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Studies on Growth Characteristics and Propagation Method of Introduced Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) Cultivars (홉(Humulus lupulus L.) 도입 품종의 생육특성 및 영양번식 연구)

  • Tae Hyun Ha;Jae Il Lyu;Jun-Hyung Lee;Jaihyunk Ryu;Sang Hoon Park;Si-Yong Kang
    • Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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    • v.36 no.2
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    • pp.181-190
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    • 2023
  • Domestic hop (Humulus lupulus L.) production has been suspended since the early 1990s due to foreign imports, but interest in local production is rising due to the recent craft beer boom in Korea. This study was conducted focusing on the development of growth characteristics and propagation technology for 6 introduced hop cultivars as a basic study for domestic hop production and breeding program. In the hop growth survey conducted in 2021 and 2022, the 5-year-old plants after planting generally showed a tendency to increase the height of strobile setting, strobile size, number and weight of strobile per hill compared to the 4-year-old plants. As a result of the experiment with hop vine cuttings, the average rooting rate of all cultivars was as high as 88% even in only water treatment that were not added with Atonik (Atonik, Arysta, Japan), a rooting agent. There were differences between cultivars in rooting length and rooting rate according to the Atonik treatment method. When checking the survival rate of the rooted cuttings seedlings after transplanting into the soil, it was confirmed that the survival rate of the cuttings in the tissue culture room was significantly lower than that of the cuttings in the greenhouse. However, in transplanting step, cutting plants from culture room condition was strongly inhibited plant growth because of changing environment conditions. As a results of tissue culture, the thidiazuron (TDZ) 1 ㎎/L treatment in the media generated 6 to 9 shoots/explant, while the 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) 1 ㎎/L treatment generated only 1 to 2 shoots/explant. Therefore, it is more effective to culture by adding TDZ rather than BAP. These results indicated that the development of technology to manage stably after transplanting of cutting or micropropagating plants into potting soil is important for mass propagation of hops.

A CF-based Health Functional Recommender System using Extended User Similarity Measure (확장된 사용자 유사도를 이용한 CF-기반 건강기능식품 추천 시스템)

  • Sein Hong;Euiju Jeong;Jaekyeong Kim
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.29 no.3
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    • pp.1-17
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    • 2023
  • With the recent rapid development of ICT(Information and Communication Technology) and the popularization of digital devices, the size of the online market continues to grow. As a result, we live in a flood of information. Thus, customers are facing information overload problems that require a lot of time and money to select products. Therefore, a personalized recommender system has become an essential methodology to address such issues. Collaborative Filtering(CF) is the most widely used recommender system. Traditional recommender systems mainly utilize quantitative data such as rating values, resulting in poor recommendation accuracy. Quantitative data cannot fully reflect the user's preference. To solve such a problem, studies that reflect qualitative data, such as review contents, are being actively conducted these days. To quantify user review contents, text mining was used in this study. The general CF consists of the following three steps: user-item matrix generation, Top-N neighborhood group search, and Top-K recommendation list generation. In this study, we propose a recommendation algorithm that applies an extended similarity measure, which utilize quantified review contents in addition to user rating values. After calculating review similarity by applying TF-IDF, Word2Vec, and Doc2Vec techniques to review content, extended similarity is created by combining user rating similarity and quantified review contents. To verify this, we used user ratings and review data from the e-commerce site Amazon's "Health and Personal Care". The proposed recommendation model using extended similarity measure showed superior performance to the traditional recommendation model using only user rating value-based similarity measure. In addition, among the various text mining techniques, the similarity obtained using the TF-IDF technique showed the best performance when used in the neighbor group search and recommendation list generation step.

Research on ITB Contract Terms Classification Model for Risk Management in EPC Projects: Deep Learning-Based PLM Ensemble Techniques (EPC 프로젝트의 위험 관리를 위한 ITB 문서 조항 분류 모델 연구: 딥러닝 기반 PLM 앙상블 기법 활용)

  • Hyunsang Lee;Wonseok Lee;Bogeun Jo;Heejun Lee;Sangjin Oh;Sangwoo You;Maru Nam;Hyunsik Lee
    • KIPS Transactions on Software and Data Engineering
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    • v.12 no.11
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    • pp.471-480
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    • 2023
  • The Korean construction order volume in South Korea grew significantly from 91.3 trillion won in public orders in 2013 to a total of 212 trillion won in 2021, particularly in the private sector. As the size of the domestic and overseas markets grew, the scale and complexity of EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) projects increased, and risk management of project management and ITB (Invitation to Bid) documents became a critical issue. The time granted to actual construction companies in the bidding process following the EPC project award is not only limited, but also extremely challenging to review all the risk terms in the ITB document due to manpower and cost issues. Previous research attempted to categorize the risk terms in EPC contract documents and detect them based on AI, but there were limitations to practical use due to problems related to data, such as the limit of labeled data utilization and class imbalance. Therefore, this study aims to develop an AI model that can categorize the contract terms based on the FIDIC Yellow 2017(Federation Internationale Des Ingenieurs-Conseils Contract terms) standard in detail, rather than defining and classifying risk terms like previous research. A multi-text classification function is necessary because the contract terms that need to be reviewed in detail may vary depending on the scale and type of the project. To enhance the performance of the multi-text classification model, we developed the ELECTRA PLM (Pre-trained Language Model) capable of efficiently learning the context of text data from the pre-training stage, and conducted a four-step experiment to validate the performance of the model. As a result, the ensemble version of the self-developed ITB-ELECTRA model and Legal-BERT achieved the best performance with a weighted average F1-Score of 76% in the classification of 57 contract terms.

