• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.171-186
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• 2023

CEOs who have started and managed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have a lot of concerns about the sustainability of their businesses in the fierce management field and sometimes have the intention to discontinue their businesses. In this study, the perception of the business environment of SMEs (intensity of competition, difficulty in manpower management), the competency of the corporate (employee competency, product or service competitiveness, digital or technical capability), the competency of the CEO's (management competency and health status of CEO), and the perception of business succession on the CEO's intention to discontinue business were empirically studied with SME CEOs. This study conducted a survey of SME CEOs in various industries from March 20 to April 15, 2022, and verified the research hypothesis using SPSS 24.0 with 296 samples obtained. As a result of the study, the intensity of competition, the difficulty in manpower management, and the perception of business succession had a positive (+) effect on the intention to discontinue the business. On the other hand, the employee competency, the product or service competitiveness, the corporate digital or technical competency, and the CEO's health status had a negative (-) effect on the intention to discontinue business. Meanwhile, it was observed that government regulations also have a moderating effect on the intensity of competition, the difficulty in manpower management, the business succession perception of CEO, and the intention to discontinue business. This study has academic significance in that the concept of 'discontinuing business', which was fragmentarily scattered according to various preceding studies, was systematized based on the level of ownership change and voluntariness. And that it empirically analyzed factors related to the intention to discontinue business targeting SME CEOs. In addition, that it observed for the baby-boomer CEOs in Korea the factors influencing the intention to discontinue business and that it was confirmed that considering their age, organizing the business stable and handing it over to the successor was another positive concept of business discontinuation.

• Korean small business review
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.147-172
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• 2020

This study presents the determinants of R&D efficiency as the focus on CEO's competency, which influences R&D competency and R&D efficiency. The research samples are 6,708 technology-innovation small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The independent variable is the R&D competency(existence of R&D organization, level of R&D personnel, R&D personnel management, R&D investment), the dependent variable is R&D efficiency. The moderator is the CEO's competency(experience level in its own industry, technical knowledge level, technology management strategy, management ability). R&D efficiency measures the relationship between inputs(level of R&D personnel, R&D investment) and outputs(patent applications, prototype) by the DEA. and the determinant analysis uses Tobit regression. As a result of the analysis, the existence of R&D organization and R&D personnel management is positively significant, level of R&D personnel and R&D investment is negatively significant for R&D efficiency. The moderating effect of CEO's competency on the relationship between the R&D competency and R&D efficiency is significant determinants of CEO's experience(experience level in its own industry, technical knowledge level) and technology management strategy. The finding is to measure the efficiency of R&D performance, and to analyze its determinants as the moderating effect of CEO's competency, using the technology appraisal data. In the conclusion session, the limitations of the research and future research directions were discussed.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.89-117
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• 2018

The Korean companies are intensifying competition with not only domestic companies but also foreign companies in globalization. In this environment, it is essential activities not only for large companies but also Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to get and develop the core competency. Particularly, SMEs that are inferior to resources of various aspects, such as financial resources etc., can make innovation through effective R&D investment. And then, SMEs can occupy a competency and can be survive at the environment. Conventionally, the method of "self-development" by using only the internal resources of the company has been dominant. Recently, however, R&D method through cooperation, also called "Open Innovation", is emerging. Especially SMEs are relatively short of available internal resources. Therefore, it is necessary to utilize technology and resources through cooperation with external companies(such as joint development or contract development etc.) rather than self-development R&D. In this context, we confirmed the effect of SMEs' factors on sales in Korea. Specifically, the factors that SMEs hold are classified as 'Technical characteristic', 'Company competency', and 'R&D activity' and analyzed how they influence the sales achieved as a result of R&D. The analysis was based on a two-year statistical survey conducted by the Korean government. In addition, we confirmed the influence of the factors on the sales according to the R&D method(Self-Development vs. Open Innovation), and also observed the influence change in 29 industrial categories. The results of the study are summarized as follows: First, regression analysis shows that twelve factors of SMEs have a significant effect on sales. Specifically, 15 factors included in the analysis, 12 factors excluding 3 factors were found to have significant influence. In the technical characteristic, 'imitation period' and 'product life cycle' of the technology were confirmed. In the company competency, 'R&D led person', 'researcher number', 'intellectual property registration status', 'number of R&D attempts', and 'ratio of success to trial' were confirmed. The R&D activity was found to have a significant impact on all included factors. Second, the influence of factors on the R&D method was confirmed, and the change was confirmed in four factors. In addition, these factors were found that have different effects on sales according to the R&D method. Specifically, 'researcher number', 'number of R&D attempts', 'performance compensation system', and 'R&D investment' were found to have significant moderate effects. In other words, the moderating effect of open innovation was confirmed for four factors. Third, on the industrial classification, it is confirmed that different factors have a significant influence on each industrial classification. At this point, it was confirmed that at least one factor, up to nine factors had a significant effect on the sales according to the industrial classification. Furthermore, different moderate effects have been confirmed in the industrial classification and R&D method. In the moderate effect, up to eight significant moderate effects were confirmed according to the industrial classification. In particular, 'R&D investment' and 'performance compensation system' were confirmed to be the most common moderating effect by each 12 times and 11 times in all industrial classification. This study provides the following suggestions: First, it is necessary for SMEs to determine the R&D method in consideration of the characteristics of the technology to be R&D as well as the enterprise competency and the R&D activity. In addition, there is a need to identify and concentrate on the factors that increase sales in R&D decisions, which are mainly affected by the industry classification to which the company belongs. Second, governments that support SMEs' R&D need to provide guidelines that are fit to their situation. It is necessary to differentiate the support for the company considering various factors such as technology and R&D purpose for their effective budget execution. Finally, based on the results of this study, we urge the need to reconsider the effectiveness of existing SME support policies.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.157-167
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• 2022

