• Information Systems Review
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.131-159
• /
• 2023

Recently, amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic shifting towards an endemic phase, there has been a rise in discussions and debates about the future of the metaverse. Simultaneously, major metaverse platforms like Roblox have been launching services integrated with generative AI, and Apple's mixed reality hardware, Vision Pro, has been announced, creating new expectations for the metaverse. In this situation where the outlook for the metaverse is divided, it is crucial to diagnose the metaverse from an ecosystem perspective, examine its key ecological features, driving forces for development, and future possibilities for advancement. This study utilized Wang's (2021) Information Ecology Theory (IET) framework, which is representative of ecosystem research in the field of Information Systems (IS), to derive the Metaverse Industrial Ecosystem (MIE). The analysis revealed that the MIE consists of four main domains: Tech Landscape, Category Ecosystem, Metaverse Platform, and Product/Service Ecosystem. It was found that the MIE exhibits characteristics such as digital connectivity, the integration of real and virtual worlds, value creation capabilities, and value sharing (Web 3.0). Furthermore, the interactions among the domains within the MIE and the four characteristics of the ecosystem were identified as driving forces for the development of the MIE at an ecosystem level. Additionally, the development of the MIE at an ecosystem level was categorized into three distinct stages: Narrow Ecosystem, Expanded Ecosystem, and Everywhere Ecosystem. It is anticipated that future advancements in related technologies and industries, such as robotics, AI, and 6G, will promote the transition from the current Expanded Ecosystem level of the MIE to an Everywhere Ecosystem level, where the connection between the real and virtual worlds is pervasive. This study provides several implications. Firstly, it offers a foundational theory and analytical framework for ecosystem research, addressing a gap in previous metaverse studies. It also presents various research topics within the metaverse domain. Additionally, it establishes an academic foundation that integrates concept definition research and impact studies, which are key areas in metaverse research. Lastly, referring to the developmental stages and conditions proposed in this study, businesses and governments can explore future metaverse markets and related technologies. They can also consider diverse metaverse business strategies. These implications are expected to guide the exploration of the emerging metaverse market and facilitate the evaluation of various metaverse business strategies.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.93-102
• /
• 2011

With the increasing interest in boosting conventional markets, many authors have paid considerable attention to the roles of shop owners, store image improvement, and how to attract or maintain customers. Nevertheless, it is not easy to find papers related to the relationship between shop owners and their contribution to trading areas, directly or indirectly, in the academic world. Accordingly, research for answering the following question has been initiated: what kind of roles do shopkeepers should play in revitalizing poor conventional markets? Based on the previous studies focusing on enhancing traditional markets, this research was approached from the new insights that have been obtained concerning how to boost conventional markets, that is, from the perspectives of a shop owner and a trader. Therefore, this research aims at identifying some resolutions associated with the roles of shop owners to enhance a shopping district in a specific area, classifying their business roles into a few categories, depending on the degree of their participation in improving the shopping environment. Compared with previous studies focusing on emphasizing the importance of improving customer services from a shopkeeper's perspective, this research provides a new insight as far as how to boost conventional markets. It is, furthermore, necessary to note how market participants, particularly shop owners as they are the key players, can contribute to rebuilding their business area together with their customers. As a research technique for effectively achieving the research goal, the authors adopted a documentation methodology based on a large amount of the existing literature for studying how to rebuild traditional markets. Concerned about the ways to revitalize conventional markets, many authors have proposed a variety of strategies, and have suggested more detailed action plans from a practitioner's perspective. By analyzing these research results, the authors will have accomplished the research aim. Rather than simply identifying the roles of shop owners, the author found that they had to understand their social contribution for enhancing their trading areas, as well as their functional roles, in forming a regional society. The conventional market should be, thus, regarded as the place to share regional culture. Consequently, the authors draw some conclusions from the research results. In order to answer the above question, it was found that the roles of shop owners have been considered as one of the most important ways for revitalizing traditional markets. With respect to their roles, it is evident that their business activities are closely related to the improvement of the trading area in terms of sociality, regional development, and market revitalization, by selling products or services to the customers visiting that area. In a word, this implies that shop owners have to actively take part in boosting conventional markets as a core player. Although the authors have properly achieved the research aim, this study has a limitation, like most other research, in adopting a documentation method. Because the research is based on existing data results provided by the prior research conducted a long time ago, whether the research findings are applicable in a contemporary market should be re-examined in future research from a practitioner's perspective, rather than from an academic's perspective.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.18 no.5
• /
• pp.191-214
• /
• 2018