Study on the effect of small and medium-sized businesses being selected as suitable business types, on the franchise industry (중소기업적합업종선정이 프랜차이즈산업에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구)

  • Kang, Chang-Dong;Shin, Geon-Chel;Jang, Jae Nam
    • Journal of Distribution Research
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    • v.17 no.5
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    • pp.1-23
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    • 2012
  • The conflict between major corporations and small and medium-sized businesses is being aggravated, the trickle down effect is not working properly, and, as the controversy surrounding the effectiveness of the business limiting system continues to swirl, the plan proposed to protect the business domain of small and medium-sized businesses, resolve polarization between these businesses and large corporations, and protect small family run stores is the suitable business type designation system for small and medium-sized businesses. The current status of carrying out this system of selecting suitable business types among small and medium-sized businesses involves receiving applications for 234 items among the suitable business types and items from small and medium-sized businesses in manufacturing, and then selecting the items of the consultative group by analyzing and investigating the actual conditions. Suitable business type designation in the service industry will involve designation with priority on business types that are experiencing social conflict. Three major classifications of the service industry, related to the livelihood of small and medium-sized businesses, will be first designated, and subsequently this will be expanded sequentially. However, there is the concern that when designated as a suitable business type or item, this will hinder the growth motive for small to medium-sized businesses, and designation all cause decrease in consumer welfare. Also it is highly likely that it will operate as a prior regulation, cause side-effects by limiting competition systematically, and also be in violation against the main regulations of the FTA system. Moreover, it is pointed out that the system does not sufficiently reflect reverse discrimination factor against large corporations. Because conflict between small to medium sized businesses and large corporations results from the expansion of corporations to the service industry, which is unrelated to their key industry, it is necessary to introduce an advanced contract method like a master franchise or local franchise system and to develop local small to medium sized businesses through a franchise system to protect these businesses and dealers. However, this method may have an effect that contributes to stronger competitiveness of small to medium sized franchise businesses by advancing their competitiveness and operational methods a step further, but also has many negative aspects. First, as revealed by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, the franchise industry is contributing to the strengthening of competitiveness through the economy of scale by organizing existing individual proprietors and increasing the success rate of new businesses. It is also revealed to be a response measure by the government to stabilize the economy of ordinary people and is emphasized as a 'useful way' to revitalize the service industry and improve the competitiveness of individual proprietors, and has been involved in contributions to creating jobs and expanding the domestic market by providing various services to consumers. From this viewpoint, franchises fit the purpose of the suitable business type system and is not something that is against it. Second, designation as a suitable business type may decrease investment for overseas expansion, R&D, and food safety, as well negatively affect the expansion of overseas corporations that have entered the domestic market, due to the contraction and low morale of large domestic franchise corporations that have competitiveness internationally. Also because domestic franchise businesses are hard pressed to secure competitiveness with multinational overseas franchise corporations that are operating in Korea, the system may cause difficulty for domestic franchise businesses in securing international competitiveness and also may result in reverse discrimination against these overseas franchise corporations. Third, the designation of suitable business type and item can limit the opportunity of selection for consumers who have up to now used those products and can cause a negative effect that reduces consumer welfare. Also, because there is the possibility that the range of consumer selection may be reduced when a few small to medium size businesses monopolize the market, by causing reverse discrimination between these businesses, the role of determining the utility of products must be left ot the consumer not the government. Lastly, it is desirable that this is carried out with the supplementation of deficient parts in the future, because fair trade is already secured with the enforcement of the franchise trade law and the best trade standard of the Fair Trade Commission. Overlapping regulations by the suitable business type designation is an excessive restriction in the franchise industry. Now, it is necessary to establish in the domestic franchise industry an environment where a global franchise corporation, which spreads Korean culture around the world, is capable of growing, and the active support by the government is needed. Therefore, systems that do not consider the process or background of the growth of franchise businesses and harm these businesses for the sole reason of them being large corporations must be removed. The inhibition of growth to franchise enterprises may decrease the sales of franchise stores, in some cases even bankrupt them, as well as cause other problems. Therefore the suitable business type system should not hinder large corporations, and as both small dealers and small to medium size businesses both aim at improving competitiveness and combined growth, large corporations, small dealers and small to medium sized businesses, based on their mutual cooperation, should not include franchise corporations that continue business relations with them in this system.

