• Title/Summary/Keyword: Workplace Environment

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Proposals to Revise the Occupational Exposure Limits for Aluminum in Korea (국내 크롬 및 그 화합물의 노출실태 및 노출기준 개정 제안)

  • Seung Won Kim;Young Gyu Phee;Yong-Joon Baek;Taejin Chung;Jeong-Hee Han
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.34 no.2
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    • pp.166-178
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    • 2024
  • Objectives: The 12 occupational exposure limits(OELs) for chromium and its compounds in Korea were set by applying the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLVs). However, this is significantly different from the TLVs after the existing TLVs were integrated and withdrawn in 2018, so it is necessary to review the revision. Methods: Various documents related to chromium OELs were reviewed, including the ACGIH TLV Documentations for chromium and its compounds. A field survey was conducted targeting workplaces handling chromium and its compounds. Based on this, a revised OELs were proposed and a socio-economic evaluation was conducted. Results: The OELs for chromium compounds in Korea was first enacted in 2002, and in 2007, the OELs for chromium (hexavalent) compounds (insoluble) was lowered from 0.05 mg/m3 to 0.01 mg/m3. In 2008, the OELs for strontium chromate was newly established as 0.0005 mg/m3, and in 2018, the OELs for calcium chromate was newly established as 0.001 mg/m3. Total chromium and hexavalent chromium were measured for each of 6 samples at 2 welding sites, 4 plating sites, and 2 spray coating sites. When omparing the average of the results measured by ICP, a total chromium analysis method, and the analysis results by IC, a hexavalent chromium analysis method, only workplace 4 was the same, and total chromium was evaluated more, and total chromium was evaluated at 0.0004 to 0.0027 mg/m3. And hexavalent chromium was evaluated as non-detection ~ 0.0014 mg/m3. Amendment ①: The exposure standard for hexavalent chromium is not divided into water soluble, insoluble, chromium ore processing, and other hexavalent chromium compounds, and is integrated into 0.01 mg/m3, which is the level of chromium (hexavalent) compound (insoluble)., OELs for chromium (metal) and chromium (trivalent) compounds are integrated into chromium (trivalent) compounds, and the exposure level is maintained. Amendment ②: As in the amendment ①, the OELs are integrated, but the level is lowered to 0.005 mg/m3, which is the OELs of OSHA, and there is a grace period of 4 years. Amendment ③: As in the amendment ①, the OELs are integrated, but the level is lowered to 0.0002 mg/m3, which is the exposure standard of ACGIH, and there is a grace period of 5 years. Conclusions: Amendment ①: The change in the OELs is insignificant, so the cost required is small, and the benefit/cost ratio is greater than 1, so there is no problem in applying the amendment. Amendment ②: In all scenarios except chromium 6(insoluble), the benefit/cost ratio is greater than 1, so it is thought that there will be no major problem in applying the amendment. Amendment ③: Since the benefit/cost ratio is less than 1 in all scenarios, it is thought that the total social benefit that can be obtained when applying the amendment is not large.

Study on the Chemical Management - 2. Comparison of Classification and Health Index of Chemicals Regulated by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of the Employment and Labor (화학물질 관리 연구-2. 환경부와 고용노동부의 관리 화학물질의 구분, 노출기준 및 독성 지표 등의 특성 비교)