This research empirically analyzed the selection factors and the locational selection factors of the medical service facilities according to the gradual increase of the importance of the selection factors and the locational selection factors regarding the establishments of the small- and medium-sized hospitals according to the rapid changes of the socio-economic conditions. By analyzing the priority order according to the levels of the importance of each evaluation item factor through a research related to the selection factors and the locational selection factors of the small- and medium-sized hospitals and by drawing what the important factors that have the influences on the competitiveness of the pre-existent small- and medium-sized hospitals are through the classification of the real estate locational factors and the non-locational factors, the purpose lies in utilizing them as the basic data and materials for the opening strategies of the small- and medium-sized hospitals considering the special, locational characteristics according to the important factors of the selection factors of the small- and medium-sized hospitals, regarding the medical suppliers that have been preparing, for opening the new, small- and medium-sized hospitals. Based on the results of the preceding researches and the researches on the case examples, 28 evaluation factors were arrived at in terms of the level of the medical treatment, the medical services, the accessibilities of the hospitals, the conveniences of the hospitals, and the physical environment. And, regarding the 28 detailed evaluation factors that had been collected, through the interviews with the related experts, the 5 factors of the medical level, the medical service, the expertise of the hospital, the convenience of the hospital, and the physical environment were selected as the upper class evaluation factors. And, according to each upper class, a total of 28 low-part evaluation factors were selected. Regarding the optimal evaluation factors that were selected, the optimal locational factors were selected by carrying out an AHP questionnaire survey investigation with 200 medical experts as the subjects. Regarding the AHP analysis results, similarly with the case examples of the precedent researches, the levels of the importance appeared in the order of the medical level, the medical services, the accessibility of the hospital, the physical environment, and the convenience. And the factors that were related to the facilities of a hospital appeared low. The results of this research can be applied in providing the basis for the decision-makings regarding the selections of the locations of the small- and medium-sized hospitals in the future.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
• /
• v.6
• /
• pp.5-18
• /
• 1999