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Detection and Control of Bacterial Diseases of Cultured Fishes in Korea (양식어류(養殖魚類)의 세균성질병(細菌性疾病)의 진단(診斷)과 대책(對策))

  • Chun, Seh-Kyu
    • Journal of fish pathology
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.5-30
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    • 1988
  • This is a comprehensive study for considering the effective treatment and control program of bacterial disease occurring in common carp, israel carp, color carp, crucian carp, eel and tilapia by clarifying the causes, mechanism of infection and onset and the diagnostic criteria. As a first step, the authors investigated the external views, gross and histopathologic findings of diseased fish using 450 infected fishes obtained from various farmer of Korea. This infection was characterized by hyperemia, hemorrhage and swelling of body surface and fins, congestion of liver, spleen, kidney, inflammation of intestine, hemorrhagic inflammation of various tissues, and necrosis and ulcer of various tissues were accompanied in serious cases. Bacteriologically, Aeromonas hydrophila and Edwardsiella tarda were isoiated from these fishes. Particularly in the regular check on 222 eels, 177 strains were isolated as 29.94% of Aeromonas hydrophila, 48.58% of Edwardsiella tarda and 21.47% of Flexibacter columnaris. Hexibacter columnaris was isolated from corroded gill of eels. The identical disease was occurred by innoculating the isolated Aeromonas hydrophila and Edwardsiella tarda and the identical strains were isolated from infected experimental fishes. The eels which were diagnosed Aeromonas disease from Kwangju, Pusan accompanied hemorrhage, swelling of body surface and fins, inflammation of stomach and intestine containing mucous fluids mixed with the pathogens. Color carp and crucian carp which were innoculated with the isolated 5 strins of Aeromomas hydrorphil died within 3 or 4 days accompanying with the characteristics of Aeromonas disease. Edward disease was characterized by abscesses of body surface, pus formation with concentration on phagocytes. The size of absecsses increased with progression elf disease. There were also various abscesses at internal organ and white nodules appeared in kidney. Histologically, various progressive granuloma were examined without inflammation of intestine. Columnaris disease of eels showed no hemorrhage except slight white body color. In autopsy, most of internal organs appeared normal and there were no septic odors. The only character was corrosion of gills. In order to treat these bacterial diseases, infected fishes must bathe in 20ppm chloramphenicol or kanamycin solution for 1 hour. Besides, medication program in oral ingestion of 75mg/kg chloramphenicol per day continuing for 5 to 7 days. After injecting the formalin treated Aermonas hydrophila antigen into carp, relatively high agglutination titer showed between 3 weeks and 6 weeks. Though this titer decreased from that time, it was continued for 18 weeks. In the case of injecting the formalin treated Edwardsiella tarda antigen into tilapia, the titer also increased. But tilapia which were immersed in the suspension fluid of the formalin treated Edwardsiella tarda showed no increase of the titer.

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Investigation of Study Items for the Patterns of Care Study in the Radiotherapy of Laryngeal Cancer: Preliminary Results (후두암의 방사선치료 Patterns of Care Study를 위한 프로그램 항목 개발: 예비 결과)

