• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.89-105
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• 2004

Many researchers and practitioners have acknowledged the need to investigate the relationships amongst various criteria of implementing total quality management (TQM) in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMMEs). There is a need to have practical research methodologies that take cognisance of the peculiarities of SMMEs and impact on their quality management practices in developing countries. This paper presents the theoretical foundation of a proposed Generative Research Methodology and configures the specification of a TQM implementation framework in SMMEs. The methodology combines rigorous research approaches, builds theory based on the dynamics of the environment and the firms' characteristics and incorporates various TQM criteria into the design of the framework. It synchronises inductive and deductive research methods in three phases and uses various means to acquire empirical evidence and examine the dependent and independent variables of TQM implementation. It is anticipated that the methodology could help SMMEs to develop, analyse and evaluate the framework for attaining quality performance goals.

• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.155-177
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• 2004

In today's business environments, corporate globalization and collaboration in an industry are strongly required. In order to cope with such requirements, the industry's informationization must be made. However, compared to large-sized companies, the SMEs(small and medium-sized enterprises) have inferior capacities for their organizational information due to limited management resources. Among many factors for promoting information in SMEs, one of the most factors is CEO's intention. Thus, this paper discusses the promotion policies for infomationization in SMEs from the perspective of CEO's intention. Based upon the survey results, the paper proposes some information promotion policies for SMEs.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.120-127
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• 2005

Quality system management adapted by small and medium enterprises in Kangwon province to enhance the competitiveness was studied. Variance analysis on several questionnaire answers was performed. Motives for acquiring the accreditation, such as product export, adjustment to international trend, enhancement of brand/product recognition, CEO's mind change, and management innovation, have been changed significantly among business types. Mind changes after the accreditations were setting company's first priority on quality, enhanced recognition on compliance of in-house standards and regulations, employee's performance with the recognition of quality. Amongst service problems to maintain the accreditations were difficulties in maintaining the recognition of the company's quality management, labor increase to maintain the ISO 9000 enforcement team, and financial burden to keep the accreditation. Quality recognition after the accreditations was significantly improved in setting company's first priority on quality, enhanced recognition on compliance of in-house standards and regulations, employee's performance with the recognition of quality.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.104-109
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• 2014

More than 76% of occupational accidents occur in small and medium sized enterprises(SME) employing less than 50 workers, due to the lack of safety and health systems, and carelessness of workers and owners. Timely Technical Guidance(TTG) project of Korea Occupational Safety & Heath Agency(KOSHA) for SME was initiated to analyze and inform accident causes just after accidents occur. Improvement direction of TTG project is suggested through situation and performance analysis on TTG services conducted in 2012. KOSHA provided TTS services on 15,571 SMEs(suffering at least one accident in 2012), through which the working day losses from recurrence resulted in 19.0%p, 14.5%p and 31.3%p decreases in manufacturing, services and construction businesses, respectively.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.229-239
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• 2018

Purpose: There is a difficulty in Environmental Stress Screening (ESS) test design for weapon system's electrical/electronic components/products in small and medium-sized enterprises. To overcome this difficulty, I propose an easy ESS test design approach algorithm that is optimized with only one environment tolerance design information parameter (${\Delta}T$). Methods: To propose the mass production weapon system ESS test design for cost-effective optimization, I define an optimum cost-effective mathematical model ESS test algorithm model based on modified MIL-HDBK-344, MIL-HDBK-2164 and DTIC Technical Report 2477. Results: I clearly confirmed and obtained the quantitative data of ESS effectiveness and cost optimization along our ESS test design algorithm through the practical case. I will expect that proposed ESS test method is used for ESS process improvement activity and cost cutting of mass production weapon system manufacturing cost in small and medium-sized enterprises. Conclusion: In order to compare the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, I compared the effectiveness of the existing ESS test and the proposed algorithm ESS test based on the existing weapon system circuit card assembly for signal processing. As a result of the comparison, it was confirmed that the test time was reduced from 573.0 minutes to 517.2minutes (9.74% less than existing test time).

