• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.45-53
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• 2012

This study is about the impact of a technology-based start-ups' patent-related activities on early stage company performance. Technology-based start-ups are closely related to the intellectual property rights, particularly patents that they aim the pursuit of new products or production methods and pioneer the introduction of market based on innovative technology, and that is a key role in such companies established and operating, hence the research of patent-related activities in technology-based start-ups has important implications. In most previous studies, the impact of the company's patent related activities on the performance of corporate management is determined by using quantitative patent indicators. Therefore, through this study, causal relationships leading to business performance through the development of new products, which includes technology performance and product performance, and the patent-related activities including the company's patented technology support activities, creating the right activities, infringement response activities, base activities validated as follows. First, the patent-related activities have a positive impact on technological and products achievements. In other words, the various activities involved in the acquisition and utilization of the patent have a positive impact on the performance of company's new product development, particularly developing new technologies or patent acquisition rate. Second, the technology have a positive impact on the performance of the products, not on the business performance. However, the empirical results shows that it has indirectly impacts on business performance through the product performance. Third, product performance have a positive impact on business performance. In conclusion, patent-related activities affects the performance of the company's management, and the maintenance of the company's business performance depends on the developing and selling product based on the customers needs, besides the technology performance such as the patents and the development of technology.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.5-38
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• 2007

This study attempts to develop a theory on the evolving process of wealthy major donors' sharing lives in Korea through a grounded theory approach. To conduct this study, the researchers have in-depth interviews with 11 exemplary wealthy major donors who have more than one million US dollars in his or her own asset and donate more than ten thousand US dollars annually. In data analysis, this study identifies 161 concepts on the evolving process of wealthy major donors' sharing lives; and the concepts are categorized with 33 sub-categories and 14 categories. In the paradigm model on the evolving process of wealthy major donors' sharing lives, it is identified that the central phenomenon, 'practicing sharing lives as noblesse oblige', is related with the causal conditions such as 'learning through memories and observation', 'realizing my duties', and 'emphasizing'; and the central phenomenon is related with the contingent conditions such as 'being sensitive to external evaluation', 'having limited information on giving', 'distrusting donation related environments'. The action/interactional sequences such as 'utilizing relationships' and 'strengthening active participation' are accomplished by moderating conditions such as 'having internal and external supports' and 'guiding by firm conviction'. It reveals that as a result, wealthy major donors enjoy the feeling of becoming a ideal and true wealthy person, establish sharing lives as firm and major parts of overall lives, and experience strong desires for better future and society. In this study, 'generous sharing that shares personal heritages and social benefits' is analyzed as a core category; it shows that sharing of wealthy major donors is related to the characteristics of generosity practice based on moral self-benefiting rather than complete altruistic characteristics or self-sacrificial characteristics. The process analysis reveals that it has the following stages: first, initial giving by exposure to causes or requests; second, routine practice of giving; third, evolution of practice of giving with gradual expansion in quantities and qualities; and fourth, living with giving. In the process, the following four types are identified: devoted wealthy donors for sharing, wealthy donors practicing sharing in daily life, wealthy donors practicing sharing with learning on external stimulus, and wealthy donors practicing sharing on empathy. Finally, this study discusses both meanings of identifying and developing a theory on the evolving process of wealthy major donors' sharing lives and implications of the research results in cultivating and developing potential wealthy major donors in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.10 no.E
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• pp.371-386
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• 1994