  • Kim, Sunju;Yoon, Chungsik;Ham, Seunghon;Park, Jihoon;Kim, Songha;Kim, Yuna;Lee, Jieun;Lee, Sangah;Park, Donguk;Lee, Kwonseob;Ha, Kwonchul
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.58-71
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    • 2015
  • Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate the classification system of chemical substances in the Occupational Safety and Health Act(OSHA) and Chemical Substances Control Act(CSCA) and to compare several health indices (i.e., Time Weighted Average (TWA), Lethal Dose ($LD_{50}$), and Lethal Concentration ($LC_{50}$) of chemical substances by categories in each law. Methods: The chemicals regulated by each law were classified by the specific categories provided in the respective law; seven categories for OSHA (chemicals with OELs, chemicals prohibited from manufacturing, etc., chemicals requiring approval, chemicals kept below permissible limits, chemicals requiring workplace monitoring, chemicals requiring special management, and chemicals requiring special heath diagnosis) and five categories from the CSCA(poisonous substances, permitted substances, restricted substances, prohibited substances, and substances requiring preparation for accidents). Information on physicochemical properties, health indices including CMR characteristics, $LD_{50}$ and $LD_{50}$ were searched from the homepages of the Korean Occupational and Safety Agency and the National Institute of Environmental Research, etc. Statistical analysis was conducted for comparison between TWA and health index for each category. Results: The number of chemicals based on CAS numbers was different from the numbers of series of chemicals listed in each law because of repeat listings due to different names (e.g., glycol monoethylether vs. 2-ethoxy ethanol) and grouping of different chemicals under the same serial number(i.e., five different benzidine-related chemicals were categorized under one serial number(06-4-13) as prohibited substances under the CSCA). A total of 722 chemicals and 995 chemicals were listed at the OSHA and its sub-regulations and CSCA and its sub-regulations, respectively. Among these, 36.8% based on OSHA chemicals and 26.7% based on CSCA chemicals were regulated simultaneously through both laws. The correlation coefficients between TWA and $LC_{50}$ and between TWA and $LD_{50}$, were 0.641 and 0.506, respectively. The geometric mean values of TWA calculated by each category in both laws have no tendency according to category. The patterns of cumulative graph for TWA, $LD_{50}$, $LC_{50}$ were similar to the chemicals regulated by OHSA and CCSA, but their median values were lower for CCSA regulated chemicals than OSHA regulated chemicals. The GM of carcinogenic chemicals under the OSHA was significantly lower than non-CMR chemicals($2.21mg/m^3$ vs $5.69mg/m^3$, p=0.006), while there was no significant difference in CSCA chemicals($0.85mg/m^3$ vs $1.04mg/m^3$, p=0.448). $LC_{50}$ showed no significant difference between carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxic chemicals and non-CMR chemicals in both laws' regulated chemicals, while there was a difference between carcinogens and non-CMR chemicals in $LD_{50}$ of the CSCA. Conclusions: This study found that there was no specific tendency or significant difference in health indicessuch TWA, $LD_{50}$ and $LC_{50}$ in subcategories of chemicals as classified by the Ministry of Labor and Employment and the Ministry of Environment. Considering the background and the purpose of each law, collaboration for harmonization in chemical categorizing and regulation is necessary.

The Influence of Online Social Networking on Individual Virtual Competence and Task Performance in Organizations (온라인 네트워킹 활동이 가상협업 역량 및 업무성과에 미치는 영향)

