• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.25-34
• /
• 2013

Purpose - This study examines the adverse press coverage that has increased in proportion to the remarkable growth of various kinds of franchise businesses in the food service industry. Today, the trust of franchisees in relation to their franchisor, and the maintenance of good relations between the two, has become a significant social issue. This study investigates relationship satisfaction and the long-term commitment between the franchisor and franchisee. Research design, data, methodology - We used a path analysis to investigate the relationship between justice and trust, trust and relationship satisfaction, justice and relationship satisfaction, trust and long-term commitment, and relationship satisfaction and long-term commitment. Structural Equation Modeling and a Sobel test were used to investigate the mediating effects of trust and relationship satisfaction. Data were collected from 237 Food Franchisees in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province in order to test the theoretical model and its hypotheses. Two research methodologies are generally used in the distribution management field. For this study, an empirical method was used. Results - A causal analysis was carried out to test if the research model has a sufficient fit index (for instance, χ² = 46.694, df = 10, p = .000, GFI = 0.946, AGFI = 0.850, RMR = 0.034, NFI = 0.966, CFI = 0.973), and the results showed that the model was sufficient, thus demonstrating the suitability of the research model. Each hypothesis had a positive influence, both on long-term commitment and relationship satisfaction. Justice with the franchisor had a positive influence on trust. Relation satisfaction cognized by franchisees was found to positively influence long-term commitment. The franchisee perception of justice in relation to the franchisor had no significant influence on long-term commitment. The study investigated the hypothesis that trust could mediate justice and long-term commitment, and that relationship satisfaction could also mediate long-term commitment Both trust and relationship satisfaction were found to be important for long-term commitment. Specifically, trust sub-factors and justice sub-factors influenced long-term commitment. Identification-based and knowledge-based trust were more important than calculus-based trust. Distributive justice was deemed more important than procedural justice; distributive justice should thus be strengthened. Conclusions - Both franchisor and franchisee were independent businesses. Evidently however, the franchisor could not ensure profit without long-term commitment from the franchisee. As for the success of the franchise business, the franchisor should carry out appropriate strategies leading to a satisfactory relationship. For example, transparency makes it possible to maintain and enhance trust and to improve relationship satisfaction. Just relations between franchisor and franchisee should make it possible to maintain and enhance the franchisee's trust. The franchisor should provide a variety of information with respect to the franchisee's business success. Finally, in order to improve the franchisee's long-term commitment, the franchisor should ensure a just approach with trust and relationship satisfaction among their strategies.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.1-20
• /
• 2016

On the basis of the geological conditions of high and steep mountainous slope on which an exit portal of an express railway tunnel with a bridge-tunnel combination is to be built, the composite structure of the exit portal with a bridge abutment of the bridge-tunnel combination is presented and the stability of the slope on which the express railway portal is to be built is analyzed using three dimensional (3D) numerical simulation in the paper. Comparison of the practicability for the reinforcement of slope with in-situ bored piles and diaphragm walls are performed so as to enhance the stability of the high and steep slope. The safety factor of the slope due to rockmass excavation both inside the exit portal and beneath the bridge abutment of the bridge-tunnel combination has been also derived using strength reduction technique. The obtained results show that post tunnel portal is a preferred structure to fit high and steep slope, and the surrounding rock around the exit portal of the tunnel on the high and steep mountainous slope remains stable when rockmass is excavated both from the inside of the exit portal and underneath the bridge abutment after the slope is reinforced with both bored piles and diaphragm walls. The stability of the high and steep slope is principally dominated by the shear stress state of the rockmass at the toe of the slope; the procedure of excavating rockmass in the foundation pit of the bridge abutment does not obviously affect the slope stability. In-situ bored piles are more effective in controlling the deformation of the abutment foundation pit in comparison with diaphragm walls and are used as a preferred retaining structure to uphold the stability of slope in respect of the lesser time, easier procedure and lower cost in the construction of the exit portal with bridge-tunnel combination on the high and steep mountainous slope. The results obtained from the numerical analysis in the paper can be used to guide the structural design and construction of express railway tunnel portal with bridge-tunnel combination on high and abrupt mountainous slope under similar situations.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.109-118
• /
• 2021

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine net energy (NE) of expeller-press (EP-RSM) and solvent-extracted rapeseed meal (SE-RSM) and to establish equations for predicting the NE in rapeseed meal (RSM) fed to growing pigs. Methods: Thirty-six barrows (initial body weight [BW], 41.1±2.2 kg) were allotted into 6 diets comprising a corn-soybean meal basal diet and 5 diets containing 19.50% RSM added at the expense of corn and soybean meal. The experiment had 6 periods and 6 replicate pigs per diet. During each period, the pigs were individually housed in metabolism crates for 16 days which included 7 days for adaption to diets. On day 8, pigs were transferred to respiration chambers and fed their respective diet at 2,000 kJ metabolizable energy (ME)/kg BW0.6/d. Feces and urine were collected, and daily heat production was measured from day 9 to 13. On days 14 and 15, the pigs were fed at 890 kJ ME/kg BW0.6/d and fasted on day 16 for evaluation of fasting heat production (FHP). Results: The FHP of pigs averaged 790 kJ/kg BW0.6/d and was not affected by the diet composition. The NE values were 10.80 and 8.45 MJ/kg DM for EP-RSM and SE-RSM, respectively. The NE value was positively correlated with gross energy (GE), digestible energy (DE), ME, and ether extract (EE). The best fit equation for NE of RSM was NE (MJ/kg DM) = 1.14×DE (MJ/kg DM)+0.46×crude protein (% of DM)-25.24 (n = 8, R2 = 0.96, p<0.01). The equation NE (MJ/kg DM) = 0.22×EE (% of DM)-0.79×ash (% of DM)+14.36 (n = 8, R2 = 0.77, p = 0.018) may be utilized to quickly determine the NE in RSM when DE or ME values are unavailable. Conclusion: The NE values of EP-RSM and SE-RSM were 10.80 and 8.45 MJ/kg DM. The NE value of RSM can be well predicted based on energy content (GE, DE, and ME) and proximate analysis.

