• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.57-81
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• 2008

Knowledge is an essential strategic weapon for sustaining competitive advantage and is the key determinant for organizational growth. When knowledge is shared and disseminated throughout the organization, it increases an organization's value by providing the ability to respond to new and unusual situations. The growing importance of knowledge as a critical resource has forced executives to pay attention to their organizational knowledge. Organizations are increasingly undertaking knowledge management initiatives and making significant investments. Knowledge sourcing is considered as the first important step in effective knowledge management. Most firms continue to make an effort to realize the benefits of knowledge management by using various knowledge sources effectively. Appropriate knowledge sourcing strategies enable organizations to create, acquire, and access knowledge in a timely manner by reducing search and transfer costs, which result in better firm performance. In response, the knowledge management literature has devoted substantial attention to the analysis of knowledge sourcing strategies. Many studies have categorized knowledge sourcing strategies into intemal- and external-oriented. Internal-oriented sourcing strategy attempts to increase firm performance by integrating knowledge within the boundary of the firm. On the contrary, external-oriented strategy attempts to bring knowledge in from outside sources via either acquisition or imitation, and then to transfer that knowledge across to the organization. However, the extant literature on knowledge sourcing strategies focuses primarily on large organizations. Although many studies have clearly highlighted major differences between large and small firms and the need to adopt different strategies for different firm sizes, scant attention has been given to analyzing how knowledge sourcing strategies affect firm performance in small firms and what are the differences between small and large firms in the patterns of knowledge sourcing strategies adoption. This study attempts to advance the current literature by examining the impact of knowledge sourcing strategies on small firm performance from a holistic perspective. By drawing on knowledge based theory from organization science and complementarity theory from the economics literature, this paper is motivated by the following questions: (1) what are the adoption patterns of different knowledge sourcing strategies in small firms (i,e., what sourcing strategies should be adopted and which sourcing strategies work well together in small firms)?; and (2) what are the performance implications of these adoption patterns? In order to answer the questions, this study developed three hypotheses. First hypothesis based on knowledge based theory is that internal-oriented knowledge sourcing is positively associated with small firm performance. Second hypothesis developed on the basis of knowledge based theory is that external-oriented knowledge sourcing is positively associated with small firm performance. The third one based on complementarity theory is that pursuing both internal- and external-oriented knowledge sourcing simultaneously is negatively or less positively associated with small firm performance. As a sampling frame, 700 firms were identified from the Annual Corporation Report in Korea. Survey questionnaires were mailed to owners or executives who were most erudite about the firm s knowledge sourcing strategies and performance. A total of 188 companies replied, yielding a response rate of 26.8%. Due to incomplete data, 12 responses were eliminated, leaving 176 responses for the final analysis. Since all independent variables were measured using continuous variables, supermodularity function was used to test the hypotheses based on the cross partial derivative of payoff function. The results indicated no significant impact of internal-oriented sourcing strategies while positive impact of external-oriented sourcing strategy on small firm performance. This intriguing result could be explained on the basis of various resource and capital constraints of small firms. Small firms typically have restricted financial and human resources. They do not have enough assets to always develop knowledge internally. Another possible explanation is competency traps or core rigidities. Building up a knowledge base based on internal knowledge creates core competences, but at the same time, excessive internal focused knowledge exploration leads to behaviors blind to other knowledge. Interestingly, this study found that Internal- and external-oriented knowledge sourcing strategies had a substitutive relationship, which was inconsistent with previous studies that suggested complementary relationship between them. This result might be explained using organizational identification theory. Internal organizational members may perceive external knowledge as a threat, and tend to ignore knowledge from external sources because they prefer to maintain their own knowledge, legitimacy, and homogeneous attitudes. Therefore, integrating knowledge from internal and external sources might not be effective, resulting in failure of improvements of firm performance. Another possible explanation is small firms resource and capital constraints and lack of management expertise and absorptive capacity. Although the integration of different knowledge sources is critical, high levels of knowledge sourcing in many areas are quite expensive and so are often unrealistic for small enterprises. This study provides several implications for research as well as practice. First this study extends the existing knowledge by examining the substitutability (and complementarity) of knowledge sourcing strategies. Most prior studies have tended to investigate the independent effects of these strategies on performance without considering their combined impacts. Furthermore, this study tests complementarity based on the productivity approach that has been considered as a definitive test method for complementarity. Second, this study sheds new light on knowledge management research by identifying the relationship between knowledge sourcing strategies and small firm performance. Most current literature has insisted complementary relationship between knowledge sourcing strategies on the basis of data from large firms. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, this study identifies substitutive relationship between knowledge sourcing strategies using data from small firms. Third, implications for practice highlight that managers of small firms should focus on knowledge sourcing from external-oriented strategies. Moreover, adoption of both sourcing strategies simultaneousiy impedes small firm performance.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.1-25
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• 2011