  • Suh, A-Young;Shin, Kyung-Shik
    • Asia pacific journal of information systems
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    • v.22 no.2
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    • pp.39-69
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    • 2012
  • With the advent of communication technologies including electronic collaborative tools and conferencing systems provided over the Internet, virtual collaboration is becoming increasingly common in organizations. Virtual collaboration refers to an environment in which the people working together are interdependent in their tasks, share responsibility for outcomes, are geographically dispersed, and rely on mediated rather than face-to face, communication to produce an outcome. Research suggests that new sets of individual skill, knowledge, and ability (SKAs) are required to perform effectively in today's virtualized workplace, which is labeled as individual virtual competence. It is also argued that use of online social networking sites may influence not only individuals' daily lives but also their capability to manage their work-related relationships in organizations, which in turn leads to better performance. The existing research regarding (1) the relationship between virtual competence and task performance and (2) the relationship between online networking and task performance has been conducted based on different theoretical perspectives so that little is known about how online social networking and virtual competence interplay to predict individuals' task performance. To fill this gap, this study raises the following research questions: (1) What is the individual virtual competence required for better adjustment to the virtual collaboration environment? (2) How does online networking via diverse social network service sites influence individuals' task performance in organizations? (3) How do the joint effects of individual virtual competence and online networking influence task performance? To address these research questions, we first draw on the prior literature and derive four dimensions of individual virtual competence that are related with an individual's self-concept, knowledge and ability. Computer self-efficacy is defined as the extent to which an individual beliefs in his or her ability to use computer technology broadly. Remotework self-efficacy is defined as the extent to which an individual beliefs in his or her ability to work and perform joint tasks with others in virtual settings. Virtual media skill is defined as the degree of confidence of individuals to function in their work role without face-to-face interactions. Virtual social skill is an individual's skill level in using technologies to communicate in virtual settings to their full potential. It should be noted that the concept of virtual social skill is different from the self-efficacy and captures an individual's cognition-based ability to build social relationships with others in virtual settings. Next, we discuss how online networking influences both individual virtual competence and task performance based on the social network theory and the social learning theory. We argue that online networking may enhance individuals' capability in expanding their social networks with low costs. We also argue that online networking may enable individuals to learn the necessary skills regarding how they use technological functions, communicate with others, and share information and make social relations using the technical functions provided by electronic media, consequently increasing individual virtual competence. To examine the relationships among online networking, virtual competence, and task performance, we developed research models (the mediation, interaction, and additive models, respectively) by integrating the social network theory and the social learning theory. Using data from 112 employees of a virtualized company, we tested the proposed research models. The results of analysis partly support the mediation model in that online social networking positively influences individuals' computer self-efficacy, virtual social skill, and virtual media skill, which are key predictors of individuals' task performance. Furthermore, the results of the analysis partly support the interaction model in that the level of remotework self-efficacy moderates the relationship between online social networking and task performance. The results paint a picture of people adjusting to virtual collaboration that constrains and enables their task performance. This study contributes to research and practice. First, we suggest a shift of research focus to the individual level when examining virtual phenomena and theorize that online social networking can enhance individual virtual competence in some aspects. Second, we replicate and advance the prior competence literature by linking each component of virtual competence and objective task performance. The results of this study provide useful insights into how human resource responsibilities assess employees' weakness and strength when they organize virtualized groups or projects. Furthermore, it provides managers with insights into the kinds of development or training programs that they can engage in with their employees to advance their ability to undertake virtual work.

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The Occupant Perception and Investigation of Indoor Air Quality at Home in Seoul

  • Sohn, Jong-Ryeul;Kim, Young-Whan;Byeon, Sang-Hoon
    • Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.51-57
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    • 2003
  • Indoor air quality(IAQ) in workplace and residential environments has been concern of people. Recently, Ministry of Environment in Korea has recognized the potential risk on the healthy effect related to indoor air pollution at home. Therefore, the purpose of this study was performed to measure the indoor air pollutants of IAQ at different homes and investigate to compare the perception of IAQ recognition at home from questionnaire survey in Seoul. We estimated the IAQ of selected 6 homes based on site region and housing type. The indoor air pollutants and parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, respirable suspended particulate matter($PM_{10}$), formaldehyde(HCHO), total bacteria counts, carbon monooxide(CO) and carbon dioxide($CO_2$) were monitored for summer and winter. In monitoring results, the respirable suspended particulate matter(($PM_{10}$) and indoor airborne bacteria level of home 5 and 6 were higher than the standard of the public $150{\;}{\mu}g/m^3$ and $500{\;}{\mu}g/m^3$, the level formaldehyde(HCHO) was exceed 0.1 ppm of the standard of Korea at all monitored homes. In statistics analysis, we could find a correlation between the building age and the concentration of CO, TBC were significant at 0.01 level and Relative Humidity was significant at 0.05 level for summer. Finally, the important air pollutants of IAQ in home were HCHO and total bacteria counts(TBC). And we performed a questionnaire survey of 500 people about their awareness for the importance of IAQ in our home during same period. In results, all most response of occupant has recognized the importance of IAQ at home. Therefore, it can be concluded that the IAQ of selected 6 home studied was perceived as acceptable, it is recommended that the government related IAQ was suggested the guideline and control of IAQ problems, and the occupants need to be effort to reduce the exposure of sources to undesirable pollutants.

