• Korean small business review
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.19-37
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• 2009

The purpose of this research is to explore differences between small and medium-sized companies and large-sized companies in the impact of human resource innovativeness(HRI), learning orientation(LO), and HRI-LO interaction on innovation effect and business performance. Although learning orientation has long been considered as a key factor influencing good performance of a business, little research was devoted to exploring the effect of HRI-LO interaction on innovation effect and business performance. In this study, it is investigated whether there is a synergy effect between innovative human workforce and learning orientation corporate culture, in addition to each by itself, to generate good business performance as well as a success of new innovations in the market. Research hypotheses were as follows, including H1) human resource innovativeness(HRI), learning orientation(LO), and interactions of HRI and LO(HRI-LO interaction) positively affect innovation effect, H2) there is a difference of the effect of HRI, LO, and HRI-LO interaction on innovation effect between large-sized and small-sized companies, H3) HRI, LO, HRI-LO interaction, innovation effect positively affect business performance, and H4) there is a difference of the effect of HRI, LO, HRI-LO interaction, and innovation effect on business performance between large-sized and small-sized companies. Data were obtained from 479 practitioners through a web survey since the web survey is an efficient method to collect a national data at a variety of fields. A single respondent from a company was allowed to participate in the study after checking whether they have more than 5-year work experiences in the company. To check whether a common source bias is existed in the sample, additional data from a convenient sample of 97 companies were gathered through the traditional survey method, and were used to confirm correlations between research variables of the original sample and the additional sample. Data were divided into two groups according to company size, such as 352 small and medium-sized companies with less than 300 employees and 127 large-sized companies with 300 or more employees. Data were analyzed through t-test and regression analyses. HRI which is the innovativeness of human resources in the company was measured with 9 items assessing the innovativenss of practitioners in staff, manager, and executive-level positions. LO is the company's effort to encourage employees' development, sharing, and utilizing of knowledge through consistent learning. LO was measured by 18 items assessing commitment to learning, vision sharing, and open-mindedness. Innovation effect which assesses a success of new products/services in the market, was measured with 3 items. Business performance was measured by respondents' evaluations on profitability, sales increase, market share, and general business performance, compared to other companies in the same field. All items were measured by using 6-point Likert scales. Means of multiple items measuring a construct were used as variables based on acceptable reliability and validity. To reduce multi-collinearity problems generated on the regression analysis of interaction terms, centered data were used for HRI, LO, and Innovation effect on regression analyses. In group comparison, large-sized companies were superior on annual sales, annual net profit, the number of new products/services in the last 3 years, the number of new processes advanced in the last 3 years, and the number of R&D personnel, compared to small and medium-sized companies. Also, large-sized companies indicated a higher level of HRI, LO, HRI-LO interaction, innovation effect and business performance than did small and medium-sized companies. The results indicate that large-sized companies tend to have more innovative human resources and invest more on learning orientation than did small-sized companies, therefore, large-sized companies tend to have more success of a new product/service in the market, generating better business performance. In order to test research hypotheses, a series of multiple-regression analysis was conducted. In the regression analysis examining the impact on innovation effect, important results were generated as : 1) HRI, LO, and HRI-LO affected innovation effect, and 2) company size indicated a moderating effect. Based on the result, the impact of HRI on innovation effect would be greater in small and medium-sized companies than in large-sized companies whereas the impact of LO on innovation effect would be greater in large-sized companies than in small and medium-sized companies. In other words, innovative workforce would be more important in making new products/services that would be successful in the market for small and medium-sized companies than for large-sized companies. Otherwise, learning orientation culture would be more effective in making successful products/services for large-sized companies than for small and medium-sized companies. Based on these results, research hypotheses 1 and 2 were supported. In the analysis of a regression examining the impact on business performance, important results were generated as : 1) innovation effect, LO, and HRI-LO affected business performance, 2) HRI by itself did not have a direct effect on business performance regardless of company size, and 3) company size indicated a moderating effect. Specifically, an effect of the HRI-LO interaction on business performance was stronger in large-sized companies than in small and medium-sized companies. It means that the synergy effect of innovative human resources and learning orientation culture tends to be stronger as company is larger. Referring to these result, research hypothesis 3 was partially supported whereas hypothesis 4 was supported. Based on research results, implications for companies were generated. Regardless of company size, companies need to develop the learning orientation corporate culture as well as human resources' innovativeness together in order to achieve successful development of innovative products and services as well as to improve sales and profits. However, the effectiveness of the HRI-LO interaction would be varied by company size. Specifically, the synergy effect of HRI-LO was stronger to make a success of new products/services in small and medium-sized companies than in large-sized companies. However, the synergy effect of HRI-LO was more effective to increase business performance of large-sized companies than that of small and medium-sized companies. In the case of small and medium-sized companies, business performance was achieved more through the success of new products/services than much directly affected by HRI-LO. The most meaningful result of this study is that the effect of HRI-LO interaction on innovation effect and business performance was confirmed. It was often ignored in the previous research. Also, it was found that the innovativeness of human workforce would not directly influence in generating good business performance, however, innovative human resources would indirectly affect making good business performance by contributing to achieving the development of new products/services that would be successful in the market. These findings would provide valuable managerial implications specifically in regard to the development of corporate culture and education program of small and medium-sized as well as large-sized companies in a variety of fields.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.147-156
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• 2009