  • Chung Woong-Ki;Kim I1-Han;Ahn Sung-Ja;Nam Taek-Keun;Oh Yoon-Kyeong;Song Ju-Young;Nah Byung-Sik;Chung Gyung-Ai;Kwon Hyoung-Cheol;Kim Jung-Soo;Kim Soo-Kon;Kang Jeong-Ku
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.299-305
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    • 2003
  • Purpose: In order to develop the national guide-lines for the standardization of radiotherapy we are planning to establish a web-based, on-line data-base system for laryngeal cancer. As a first step this study was performed to accumulate the basic clinical information of laryngeal cancer and to determine the items needed for the data-base system. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the clinical data on patients who were treated under the diagnosis of laryngeal cancer from January 1998 through December 1999 In the South-west area of Korea. Eligiblity criteria of the patients are as follows: 18 years or older, currently diagnosed with primary epithelial carcinoma of larynx, and no history of previous treatments for another cancers and the other laryngeal diseases. The items were developed and filled out by radiation oncologlst who are members of forean Southwest Radiation Oncology Group. SPSS vl0.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Data of forty-five patients were collected. Age distribution of patients ranged from 28 to 88 years(median, 61). Laryngeal cancer occurred predominantly In males (10 : 1 sex ratio). Twenty-eight patients (62$\%$) had primary cancers in the glottis and 17 (38$\%$) in the supraglottis. Most of them were diagnosed pathologically as squamous cell carcinoma (44/45, 98$\%$). Twenty-four of 28 glottic cancer patients (86$\%$) had AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) stage I/II, but 50$\%$ (8/16) had In supraglottic cancer patients (p=0.02). Most patients(89$\%$) had the symptom of hoarseness. indirect laryngoscopy was done in all patients and direct laryngoscopy was peformed in 43 (98$\%$) patients. Twenty-one of 28 (75$\%$) glottic cancer cases and 6 of 17 (35$\%$) supraglottic cancer cases were treated with radiation alone, respectively. The combined treatment of surgery and radiation was used in 5 (18$\%$) glottic and 8 (47$\%$) supraglottic patients. Chemotherapy and radiation was used in 2 (7$\%$) glottic and 3 (18$\%$) supraglottic patients. There was no statistically significant difference in the use of combined modality treatments between glottic and supraglottic cancers (p=0.20). In all patients, 6 MV X-ray was used with conventional fractionation. The iraction size was 2 Gy In 80$\%$ of glottic cancer patients compared with 1.8 Gy in 59$\%$ of the patients with supraglottic cancers. The mean total dose delivered to primary lesions were 65.98 ey and 70.15 Gy in glottic and supraglottic patients treated, respectively, with radiation alone. Based on the collected data, 12 modules with 90 items were developed or the study of the patterns of care In laryngeal cancer. Conclusion: The study Items for laryngeal cancer were developed. In the near future, a web system will be established based on the Items Investigated, and then a nation-wide analysis on laryngeal cancer will be processed for the standardization and optimization of radlotherapy.

A Study on the Seawater Filtration Characteristics of Single and Dual-filter Layer Well by Field Test (현장실증시험에 의한 단일 및 이중필터층 우물의 해수 여과 특성 연구)

  • Song, Jae-Yong;Lee, Sang-Moo;Kang, Byeong-Cheon;Lee, Geun-Chun;Jeong, Gyo-Cheol
    • The Journal of Engineering Geology
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    • v.29 no.1
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    • pp.51-68
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    • 2019
  • This study performs to evaluate adaptability of seashore filtering type seawater-intake which adapts dua1 filter well alternative for direct seawater-intake. This study varies filter condition of seashore free surface aquifer which is composed of sand layer then installs real size dual filter well and single filter well to evaluate water permeability and proper pumping amount according to filter condition. According to result of step aquifer test, it is analysed that 110.3% synergy effect of water permeability coefficient is happened compare to single filter since dual filter well has better improvement. dual filter has higher water permeability coefficient compare to same pumping amount, this means dual filter has more improved water permeability than single filter. According to analysis result of continuous aquifer test, it is evaluated that dual filter well (SD1200) has higher water permeability than single filter well (SS800) by analysis of water permeability coefficient using monitoring well and gauging well, it is also analysed dual filter has 110.7% synergy effect of water permeability coefficient. As a evaluation result of pumping amount according to analysis of water level dropping rate, it is analysed that dual filter well increased 122.8% pumping amount compare to single filter well when water level dropping is 2.0 m. As a result of calculating proper pumping amount using water level dropping rate, it is analysed that dual filter well shows 136.0% higher pumping amount compare to single filter well. It is evaluated that proper pumping amount has 122.8~160% improvement compare to single filter, pumping amount improvement rate is 139.6% compare to averaged single filter. In other words, about 40% water intake efficiency can be improved by just installation of dual filter compare to normal well. Proper pumping amount of dual filter well using inflection point is 2843.3 L/min and it is evaluated that daily seawater intake amount is about $4,100m^3/day$ (${\fallingdotseq}4094.3m^3/day$) in one hole of dual filter well. Since it is possible to intake plenty of water in one hole, higher adaptability is anticipated. In case of intaking seawater using dual filter well, no worries regarding damages on facilities caused by natural disaster such as severe weather or typhoon, improvement of pollution is anticipated due to seashore sand layer acts like filter. Therefore, It can be alternative of environmental issue for existing seawater intake technique, can save maintenance expenses related to installation fee or damages and has excellent adaptability in economic aspect. The result of this study will be utilized as a basic data of site demonstration test for adaptation of riverside filtered water of upcoming dual filter well and this study is also anticipated to present standard of well design and construction related to riverside filter and seashore filter technique.

