• Journal of Korea Trade
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.63-82
• /
• 2022

Purpose - Drawing on relational institutional theory, we explored how demographic similarity between board members of a firm and newly emerged political elites led to firms' increased financial resource acquisition such as leverage ratio and decreased export intensity amidst the Asian financial crisis. We also studied how a firm's leverage ratio and export intensity can further affect firm profitability and financial credit rating. Design/methodology - We revisited and explored a unique, unprecedented crisis that affected most Korean firms: the Asian financial crisis that coincided with a governmental shift from a conservative to a liberal party. We collected demographic information from 432 listed Korean firms' board members and 43 political elites of the Blue House from 1998-2000 to create a demographic similarity measurement. We collected firms' financial information, built panel data, and used ordinary least squares regression to test our theory. Findings - Our results showed that demographic similarity between a firm's directors and newly emerged politicians had a positive association with a firm's leverage ratio but a negative association with a firm's export intensity. A firm's leverage ratio had a negative relationship with firm performance measured by firm profitability and financial credit rating. A firm's export intensity showed a positive effect on firm performance. Originality/value - We highlighted that during an economic crisis that coincided with a governmental shift and change of leading political actors, firms exerted efforts to survey the environment and build new external stakeholder relationships to cope with the changing landscape. We proposed that in an emerging market like Korea where low levels of trust and favoritism are prevalent across society, one of the relational institutional strategies that firms can employ is the selection of directors with similar demographic characteristics to political elites based on factors including birthplace and school affiliations. We examined the efforts of firms to build political networks with newly empowered political elites during a financial crisis, and the consequences of establishing such networks. We highlighted that during a financial crisis, the demographic similarity between a firm's board members and newly emerged politicians can provide firms with access to financial resources but can also result in poor management and reduced effort to enhance its international competitiveness.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.43-49
• /
• 2023

Background: Messaging surrounding skin cancer prevention has previously focused on the general public and emphasized how or when activities should be undertaken to reduce solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. Generic messages may not be applicable to all settings, and should be tailored to protect unique and/or highly susceptible subpopulations, such as outdoor workers. The primary objective of this study was to develop a set of tailored, practical, harm-reducing sun safety messages that will better support outdoor workers and their employers in reducing the risk of solar UVR exposure and UVR-related occupational illnesses. Methods: We adapted a core set of sun safety messages previously developed for the general population to be more applicable and actionable by outdoor workers and their employers. This study used an integrated knowledge translation approach and a modified Delphi method (which uses a survey-based consensus process) to tailor the established set of sun safety messages for use for outdoor worker populations. Results: The tailored messages were created with a consideration for what is feasible for outdoor workers, and provide users with key facts, recommendations, and tips related to preventing skin cancer, eye damage, and heat stress, specifically when working outdoors. Conclusion: The resulting tailored messages are a set of evidence-based, expert- approved, and stakeholder-workshopped messages that can be used in a variety of work settings as part of an exposure control plan for employers with outdoor workers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 2023

This study is a leading case of empirical analysis of whether, when corporate stakeholders (government, investors, customers, managers, employees) put pressure on companies for ESG management, it affects the introduction and implementation of ESG activities (environmental, social, governance) and affects business performance. As for the research method, a sustainability report was published, and a web survey of Korea Research Inc. was conducted from May 10 to May 20, 2022 targeting ESG management managers of 192 companies, and analyzed through the PLS structural equation model. As a result of the study, it was found that the introduction and execution of ESG is closely influenced by the pressure from the government, investors, managers, and employees, and in particular, the internal pressure of current managers and executives and employees has a great impact on the introduction and implementation of environmental, social, and governance activities. In particular, although external pressure also has some influence, it is practical to suggest that strong internal pressure is necessary for continuous activities and performance. And, methodologically, the main activity indicators of the GRI Reporting Guidelines, which are the most representative ESG management indicators, were developed as a questionnaire, and reliability, validity, and model fit were secured through comparison with indicators of multiple systems and expert reviews. The limitations of this study are that more in-depth analysis by industry or size is possible when ESG management is mature and sufficient samples are secured, and complex ESG pressure factor modeling is possible when more diverse stakeholders are added.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.57 no.2
• /
• pp.221-239
• /
• 2023