Ecological examinations of the radial growth Patterns of pine trees(Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc) growing on Mt. Namsan in central Seoul were made to test a Proposition that the pine trees decline due to the influence of air pollution and acid rain, which was proposed by some researchers in Korea, and the potential effects of current level of air pollutants to the growth of the Pine trees in central Seoul have been speculated. Tree-rings of 40 trees sampled at 3 sites of Mt. Namsan were prepared and examined using a Computer-aided Tree-Ring Measuring System at Kookmin University, Korea. Air Pollutant data collected by the Ministry of Environment( MOE ) and the Forestry Research Institute(FRI) were used to infer the general conditions of the environment. Correlation analysis was applied to the data set of tree growth and the other environmental factors. General information derived from the close examination of the tree-rings and the data on air pollution, drought and the other biological conditions suggested that the growth of the pine trees was severely affected by the occurrence of drought(climatic variation), the prevalence of the pine leaf gall midges(insects), and the suppression by the black locust trees(Robinia pseudo-acacia L.) (competition among trees). While the current condition of air pollution in Seoul cannot be categorized as good, the concentrations of air pollutants are not so high as to cause acute damages to the trees. In addition, while the data of rain acidity showed episodic low PHs of under 4.0, the average of them is far less acidic than those which were observed in either northeastern United States or central Europe, where the decline of trees were not solely attributed to any of the air pollutants. Considering the sequential facts that one of the most important environmental factors that affect the growth of trees is weather condition of the forest that the proposition of the decline of the pine trees was made without careful examination of the growth patterns and past growth history of them as well as the complex influences of many other factors including the weather conditions to the growth of trees, and that no objective explanation has been made on the causal relationships between the current condition of air pollution and the growth of the trees, such a proposition should be evaluated as invalid for the explanation of tree growth on Mt. Namsan in central Seoul, Korea. The author evaluates the factors of air pollution (including acid rain) as the predisposing factors, which may have the Potentials to chronically affect the tree growth at the forest ecosystem on Mt. Namsan for a long period of time. Ecosystem ecological studies should be further carried out to carefully explain both the functional and the structural aspects of the ecosystem processes, which include the biogeochemistry and the long-term changes of soil conditions as well as the growth of the other tree species on the mountain.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.333-361
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• 2014

By viewing donors for social welfare organization as both givers and beneficiaries, this study aims to address the correlations between the continuity of donors' contributions and enhanced sense of satisfaction as a consequence of participating in donation activities. The predominant concern of this study centers on: (1) the direct effects of individuals' emotional utility, demonstrable utility, trust toward donee organization, self acceptance on the continuation of their donation; (2) the direct effects of individuals' emotional utility, demonstrable utility, trust toward donee organizations on individuals' self-acceptance; (3) the direct effects of individuals' emotional utility, demonstrable utility on their trust toward a donee organization; (4) the indirect effects of individuals' self acceptance on two paths i.e. emotional utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$self acceptance, and demonstrable utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$self acceptance; (5) the indirect effects of individuals' individuals' trust toward donee organization on self acceptance on four paths i.e. emotional utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$continuity of donation; demonstrable utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$continuity of donation; emotional utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$self-acceptance, and demonstrable utility${\rightarrow}$trust${\rightarrow}$self-acceptance; (6) the moderating effects of 'financial status' on the causal relationships in the prescribed structural equation model(SEM). In order to verify the moderating effect of 'financial status', multi-group analysis between each of the two groups were conducted. Research is based on a survey among 1116 donors who had made charitable, monetary contributions to social welfare organizations in Daegu and Kyungpook province. Data was collected from 29 organizations. In order to address the research questions, structural equation were employed. A variety of tests are conducted(metric invariance, critical ratio for difference, structural invariance, multi-group analysis, bias-corrected boot-strapping, latent mean analysis including Cohen's effect test).

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.517-530
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to find out a model to explain the process of students' science-related career choice by identifying the causal relationships between science career choice and related factors. Important factors of science-related career choice were identified through factor analysis. 'Perception about career related to science', 'preference for science learning' and 'participation in science related activity' were three main factors of science-related career choice. A questionnaire was developed to know the factors of students' science-related career choice, and so as to make it possible to be analysed by structural equation modeling. The subject were 947 grade 6, 9, and 11 students in Seoul. Numbers of boys and girls in each grade was almost same. According to the structural equation modeling, 4 corrected models were obtained. In all 4 corrected models, 'perception about career related to science' had direct influence, and 'preference for science learning' and 'participation in science related activity' had indirect influence on science-related career choice. In the most fitting model. 'perception about career related to science' had an effect on science-related career choice with standardized total effect coefficient 1.03(direct effect 0.82, indirect effect 0.21). 'Preference for science learning', which influence 'participation in science related activity', had an effect on science-related career choice with standardized indirect effect coefficient 0.65. 'Participation in science related activity', which influence 'perception about career related to science'. had an effect on science-related career choice with standardized indirect effect coefficient 0.79. The implication to school science education is that it is most effective to raise the 'perception about career related to science' in order to make more students choose science related career. It is also effective to have more students participate in science related activity and enhance the preference for science learning. To explain the process of science related career choice more fully, it is necessary to build a more comprehensive model containing more factors influencing science-related career choice. It is necessary to test and complement the structural equation model by enlarging the subject to science high school students and science related college students.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.517-524
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• 1999