Internet-based commerce has undergone an explosive growth over the past decade as consumers today find it more economical as well as more convenient to shop online. Nevertheless, the shift in the common mode of shopping from offline to online commerce has caused consumers to have worries over such issues as private information leakage, online fraud, discrepancy in product quality and grade, unsuccessful delivery, and so forth, Numerous studies have been undertaken to examine the role of perceived risk as a chief barrier to online purchases and to understand the theoretical relationships among perceived risk, trust and purchase intentions, However, most studies focus on empirically investigating the effects of trust on perceived risk, with little attention devoted to the effects of perceived risk on trust, While the influence trust has on perceived risk is worth studying, the influence in the opposite direction is equally important, enabling insights into the potential of perceived risk as a prohibitor of trust, According to Pavlou (2003), the primary source of the perceived risk is either the technological uncertainty of the Internet environment or the behavioral uncertainty of the transaction partner. Due to such types of uncertainty, an increase in the worries over the perceived risk may negatively affect trust, For example, if a consumer who sends sensitive transaction data over Internet is concerned that his or her private information may leak out because of the lack of security, trust may decrease (Olivero and Lunt, 2004), By the same token, if the consumer feels that the online merchant has the potential to profit by behaving in an opportunistic manner taking advantage of the remote, impersonal nature of online commerce, then it is unlikely that the merchant will be trusted, That is, the more the probable danger is likely to occur, the less trust and the greater need to control the transaction (Olivero and Lunt, 2004), In summary, a review of the related studies indicates that while some researchers looked at the influence of overall perceived risk on trust level, not much attention has been given to the effects of different types of perceived risk, In this context the present research aims at addressing the need to study how trust is affected by different types of perceived risk, We classified perceived risk into six different types based on the literature, and empirically analyzed the impact of each type of perceived risk upon consumer trust in an online merchant and further its impact upon purchase intentions. To meet our research objectives, we developed a conceptual model depicting the nomological structure of the relationships among our research variables, and also formulated a total of seven hypotheses. The model and hypotheses were tested using an empirical analysis based on a questionnaire survey of 206 college students. The reliability was evaluated via Cronbach's alphas, the minimum of which was found to be 0.73, and therefore the questionnaire items are all deemed reliable. In addition, the results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) designed to check the validity of the measurement model indicate that the convergent, discriminate, and nomological validities of the model are all acceptable. The structural equation modeling analysis to test the hypotheses yielded the following results. Of the first six hypotheses (H1-1 through H1-6) designed to examine the relationships between each risk type and trust, three hypotheses including H1-1 (performance risk ${\rightarrow}$ trust), H1-2 (psychological risk ${\rightarrow}$ trust) and H1-5 (online payment risk ${\rightarrow}$ trust) were supported with path coefficients of -0.30, -0.27 and -0.16 respectively. Finally, H2 (trust ${\rightarrow}$ purchase intentions) was supported with relatively high path coefficients of 0.73. Results of the empirical study offer the following findings and implications. First. it was found that it was performance risk, psychological risk and online payment risk that have a statistically significant influence upon consumer trust in an online merchant. It implies that a consumer may find an online merchant untrustworthy if either the product quality or the product grade does not match his or her expectations. For that reason, online merchants including digital storefronts and e-marketplaces are suggested to pursue a strategy focusing on identifying the target customers and offering products that they feel best meet performance and psychological needs of those customers. Thus, they should do their best to make it widely known that their products are of as good quality and grade as those purchased from offline department stores. In addition, it may be inferred that today's online consumers remain concerned about the security of the online commerce environment due to the repeated occurrences of hacking or private information leakage. Online merchants should take steps to remove potential vulnerabilities and provide online notices to emphasize that their website is secure. Second, consumer's overall trust was found to have a statistically significant influence on purchase intentions. This finding, which is consistent with the results of numerous prior studies, suggests that increased sales will become a reality only with enhanced consumer trust.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.115-133
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• 1974