This study was attempt to encourage for developing on rehabilitation delivery system and programs as a substitute service instead of hospitalization for accident patients at work, such as hospital based home health care nursing service. It needs vary substitutes service of hospitalization to curtail the length of stay for inpatients who were hospitalized with workers compensation insurance. It focused on developing an estimation of early discharge day of accident inpatients based on a detail statement of treatment for 115 inpatients who were hospitalized at General Hospital in 1997. This study has four specific purpose as follows. First, to find out the status of health service utilization. Second, to estimate the early discharge days and income increasing effect based on the early discharge for those patients. Third, to identify the factors to affect total medical expenditure and the length of stay for those inpatients. Forth, to figure out the need of utilizing home health care nursing service for accident patients. In order to analyze of the length of stay and medical expenditure for inpatients who were hospitalized due to the accident, the authors conducted with micro-analysis and macroanalysis from medical records and medical expenditure records. Micro-analysis was done by nominal group discussion of 4 expertise with the critical criteria. such as a decrease in the amount of treatment after surgery, treatments, tests, drugs and changes in the tests consistency, drug methods, vital signs, start of ROM exercise, doctor's order, patient's outside visiting ability, stable conditions. In addition to identify affected variables for medical expenditure. the length of stay and income effect due to early discharge day, the data was analyzed with multiple regression analysis and linear regression analysis model by SPSS-PC for windows and Excell program. Results of this study as follows. First, the mean length of stay was 37.1 days, whereas the mean length of stay due to early discharge was 28.2 days at the hospital. The estimation of early discharge days were shown that depends on the length of stay. The longer length of stay, the longer length of early discharge days, such as under 7 days length of stay patients was to estimated the mean length of stay was 4.9 days and early discharge days was 4.6. whereas the mean length of stay was 122.6 days and early discharge days was 92.0 respectively. The mean medical expenditure per day were found to be 133.409 Won. whereas the mean medical expenditure per day was shown negative linear trends according to the length of stay at the hospital. The estimation results of the income effect due to 11 early discharge days per bed was around 2,150,000 won. However, it means not the real benefits from early discharge, but the income increasing amount without considering medical prime cost in general hospital. Therefore, it needs further analysis on the cost containments and benefits under the considering as well turn over rates per bed as the medical prime costs. The length of stay was most significant and the sign was positive to the total medical expenditure, as expected. Surgery and patient's residential area also an important variable in explaining medical expenditure. The level of complications was most significant variable in explaining the length of stay. The level of the needs on horne health care nursing service which can be used for early discharge accident patients were shown very high. The needs distribution varied from 65.5% of patients and 88.9% of caregivers, to 96.4% of doctors, and 99.1% of nurses. In addition horne health nurse responded that they can be managed the accident inpatients from early discharge. From these research findings. the following suggestions has been drawn it needs to develop strategies on rehabilitation delivery system in order to focused on consumer's side which is planned for 21 century health policy in Korea. Vary intermediate facilities and horne health care would have been developed in the community based for comprehensive rehabilitation services as a substitutes of hospitalization for shortening the length of stay of hospitalizations. In hospital based horne health care nursing service, it's available immediately to utilize for the patients who wanted rehabilitation services as a substitutes of hospitalization under the cooperations with workers compensation insurance company.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.79-92
• /
• 2020

This study aimed at analyzing the current status and further needs of ecological information which is provided with the civil servants in the process of climate change adaptation planning in ecosystem sector and at providing suggestions for future development of ecological knowledge on climate change. Therefore, we conducted a questionary survey titled as "the knowledge-base and information needs for climate change adaptation in ecosystem sector" with the civil servants who are engaged with adaptation practices in the ecology related divisions in 17 regional local governments (RLG) and the affiliated basic local governments (BLG) in Korea. As a result, the characteristics of ecological information which is applied in public practices was analyzed and strategies for improved utilization was suggested. 75% of the respondents (RLG 85% and BLG 72%) were aware of the relativeness between the existence and utilization of ecological information and the execution of climate adaptation practices in ecosystem sector. They were agreed with the necessity of ecological information not only in adaptation practices but also overall affairs in the ecological related division in the local government (RLG 82% and BLG 72%). The current situation of utilizing ecological information which is produced from central orlocal government to civil affairs were only represented as 64 persons (28%) in RLG and 42 persons (18%) in BLG. One of the major obstacles that the respondents confront with when applying ecological information to public practices was deficit of prior knowledge on the ecological information itself, such as awareness of the characteristics of ecological information and the link with public affairs for adaptation plans. Therefore, delivering current knowledge and ecological information on climate change by educational and promotional method is an urgent priority to the civil servant. The future needs on ecological information for local government servants were deduced as basic information on local ecosystem and applied knowledge on local development to meet the biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services at the same time. The respondents expected not only the specific guidelines for using ecological information to apply on the adaptation plans in the relevant divisions of the local governments but also the institution where the usage activation of ecological information would be operated and managed to enhance the information utilizing structure in the local government. In the nation-wide, the capacity of local governments should be enhanced with adaptation knowledge and the application of appropriate information to the public practices by central government's aiding with the better quality of information, its public promotion, and the applicability to civil affairs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.456-463
• /
• 2006