A Study on Effect of Psychological Capital on Turnover Intention & Mediating Effect of Organizational Commitment: Focusing on Construction Industry Workers (심리적 자본이 이직의도에 미치는 영향과 조직몰입의 매개효과에 대한 연구 : 건설업 종사자를 중심으로)

  • Lee, Su-jin
    • Journal of Venture Innovation
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.151-166
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    • 2024
  • The global economic growth rate has been slowed due to changes in the economic and social environment related to the recent trends in the construction market and construction industry, prolonged inflation, intense tensions among countries, and increased interest rates. Since the workers in the construction industry, due to the nature of the industry, move to another site after the completion of an awarded project rather than staying for a long time while performing work at one workplace, various issues are brought out such as poor working environment resulting from unfairness in construction contracts, aging of workers, their anxiety, and job instability. The previous studies on the turnover intention of construction industry workers mainly dealt with external aspects such as leadership, job embeddedness, and organizational citizenship behavior, while the psychological impact was overlooked. The purpose of this study was to develop a measure to reduce or alleviate turnover intention of construction industry workers by verifying empirically the relationship among psychological capital, organizational commitment, and turnover intention among them. For the purpose, whether psychological capital influences organizational commitment and turnover intention, the impact of organizational commitment on turnover intention, and whether organizational commitment has a mediating effect in the relationship between psychological capital and turnover intention, among 310 construction industry workers in the metropolitan area. The results are as follows: First, hope and self-efficacy were found to have a negative (-) effect on turnover intention, while resilience and optimism from psychological capital did not have a significant effect. Second, hope, resilience, and optimism from psychological capital were found to have a positive (+) effect on organizational commitment, while self-efficacy from psychological capital had no significant effect. Third, organizational commitment was found to have a significant mediating effect on the relationship between hope from psychological capital and turnover intention. The results of this study showed that, in construction industry workers, psychological capital affects turnover intention through the mediating effect of organizational commitment. While previous studies mainly considered external influences on the turnover intention of construction industry workers, this study has academic implications in that it sought to strengthen organizational commitment and alleviate turnover intention by approaching psychological aspects. As a practical implication, it was found that higher self-efficacy and hope for work in the organization, from psychological capital, in the construction industry workers were found to lower turnover intention through job performance in a psychologically stable state. It is considered, therefore, that various systems, including job autonomy and flexible work, should be established to improve self-efficacy and hope.

Transition of Occupational Health Nursing Education in Korea (한국 산업간호교육의 변화추세 분석)

  • Cho, Tong Ran;June, Kyung Ja;Kim, So Yeon
    • Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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    • v.6 no.2
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    • pp.144-155
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    • 1997
  • In December 1990, Occupational Safety and Health Law was amended to reinforce employer's responsibilities on employees' health and safety. Among the amended law it was important to expand the role of an occupational health nurse to the role of an occupational health manager. An occupational health manager should take charge of coordinating periodic health examination and environmental hazard evaluation, providing primary care, monitoring employees' health status, giving the workplace walk-through, selecting safe protection equipment, providing health information, counseling and health education, independently. This position of occupational health nurse is equivalent to the role of doctors or occupational hygienists. In 1991, government made a master plan to prevent occupational disease and injury. Under the plan, Korea Industrial Nursing Association (KINA) was established in 1994 with the purpose of improving health services and upgrading career opportunities for members. Therefore, this study was designed to analyze the transition of occupational health nursing education with the changes of law and policy in Korea between 1991 and 1996. In details, it was to analyze the rate of school providing occupational health nursing practice based lecture, lecture hours, lecture contents in undergraduate curriculum, program contents of graduate school, kinds of continuing education, etc. For this purpose, we conducted survey two times. In February 1991, baseline study was conducted with all nursing programs in Korea (19 BSN programs and 43 nursing departments of junior college). From April to May in 1996, the second survey was conducted with all nursing programs (38 BSN programs and 69 junior colleges). The first response rate was 66.1% and the second was 40.6%. Structured questionnaires were mailed to the deans or the community health nursing faculties. In the case of graduate school, telephone survey was conducted with 10 school of public health or environmental health area. Data from the yearbook of Industrial Safety Training Institute (ISTI), the history of Korea Industrial Health Association, and the journals of KINA were also included in the analysis. As the results, we found that there were remarkable improvement in undergraduate and graduate programs, obligatory as well as voluntary continuing education in terms of occupational health nursing expertise between 1991 and 1996. 1) The number of school providing occupational health nursing practice-based lecture was increased with the rate from 7.3% to 25.6%. The rate of school giving over 15 class-hours was increased from 33.3% to 46.6%. 2) Content areas were composed of introduction of occupational health, occupational epidemiology, industrial hygiene, occupational disease and injury, law and policy, health education, concept of occupational health nursing, role of occupational health nurse, occupational health nursing process, etc. Of content areas, occupational health nursing process was more emphasized with the increased rate from 43.9% to 88.4%. 3) In the case of graduate school, occupational health programs were increased from 4 to 10. One of them has developed occupational health nursing program as an independent course since 1991. 4) The law increased educational hours from 28 hours to 36 hours for introductory course at the time of appointment, and from 14 hours to 24 hours every 2 years for continuing education. Course contents were Occupational safety and health law, introduction of occupational health, health education methodology, planning and evaluation, periodic health exam, occupational disease care, primary care, emergency care, management, industrial environment evaluation, etc. In 1996, Korea Industrial Nursing Association has begun to provide continuing education after Industrial Safety Training Institute. 5) Various educational programs in voluntary base were developed such as monthly seminar, CE articles, annual academic symposium, etc. It was shown that changes of law and policy led rapid growth of occupational health nursing education in various levels. From this trend, it is expected that occupational health nurse expertise be continuously to be enhanced in Korea. Legal and political supports should proceed for the development of occupational health nursing in early stage.