Although considerable research has been done on the changes associated with age in the blood picture of domestic and laboratory animals, little work has been made of the changes occurring at different age in the blood picture of goats. And a comprehensive survey of the bood picture of Korean native goats has not been made. The object of the present investigation was to suggest standards for the blood picture of Korean native goats at frequent intervals from birth to maturity. The goats were kept under average farming conditions in this country. Observations were made at the following ages: at birth; 2,4 and 7 days; 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 weeks; 2.5, 3,6 and 12 months. Blood samples were drawn from the jugular vein. It was taken between 8 and 9 a.m. except those for the at-birth period. Erythrocyte and leukocyte enumerations and, determinations of hemoglobin in blood and hematocrit value were made in the usual manner. Reticulocytes were enumerated per 1,000 erythrocytes in blood smears stained with briIliant cresyl blue and counterstained with Wright's stain. Erythrocytes counts declined from $8.7{\times}10^8/mm^3$ at birth to a low of 7.0 at 4 days of age. These values increased to 11.5 at 5 weeks and reached a maximum of 14.0 at 3 months of age; it then fell to 11.5 at 12 months of age. Concentrations of hemoglobin in blood and hematocrit values were not related to the changes of erythrocyte counts. The values at birth were higher than at any other period during the first year of life. These fell from highs of 12.3 g/100 ml and 38.0 ml/100 ml to lows of 9.2 and 29 at 4 weeks for concentration of hemoglobin in blood and hematocrit value, respectively. There was a common pattern for the hematocrit value and hemoglobin in blood which showed three phases-a fall during the first month, a rise to the third month, and a fall to the mature level at 12 months of age. Mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin showed a common pattern. The values were $44.2{\mu}m^3$ and 14.2 pg at birth and fell, at first slowly and then rapidly, to reach adult levels of 24.1 and 7.9 at 6 weeks of age for mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin, respectively. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration was little affected by age. Reticulocyte was observed from birth to 4 weeks of age. Percentage of reticulocyte decreased from 0.85% at birth to 0.06% at 4 weeks of age. Total leucocyte counts increased from $5.64{\times}10^3/mm^3$ at birth to a maximum of 13.4 at 3 months; it then fell to 11.5 at 12 months of age. In differential counts myelocyte, juvenile and band form decreased with advancing age. No myelocyte and juvenile were seen after the age of 7 and 9 weeks, respectively, and band forms were rare after the age of 3 months. Percentage of mature neutrophil showed a quick decline from 52.5% at birth to reach a minimum level (34.5%) at 3 months of age; it then rose to 38% at 12 months of age. Percentage of lymphocyte increased from 39.2% at birth to maximum of 59% at 3 month of age; it then fell to 54.9% at 12 months of age. Percentage of monocyte was not affected with advance of age. Percentage of eosinophil and basophil were increased with advance of age to reach a maximum at 2 to 3 month of age. It then fell to adult level at 12 month of age.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.353-359
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• 2007

This survey was carried out to estimate the heavy metal contents of fishes (531 ocean fishes and 80 freshwater fishes) sold in and around Korea from April to October in 2006 . The contents of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and mercury (Hg) were estimated by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and a mercury analyzer. The concentrations [mean (minimum-maximum) mg/kg] of heavy metals in the ocean fishes were as follows: As=2.523 (0.140-65.543), Cd=0.017 (0.000-0.108), Cu=0.569 (0.040-5.634), Pb=0.023 (0.000-0.323), Hg=0.068 (0.002-0.754), Mn=0.395 (0.016-4.651) and Zn=6.086 (0.529-34.729). The concentrations of heavy metals in the freshwater fishes were: As=0.370 (0.024-2.231), Cd=0.01l (ND-0.086), Cu=0.628 (0.003-1.962), Pb=0.026 (ND-0.423), Hg=0.058 (0.006-0.349), Mn=1.150 (0.069-7.230) and Zn=9.980 (3.463-82.737). The weekly intakes of Cd, Hg and Pb from fish were 0.9, 1.6 and 0.9%, respectively, as compared with the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWl) established by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee for food safety evaluation.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.887-900
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• 2014