Territorial Expansion the King Võ (Võ Vương, 1738-1765) in the Mekong Delta: Variation of Tám Thực Chi Kế (strategy of silkworm nibbling) and Dĩ Man Công Man (to strike barbarians by barbarians) in the Way to Build a New World Order (무왕(武王, 1738-1765) 시기 메콩 델타에서의 영토 확장 추이: 제국으로 가는 길, '잠식지계(蠶食之計)'와 '이만공만(以蠻攻蠻)'의 변주)

  • CHOI, Byung Wook
    • The Southeast Asian review
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.37-76
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    • 2017
  • $Nguy{\tilde{\hat{e}}}n$ Cư Trinh has two faces in the history of territorial expansion of Vietnam into the Mekong delta. One is his heroic contribution to the $Nguy{\tilde{\hat{e}}}n$ family gaining control over the large part of the Mekong delta. The other is his role to make the eyes of readers of Vietnamese history be fixed only to the present territory of Vietnam. To the readers, $Nguy{\tilde{\hat{e}}}n$ Cư Trinh's achievement of territorial expansion was the final stage of the nam $ti{\acute{\hat{e}}n$ of Vietnam. In fact, however, his achievement was partial. This study pays attention to the King $V{\tilde{o}}$ instead of $Nguy{\tilde{\hat{e}}}n$ Cư Trinh in the history of the territorial expansion in the Mekong delta. King's goal was more ambitious. And the ambition was propelled by his dream to build a new world, and its order, in which his new capital, $Ph{\acute{u}}$ $Xu{\hat{a}}n$ was to be the center with his status as an emperor. To improve my assertion, three elements were examined in this article. First is the nature of $V{\tilde{o}}$ Vương's new kingship. Second is the preparation and the background of the military operation in the Mekong Delta. The nature of the new territory is the third element of the discussion. In 1744, six years after this ascending to the throne, $V{\tilde{o}}$ Vương declared he was a king. Author points out this event as the departure of the southern kingdom from the traditional dynasties based on the Red River delta. Besides, the government system, northern custom and way of dressings were abandoned and new southern modes were adopted. $V{\tilde{o}}$ Vương had enough tributary kingdoms such as Cambodia, Champa, Thủy $X{\tilde{a}}$, Hoả $X{\tilde{a}}$, Vạn Tượng, and Nam Chưởng. Compared with the $L{\hat{e}}$ empire, the number of the tributary kingdoms was higher and the number was equivalent to that of the Đại Nam empire of the 19th century. In reality, author claims, the King $V{\tilde{o}}^{\prime}s$ real intention was to become an emperor. Though he failed in using the title of emperor, he distinguished himself by claiming himself as the Heaven King, $Thi{\hat{e}}n$ Vương. Cambodian king's attack on the thousands of Cham ethnics in Cambodian territory was an enough reason to the King $V{\tilde{o}}^{\prime}s$ military intervention. He considered these Cham men and women as his amicable subjects, and he saw them a branch of the Cham communities in his realm. He declared war against Cambodia in 1750. At the same time he sent a lengthy letter to the Siamese king claiming that the Cambodia was his exclusive tributary kingdom. Before he launched a fatal strike on the Mekong delta which had been the southern part of Cambodia, $V{\tilde{o}}$ Vương renovated his capital $Ph{\acute{u}}$ $Xu{\hat{a}}n$ to the level of the new center of power equivalent to that of empire for his sake. Inflation, famine, economic distortion were also the features of this time. But this study pays attention more to the active policy of the King $V{\tilde{o}}$ as an empire builder than to the economic situation that has been told as the main reason for King $V{\tilde{o}}^{\prime}s$ annexation of the large part of the Mekong delta. From the year of 1754, by the initiative of $Nguy{\tilde{\hat{e}}}n$ Cư Trinh, almost whole region of the Mekong delta within the current border line was incorporated into the territory of $V{\tilde{o}}$ Vương within three years, though the intention of the king was to extend his land to the right side of the Mekong Basin beyond the current border such as Kampong Cham, Prey Vieng, and Svai Rieng. The main reason was $V{\tilde{o}}$ Vương's need to expand his territory to be matched with that of his potential empire with the large number of the tributary kingdoms. King $V{\tilde{o}}^{\prime}s$ strategy was the variation of 'silkworm nibbling' and 'to strike barbarians by barbarians.' He ate the land of Lower Cambodia, the region of the Mekong delta step by step as silkworm nibbles mulberry leave(general meaning of $t{\acute{a}}m$ thực), but his final goal was to eat all(another meaning of $t{\acute{a}}m$ thực) the part of the Mekong delta including the three provinces of Cambodia mentioned above. He used Cham to strike Cambodian in the process of getting land from Long An area to $Ch{\hat{a}}u$ Đốc. This is a faithful application of the Dĩ Man $C{\hat{o}}ng$ Man (to strike barbarians by barbarians). In addition he used Chinese refugees led by the Mạc family or their quasi kingdom to gain land in the region of $H{\grave{a}}$ $Ti{\hat{e}}n$ and its environs from the hand of Cambodian king. This is another application of Dĩ Man $C{\hat{o}}ng$ Man. In sum, author claims a new way of looking at the origin of the imperial world order which emerged during the first half of the 19th century. It was not the result of the long history of Đại Việt empires based on the Red River delta, but the succession of the King $V{\tilde{o}}^{\prime}s$ new world based on $Ph{\acute{u}}$ $Xu{\hat{a}}n$. The same ways of Dĩ Man $C{\hat{o}}ng$ Man and $T{\acute{a}}m$ Thực Chi $K{\acute{\hat{e}}}$ were still used by $V{\tilde{o}}^{\prime}s$ descendents. His grandson Gia Long used man such as Thai, Khmer, Lao, Chinese, and European to win another man the '$T{\hat{a}}y$ Sơn bandits' that included many of Chinese pirates, Cham, and other mountain peoples. His great grand son Minh Mạng constructed a splendid empire. At the same time, however, Minh Mạng kept expanding the size of his empire by eating all the part of Cambodia and Cham territories.