The introduction and application of IT(Information Technology) to a company has become to be viewed as a key factor for the business competitiveness and improved productivity. This study presents an approach to evaluation of a company's informatization level, which is especially appropriate for small and medium enterprises. The proposed evaluation method, based on the traditional questionnaire approaches, considers the various characteristics of the company, e.g., types of business, characteristics of customers, and locations of supply chains etc. A web-based system was developed to enable users to obtain the evaluation results from the evaluation method. The system also provides a function to produce valuable strategies for informatization by utilizing the case base which will be cumulated by repetitive evaluation requests. Finally, a real case was analyzed in order to verify the practicality of the evaluation system.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.153-162
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• 2009

Innovation, especially business process innovation, has evolved into a core focus area for all successful organizations. To ensure long-tenn survival, an enterprise must place innovation at the top of daily business operations to drive desired revenue stability and growth. Business Process Innovation is a key success factor for the next generation enterprise. Companies need to nurture an environment that encourages and enables process innovation. Business Process Management (BPM) must become the focal point of innovation initiatives. But the most BPM solutions are for large company. The cost is too high to build for small and medium sized company. We need the light and easy BPM solution for small and medium sized company. In this paper, we introduce the SESS which is BPM solution for small and medium sized company.

• Journal of East Asia Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.29-49
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• 2020

In an intensively competitive global market, small-and medium-sized firms are puzzled about how to develop sustainable competitive advantages against global rivalries, thus leading satisfactory economic performance. However, despite the roles and contributions of such small-and medium-sized firms in the local community and national economies in Japan, little guidance has been offered to the practical issues related to their strategic behaviors toward global management. To fill this notable knowledge gap, this study aims to investigate the conditions in which how Japanese small-and medium-sized could dominates global market, which is one of key challenges in the literature of small business and entrepreneurship. To obtain better insights to this research area, this study undertakes an in-depth interview survey with I.S.T (Industrial Summit Technology) Corporation that shows off the highest global market share (40 per cent) with seamless polyimide tube product widely used in office automation equipment (e.g., copiers and printers). This method of survey is designed to deeply understand historical considerations about how I.S.T Corporation could dominate in the global market of such seamless polyimide tube product. Based on findings drawn from an interview, this study identifies five major factors enabling I.S.T Corporation to be a competitive global hidden company: vision sharing through founder's entrepreneurship, core competence, strategic network, risk management, and employee engagement. Specifically, to become a global hidden champion, sharing the vision motivating employees to partake in shaping company's future will be the first step on the road to global success through founder's entrepreneurship. However, in order to achieve such a vision, the importance of company's core competence cannot be overemphasized, which differentiates your customer solution with those of competitors. As such, a group of experts will be naturally formed and demonstrates your expertise in the global market, thereby building sustainable competitiveness. On the other hand, to maintain sustainable competitiveness, it is necessary to make up for the weaknesses small-and medium-sized firms suffer from competitive resources while strengthening their own strengths through strategic networks with external organizations. Here, every company has to understand the critical role of risk management, which is essential in this process of being global company so as not to lose your own strengths. Last but not least, do not forget the significant effects of employee engagement in firm performance. To enhance employees' engagement, a company has to create an ideal organization culture which fits into company's history and personality. In doing so, such organization culture can allow the vision and strategy to be implemented into detailed business tactics while facilitating employees to challenge the status quo by experimenting with creative ideas.