The purposes of this study were to extract choice attributes of bakery cafe customers and to conduct important- performance analysis (IPA) of choice attributes perceived by bakery cafe customers. The questionnaire was developed through literature review and focus group interview, and modified after pilot test. The questionnaires for main survey were distributed to 320 males and females aged 20 and over in Seoul. A total of 275 questionnaires were used for analysis (85.9%) and the statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS Win (12.0) for descriptive analyses, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and correlation analyses. The main results were as follows. 'Products', 'convenience to use', 'services and price', 'interior environments' 'brand' and 'location' dimensions were extracted as choice attributes dimensions of bakery cafe customers and customers of bakery cafe regarded 'sanitation and cleanness', 'kindness of employees', 'quality of products', 'comfortable and pleasant facilities' and 'taste of bakery products' as more important than other attributes. In addition, the results of IPA showed that marketing managers of bakery cafes should focused on the dimension of 'services and price' in the reason that this dimension was low at performance although customers regarded it very important. Overall, researchers and managers of bakery cafes should understand unique choice attributes of bakery cafe customers, and make efforts to establish marketing strategies that meet bakery cafe customers' needs.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartD
• /
• v.13D no.7 s.110
• /
• pp.985-996
• /
• 2006

As the internet technologies develop, the geographic information system environment is changing to the web-based service. Since geospatial information of the existing Web-GIS services were developed independently, there is no interoperability to support diverse map formats. In spite of the same geospatial information object it can be used for various proposes that is duplicated in GIS separately. It needs intelligent strategies for optimal replica selection, which is identification of replication geospatial information objects. And for management of replication objects, OMG, GLOBE and GRID computing suggested related frameworks. But these researches are not thorough going enough in case of geospatial information object. This paper presents a model of location service, which is supported for optimal selection among replication and management of replication objects. It is consist of tree main services. The first is binding service which can save names and properties of object defined by users according to service offers and enable clients to search them on the service of offers. The second is location service which can manage location information with contact records. And obtains performance information by the Load Sharing Facility on system independently with contact address. The third is intelligent selection service which can obtain basic/performance information from the binding service/location service and provide both faster access and better performance characteristics by rules as intelligent model based on rough sets. For the validity of location service model, this research presents the processes of location service execution with Graphic User Interface.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.85-97
• /
• 2010

Internet communities are a typical space for knowledge creation and use on the Internet as people discuss their common interests within the internet communities. When we define 'Knowledge Communities' as internet communities that are related to knowledge creation and use, they are categorized into 4 different types such as 'Search Engine,' 'Open Communities,' 'Specialty Communities,' and 'Activity Communities.' Each type of knowledge community does not remain the same, for example. Rather, it changes with time and is also affected by the external business environment. Therefore, it is critical to develop processes for practical use of such changeable knowledge communities. Yet there is little research regarding a strategic framework for knowledge communities as a source of knowledge creation and use. The purposes of this study are (1) to find factors that can affect knowledge creation and use for each type of knowledge community and (2) to develop a strategic framework for practical use of the knowledge communities. Based on previous research, we found 7 factors that have considerable impacts on knowledge creation and use. They were 'Fitness,' 'Reliability,' 'Systemicity,' 'Richness,' 'Similarity,' 'Feedback,' and 'Understanding.' We created 30 different questions from each type of knowledge community. The questions included common sense, IT, business and hobbies, and were uniformly selected from various knowledge communities. Instead of using survey, we used these questions to ask users of the 4 representative web sites such as Google from Search Engine, NAVER Knowledge iN from Open Communities, SLRClub from Specialty Communities, and Wikipedia from Activity Communities. These 4 representative web sites were selected based on popularity (i.e., the 4 most popular sites in Korea). They were also among the 4 most frequently mentioned sitesin previous research. The answers of the 30 knowledge questions were collected and evaluated by the 11 IT experts who have been working for IT companies more than 3 years. When evaluating, the 11 experts used the above 7 knowledge factors as criteria. Using a stepwise linear regression for the evaluation of the 7 knowledge factors, we found that each factors affects differently knowledge creation and use for each type of knowledge community. The results of the stepwise linear regression analysis showed the relationship between 'Understanding' and other knowledge factors. The relationship was different regarding the type of knowledge community. The results indicated that 'Understanding' was significantly related to 'Reliability' at 'Search Engine type', to 'Fitness' at 'Open Community type', to 'Reliability' and 'Similarity' at 'Specialty Community type', and to 'Richness' and 'Similarity' at 'Activity Community type'. A strategic framework was created from the results of this study and such framework can be useful for knowledge communities that are not stable with time. For the success of knowledge community, the results of this study suggest that it is essential to ensure there are factors that can influence knowledge communities. It is also vital to reinforce each factor has its unique influence on related knowledge community. Thus, these changeable knowledge communities should be transformed into an adequate type with proper business strategies and objectives. They also should be progressed into a type that covers varioustypes of knowledge communities. For example, DCInside started from a small specialty community focusing on digital camera hardware and camerawork and then was transformed to an open community focusing on social issues through well-known photo galleries. NAVER started from a typical search engine and now covers an open community and a special community through additional web services such as NAVER knowledge iN, NAVER Cafe, and NAVER Blog. NAVER is currently competing withan activity community such as Wikipedia through the NAVER encyclopedia that provides similar services with NAVER encyclopedia's users as Wikipedia does. Finally, the results of this study provide meaningfully practical guidance for practitioners in that which type of knowledge community is most appropriate to the fluctuated business environment as knowledge community itself evolves with time.