Perceptional Change of a New Product, DMB Phone

  • Kim, Ju-Young;Ko, Deok-Im
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.18 no.3
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    • pp.59-88
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    • 2008
  • Digital Convergence means integration between industry, technology, and contents, and in marketing, it usually comes with creation of new types of product and service under the base of digital technology as digitalization progress in electro-communication industries including telecommunication, home appliance, and computer industries. One can see digital convergence not only in instruments such as PC, AV appliances, cellular phone, but also in contents, network, service that are required in production, modification, distribution, re-production of information. Convergence in contents started around 1990. Convergence in network and service begins as broadcasting and telecommunication integrates and DMB(digital multimedia broadcasting), born in May, 2005 is the symbolic icon in this trend. There are some positive and negative expectations about DMB. The reason why two opposite expectations exist is that DMB does not come out from customer's need but from technology development. Therefore, customers might have hard time to interpret the real meaning of DMB. Time is quite critical to a high tech product, like DMB because another product with same function from different technology can replace the existing product within short period of time. If DMB does not positioning well to customer's mind quickly, another products like Wibro, IPTV, or HSPDA could replace it before it even spreads out. Therefore, positioning strategy is critical for success of DMB product. To make correct positioning strategy, one needs to understand how consumer interprets DMB and how consumer's interpretation can be changed via communication strategy. In this study, we try to investigate how consumer perceives a new product, like DMB and how AD strategy change consumer's perception. More specifically, the paper segment consumers into sub-groups based on their DMB perceptions and compare their characteristics in order to understand how they perceive DMB. And, expose them different printed ADs that have messages guiding consumer think DMB in specific ways, either cellular phone or personal TV. Research Question 1: Segment consumers according to perceptions about DMB and compare characteristics of segmentations. Research Question 2: Compare perceptions about DMB after AD that induces categorization of DMB in direction for each segment. If one understand and predict a direction in which consumer perceive a new product, firm can select target customers easily. We segment consumers according to their perception and analyze characteristics in order to find some variables that can influence perceptions, like prior experience, usage, or habit. And then, marketing people can use this variables to identify target customers and predict their perceptions. If one knows how customer's perception is changed via AD message, communication strategy could be constructed properly. Specially, information from segmented customers helps to develop efficient AD strategy for segment who has prior perception. Research framework consists of two measurements and one treatment, O1 X O2. First observation is for collecting information about consumer's perception and their characteristics. Based on first observation, the paper segment consumers into two groups, one group perceives DMB similar to Cellular phone and the other group perceives DMB similar to TV. And compare characteristics of two segments in order to find reason why they perceive DMB differently. Next, we expose two kinds of AD to subjects. One AD describes DMB as Cellular phone and the other Ad describes DMB as personal TV. When two ADs are exposed to subjects, consumers don't know their prior perception of DMB, in other words, which subject belongs 'similar-to-Cellular phone' segment or 'similar-to-TV' segment? However, we analyze the AD's effect differently for each segment. In research design, final observation is for investigating AD effect. Perception before AD is compared with perception after AD. Comparisons are made for each segment and for each AD. For the segment who perceives DMB similar to TV, AD that describes DMB as cellular phone could change the prior perception. And AD that describes DMB as personal TV, could enforce the prior perception. For data collection, subjects are selected from undergraduate students because they have basic knowledge about most digital equipments and have open attitude about a new product and media. Total number of subjects is 240. In order to measure perception about DMB, we use indirect measurement, comparison with other similar digital products. To select similar digital products, we pre-survey students and then finally select