• Korean Management Science Review
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.15-32
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• 2012

Previous studies have examined the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate's business performance (especially, consumers' corporate evaluation). According to them, the corporate social responsibility influences the consumers' corporate evaluation. A small and medium sized company as well as a large company is asked to conduct socially responsible actions, however, it is not easy to find a study that focuses on whether the effect of the corporate social responsibility on the consumers' corporate evaluation is different by the size of company. In this paper, we classified the corporate social responsibility into the four dimensions (economic responsibility, legal responsibility, ethical responsibility, philanthropic responsibility), and investigate the differences between a small and medium sized company and a large company in the effects of the four dimensions on the consumers' corporate evaluation. We showed that the each dimension of the corporate social responsibility had an positive effect on the corporate image regardless of the size of company. In addition, we demonstrated that the effects of the four dimensions on the company image were different by the size of company; The legal responsibility and ethical responsibility are more influential to the corporate image of a large company than to that of a small and medium sized company, however, the effects of economic responsibility and philanthropic responsibility are not different by the size of company.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.23-31
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• 2013

In Korea, middle and small-sized company takes up an absolute majority of all businesses, and most of them are founded as a limited company. Yet, it is a type of business that fits a company of certain size, and its establishment process is complicated due to various reasons such as investor protection. It is also required to have strict organization structure based on the principle of separation of ownership and management. Accordingly, as the principles may undermine entrepreneur's will to start business, there has been dramatic change in legal system on business establishment and management since 2010. The changes include streamlined process at the foundation stage and digitalization of many regulations on business establishment and operation for more convenience in starting business. Also, new business types for small-sized companies were adopted, and freedom to select business name has been enhanced. The issue of non-par value stock has been allowed, and various types of stock have been adopted for more convenient financing, defense against hostile M&A, and easier business succession.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.257-262
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• 2012

In the past three yesrs(2011-2009), a recent study found that the freshman demand employment 60.2%(average the three yesrs), foundation of company(include self-empolyment) 4.0%, entrance into graduate school(include study abroad) 13.5% and the others are net yet decision 22.3%. Very small numbers are want to establish company's business. Freshman prefer employment's safety than the foundation of company can be chancy business. The purpose of this study is survey and analyze out the reason, then present an alternative proposal in the problem concern of establish construction company's business. The survey and analyze out subjects for the students who majored in construction engineering.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.161-168
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• 2012

Recently, Social Commerce that provides customer with cheap deals is under the spotlight. The purpose of this study is to propose how to use social commerce on small restaurant business, which encompass almost a half of entire deals. We analyzed each element from the last transaction data of three social commerce company and survey obtained from the restaurant business. As a result, we can find that the purpose of promoting, the location of restaurant, whether is franchise or not, price and menu composition have an effect on sales of coupon. Based on these results, we proposed two step approaches to use the social commerce company. The first step is to decide whether social commerce is used or not and the second step is to define the detail content of deal including the social commerce company. We convinced that our proposed strategy is very helpful to the small restaurant which considers utilization of social commerce company.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.111-132
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• 2005

Company-wide initiatives mandate understanding the benefits of adopting e-Business. A benefits evaluation may ensure that the company's Web site in integral, rather than supplemental, to its business and revenue goals. Our research is motivated by the goal of extracting anticipated benefits factors of e-Business in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises(SMEs) in Korea. And we examined the impacts of anticipated benefits factors on the extent of assimilation in SMEs. Eight benefits factors emerged from this study: productivity, competitiveness, management, customer relationship, information quality, interorganization, cost down, and marketing. And competitiveness, customer relationship, interorganization, and marketing were influenced assimilation of e-Business in SMEs. But productivity, management, information quality, cost down did not.

• Asian Journal of Business Environment
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.33-43
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• 2017

Purpose - It is necessary to identify the level of marketing activities of the businesses that are recognized and carried out by the small and midsize businesses that have been supported by the government's small-business policy Research design, data, and methodology - The method of data analysis of this study was conducted by the researcher's acquaintances and center staffs who visited small business owners in a small - scale company operating a business. Results - It is found that the financial support part of the support programs for the small business owners is not related to the center affection among the support programs for the small business owners of the government. This is a fact-finding process that can be regarded as a forming process that has a significant effect on. As a result of the analysis, both marketing activity and center attachment were found to be possible parameters which have significant influence on business performance. Conclusions - Developing a variety of contact and customer management programs with small business owners in the field has enabled the government's policies to effectively penetrate the site, and these efforts eventually resulted in more business results for small business owners.