Background : Airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness are recognized as major characteristics of bronchial asthma. Airway inflammation has usually been assessed by invasive methods, e.g. BAL or bronchial biopsy, but recent studies proposed induced sputum as another reliable and non-invasive tool to investigate airway inflammation in asthmatic patients. Thus, the relationship between airway inflammation assessed by induced sputum and airway hyperresponsiveness was investigated in asthmatic patient. Method : Airway responsiveness was determined by the concentration that caused a 20% decrease in $FEV_1$($PC_{20}$) after inhaling incremental concentrations of methacholine. The numbers of inflammatory cells and the concentration of eosinophilic cationic protein(ECP) were assessed in induced sputum obtained by inhalation of hypertonic saline(3%). Result: We analyzed sputum induced in 15 stable asthmatic patients. The differential cell count(%) of macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes in induced sputum were $39.1{\pm}27.0%$, $29.6{\pm}21.0%$, $28.8{\pm}18.8%$, $1.3{\pm}3.1%$ respectively. The mean value of baseline FEV1(predicted) and ECP were $76.3{\pm}30.3%$ and $1,101{\pm}833{\mu}g/L$ respectively. The geometric mean value of $PC_{20}$ was 0.56 mg/mL. The relationships between the sputum eosinophil and ECP in induced sputum, and between sputum eosinophil and degree of airway responsiveness($PC_{20}$) were found to be significantly correlated (r=0.81, p<0.05 and r=-0.78, p<0.05, respectively). Sputum neutrophils and $PC_{20}$ were not correlated to each other (r=0.11, p=0.69) and a significant negative correlation was found between ECP and baseline $FEV_1$(predicted)(r=-0.62, p<0.05). Conclusion : The results of this study suggest that an induced sputum via a inhalation of hypertonic saline is useful to determine a patient's status of airway inflammation, and airway inflammation is one of the major causal factors in the development of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in asthmatic patients.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.159-193
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• 2015

Owing to causes such as population aging, increased use of various medical devices, long-term hospitalization of various patients with reduced immune function such as cancer, diabetes, and organ transplant patients, and the growing size of hospitals, hospital infections are continuing to increase. As seen in the MERS crisis of 2015, hospital infections have become a social and national problem. In order to prevent damage due to such hospital infections, it is necessary to first strictly implement measures to prevent hospital infections, while, on the other hand, providing proper relief of damage suffered due to hospital infections. However, the mainstream attitude of judicial precedents relating to hospital infection cases has been judged to in fact shift responsibility over damages due to hospital infections on the patient. In light of the philosophy of the damage compensation system, whose guiding principle if the fair and proper apportionment of damages, there is a need to seek means of drastically relaxing the burden of proof on the patient's side relative to conventional legal principles for relaxing the burden of proof, or the theory of de facto estimation. In relation to such need, the German civil code (Burgerliches Gesetzbuch), which defines contracts of medical treatment as typical contracts under the civil code, and has presumption of negligence provisions stipulating that, in cases such as hospital infections which were completely under the control of the medical care providers, if risks in general medical treatment have been realized which cause violations of the life, body, or health of patients, error on the part of the person providing medical care is presumed, was examined. Contracts of medical treatment are entered into very frequently and broadly in the everyday lives of the general public, with various disputes owing thereto arising. Therefore, it is necessary to, by defining contracts of medical treatment as typical contracts under the civil code, regulate the content of said contracts, as well as the proof of burden when disputes arise. If stipulations in the civil code are premature as of yet, an option may be to regulate through a special act, as is the case with France. In the case of hospital infection cases, it is thought that 'legal presumption of negligence' relating to 'negligence in the occurrence of hospital infections,' which will create a state close to equality of arms, will aid the resolution of the realistic issue of the de facto impossibility of remedying damages occurring due to negligence in the process of occurrence of hospital infections. Also, even if negligence is presumed by law, as the patient side is burdened with proving the causal relationships, such drastic confusion as would occur if the medical care provider side is found fully liable if a hospital infection occurs may be avoided. It is thought that, alongside such efforts, social insurance policy must be improved so as to cover the expenses of medical institutions having strictly implemented efforts to prevent hospital infections in the event that they have suffered damages due to a hospital infection accident, and that close future research and examination into this matter will be required.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.146-156
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• 2016