This study was conducted to confirm the relationship between the proactive accounts receivable management of SMEs on credit sales decision making and business performance, and to derive effective accounts receivable management plan and systematic credit sales decision making plan. Based on 455 copies of data collected through a survey targeting SMEs, it was confirmed through factor analysis, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and model fit verification, and the research hypothesis was verified with a structural equation model. As a result of the verification, credit rating had a positive effect on financial performance, sales performance and credit sales decision, while credit control had a positive effect on financial performance, while negative effect on sales performance and credit sales decision. In the mediating effect hypothesis test, credit sales decision had a positive effect between credit rating and business performance and a negative effect between credit control and business performance. The study suggests that if small and medium-sized enterprises improve their business performance through effective accounts receivable management, they can create a synergistic effect in enhancing the business performance of companies if they simultaneously improve their proactive accounts receivable management and credit sales decision ability. Future research is required to study the impact of factors such as segmentation of research subjects and credit transaction motives and accounts receivables management.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.199-220
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• 2023

Projects to deploy and diffuse smart factories in South Korea are aimed at enhancing national manufacturing competitiveness. However, a significant portion of deployed companies remain at the basic stage and struggle to utilize smart factories regularly. Existing studies have primarily focused on the technical aspects of smart factories, using data analytics and case studies, leading to a gap in empirical research on continuous use and upgrade intentions. This study identifies key factors influencing smart factory usage and user satisfaction, drawing on the Information Systems Success Model (ISSM) and previous research. It empirically examines the impact of these factors on continuous use intention, management performance, and advancement acceptance intention through smart factory usage and user satisfaction. A structural equation model is employed to validate the research hypotheses, using survey data from 287 small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) that have adopted smart factories. Results demonstrate that system quality, information quality, service quality, and government support significantly affect smart factory usage, while service quality and government support influence user satisfaction. Furthermore, smart factory usage and user satisfaction have positive effects on management performance, continuous use intention, and subsequently advancement acceptance intention. This study provides novel insights by demonstrating the specific impact mechanisms of smart factory user satisfaction on the business and the intentions of manufacturing SMEs regarding continuous use and advancement acceptance, leveraging the ISSM.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.454-490
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• 2018

This paper examined the nonlinear relationships between external knowledge sources and the innovation performance of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). Using 3,218 firm-year panel data in South Korea, this study found that increasing the number of external knowledge channels out of the value chain increases radical innovation. Meanwhile, increasing the number of external knowledge channels within the value chain increases the incremental innovation. Further, the external sources of knowledge both out of and in the value chain had inverted U-shaped relationships on radical and incremental innovation respectively. This finding implies that a mechanism of diminishing returns works in the relationship between the external sources of knowledge and innovation. The study also identified the synergistic effects between the external sources of knowledge out of the value chain and within the value chain, and confirmed that the synergistic effects strengthen the linear mechanism between the external sources of knowledge and innovation. In addition, this study found that the sources of knowledge both out of and within the value chain positively moderate the relationships between R&D investment and radical innovation of SMEs.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.649-655
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• 2020

This study determined effective educational strategies by investigating and analyzing the related educational demands for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) in the 4th Industrial Revolution based area of smart farms. In order to derive the approprate educational strategies, Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) and Borich's Needs Assessment Model were conducted based on the smart farm technological field. As a result, the education demand survey showed high demand for production systems and intelligent farm machinery. In detail, Borich's analysis showed the need for pest prevention and diagnosis technology (8.03), network and analysis SW linkage technology (7.83), and intelligent farm worker-agricultural power system-electric energy hybrid technology (7.43). In contrast, smart plant factories (4.09), lighting technology for growth control (4.46) and structure construction technology (4.62) showed low demands. Based on this, the IPA portfolio shows that the network and analysis SW linkage technology and the CAN-based complex center are urgently needed. However, the technology that has already been developed, such as smart factory platform development, growth control lighting technology and structure construction technology, was oversized. Based on these results, it is possible to strategically suggest the customized training programs for industrial sectors of SMEs that reflect the needs for efficiently operating smart farms. This study also provides effective ways to operate the relevant training programs.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.58
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• pp.215-236
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• 2013

