in the future, as companies and research institutes are actively promoting the secure index of effective material in natural products and effective material commercialization.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.245-276
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• 2008

Brand equity is one of the most important concepts in business practice as well as in academic research. Successful brands can allow marketers to gain competitive advantage (Lassar et al.,1995), including the opportunity for successful extensions, resilience against competitors' promotional pressures, and the ability to create barriers to competitive entry (Farquhar, 1989). Branding plays a special role in service firms because strong brands increase trust in intangible products (Berry, 2000), enabling customers to better visualize and understand them. They reduce customers' perceived monetary, social, and safety risks in buying services, which are obstacles to evaluating a service correctly before purchase. Also, a high level of brand equity increases consumer satisfaction, repurchasing intent, and degree of loyalty. Brand equity can be considered as a mixture that includes both financial assets and relationships. Actually, brand equity can be viewed as the value added to the product (Keller, 1993), or the perceived value of the product in consumers' minds. Mahajan et al. (1990) claim that customer-based brand equity can be measured by the level of consumers' perceptions. Several researchers discuss brand equity based on two dimensions: consumer perception and consumer behavior. Aaker (1991) suggests measuring brand equity through price premium, loyalty, perceived quality, and brand associations. Viewing brand equity as the consumer's behavior toward a brand, Keller (1993) proposes similar dimensions: brand awareness and brand knowledge. Thus, past studies tend to identify brand equity as a multidimensional construct consisted of brand loyalty, brand awareness, brand knowledge, customer satisfaction, perceived equity, brand associations, and other proprietary assets (Aaker, 1991, 1996; Blackston, 1995; Cobb-Walgren et al., 1995; Na, 1995). Other studies tend to regard brand equity and other brand assets, such as brand knowledge, brand awareness, brand image, brand loyalty, perceived quality, and so on, as independent but related constructs (Keller, 1993; Kirmani and Zeithaml, 1993). Walters(1978) defined information search as, "A psychological or physical action a consumer takes in order to acquire information about a product or store." But, each consumer has different methods for informationsearch. There are two methods of information search, internal and external search. Internal search is, "Search of information already saved in the memory of the individual consumer"(Engel, Blackwell, 1982) which is, "memory of a previous purchase experience or information from a previous search."(Beales, Mazis, Salop, and Staelin, 1981). External search is "A completely voluntary decision made in order to obtain new information"(Engel & Blackwell, 1982) which is, "Actions of a consumer to acquire necessary information by such methods as intentionally exposing oneself to advertisements, taking to friends or family or visiting a store."(Beales, Mazis, Salop, and Staelin, 1981). There are many sources for consumers' information search including advertisement sources such as the internet, radio, television, newspapers and magazines, information supplied by businesses such as sales people, packaging and in-store information, consumer sources such as family, friends and colleagues, and mass media sources such as consumer protection agencies, government agencies and mass media sources. Understanding consumers' purchasing behavior is a key factor of a firm to attract and retain customers and improving the firm's prospects for survival and growth, and enhancing shareholder's value. Therefore, marketers should understand consumer as individual and market segment. One theory of consumer behavior supports the belief that individuals are rational. Individuals think and move through stages when making a purchase decision. This means that rational thinkers have led to the identification of a consumer buying decision process. This decision process with its different levels of involvement and influencing factors has been widely accepted and is fundamental to the understanding purchase intention represent to what consumers think they will buy. Brand equity is not only companies but also very important asset more than product itself. This paper studies brand equity model and influencing factors including information process such as information searching and information resources in the fashion market in Asia and Europe. Information searching and information resources are influencing brand knowledge that influences consumers purchase decision. Nine research hypotheses are drawn to test the relationships among antecedents of brand equity and purchase intention and relationships among brand knowledge, brand value, brand attitude, and brand loyalty. H1. Information searching influences brand knowledge positively. H2. Information sources influence brand knowledge positively. H3. Brand knowledge influences brand attitude. H4. Brand knowledge influences brand value. H5. Brand attitude influences brand loyalty. H6. Brand attitude influences brand value. H7. Brand loyalty influences purchase intention. H8. Brand value influence purchase intention. H9. There will be the same research model in Asia and Europe. We performed structural equation model analysis in order to test hypotheses suggested in this study. The model fitting index of the research model in Asia was $X^2$=195.19(p=0.0), NFI=0.90, NNFI=0.87, CFI=0.90, GFI=0.90, RMR=0.083, AGFI=0.85, which means the model fitting of the model is good enough. In Europe, it was $X^2$=133.25(p=0.0), NFI=0.81, NNFI=0.85, CFI=0.89, GFI=0.90, RMR=0.073, AGFI=0.85, which means the model fitting of the model is good enough. From the test results, hypotheses were accepted. All of these hypotheses except one are supported. In Europe, information search is not an antecedent of brand knowledge. This means that sales of global fashion brands like jeans in Europe are not expanding as rapidly as in Asian markets such as China, Japan, and South Korea. Young consumers in European countries are not more brand and fashion conscious than their counter partners in Asia. The results have theoretical, practical meaning and contributions. In the fashion jeans industry, relatively few studies examining the viability of cross-national brand equity has been studied. This study provides insight on building global brand equity and suggests information process elements like information search and information resources are working differently in Asia and Europe for fashion jean market.