The National Library of Korea, Sejong, which celebrates its 10th anniversary, has been performing the duties of a specialized library for policy information while also serving as a public library for Sejong citizens. However, there are concerns about whether it is desirable for the National Library of Korea, Sejong, to continue to provide both policy information services and public library services simultaneously. In order to establish the identity of the National Library of Korea, Sejong, and strengthen its core competencies and services, a prior investigation of the current status and stakeholder groups is necessary. This study diagnosed the current status of the National Library of Korea, Sejong, and conducted a SWOT analysis, and then surveyed and analyzed stakeholders (National Library of Korea, Sejong, employees and relevant policy agency employees) related to policy information services to identify the library's core role and identity, and perception of policy information services. Based on this, this study presented ways to improve the library's core competencies and future direction as a specialized library for policy information.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.241-250
• /
• 2023

Companies are paying attention to project governance to realize their goal strategies, project success, and project value in a rapid and complex environment due to the development of information technology. This study aims to explore project governance and factors from literature review and practice guides related to project governance and empirically analyze the impact of project governance factors on IT project objective performance. The survey was conducted on project managers, project team members, and project management members with experience in carrying out business IT projects within two years at companies in various industries in Korea. The main conclusion is as follows. Among the project governance factors, disclosure and reporting that uses and reports using appropriate and reliable information about projects related to decision-making activities positively impact the achievement of IT project objectives: business success and stakeholder satisfaction. Among the project governance factors, project sponsorship, a role that effectively connects management and projects, and a project management framework that provides tools, procedures, resources, and techniques for projects positively impact IT project objective performance. This study is of academic and practical significance in that it identifies the definition and factors of project governance through companies in various industries in Korea and the positive impact of project governance factors on IT project objective performance.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2023

In order to efficiently manage groundwater resources, it is necessary to establish clear definition about the rights to use groundwater because it directly governs the interests of various stakeholders, from users to policy makers. In this paper, we examined the characteristics of Korea's rights to use groundwater through legal precedents, public recognition, laws, and institutional stipulaton. Inclarity about the scope and definition of the right, and the absence of legal basis ruling the exclusion and duration of groundwater use have entailed numerous cases of legal disputes between the parties with incompetible interests. In the perception survey, various responses were obtained from the surveyee regarding the scope of rights perceived by groundwater users, how to respond to groundwater shortages, and opinions about expanding public uses of groundwater. In Korea, the legal authority to use groundwater is governed by different laws while considering groundwater as both private and public property. In foreign countires, the right to use water is separated from property ownership, and it limits the volume and pumping rate of groundwater during a specified period. In order to better manage groundwater resources, it is necessary to come up with a public consensus on the right to use groundwater by considering the opinions of various stakeholders and accomodating them in adminstrative effort in directing groundwater management.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.299-306
• /
• 2009