It is quite true that the more Korean contractors receive overseas contracts, the more they need guarantees. The top market for them is the Middle East countries, consisting of more than the half of the total amount awarded last year and the trend is increasing as well. The problem, however, is that employers in these countries are reluctant to use international rules for guarantee such as URDG or ISP98 and easily make unfair callings. However, Korean contractors(applicants), especially small and medium sized enterprises(SMEs) tend to hurriedly enter a contract without looking into its contents as well as guarantees. They do not realize the importance of the guarantees until they receive callings from the employers(beneficiaries). Being independent from the underlying contracts, guarantee is the equivalent to cash in that it usually does not require any proof of demand when calling and the guarantor should make a payment within usually 5 business days after the request. It is often observed these days that several Korean SMEs go bankrupt due to liquidity risks after receiving unfair callings from employers in the Middle East countries. In retrospect, some cases could be obviated if contractors were a little more careful in checking the contents of a guarantee at the time of concluding a contract. For example, there is one case where the underlying contract includes a reduction clause in the Advance Payment bond and the guarantee does not have that clause. In the end, the Korean contractor had to take the whole burden of the bond amount though it had finished 81% of the project. Nobody could argue that contractors should take a full responsibility if they fail in their obligations. However, the employer's wrongful callings need to be prevented in the first place, if possible. As there shouldn't be a case where one party is at a disadvantage against the other like the case mentioned above, useful insight is being sought to minimize unfair calling risks for the benefit of the applicant. First, the applicant should carefully look into every detail of the potential guarantee before signing a contract, heeding especially that there is a reduction clause in the AP bond. Second, the governing principles for guarantee should be the ones that are internally used such as URDG758 that is objective in terms of callings given that, for example, it specifies that the requirement for a supporting statement when making a demand is a default rule. It is also recommended that the form of guarantees be the standard demand guarantee. Third, parties involved in issuing guarantees are advised to understand international rules for guarantee like URDG758 and ISP98 and to play a key role in guiding SME contractors in Korea so that they can protect themselves from possible wrongful callings, particularly from employers in the Middle East countries. I hope this study would give a wake-up call for Korean SMEs wishing to do business in the Middle East countries and remind them of the importance of guarantee itself and its governing principles.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.115-140
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• 2012

From a point of knowledge based view, IUI(Industry-University-Institute) R&D collaboration is recognized as an important way to acquire lacking technology and knowledge. In this study, we investigated firm performance of IUI R&D collaboration on national R&D project. That is, we identified whether a collaborative research really affects firm performance, and whether firm performance is differed by types of collaboration. To test our hypotheses, we selected 250 Korean SMEs(Small and Medium Enterprises) which were funded from government R&D for 2006-2009, and we verified relations between the ratio and/or types of R&D collaboration and firm performance. Firm performance was measured by number of patent applied and ROA(Return on Assets) after completion of the project (in year t+1). Findings showed that the relationship between the ratio of R&D collaboration and technological performance was inverted U-shape. Among types of R&D collaboration, though inter-industry collaborative research was negatively related to technological performance, IUI collaborative research was positively related to technological performance. However, the ratio and types of R&D collaboration had no relation to economic performance. The results of this study will contribute to the strategy of SMEs as well as the policy of a government with regard to IUI R&D collaboration.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.213-227
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• 2013

The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of SMEs' technological competitiveness and technology marketing on commercialization performance. For this, we conducted a survey targeting 204 people who are in charge of new product or technology development in SMEs which possess corporate R&D center authorized by the government on technological competitiveness, technology marketing and commercialization performance. The paper studied the effects of technological competitiveness on technology marketing and commercialization performance, technology marketing on commercialization performance. Empirical analysis shows follow results. First, technological competitiveness which includes technology innovation capability, technology commercialization capability and R&D intensity (investment on R&D personnel) have a positive effect on technology marketing. Second, technology commercialization capability have a positive effect on commercialization sales performance & commercialization non-sales performance, R&D intensity (investment on R&D physical) have a positive effect on commercialization non-sales performance. Third, high core technology and enabling technology on technology marketing result in better commercialization performance. As a result, technology-centered SMEs need to make continuous efforts to elevate technological competitiveness factors such as technology innovation capability, technology commercialization capability and R&D intensity.