• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.59-87
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• 2004

In its Declaration of Principles, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development recommends that, "to achieve sustainable development and a higher quality of life for all people, states should reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption...." This notion of sustainability lies at the core of many "commons" problems, where the central issue is to enable "individuals to sustain long-term, productive use of natural resource systems". In other worlds, a common definition of "sustainability" captures the idea of aligning human consumption with the capacity of ecological systems to supply, over a long period of time, such natural resources as air, soil, or water on which production depends. The concept of sustainability raises all sorts of political, social, and economic questions about the distribution of environmental protection. For sustainable community development to be addressed, these questions must be raised. In order to convince different citizenry of the necessity of sustainability, these questions must also be answered. This is where questions of equity, justice, and fairness arise. Sustainability and equity require that we deal with nature as an undivided whole, with no part being unsustainable. Sustainability and social policy also requires that we deal with the human population as an undivided whole. We simply cannot move people around the planet to either perpetuate past practices of earth exploitation or to implement sustainable planning. Everyone must work with the people inhabiting sensitive ecological areas, especially areas of regeneration. In the sustainable global community, we are as strong as our weakest link, or our most toxic community. This is the undeniable driving force for the infusion of equity into the sustainable development debate.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.49-56
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• 2019

Purpose: Corporate social responsibility is a self-regulating business model that helps a firm be socially accountable to the public. By practicing corporate social responsibility, firms can be conscious of the kind of impact they are having on all aspects of society, including economic, social, and environmental. Corporate social responsibility activities are not directly linked to increasing corporate performance and corporate value, but rather involve spending expenses. Based on these facts, this study verifies whether the effects of corporate social responsibility activities differ depending on the firm's situation. Research design, data and methodology: This study analyzed the effect of market competition on corporate social responsibility activities using logistic regression analysis on listed companies in the KOSPI and KOSDAQ for fiscal years 2014 through 2016. In this study, market competition was measured using the Herfindahl-Herschman Index(HHI). Higher HHI value can be interpreted as a lower degree of market competition. We also measured corporate social responsibility activities using the KEJI Index published by the Korea Economic Justice Institute (KEJI). If a firm-year is included in the top 200 companies of the KEJI Index, it is classified as a good corporate social responsibility activity firm. Results: We find that companies in less competitive market were not included in the KEJI Index. This result indicates that firms in the market with lower market competition perform less corporate social responsibility activities that incur costs. An additional analysis showed that there was a significant negative relationship between the market competition and the corporate social responsibility activity scores published by the KEJI Index. These result adds robustness to the result of the hypothesis that firms that have a monopolistic place in the market practice passive corporate social responsibility activities. Conclusions: The results show that managers of a firm in the lower market competition have a lower incentive to use limited resources for projects that are not directly related to revenue. The results of this study imply that corporate social responsibility activities vary according to the position of the business. Therefore, this study suggests that market investors should consider the degree of competition in the market when they evaluate corporate social responsibility activities.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.247-268
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• 2017

This paper analyzes for companies of 2011~2014 the effects of corporate social responsibility on audit efficiency. Using KEJI Index and its individual components which is published by Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice Institute, this paper analyzes their effects on audit efficiency of audit fees and audit hours. The results of analyses are as followings. First, corporate social responsibility(CSR) composite index did not show any significant relationship between audit fees and audit hours. However, for analyses of the effects of CSR individual components on audit efficiency, variable such as CSR fairness(CSR2), CSR social contribution(CSR3), CSR environmental protection activity(CSR5) have the negative effects on the audit fees and audit time. and CSR customer protection(CSR4), CSR employee satisfaction(CSR6) have the positive effects on the audit fees and audit time. Results suggest that independent auditors may reduce audit risks associated with possible misrepresentation of financial statements for companies with high scores of CSR fairness (CSR2), CSR social contribution(CSR3), and CSR environmental protection activity(CSR5). Also, financial statement auditors may perceive surge of discretionary expenses, and set audit risk high for companies with CSR customer protection(CSR4), and CSR employee satisfaction(CSR6). Together, KEJI Index and its individual components appear to have differential effects on audit efficiency.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.42 no.2 s.119
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• pp.218-242
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• 2007

This paper is to consider the developmental process of Korean geography on the context of socio-spatial transformations of Korea, and then to suggest briefly its alternative visions. The development of knowledge including geography seems to be made under imperatives of social functions and structure in a given period, and knowledge in turn gives power for a further development of society. Modem geography in Korea has progressed on the context of capitalist development of Korean society which can be divided into two phases, that is, the period of developmentalism and that of neoliberalism. Korean geography has been developed under influence of ideologies of developmentalism and neoliberalism, and in turn has made some contributions to socio-spatial policies. Korean geography in the future, it can be suggested, should go beyond both developmentalism and neoliberalism, and put socio-spatial welfare, civil society or community, and environmental justice into its central issues.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.317-331
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• 2015

A major barrier to the spread and vitalization of renewable energy lies in its economic infeasibility. And yet, there is a disparity in estimating the economic feasibility between supply and demand sides. Taking this into account, we calculate an appropriate level of mini-solar panel subsidies provided by the Seoul metropolitan government. More pointedly, this research investigates the receptivity and social equity of the subsidy program based on the analysis of the program's financial feasibility. The results show that the subsidies can have anticipated effects for the heavy electricity consumption group but not for the low electricity consumption group. Specifically, estimated pay-back periods for groups of 401kWh ~ 500kWh (per month) users, 201 kWh ~ 400kWh users and 101kWh ~ 200kWh were approximately 5years, 8 ~ 9 years and 12 years, respectively. This implies that differential scales of the subsidies can better contribute to reducing regressive difference between the groups and meeting the goal of social equity in regards to energy justice.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.100-116
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• 2019