PDA, Car-TV, Cellular Phone, MP3 player, TV, and PSP. Quasi experiment is done at several classes under instructor's allowance. After brief introduction, prior knowledge, awareness, and usage about DMB as well as other digital instruments is asked and their similarities and perceived characteristics are measured. And then, two kinds of manipulated color-printed AD are distributed and similarities and perceived characteristics for DMB are re-measured. Finally purchase intension, AD attitude, manipulation check, and demographic variables are asked. Subjects are given small gift for participation. Stimuli are color-printed advertising. Their actual size is A4 and made after several pre-test from AD professionals and students. As results, consumers are segmented into two subgroups based on their perceptions of DMB. Similarity measure between DMB and cellular phone and similarity measure between DMB and TV are used to classify consumers. If subject whose first measure is less than the second measure, she is classified into segment A and segment A is characterized as they perceive DMB like TV. Otherwise, they are classified as segment B, who perceives DMB like cellular phone. Discriminant analysis on these groups with their characteristics of usage and attitude shows that Segment A knows much about DMB and uses a lot of digital instrument. Segment B, who thinks DMB as cellular phone doesn't know well about DMB and not familiar with other digital instruments. So, consumers with higher knowledge perceive DMB similar to TV because launching DMB advertising lead consumer think DMB as TV. Consumers with less interest on digital products don't know well about DMB AD and then think DMB as cellular phone. In order to investigate perceptions of DMB as well as other digital instruments, we apply Proxscal analysis, Multidimensional Scaling technique at SPSS statistical package. At first step, subjects are presented 21 pairs of 7 digital instruments and evaluate similarity judgments on 7 point scale. And for each segment, their similarity judgments are averaged and similarity matrix is made. Secondly, Proxscal analysis of segment A and B are done. At third stage, get similarity judgment between DMB and other digital instruments after AD exposure. Lastly, similarity judgments of group A-1, A-2, B-1, and B-2 are named as 'after DMB' and put them into matrix made at the first stage. Then apply Proxscal analysis on these matrixes and check the positional difference of DMB and after DMB. The results show that map of segment A, who perceives DMB similar as TV, shows that DMB position closer to TV than to Cellular phone as expected. Map of segment B, who perceive DMB similar as cellular phone shows that DMB position closer to Cellular phone than to TV as expected. Stress value and R-square is acceptable. And, change results after stimuli, manipulated Advertising show that AD makes DMB perception bent toward Cellular phone when Cellular phone-like AD is exposed, and that DMB positioning move towards Car-TV which is more personalized one when TV-like AD is exposed. It is true for both segment, A and B, consistently. Furthermore, the paper apply correspondence analysis to the same data and find almost the same results. The paper answers two main research questions. The first one is that perception about a new product is made mainly from prior experience. And the second one is that AD is effective in changing and enforcing perception. In addition to above, we extend perception change to purchase intention. Purchase intention is high when AD enforces original perception. AD that shows DMB like TV makes worst intention. This paper has limitations and issues to be pursed in near future. Methodologically, current methodology can't provide statistical test on the perceptual change, since classical MDS models, like Proxscal and correspondence analysis are not probability models. So, a new probability MDS model for testing hypothesis about configuration needs to be developed. Next, advertising message needs to be developed more rigorously from theoretical and managerial perspective. Also experimental procedure could be improved for more realistic data collection. For example, web-based experiment and real product stimuli and multimedia presentation could be employed. Or, one can display products together in simulated shop. In addition, demand and social desirability threats of internal validity could influence on the results. In order to handle the threats, results of the model-intended advertising and other "pseudo" advertising could be compared. Furthermore, one can try various level of innovativeness in order to check whether it make any different results (cf. Moon 2006). In addition, if one can create hypothetical product that is really innovative and new for research, it helps to make a vacant impression status and then to study how to form impression in more rigorous way.

