• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.669-679
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• 2016

Architectural firms that would like to adopt the BIM are currently in an unfavorable position because of reduced orders, polarization of orders, and low price design. This study was conducted to evaluate plausible methods for supporting introduction of BIM into small sized firms. Before suggesting plans for support, we analyzed support projects and laws relating to support for small sized firms, after which we conducted a survey of small sized firms that support the project. The survey was completed by 242 architects and consisted of questions regarding the following aspects: current status and problems associated with BIM utilization, preference of certain policies for BIM introduction support, and reasonable level of support. After the survey, it was concluded that architectural firms are willing to use BIM and agree with the need for financial support for BIM program purchase and education, as well as to support BIM experts and fund low interest loans. In conclusion, it is proposed that support plans for small sized architectural firms in the areas of BIM introduction consulting, financial funding for the introductory process, provision of education and experts, order support, and promotions for accomplishment be provided.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.55-75
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• 2011

Scant attention has been given to analyzing how knowledge sourcing strategies affect firm performance in SMEs and what are the differences between SMEs and large firms in the patterns of knowledge sourcing strategies adoption. This study attempts to advance the current literature by examining the impact of knowledge sourcing strategies on SMEs performance. The empirical segment of our work is based on data on knowledge sourcing strategies of SMEs and organizational performance from a sample of 166 Korean firms. Our results indicate knowledge sourcing adoption patterns of SMEs are different from large firms. In addition, the results confirm that substitutability between internal- and external-oriented, person- and external-oriented sourcing strategies. This study sheds new light on knowledge management (KM) research by identifying the relationship between knowledge sourcing strategies and SMEs performance.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.121-131
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• 2010

Technological innovation depends on the quality of workers, whose ability is the key component to raise business competitiveness. Our study evaluates how satisfactory is the training of workers at small and medium sized firms, and suggest how to improve upon it. We show the theoretical framework for the relation between customer satisfaction and their behavioral intent on the one side, and factors of training service quality. Our result show: (1) Factors affecting customer satisfaction are, in descending order of importance, expertise, policy, follow-up service, attitude and behavior, and convenience. (2) Contrary to established views on the service quality, satisfaction for training would not be the prerequisite variable for intent to act, in case of training service quality. (3) Satisfaction level for training depends on the type of organization in charge of training (government, university, or private sector.) It also varied among different types of business (L-type, A-type, and J-type.) Small and medium sized firms find it difficult to commit to training education due to lack of money and manpower. The recent expansion of free training service would address part of this problem. On the other hand, the outfit in charge of training could boost service quality by customizing their training program to the type of business they cater to.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.1-14
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• 2004

As environmental issues have been become critical concerns of business, many domestic small and medium enterprises(SME's) are rapidly accepting environmental management systems(EMS) that confirm ISO 14001 guidelines. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an empirical study carried out on a sample of certified SME's with the aim of identifying obstacles encountered in adopting ISO 14001 standards and the impact of environmental systems on corporate performance after implementation of the ISO 14001 registration process. Data from this study show that the vast majority of respondents reported environmental improvements related to the implementation of an ISO 14001 EMS, especially in the area of employees' participation of the environmental management and responsibilities for reducing negative impacts, energy and resource conservation, materials reuse, and raising top management commitment. The greatest obstacles for implementing the ISO 14001 standard are lack of cooperation and a scarcity of resources such as personnel, money, and time. Results of this study serve as a reference point understanding the problems in the implementation of ISO 14001 in other small and medium firms.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.33-46
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• 2005

Small/medium software businesses are often at a disadvantage when trying to win government contracts. Rather, most of small/medium software companies work with larger companies in the form of subcontracting. In its broadest meaning, subcontracting refers to the purchase of a part of a product or process from a different company. Appropriate subcontracting system helps both large and small software firms keep in healthy. However, many problems regarding subcontracting have been reported and recognized as one of major obstacles impeding advancement of the software industry. This paper examines the current problems in subcontracting system by conducting a field survey and proposes directions to improve the system for software project. It suggests revision of 'Software Industry Promotion Act' to induce fair relationship among software firms.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.565-577
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• 2020