This study was conducted to provide a job analysis for, and assess the job performance of horticultural therapists, as well as examine future educational needs. To this end, a chart developed using the DACUM method was chosen as the appropriate tool for the job analysis of horticultural therapists (Study 1). Based on the chart, a survey using an evaluation form was produced to investigate the current level of job performance and future required level of horticultural therapists (Study 2). A total of 8 duties and 45 tasks were classified to examine job performance, based on analysis of the DACUM Council (Study 1). These duties include A. Decide execution organization for horticultural therapy (HT) program, B. Diagnose and assess clients before starting the HT program, C. Plan HT program, D. Develop HT program, E. Prepare to implement HT program for each session, F. Implement HT program for each session, G. Implement overall assessment for HT program, and H. Develop oneself as a horticultural therapist. Their duties were broken down further into five to eight tasks per duty, totaling 45 tasks. Based on the horticultural therapist job performance sheet developed through this process, an assessment of the current job level of horticultural therapists was performed and future required level were examined (Study 2). The evaluation forms were sent to 779 horticultural therapists with level 1 or 2 certification via email or mail delivery. The analysis of 242 questionnaires (31.1%) revealed that horticultural therapists with level 1 certificates have a significantly higher job performance level for 34 of the 45 tasks. Regarding future required level, 20 out of 45 tasks were assessed as higher for level 1 horticultural therapists than level 2. In addition, a Borich formula was utilized to identify the priority of educational needs for the 45 horticultural therapist tasks. The results revealed the following top three tasks: H1. Receive feedback from the supervisor for the horticultural therapy program; A1. Distribute promotional materials about the horticultural therapy program; and H2. Submit a grant proposal for horticultural therapy program to organizations such as welfare foundations. The results of this study are anticipated to facilitate understanding and improve work conditions for current horticultural therapists or horticultural therapists-in-training. In addition, institutions that train horticultural therapists will be able to use this as basic research to develop a practical training curriculum.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.821-827
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of three kinds of horticultural activities (HAs) on attention concentration of elementary students. We selected 20 students using a Wee Class counseling office at J elementary school in Yeongcheon, and divided them into experimental and control groups composed of ten students each. The experimental group participated in three HAs including flower arrangement, planting, and pressed flower. Each HA was composed of three sessions and a session proceeded for a week. For the examinations of attention concentration, two groups responded the questionnaires before a week of the first session and at the end of the 9th session, only the experimental group participated in the measurement using grid by Harris before a week of the first session and at the end of each HA every week. The results of questionnaire survey showed that the scores of problem in emotion and problem in controlling, and the total score decreased 9.2, 7.8, and 19.0 points, respectively (P < 0.05), indicating that the attention concentration of the experimental group improved compared with the control. In the measurements using grid by Harris, the flower arrangement, planting, and pressed flower activities increased the scores by 2.22, 2.49, and 2.41 points compared with the pre-HA of 6.00, respectively (P < 0.05), that means the improvements of attention concentration. At the post-HAs, the flower arrangement, planting, and pressed flower activities increased the scores by 1.12, 1.39 and 1.31 points compared with the control group of 7.10, respectively (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the indoor HAs improved the attention and concentration of elementary students irrespective of kind of activities.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2018

A recent topic of interest within ecology is ecosystem services that are importantly connected with biodiversity. Biodiversity is a fundamental component of ecological studies and has been the subject of many studies worldwide. However, studies on the diversity and distribution of freshwater fish were not undertaken in earnest until 2000, and the number of internationally available studies is therefore still limited. In this study, we used data from "The Survey and Evaluation of Aquatic Ecosystem Health (hereafter SEAEH)" within the framework of which whole water systems on the Korean peninsula are annually monitored to investigate and determine the current status of the diversity and distribution of freshwater fish, as well as to elucidate major factors impacting freshwater fish. A total of 130 species from 28 families were identified at around 953 sites in the SEAEH investigation of 2014. The species Zacco platypus (relative abundance: 28.2%) and Z. koreanus (19.3%) were identified as the most abundant species on the Korean peninsula, and besides these 20 endangered species, 51 endemic species and 4 exotic species were also collected. Highest (96 species) and lowest (72 species) diversity were identified in the Han River Watershed and the Yeongsan/Seomjin River Watershed, respectively. The mean endemic rate was 32.7%, which is higher than the previous rate determined in 1995. The exotic species Micropterus salmoides, Lepomis macrochirus and Carassius cuvieri were found in the whole river system except north Yeongdong, whereas Oreochromis niloticus occurred only at three sites due to the cold water temperatures in winter. Totally, 28 species were found to be translocated to different water systems not connected with known original habitats, most translocations occurring in the Nakdong River and the Yeongdong region. Among the translocated species, Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis, and Erythroculter erythropterus were dominantly distributed in the mid- to lower reaches of Nakdong River where they may be harmful to the native fish assemblages due to their strong predation. The construction of weirs in connection with the "4 River Project" generated changes in fish assemblages before, during and after the project, resulting in altered habitat condition. Especially, a decrease in the number of endemic species and an increase in the abundance of lentic species were seen. Human-induced global warming will allow exotic species requiring high water temperatures to adapt to the environmental conditions of the Korean peninsula, which may enhance the diversity of native fishes and create changes in distribution. For the establishment of realistic and efficient management and protection strategies for Korean freshwater fish, SEAEH, which produces fundamental and quantitative data for Korean streams, is an important and necessary tool.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.60-70
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• 2018

The distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates was investigated at 1,157 sites of 7 main water systems in Korea, including 442 sites of Han River system (Namhan River, Bukhan River, Han River main stream, Anseongcheon, etc.), 305 sites of Nakdong River system (Nakdong River, Hyeongsan River, Taehwa River, etc.), 199 sites of Geum River system (Geum River, Sapgyocheon, Mangyeong River, Dongjin River, etc.) 102 sites of Seomjin River system (Seomjin River), 102 sites of Yeongsan River system (Yeongsan River, Tamjin River, etc.), and 7 sites of Jeju stream system. A total of 151 families were found in the whole survey sites, including 141 families in Han River, 122 in Nakdong River, 115 in Geum River, 106 in Seomjin River, 113 in Yeongsan River, and 50 in Jeju. Chironomidae (20.8%) was the most dominant species in Korea, followed by Hydropsychidae (17.1%), Baetidae (12.6%), Tubificidae (10.3%), Heptageniidae (8.6%), Ephemerellidae (6.3%), Asellidae (2.7%), Leptophlebiidae (2.4%), Planariidae (1.7%), and Tipulidae (1.6%). Substrates compositions consisted of large sand (22.6%), large gravel (18.4%), silt (10.5%), and boulder (8.2%). The mean stream width was 133.5 m and the mean watercourse width was 61.7 m. The mean water depth and velocity were 30.2 cm and $33.1cm\;s^{-1}$, respectively. Results of cluster analysis based on distributional characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates were divided into six groups according to the frequency of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa which appeared in the study area. Finally, altitude, current velocity and substrate composition were the most influencial factors determining the distribution patterns of macroinvertebrate communities.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2009

Consumers are very concerned about food safety as the risk with food increased. This study was conducted to evaluate the perceptions and practices of consumers on food safety in order to collect some information for the development of consumer education program. Total 500 consumers were asked to answer for survey constituted with 6 questions of generic information, 4 of food safety perceptions and 8 of food safety practices from June to July, 2006. More than half of respondents (51.8%) were unsatisfied with the food safety management of government while the individual practices on food safety were satisfactory. Especially, most respondents (98.7%) checked the expiration date of food when they purchased and 97% of respondents were washed hands before food preparation. The higher food safety perception, the better food safety practices of consumers. These results suggest that the systematic and continuous educations on food safety hazards and the principles of sanitation management are necessary for safe food handling and perception on food safety.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2006

The current study was conducted to investigate the effect of types of crate and season on transport condition and mortality, and ultimately to identify the best practice for reducing economic lose. Total loading weight stocking density, transport and lairage times and mortality were surveyed from the management data sheet of two companies for each first week of January, April, August and October, An average loading weight, length of transport and lairage times and mortality were 3.9 ton, 96 min, 478 min and 0.6%, respectively. Mortality after lairage was not significant between two types of crate. In addition, container type crate showed higher loading weight and stocking density than box type one. Spring and winter had significantly higher mortality with 0.7 and 0.8%, respectively, then summer and fell of 0.5%. An interaction between crate type and season on mortality showed that mortality for box type on was higher in spring and winter with 0.8 and 0.7%, respectively, compared to summer and fall of 0,3 and 0.4% respectively. In the case of container type crate, spring, fall and winter had greatly different death into with 0.7, 0.5 and 0.8%, respectively, while there was no difference between spring and summer, and between summer and winter, Mortality after transportation was similar between both crate type, with higher rate for spring and winder than other seasons. The result was likely related to death of exposure due to extended waiting time without heating facility.