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A Study on the Improvement of Employment Rate of Dental Technology School Graduates in Daegu and the Supply and Demand of Dental Technician Work Forces (대구지역 치기공과 학생의 취업률 향상과 치과기공사의 인력수급에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Jong-Do;Jung, Young-Hae
    • Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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    • v.31 no.1
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    • pp.37-54
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    • 2009
  • The purpose of this thesis is to address the imbalance between supply and demand of dental lab technicians and to propose its solutions by analyzing the improvement of employment rate of graduates of dental technology schools in Daegu area and the supply and demand of the technician workforce. Preliminary and full-scale surveys were performed from Aug. 10 to Oct. 10 in 2008 on 150 junior students of dental technology schools who finished their on-the-job-training and 150 dental technicians who were working for dental laboratory in Daegu by self-assessment questionnaire. Followings are the findings of this study. First, regarding the gender of the dental technicians, 32.7% of respondents were female 67.3% were male. Concerning age, respondents younger than 29 years-old occupied the highest percentage(39.3%). With respect to the lab technology school they graduated, DaeguHealthCollege took the largest proportion of 87.3%. With regard to interpersonal relationship at the school, 58.0% of respondents felt their relationship 'smooth'. Second, about the motive of choosing to be a lab technician, the biggest proportion of the respondents(34.7%) replied that 'because it is professional'. Regarding the degree of satisfaction about the profession, 'so-so' was the answer with the biggest percentage(51.3%) followed by 'satisfied'(32.0%) and 'unsatisfied'(16.7%). It showed that respondents were generally satisfied with their major. Third, regarding relevance of on-the-job-training with 'preparation for the employment', highest percentage of both students and lab technicians(50.0%) replied 'so-so'. With respect to 'necessity of practical education', highest percentage of the students and lab technicians replied 'relating didactic education in college to the real world' with 52.7% and 40.7% respectively. With regard to 'the aim of on-the-sport-training', 'practical training of didactic education' was chosen by 54.0% and 47.3% respectively. Fourth, with regard to the 'types of college education advantageous for the employment', both students and lab technicians groups chose 'practical training' with the highest percentage. Concerning 'helpfulness of clinical training on employment', students answered 'so-so' and 'helpful' by 50.0% and 42.7% respectively and dental technicians replied similarly by 50.0% and 46.0% respectively. Fifth, with regard to the influence of financial factors on the supply and demand of dental technician(question #1), 68.0% of respondents agreed that 'salary plays key role in the supply and demand of the work force'. Concerning the question about working condition, respondents requested better working environment. With reference to interpersonal relationship at the laboratory, respondents replied that interpersonal relationship affects the duration of the employment it was found out that there were many conflicts with colleagues or dental office. Sixth, regarding the satisfaction about their profession according to the characteristics of the respondents more respondents were 'satisfied'(10.30 points) with their profession and 'unsatisfied' were 9.47 points and the difference was statistically significant(p<0.05). According to the findings of this study, practical education on campus and on-the-job-training are as important as didactic education at class due to the characteristics of dental technology major. It was found that more practical training is related to higher employment rate. Therefore, efficiency of on-the-job-training by college education should be increased raise employment rate of the graduates and reduce the unemployment. Up-to-date information needs to be promptly delivered and future vision should be presented to the students to raise their satisfaction about the profession. In addition, to reduce dental technician's frequent change of their workplace after facing with the reality of the profession after graduation, related organizations should make an effort to present better future than now.