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Research Framework for International Franchising (국제프랜차이징 연구요소 및 연구방향)

  • Kim, Ju-Young;Lim, Young-Kyun;Shim, Jae-Duck
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.61-118
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    • 2008
  • The purpose of this research is to construct research framework for international franchising based on existing literature and to identify research components in the framework. Franchise can be defined as management styles that allow franchisee use various management assets of franchisor in order to make or sell product or service. It can be divided into product distribution franchise that is designed to sell products and business format franchise that is designed for running it as business whatever its form is. International franchising can be defined as a way of internationalization of franchisor to foreign country by providing its business format or package to franchisee of host country. International franchising is growing fast for last four decades but academic research on this is quite limited. Especially in Korea, research about international franchising is carried out on by case study format with single case or empirical study format with survey based on domestic franchise theory. Therefore, this paper tries to review existing literature on international franchising research, providing research framework, and then stimulating new research on this field. International franchising research components include motives and environmental factors for decision of expanding to international franchising, entrance modes and development plan for international franchising, contracts and management strategy of international franchising, and various performance measures from different perspectives. First, motives of international franchising are fee collection from franchisee. Also it provides easier way to expanding to foreign country. The other motives including increase total sales volume, occupying better strategic position, getting quality resources, and improving efficiency. Environmental factors that facilitating international franchising encompasses economic condition, trend, and legal or political factors in host and/or home countries. In addition, control power and risk management capability of franchisor plays critical role in successful franchising contract. Final decision to enter foreign country via franchising is determined by numerous factors like history, size, growth, competitiveness, management system, bonding capability, industry characteristics of franchisor. After deciding to enter into foreign country, franchisor needs to set entrance modes of international franchising. Within contractual mode, there are master franchising and area developing franchising, licensing, direct franchising, and joint venture. Theories about entrance mode selection contain concepts of efficiency, knowledge-based approach, competence-based approach, agent theory, and governance cost. The next step after entrance decision is operation strategy. Operation strategy starts with selecting a target city and a target country for franchising. In order to finding, screening targets, franchisor needs to collect information about candidates. Critical information includes brand patent, commercial laws, regulations, market conditions, country risk, and industry analysis. After selecting a target city in target country, franchisor needs to select franchisee, in other word, partner. The first important criteria for selecting partners are financial credibility and capability, possession of real estate. And cultural similarity and knowledge about franchisor and/or home country are also recognized as critical criteria. The most important element in operating strategy is legal document between franchisor and franchisee with home and host countries. Terms and conditions in legal documents give objective information about characteristics of franchising agreement for academic research. Legal documents have definitions of terminology, territory and exclusivity, agreement of term, initial fee, continuing fees, clearing currency, and rights about sub-franchising. Also, legal documents could have terms about softer elements like training program and operation manual. And harder elements like law competent court and terms of expiration. Next element in operating strategy is about product and service. Especially for business format franchising, product/service deliverable, benefit communicators, system identifiers (architectural features), and format facilitators are listed for product/service strategic elements. Another important decision on product/service is standardization vs. customization. The rationale behind standardization is cost reduction, efficiency, consistency, image congruence, brand awareness, and competitiveness on price. Also standardization enables large scale R&D and innovative change in management style. Another element in operating strategy is control management. The simple way to control franchise contract is relying on legal terms, contractual control system. There are other control systems, administrative control system and ethical control system. Contractual control system is a coercive source of power, but franchisor usually doesn't want to use legal power since it doesn't help to build up positive relationship. Instead, self-regulation is widely used. Administrative control system uses control mechanism from ordinary work relationship. Its main component is supporting activities to franchisee and communication method. For example, franchisor provides advertising, training, manual, and delivery, then franchisee follows franchisor's direction. Another component is building franchisor's brand power. The last research element is performance factor of international franchising. Performance elements can be divided into franchisor's performance and franchisee's performance. The conceptual performance measures of franchisor are simple but not easy to obtain objectively. They are profit, sale, cost, experience, and brand power. The performance measures of franchisee are mostly about benefits of host country. They contain small business development, promotion of employment, introduction of new business model, and level up technology status. There are indirect benefits, like increase of tax, refinement of corporate citizenship, regional economic clustering, and improvement of international balance. In addition to those, host country gets socio-cultural change other than economic effects. It includes demographic change, social trend, customer value change, social communication, and social globalization. Sometimes it is called as westernization or McDonaldization of society. In addition, the paper reviews on theories that have been frequently applied to international franchising research, such as agent theory, resource-based view, transaction cost theory, organizational learning theory, and international expansion theories. Resource based theory is used in strategic decision based on resources, like decision about entrance and cooperation depending on resources of franchisee and franchisor. Transaction cost theory can be applied in determination of mutual trust or satisfaction of franchising players. Agent theory tries to explain strategic decision for reducing problem caused by utilizing agent, for example research on control system in franchising agreements. Organizational Learning theory is relatively new in franchising research. It assumes organization tries to maximize performance and learning of organization. In addition, Internalization theory advocates strategic decision of direct investment for removing inefficiency of market transaction and is applied in research on terms of contract. And oligopolistic competition theory is used to explain various entry modes for international expansion. Competency theory support strategic decision of utilizing key competitive advantage. Furthermore, research methodologies including qualitative and quantitative methodologies are suggested for more rigorous international franchising research. Quantitative research needs more real data other than survey data which is usually respondent's judgment. In order to verify theory more rigorously, research based on real data is essential. However, real quantitative data is quite hard to get. The qualitative research other than single case study is also highly recommended. Since international franchising has limited number of applications, scientific research based on grounded theory and ethnography study can be used. Scientific case study is differentiated with single case study on its data collection method and analysis method. The key concept is triangulation in measurement, logical coding and comparison. Finally, it provides overall research direction for international franchising after summarizing research trend in Korea. International franchising research in Korea has two different types, one is for studying Korean franchisor going overseas and the other is for Korean franchisee of foreign franchisor. Among research on Korean franchisor, two common patterns are observed. First of all, they usually deal with success story of one franchisor. The other common pattern is that they focus on same industry and country. Therefore, international franchise research needs to extend their focus to broader subjects with scientific research methodology as well as development of new theory.

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