Urban green spaces, as a means to mitigate social problems and environmental risks, are getting more attention in evaluating urban environment. The inequity of green space distribution is becoming a major issue in urban planning and management. This study investigated the characteristics of green space in 3 districts (Jung-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, Seongdong-gu), that are composed of 46 administrative divisions in central Seoul, to analyze the environmental equity of urban green spaces. The correlations between the amount of green space, including the coverage of street trees, and the socioeconomic status of each administrative division were analyzed. To deduce the effects of plant coverage on the urban temperature regime, the relationship between the normalized difference of vegetation index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST) was analyzed. The research revealed that the mean NDVI of an administrative division was negatively correlated with the percentage of basic living recipients and disabled people. The LST of a division with low NDVI was higher due to the lack of green coverage. Such environmental inequities were closely related to residential building type, which was strongly affected by the economic status of residents. The LST of an apartment area was $2.0^{\circ}C$ lower than that of single-family houses and multi-housing areas. This is expected as the average NDVI of the apartment area was more than twice as high as the other environments considered in this study. The inequity can be exacerbated without urban planning which is deliberately designed to reduce it.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2018

Objectives: One of the main objectives of the Targeted Subsidies Law (TSL) in Iran was to improve equity in healthcare financing. This study aimed at measuring the effects of the TSL, which was implemented in Iran in 2010, on equity in healthcare financing. Methods: Segmented regression analysis was applied to assess the effects of TSL implementation on the Gini and Kakwani indices of outcome variables in Iranian households. Data for the years 1977-2014 were retrieved from formal databases. Changes in the levels and trends of the outcome variables before and after TSL implementation were assessed using Stata version 13. Results: In the 33 years before the implementation of the TSL, the Gini index decreased from 0.401 to 0.381. The Gini index and its intercept significantly decreased to 0.362 (p<0.001) 5 years after the implementation of the TSL. There was no statistically significant change in the gross domestic product or inflation rate after TSL implementation. The Kakwani index significantly increased from -0.020 to 0.007 (p<0.001) before the implementation of the TSL, while we observed no statistically significant change (p=0.81) in the Kakwani index after TSL implementation. Conclusions: The TSL reform, which was introduced as part of an economic development plan in Iran in 2010, led to a significant reduction in households' income inequality. However, the TSL did not significantly affect equity in healthcare financing. Hence, while measuring the long-term impact of TSL is paramount, healthcare decision-makers need to consider the efficacy of the TSL in order to develop plans for achieving the desired equity in healthcare financing.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.801-810
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• 2013

The main purpose of this study is to reframe sustainability or sustainable development concept in the field of planning in consideration of climate change and natural hazards. The new concept is expected to provide a theoretical foundation for upcoming hazard mitigation measures addressing climate change. The first and main argument of the new concept is that environmental protection should be inclusive enough to address urban (or community) security from current natural hazards. The second is that the balance between structural and nonstructural mitigation measures is critical to cope more effectively with extreme natural hazards in the era of climate change and also with conflicts driven by three goals of sustainability--environmental protection, economic development, and social justice. The following studies, based on this new concept of sustainablity, are expected (1) to address new participation methods for the conflict resolution, (2) to explore detailed and substantive planning strategies and creative technical and institutional solutions for environmental protection, natural hazard mitigation, and conflict resolution. Two of APFM(the Associated Programme on Flood Management)'s three natural hazard risk criteria, Exposure and Vulnerability, may guide the exploration.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.102-114
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• 2009

Urban discourse can be used to create a better living environment through open thinking, understanding and discussion. It raises both physical and social issues surrounding the urban environment. It can encourage the participation of citizen groups and lead the way to develop a community-oriented urban environment through inter-discourse agreement. The urban space of Cheonggye Stream has produced a wide range of urban discourse from 2003 to the present. Discourse regarding the Cheonggye Stream restoration project has been approached by fields including landscape architecture, ecology, urbanism, architecture, politics, and economics, among others. This discourse has reduced a variety of issues and ranges of debate. This study has classified these discussions into related fields and ideological attitudes, analysed their content, and interpreted their meaning. In order to examine the mutual relationships existing among these discourses by different ideological groups, an analytical framework was established byputting classified versions of discourses into a coordinate diagram. The overall topography showing the present status of Korea public awareness regarding the urban environment could therefore be determined. As a result, it was found that the disciplines of landscape architecture took a middle ground between groups with practical and radical ideologies regarding the Cheonggye Stream project and was a mediator for both poles to find a point of contact. However, participatory discourse requires the disciplines of landscape architecture to participate more actively in the discourses on urban environment and take a more active stand corresponding to the zeitgeist and people's sense of public justice.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.369-383
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants of intent to leave among IT industry employees, based on the Price's structural model of employee turnover. The sample used in this study were composed of 370 employees from 10 IT firms located in Seoul and Gyeonggi-Do. Data were collected with self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using structural equation modelling technique. This study found that four task reward variables(job variety, job autonomy, job challenge, and role ambiguity), two social reward variables (supervisory support and coworker support), three organizational reward variables(promotional chances, job security, and distributive justice) and one environmental variable(job opportunity), had significant effects on IT industry employees' intent to leave in terms of total effects and his directions of those significant effects were consistent with theoretical predictions; and that two mediating variables, job satisfaction and organizational commitment had the most important effects on IT industry employees' intent to leave in terms of total effects. The theoretical and practical implications of the research findings were discussed and the directions for future research were suggested.