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between vasomotor symptoms and factors such as sociodemographics, health behaviors, medical condition, depression, stress, anxiety, attitude toward menopause, and quality of life. Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional study in peri- and post-menopausal women enrolled by the Korean Association of Health Promotion. Subjects submitted self-report questionnaires about vasomotor symptoms and other clinical symptoms. Associations between vasomotor symptoms and clinical variables were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression analyses. Results : 1951 women completed self-report questionnaires and 1022 women were enrolled in the study. The prevalence of vasomotor symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal women was 63.9%. Variables showing significant differences between subjects with vasomotor symptoms and subjects without them were score of Beck Depression Inventory, Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument-Korean Version, proportions of clinically significant depression(Beck Depression Inventory ${\geq}16$), Menopausal rating scale, attitude towards menopause, the 4 subscales of World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF(Physical health, psychological, social relationships, environment), and a History of Premenstrual syndrome/Premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that Beck Depression Inventory, Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument-Korean Version, Menopausal Rating Scale, and the Psychological subscale of World Health Organization Quality of Life -BREF show associations with vasomotor symptoms. Conclusions : Menopausal vasomotor symptoms are associated with various psychological factors, especially with depression. Midlife women suffering vasomotor symptoms should therefore be screened for depression. Future prospective studies where clinical subjects are diagnosed using structured interviews, focusing on the causal relationship between depression and vasomotor symptoms are necessary.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.41-48
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• 2018

The aim of this study is to provide foundational knowledge of how to enhance the user satisfaction of urban parks. The study seeks to identify essential factors that influence user satisfaction and to provide better design strategies for future park design as well as the reorganization of existing ones. To measure user satisfaction, this study used factor analysis to extract essential factors - facility conditions, landscape and scenery, safety, and kindness - by using data from a survey conducted by the city of Seoul in 2017. We then used a regression analysis to infer causal relationships between the independent variables and the dependent variables (user satisfaction). The results revealed that the most significantly and positively related variable to user satisfaction in urban parks was safety (${\beta}=0.276$, p<.000), followed by landscape and scenery (${\beta}=0.230$, p<.000), facility conditions (${\beta}=0.215$, p<.000), and kindness (${\beta}=0.208$, p<.000). The results indicate that, for future urban park designs, planners and designers should prioritize the issues of safety by adopting crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED). In addition, planners and designers of future park designs should heavily weigh the selection and provision of relevant facilities for the intended use as well as well-arranged and well-managed plants and trees. Based on the results of IPA analysis, the most urgent improvement elements appeared to be the factor of kindness; however, the impact of kindness influencing user satisfaction was less important than that of safety and landscape and scenery in the urban park design processes. This study demonstrates that to maximize the user satisfaction of the urban park design processes and to provide more valuable spaces for users, it is necessary to secure park safety and to create well-composed landscape and scenery. Future research should provide more detailed and specified urban park design strategies corresponding with the importance of the factors identified in this study.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1-16
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• 2023

Due to imbalances in supply and demand within the labor market, start-ups have emerged as crucial players in the generation of high-quality employment opportunities, particularly in stagnant job markets. In response to this trend, governments are allocating substantial financial and human resources to initiatives that support start-up development. This has led to an increasing rate of engagement in start-up ventures across diverse age groups, not limited to younger individuals. Start-ups are enterprises focused on the commercialization of innovative ideas with the aim of achieving profitability in the marketplace. Research concerning the successful market integration of new products and the attainment of sustainable growth is pivotal. Such research is instrumental not only for the success of start-ups but also for realizing the broader social functions and contributions that these enterprises can offer. Previous research has often examined new product market-entry strategies, often referred to as new product marketing, particularly for large companies and SMEs. However, there is a gap in studies focusing on prototype marketing strategies specific to start-ups. Thus, this study aims to examine the impact of Pre-announcing marketing strategies on the market attention garnered by start-ups with low recognition and limited infrastructure, and how such attention contributes to their sustainable growth. Specifically, the study aims to uncover the causal relationship between information attributes like relevance, vividness, and novelty in building customer relationships, and their impact on purchase intentions influenced by performance expectations and hedonic motivations. In terms of Pre-announcing information attributes, relevance, vividness, and novelty positively influence performance expectations and hedonic motivations as outlined in the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2). These factors, in turn, positively impact the purchase intention for pre-announced new products from start-ups. These findings are expected to provide both theory and practical insights into the factors influencing market entry through the use of Pre-announcing marketing strategies for start-up new products.