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A Study on Enrollment Satisfaction, Career Directions, and Image of Dental Hygienists for Dental Hygiene Students in Some Regions (일부지역 치위생(학)과 학생들의 진학만족도와 진로방향, 치과위생사 이미지에 관한 연구)

  • Moon, Seon-Jeong;Ku, In-Young;Choi, Hwa-Young;Ka, Kyung-Hwan
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.16 no.1
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    • pp.564-575
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    • 2015
  • A self-administered survey was conducted in dental hygiene students at colleges or universities in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province to provide basic data necessary to suggest standards for the direction of career for dental hygiene students and construct desirable image of dental hygienists. The data were collected from February to May 2013; with the exception of 46 questionnaires containing insincere responses, 1,679 were finally analyzed using SPSS/Win 18.0, drawing the following conclusion: The freshmen showed higher levels of regret for selection and enrollment recommendation than the sophomores, juniors, or seniors and the sophomores, juniors, and seniors showed higher levels of willingness to change courses than the freshmen; thus, those in lower grades showed higher environment satisfaction. As for desired career, regardless of grades, they showed higher preference for being employed as a dental hygienist; as for desired paths to get a job, the freshmen were more likely to get professors' recommendations and the sophomores, juniors, and seniors showed higher preference for open recruitment. They showed higher preference for getting a job in a large city because of greater possibility of improvement. As for the desired period of employment, regardless of grades, they showed higher preference for employment before getting married and for reemployment after their children grew up; as for desired workplace, the freshmen showed higher preference for a dental clinic in a hospital, whereas the sophomores, juniors, and seniors showed higher preference for a dental hospital. As for the differences in image of dental hygienists by grades, the freshmen and sophomores showed higher levels of attitudes than the juniors; the freshmen and sophomores showed higher levels of beliefs than the juniors or seniors; and the seniors showed higher levels of values than the freshmen, sophomores, or juniors, and the sophomores and juniors showed higher levels of values than the freshmen; thus, students in lower grades showed higher levels of attitudes and beliefs and those in higher grades showed higher levels of values. Such factors of enrollment satisfaction as willingness to change courses and persuasion to make enrollment had significant effects on image of dental hygienists. Dental hygiene students need to make efforts to establish a job identity and get desirable image of dental hygienists and to make constant efforts to promote more accurate and positive image of dental hygienists through systematic and positive public relations.

Human Health Risk, Environmental and Economic Assessment Based on Multimedia Fugacity Model for Determination of Best Available Technology (BAT) for VOC Reduction in Industrial Complex (산업단지 VOC 저감 최적가용기법(BAT) 선정을 위한 다매체 거동모델 기반 인체위해성·환경성·경제성 평가)

  • Kim, Yelin;Rhee, Gahee;Heo, Sungku;Nam, Kijeon;Li, Qian;Yoo, ChangKyoo
    • Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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    • v.58 no.3
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    • pp.325-345
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    • 2020
  • Determination of Best available technology (BAT) was suggested to reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a petrochemical industrial complex, by conducting human health risk, environmental, and economic assessment based on multimedia fugacity model. Fate and distribution of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) was predicted by the multimedia fugacity model, which represent VOCs emitted from the industrial complex in U-city. Media-integrated human health risk assessment and sensitivity analysis were conducted to predict the human health risk of BTEX and identify the critical variable which has adverse effects on human health. Besides, the environmental and economic assessment was conducted to determine the BAT for VOCs reduction. It is concluded that BTEX highly remained in soil media (60%, 61%, 64% and 63%), and xylene has remained as the highest proportion of BTEX in each environment media. From the candidates of BAT, the absorption was excluded due to its high human health risk. Moreover, it is identified that the half-life and exposure coefficient of each exposure route are highly correlated with human health risk by sensitivity analysis. In last, considering environmental and economic assessment, the regenerative thermal oxidation, the regenerative catalytic oxidation, the bio-filtration, the UV oxidation, and the activated carbon adsorption were determined as BAT for reducing VOCs in the petrochemical industrial complex. The suggested BAT determination methodology based on the media-integrated approach can contribute to the application of BAT into the workplace to efficiently manage the discharge facilities and operate an integrated environmental management system.