Aflatoxin (AF) and Ochratoxin A (OTA) are carcinogenic and possible carcinogenic mycotoxins respectively produced by Aspergillus spp or Penicillium spp. The study for contamination survey and proposal for reduction of mycotoxin in red pepper were carried out. 192 samples were collected at such various stages and markets as pre/post-harvest stages, internet shopping mall /super-market and small stakeholder mill/geographically indicated company. As only 2 samples were positive for aflatoxin, so contamination rate was 1.04%. In the meanwhile, contamination rate for ochratoxin A was 21.88% and a various amount of OTA was detected in 42 positive samples. 6 samples were found to be contaminated at higher level than $5\;{\mu}gkg^{-1}$ for ochratoxin A, which was established recently as a maximum permissible limit in korea. There was no difference in degree of contamination with regard to cultivation type because any mycotoxin was not found at all in both organically and conventionally grown red pepper. But, there was statistically significant difference in the process of manufacturing. Finished products were OTA-contaminated at a level of $2.32\;{\pm}\;6.54\;{\mu}gkg^{-1}$(mean ${\pm}$ SD), even though OTA was not detected in deep frozen red peppers right after long term storage. And contamination for OTA was a level of $0.33\;{\pm}\;0.91\;{\mu}gkg^{-1}$(mean ${\pm}$ SD) in red paprika powder after uv sterilization, while the contamination for OTA was $2.78\;{\pm}\;4.49\;{\mu}kg^{-1}$(mean ${\pm}$ SD) in non-uv sterilized powder. In addition, our investigation shows that higher OTA contamination occurred in some of famous brand products sold in super-market and domestic products than products collected through on-line shopping or from small stakeholder mills and imported products respectively, however, difference was not statistically significant.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.430-457
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to present meaningful information and policy implications concerning the determinants of royalties of technology transfer to stakeholder. To identify key determinants of royalties in technology transfer, this study conducted AHP survey analysis (Survey period: 01/09~31/10, 2016) of 96 government-funded research centers and 85 companies which were participants of the R&D project "Next Generation BioGreen21" of R.D.A in the "N" center from 2011 to 2015. Research results show that both parties acknowledge 'Technical considerations for determining the profitability of the technologies' and 'The interest and willingness of the management group' as critical factors for the determinants of royalties. The difference of each party is that private companies acknowledge 'Available budget plan' as a critical factor while the government-funded research centers value 'Market competitiveness'. These findings suggest four main policy implications which are the investigation of technological demands reflecting specific needs of industrial sites, the diversification of royalty payments for private companies, the differentiated research evaluation system for the purpose of technology transfer and the planning of public R&D project reflecting research time span of private companies.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.177-186
• /
• 2020

The number of Goryeo-in immigrants has been increasing recently. National attention and active interactions are required for them to settle down with the identity of Koreans. The purpose of this study was to develop volunteer activity for Goryeo-in immigrants based on service design. The study was performed in G metropolitan city from October to November 2019. The participants were 33 Goryeo-in immigrants and 3 stakeholders. Data was collected through a survey and interviews of Goryeo-in immigrants and stakeholder interviews. In the field surveys and interviews, it was found out that the main problems faced by Goryeo-in immigrants were communication difficulties, maladjustment, job insecurity and smoking. The core issue was defined as 'How Goryeo-in immigrant women can improve their communicate ability in Korean'. In order to solve this problem we developed a program called 'Goryeo-in Han-gul ssugssug' for volunteer activities, and the program delivered through a storyboard and a role play. Using the service design process, a meaningful volunteer activity was designed considering lots of situation of Goryeo-in immigrants and nursing students in various ways. This study shows that the service design methodology is a useful way to reflect the needs of consumers and volunteers in developing volunteer work.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.29-39
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to suggest the improvement of the Mountainous Landscape Impact Review(MLIR) system for the conservation and eco-friendly use of mountain scenery. In order to understand the status of the MLIR system, a comparative analysis was conducted of the MLIR official guidelines and the 100 MLIR reports submitted to the Korea Forest Service from 2011 to 2013. In addition, an Importance-Performance Analysis(IPA) was conducted to take into account stakeholder opinions and to determine the first priorities to be improved upon in operation and functions of the MLIR system. The results of the IPA in evaluating the MLIR system showed that the components in the MLIR system that should be primarily improved are mountainous landscape resource inventory, objective and quantitative selection of viewpoints, and a checklist for examining the damage expected in mountainous lands. To Revitalize the Mountainous Landscape Impact Review system, the professional knowledge and experience of the stakeholders should be enhanced by education and training in the MLIR system over the short-term, while the effective functioning of the MLIR system should be reinforced by differentiation and connectivity of the MLIR system with similar institutions, and by emphasizing the uniqueness and properties of mountainous landscapes over the long-term.