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.95-109
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• 2010

The objectives of this study are to identify the survival function (hazard function) of small and medium enterprises by using technology rating data for the companies guaranteed by Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KOTEC), and to figure out the factors that affects their survival. To serve the purposes, this study uses Kaplan-Meier Analysis as a non-parametric method and Cox proportional hazards model as a semi-parametric one. The 17,396 guaranteed companies that assessed from July 1st in 2005 to December 31st in 2009 are selected as samples (16,504 censored data and 829 accident data). The survival time is computed with random censoring (Type III) from July in 2005 as a starting point. The results of the analysis show that Kaplan-Meier Analysis and Cox proportional hazards model are able to readily estimate survival and hazard function and to perform comparative study among group variables such as industry and technology rating level. In particular, Cox proportional hazards model is recognized that it is useful to understand which technology rating items are meaningful to company's survival and how much they affect it. It is considered that these results will provide valuable knowledge for practitioners to find and manage the significant items for survival of the guaranteed companies through future technology rating.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to explore how small and medium enterprises in India has identified the opportunities and challenges in adopting the Web 3.0 technologies to improve their productivity and efficiency. After an in-depth literature review, researchers framed a semi-structured questionnaire with open-ended questions for collecting responses from managers working in 40 Indian SME's representing five key economic sectors. The collected data was analyzed, and themes were encoded using the NVivo 11 computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software. Content analysis was used to analyze the data collected with the semi-structured interviews. This study identified five key themes and 12 subthemes illustrating the key advantages and challenges as perceived by the managerial leadership of SMEs. The five key themes identified in this study include integration of data and services, the creation of new functionalities, privacy and security, financial and technological challenges, and organizational challenges. The results of this study will benefit the organizational leadership of SMEs in planning and developing their short-term and long-term information systems strategies and will enable SME leaders to make optimal use of their information technology assets, improving the productivity and competitiveness of the firms. Web 3.0 technologies are considered as emerging technologies, so the advantages and challenges of using these technologies for SMEs have not been explored in the context of emerging economies, such as India.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2016

Background: Management and workers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often find it hard to comprehend the requirements related to controlling risks due to exposure to substances. An intervention study was set up in order to support 45 SMEs in improving the management of the risks of occupational exposure to chemicals, and in using the control banding tool and exposure model Stoffenmanager in this process. Methods: A 2-year intervention study was carried out, in which a mix of individual and collective training and support was offered, and baseline and effect measurements were carried out by means of structured interviews, in order to measure progress made. A seven-phase implementation evolutionary ladder was used for this purpose. Success and failure factors were identified by means of company visits and structured interviews. Results: Most companies clearly moved upwards on the implementation evolutionary ladder; 76% of the companies by at least one phase, and 62% by at least two phases. Success and failure factors were described. Conclusion: Active training and coaching helped the participating companies to improve their chemical risk management, and to avoid making mistakes when using and applying Stoffenmanager. The use of validated tools embedded in a community platform appears to support companies to organize and structure their chemical risk management in a business-wise manner, but much depends upon motivated occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals, management support, and willingness to invest time and means.

• The International Journal of Costume Culture
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2010

The business strategies of small to medium enterprises (SMEs), especially in relation to the Japanese apparel wholesaler and apparel manufacture markets, have been undertaken by Urakami and his colleagues (Komiya et al., 2009; Urakami et al., 2009; Urakami & Wu 2010). The aim now is to investigate the changing business climate of apparel products in Asia, now that China seems to a major player of apparel products in the Asian region. The production of apparel products from China has resulted in a major shift of the business environment. Such products have now invaded import markets throughout the world economies. Such a drastic change in the business environment impacts the structure of distribution channels in competing economies, affecting both wholesalers and manufactures. This research focuses on the effects this has had on the Japanese distribution channels. The findings derived from our previous research are highlighted, together with several planned hypotheses that require testing, in order to build a clearer understanding of apparel manufacturing in the Asian region.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.1-23
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• 2016

The growth of information and communication technology (ICT) has led to a rapid of business paradigm shift incurred in the creation of new social/market value, changes of a value chain and elements producing a value creation, and enlargement of the scope of market competition. It leads to the change and evolution of industrial structure, requiring innovations of policy and institution. However, most studies that have focused on the effect of policy and institution on innovation are based on thick description and qualitative evidence, while paying little attention to these linkages in an empirical way. Hence this study has attempted to empirically analyze policy and institutional factors affecting innovation performance, particularly attention to ICT industry in OECD countries. The findings derived from the empirical analysis provide important implications for catch-up countries in relation to the innovations of policy and institution for effective innovation system and start-up ecosystem.