This study empirically examined how a firm size affects the determinants of innovative activities using the data of the Korean Innovation Survey (KIS) 2016. With data from 2,003 firms in the manufacturing sector, we performed logistic regression analysis and zero-inflated negative binomial regression analysis. R&D expenditure and patent applications were used as proxies for innovative activity. The independent variables included the firm's characteristics variables such as the firm's age, tech-level industry, RDemp (R&D employee ratio), venture, export, and industrial characteristics variables such as networking, appropriability, and spillovers. The empirical findings are that there are some differences in firms' innovative activity determinants among the firms' size groups. Next, strategic appropriability has negative impacts on small firms' R&D expenditure and medium-firms' patents. Networking is an important determinant of innovative activity for all firms, except for large firms. Furthermore, in deciding R&D activities, small and medium-sized firms were significantly influenced by industrial characteristics as compared to that of large firms. Our findings suggest some R&D promotion policies. Policies fostering firms' technological interaction would allow firms to take advantage of technological spillovers and thus raise the probability of investing in R&D.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.411-417
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• 2021

This study aims to estimate the production function and total factor productivity (TFP) of Vietnamese seafood processing firms. At the same time, the study analyses the impact of internal factors of firms and the quality of economic institutions on the TFP of the Vietnamese seafood processing industry. The study uses the Function Control (FC) approach in TFP estimation and the Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) regression model in the analysis of factors affecting TFP. The study was carried out on the census data of enterprises of the Vietnamese seafood processing industry collected by the Vietnamese General Statistics Office and Provincial Competitiveness Index data of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the period from 2013 to 2018. Estimated results from the models show that: i) Vietnamese seafood processing firms are, currently, mainly labor-intensive, the TFP contribution and output is only about 2.258. ii) Factors such as the firm's age, firm's size, and the firm's ownership affect TFP. In which, firms that have few numbers of years of operation, small and medium firms, and private firms have low TFP. iii) Institutional quality and the provincial business environment have a positive impact on the TFP of Vietnamese seafood processing firms in this period.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.131-152
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• 2021

Political connections may facilitate firms' exporting activities, particularly in developing countries, because politically connected firms may be more likely to receive informational and financial support, allowing them to overcome barriers to export. We test this hypothesis using a unique, firm-level dataset from traditional apparel and textile clusters in the Red River Delta Region in Northern Vietnam. We find that political connection of certain types increases the chance of receiving valuable information or financial support from the government. Moreover, those firms that have access to government information have higher chances of being direct exporters. However, firms that receive financial support from the government are not necessarily engaged in exporting activities. Although politically connected firms are more willing to export, they do not necessarily engage in more exporting activities than firms without such connections. These results suggest that the misallocation of information and financial resources to politically connected but insufficiently productive firms leads to a failure to promote exporting activities. In contrast, political connection increases the chance of importing materials and parts, possibly because high productivity is necessary for exporting, but not for importing.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.169-189
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• 2006

The product categories that can be sold on-line are expanding. It is interesting to see which product categories have more sales possibilities on internet. Small-sized firms' products have low distribution coverage, low brand recognition, bigger dispersion in the perception on the values which consist of quality vs. price, and higher possibilities of perceived purchase risks. Since on-line shopping is supposed to provide opportunities to small-sized firms that have low distribution and brand power, it is quite necessary to evaluate the fitness of on-line sales for small-sized firms' product categories. There are virtually no research studies on the on-line sales for small-sized firms' product categories. In this study, based on the integration of SEC, FCB, and related concepts, we develop new theoretical framework and test the fitness of on-line sales for small-sized firms' product categories by conducting empirical analysis. The empirical results on 17 product categories show that SEC, FCB, purchase risks, brand factors are somewhat related. Unlike previous studies, since the fitness of SEC and on-line sales are not clearly shown, we need to consider those problems within inter-related multiple frameworks. That is, it is necessary to evaluate the fitness of on-line sales after defining the product categories within the integrated multiple frameworks rather than within the single framework.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.259-268
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• 2020

This study aims to provide empirical evidence on the causal relationship between bribery and firm innovation. To this end, we use a micro-dataset of small and medium firms in Vietnam surveyed in 2015. Given the binary nature of the dependent variable, a simple probit regression model is employed. However, as bribery variable is potentially endogenous, a simple probit regression may give biased estimates. We deal with the potential endogeneity by making use of the bivariate probit model. A property of the bivariate probit model is that it can produce efficient estimates of a typical probit model with endogenous binary explanatory variable. A Hausman-like likelihood ratio test is implemented following the estimation to test the existence of endogeneity. We find that bribery significantly undermines firm innovation. Also, firms run by household appear less innovative. The probability of innovation diminishes significantly if firm owners or managers have previous experience in firm products. As expected, larger firms seem to be more innovative. Exporters tend to be more innovative compared to non-exporters. Our findings provide support to the hypothesis that bribery is detrimental to firm innovation and, thus, innovation may be a mediating channel, through which, bribery impedes firm long-term performance.