• Journal of International Area Studies (JIAS)
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.217-244
• /
• 2018

As Chinese insurance market grows rapidly due to market reforms, China got recognition as second-largest insurance market in the world in 2016. However Korean insurance companies have had difficulties to grow in Chinese insurance market despite Chinese participation in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the growth of chinese insurance market. The reason for the decline in Korean insurance companies is economic retaliation due to the deployment of THAAD in Korea. However, this is not a fundamental reason. The underlying cause of the effects of economic retaliation is the result of insufficient negotiations in Korea-China FTA services sector. In Service sector of Korea-China FTA, the level of concession between Korea and China differs greatly, when comparing China and South Korea's FTA. In addition, it has only been a few years since China collected the position of the WTO Doha Agenda, which currently deals with concessions on intellectual property rights and services. More important is that the Korea-China FTA service sector, as it stopped short of being protected by the most-favored-nation state treatment level when Korean insurance companies entered China. Further negotiations to supplement the weak points in the Korea-China FTA service sector were promised in December 2017, but international tensions over THAAD deployment made it impossible to hold such negotiations. However, due to changes in international affairs in 2018, the first additional negotiation was decided and held. This paper implicates strategies of further negotiation between Korea and China for service and investment chapter. Consequently, the aim of this paper suggests directions how to re-enter Chinese insurance market to Korean insurance companies.

• Land and Housing Review
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.55-71
• /
• 2022

Recently, the domestic department store industry is growing into a complex shopping cultural space, which is advanced and differentiated by changes in consumption patterns. In addition, competition is intensifying across 70 places operated by five large companies. This study investigates the determinants of the visits to department stores using the big data concept's automatic vehicle access system (pos) and proposes how to strengthen the competitiveness of the department store industry. We use a negative binomial regression test to predict the frequency of visits to 67 branches, except for three branches whose annual sales were incomplete due to the new opening in 2021. The results show that the demand for visiting department stores is positively associated with airport, terminal, and train stations, land areas, parking lots, VIP lounge numbers, luxury store ratio, F&B store numbers, non-commercial areas, and hotels. We suggest four strategies to enhance the competitiveness of domestic department stores. First, department store consumers have a high preference for luxury brands. Therefore, department stores need to form their own overseas buyer teams to discover and attract new luxury brands and attract customers who have a high demand for luxury brands. In addition, to attract consumers with high purchasing power and loyalty, it is necessary to provide more differentiated products and services for VIP customers than before. Second, it is desirable to focus on transportation hub areas such as train stations, airports, and terminals in Gyeonggi and Incheon. Third, department stores should attract tenants who can satisfy customers, given that key tenants are an important component of advanced shopping centers for department stores. Finally, the department store, a top-end shopping center, should be developed as a space with differentiated shopping, culture, dining out, and leisure services, such as "The Hyundai", which opened in 2021, to ensure future growth potential.