• Asia Marketing Journal
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.143-165
• /
• 2013

Sales force automation (SFA) technologies are increasingly used to support customer relationship management (CRM) strategies. However, the popular press reports mixed results among companies incorporating SFA technologies and the previous studies have less interested in relationship quality between sales person and customer as an outcome of SFA. Actually the improved quality of the salesperson-customer relationship may be the most important outcome of SFA usage. This outcome is especially meaningful in today's marketplace given the increasing focus placed on customer retention and other customer related performance such as customer lifetime value. Therefore, this study seeks to further examine the impact of SFA usage within two different firms using SFA technologies to examine the impact of SFA usage on both customer relationship quality and sales performance. Additionally, the moderating roles of perceived managerial support and salesperson experience on the outcomes of SFA usage are examined. The results shows that direct effect of SFA usage on performance was not significant but highlight the mediating role of customer relationship quality in the SFA usage - sales performance relationship. Also, this research examines a number of moderating effects of both management supports for SFA and salesperson's sales work experience. The results indicate that management support has a significant direct influence on relationship quality and salesperson performance, but not a significant moderating effect on the relationship between SFA usage and the outcomes (relationship quality and performance). Thus moderating effects were not supported but find significant main effects. First of all, finding of this study suggest that a formula for successful SFA implementation must be one that highlights a SFA usage → relationship quality → sales performance sequence. This means when sales person use SFA they must build relationship with customer first then will return some long term performance. Second, the implications of not considering the introduction of big technology initiatives in terms of fit within the company's culture, strategy, structure, and environment may in many cases be quite noteworthy. Therefore, the launching of a new technology in the firm, such as SFA, may have a nonlinear impact upon overall firm performance, depending on the presence of other complimentary resources and capabilities. Finally the authors offer a number of implications for research and practice, and suggest directions for future SFA research that may further improve our understanding of this increasingly relevant topic.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
• /
• s.35
• /
• pp.209-226
• /
• 2014

Chinese cartoon industry lately was able to see a rapid development which changed cartoon creative personnel associated with increased production technology development, new technologies, government support policy and a variety of environments. It was likely to have high expectations for changes in the policy environment of the country supported the comic creators and authors to develop its own comic industry. The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of China promoted the production for the development of Chinese animation with "domestic little video about the development of the animation industry's opinion", and "documents Documents". Animation industrial base and animation education was established in institutions such as the organization one after another. In the meantime, the spread of Japanese comics picture on the creative activation admitted but their comic creation and activation was slump. It would produce that the creation of its traditional culture based activation strategy to built comics. Since 2004, It was well represented for the creators of the cartoon creation of the tradition and uniqueness of Chinese history. In the prior to 2004, comics and strategies was to be differentiated. Today, China is an important source of comic marked the fact that the tradition was recognized and it was further developed with combining creativity of the past and the present production system. Comic creators comic story of traditional culture were excavated in order to have a sense of awareness and modern. The difference between China Cartoon and comics in other Asian countries is true that cartoon story came out naturally in a traditional culture. In this study, It would lead in the future to allow directional presented for the digital cartoon making development policy awareness through the comic creation and production of new media content industry enabled to China. Now, in the new media industry for the development of China's neighboring countries coped with climate change for the active exchange of information. It poured out ceaseless technical development and a range of policies to support business expansion. New China Cartoon was leaped to re-fit the industry.

• Korean Journal of Legislative Studies
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.113-156
• /
• 2016

Media scholars take a lion stake in power circle. Not only do they take a part in media policies but seize prestigious positions like board members in Korea Communication Commission(KCC). Unfortunately, though, little has been known about who they are, what qualifications they have, and whether they meet public interests. This paper attempts to unveil the mechanism of those politicized intellectuals who are specialized on the media. Two categories divided into 'representative' and 'expertise' are employed for this purpose. On the one hand, the representative means the degree of committment into such public services as participation in conferences or non-profit organizations. On the other hand, the number of research articles, books and projects belong to the expertise. Evaluation levels consist of 'excellence, good and average' were allocated to those scholars who are(were) in 'Power Hole,' where decision makings come into being. Some interesting observations were made though this study. First of all, such criteria as representative and expertise vaguely suggested by the laws were hardly fit into those intellectuals, Rarely did they commit into public service let alone showing vigilance in academic activities. Secondly, both ideological loyalty and political activities in line with the government had much to do with taking such positions. Thirdly, not surprisingly, it showed that to graduate from Seoul National University and have Ph.D. degree from U.S.A. was one of the most essential factors. In final, most of them were very good at taking advantage of the press in way of boosting their publicity. To attend at policy making processes either in form of board members or advisers is inevitable for media experts. However, as shown in this study, such qualification of public service and academic eagerness shouldn't be underestimated. Academic integrity not selling intelligence solely for private interests needs to be protected as well. The authors hope this study to provide a valuable opportunity to establish a kind of ethical standards in participating into politics.