An Empirical Study on How the Moderating Effects of Individual Cultural Characteristics towards a Specific Target Affects User Experience: Based on the Survey Results of Four Types of Digital Device Users in the US, Germany, and Russia (특정 대상에 대한 개인 수준의 문화적 성향이 사용자 경험에 미치는 조절효과에 대한 실증적 연구: 미국, 독일, 러시아의 4개 디지털 기기 사용자를 대상으로)

  • Lee, In-Seong;Choi, Gi-Woong;Kim, So-Lyung;Lee, Ki-Ho;Kim, Jin-Woo
    • Asia pacific journal of information systems
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.113-145
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    • 2009
  • Recently, due to the globalization of the IT(Information Technology) market, devices and systems designed in one country are used in other countries as well. This phenomenon is becoming the key factor for increased interest on cross-cultural, or cross-national, research within the IT area. However, as the IT market is becoming bigger and more globalized, a great number of IT practitioners are having difficulty in designing and developing devices or systems which can provide optimal experience. This is because not only tangible factors such as language and a country's economic or industrial power affect the user experience of a certain device or system but also invisible and intangible factors as well. Among such invisible and intangible factors, the cultural characteristics of users from different countries may affect the user experience of certain devices or systems because cultural characteristics affect how they understand and interpret the devices or systems. In other words, when users evaluate the quality of overall user experience, the cultural characteristics of each user act as a perceptual lens that leads the user to focus on a certain elements of experience. Therefore, there is a need within the IT field to consider cultural characteristics when designing or developing certain devices or systems and plan a strategy for localization. In such an environment, existing IS studies identify the culture with the country, emphasize the importance of culture in a national level perspective, and hypothesize that users within the same country have same cultural characteristics. Under such assumptions, these studies focus on the moderating effects of cultural characteristics on a national level within a certain theoretical framework. This has already been suggested by cross-cultural studies conducted by scholars such as Hofstede(1980) in providing numerical research results and measurement items for cultural characteristics and using such results or items as they increase the efficiency of studies. However, such national level culture has its limitations in forecasting and explaining individual-level behaviors such as voluntary device or system usage. This is because individual cultural characteristics are the outcome of not only the national culture but also the culture of a race, company, local area, family, and other groups that are formulated through interaction within the group. Therefore, national or nationally dominant cultural characteristics may have its limitations in forecasting and explaining the cultural characteristics of an individual. Moreover, past studies in psychology suggest a possibility that there exist different cultural characteristics within a single individual depending on the subject being measured or its context. For example, in relation to individual vs. collective characteristics, which is one of the major cultural characteristics, an individual may show collectivistic characteristics when he or she is with family or friends but show individualistic characteristics in his or her workplace. Therefore, this study acknowledged such limitations of past studies and conducted a research within the framework of 'theoretically integrated model of user satisfaction and emotional attachment', which was developed through a former study, on how the effects of different experience elements on emotional attachment or user satisfaction are differentiated depending on the individual cultural characteristics related to a system or device usage. In order to do this, this study hypothesized the moderating effects of four cultural dimensions (uncertainty avoidance, individualism vs, collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, and power distance) as suggested by Hofstede(1980) within the theoretically integrated model of emotional attachment and user satisfaction. Statistical tests were then implemented on these moderating effects through conducting surveys with users of four digital devices (mobile phone, MP3 player, LCD TV, and refrigerator) in three countries (US, Germany, and Russia). In order to explain and forecast the behavior of personal device or system users, individual cultural characteristics must be measured, and depending on the target device or system, measurements must be measured independently. Through this suggestion, this study hopes to provide new and useful perspectives for future IS research.