• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.21-46
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• 2019

This study compares the ethical inclination regarding consumer misbehaviors from two countries with contrasting cultural characteristics. National samples of South Korean and American adults provided their perceptions of the appropriateness of 12 ethically questionable consumer actions. The scenarios ranged from illegal actions, such as fraudulently inflating one's losses when filing an insurance claim to legal, yet questionable, actions such as purchasing an item that the buyer recognizes as having been mispriced. The 12 scenarios exhibited a wide range of mean responses in both countries, thereby supporting the oft-stated premise that consumer ethics is a situational phenomenon. Findings indicate not only where the cultures diverge but also where they converge towards a degree of congruence. Plausible explanations for differences based upon cultural dynamics are provided.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.51-68
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aims to explore the impact of green products' claim skepticism on green purchase intention and further investigates the moderating role of environmental concern in the relationship. This study, by drawing the persuasion knowledge model expected that ambiguity avoidance penalizes less familiar brands than familiar brands. Further, the present study building on Hofstede's cultural dimension, specifically, uncertainty avoidance, undertook a scenario to understand any difference that exist between uncertainty avoidance cultural groups. This study also investigates gender differences in green claim skepticism and proclivity to purchase green products. Research design, data, and methodology: For analyzing the relationship relevant hypotheses were designed, and R-programming software was used. To test the hypotheses two independent sample t-test and regression analysis were carried out. Results: The results suggest that consumers' skepticism toward green claims influenced the intention to purchase eco-friendly products. The study finding also confirms the effect is moderated by environmental concern. Also, the findings of two scenarios reveal that consumers in high uncertainty avoidance culture exhibited a greater level of skepticism for green print advertising and green packaging claims when the brand in the advertising and packaging was unfamiliar than when it was familiar. Conclusions: To alter the negative effect of skepticism the consumer should believe the environmental claims are valid so that they can contribute to solving sustainability issues.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.116-125
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• 2018

With rapid economic development in Korea, interests in interior design have increased gradually. However, interior design markets were poorly evaluated from 2015 Korean Consumer Evaluation. It is necessary to identify what kinds of problems, defects, and consumer claims have arisen during interior design planning and construction procedures. Therefore the purpose of this study is to investigate claims and disputes in interior design project procedures and to find out when defects or claims take place in those procedures in order to reduce claims or defects. Email questionnaires were distributed to KOSID members (professional interior designers) using Google Survey. In addition, a focus group interview was conducted. A total of 54 responses were collected and analyzed using SPSS 19. As a result, in an agreement stage, alteration in materials is the major source of claim. More than a half of respondents addressed time shortage for programming and planning. During the construction stage, approximately 31% respondents experienced client dissatisfaction with materials and finishes. The reason for project completion delay was due to claims during construction. The claims most frequently appealed by clients were related to painting. The satisfaction with project quality is positively related to the quality and contents of design documents including design drawings and specifications. Regulations and communication with clients are important issues to reduce the gaps between interior designers and clients/ consumers.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.13-27
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• 2013

Consumer perception of the meaning of 'green' and 'green products' as well as how they use green claims (including terms, certifications, and marks) should be examined to help consumers pursue green behavior in everyday life. This study investigates what type of green claims prevail in the Korean consumer market and how consumers perceive the meaning of 'green' and green claims. For these purposes, media analysis, in-context research (shop visit) and a survey were conducted to collect green claims (including green terms and certified/noncertified green marks). Green claims in the consumer market were first summarized and analyzed; subsequently, the most frequently used 7 green marks and 15 green terms were selected to construct a consumer survey questionnaire on consumer perceptions of green claims. An online survey was performed via Embrain and the survey respondents consisted of 500 adult consumers over the age of 20. The field research results showed frequent green claims in the Korean consumer market. However, certified (and hence trustworthy green product information labels) were uncommon in the market. The only green claim widely known and used by consumers was the energy consumption efficiency label. Consumers were interested in the green information label not because it affected their utility cost nor because it was important for environment protection.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.335-344
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• 1996

This study was to investigate consumer recognition on food label of food package. The results of this study were as follows: 1. when shopping for food, the items considered the most were taste of family, food safety, nutrition and price, respectively. 2. 95.5% of respondents confirmed of the food label of food package when shopping for food. The items confirmed the most on food label were expiration date, manufacture date, manufacturer, food additives and nutrition, respectively. 3. 85.3% of respondents did not satisfy on the food label of food label of food package. 43.6% of respondents demanded food additives more detailed. 28.2% of respondents demanded nutrition information more detailed. 28.2% of respondents demanded food function more detailed. 4. The food which respondents satisfied on food label most were snack '||'&'||' cookies, nuddle, spices, can '||'&'||' bottled food, instant food, processed meat foo, frozen food and imported food, respectively. 5. The group with the most hphrases falling in the top rank was nutrition/calories. The phrases in the nutrition/calories group scored in the top rank were 3 "positive" nutritional characteristics(addition of vitamins, addition of DHA, high dietary fiber) and 5 "nagative" nutritional characteristics(no sugar, low sugar, low calories, low salt and low cholesterol). The group with the most phrases falling in the third rank was ingredient. The phrases in the ingredient scored in the third rank were add of food additives. 6. 55.5% of respondents did not know Recommended Daily Allowance(RDA) information and 61.9% of respondents did not understand the nutrition declaration(content) of food package but 65.7% of resspondents understood the nutrition claim of food package. From these result, respondents were more affected by nutrition claim than by nutrition declaration on food package when shopping for food.ood.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.76
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• pp.125-145
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• 2017

Where an insurer has unreasonably refused to pay a claim or paid it after unreasonably delay, the existing law in England does not provide a remedy for the insured. Accordingly, the insured is not entitled to damages for any loss suffered as a result of the insurer's unreasonable delay. This legal position differs from the law in Scotland and most major common law jurisdictions. LC thought that the legal position in England is anomalous and out of step with general contractual principles. LC considered that a policyholder should have a remedy where an insurer has acted unreasonably in delaying or refusing payment of claim, and, therefore, recommended a statutory implied term in every insurance that the insurer will pay sums due within a reasonable time and breach of that term should give rise to contractual remedies, including damages. More detailed recommendations of LC are as followings. First, it should be an implied term of every insurance contract that, where an insured makes a claim under the contract, the insurer must pay sums due within a reasonable time. Secondly, a reasonable time should always include a reasonable time for investigating and assessing a claim. Although a reasonable time will depend on all the relevant circumstances, for example, the following things may need to be taken into account, that is, (1) the type of insurance, (2) the size and complexity of the claim, (3) compliance with any relevant statutory rules or guidance, and (4) factors outside the insurer's control. Thirdly, if the insurer can show that it had reasonable grounds for disputing the claim(whether as to pay or not, or the amount payable), the insurer does not breach the obligation to pay within a reasonable time merely by failing to pay the claim while the dispute is continuing. In those circumstances, the conduct of the insurer in handling the dispute may be a relevant factor in deciding whether the obligation was breached and, if so, when. Fourthly, Normal contractual remedies for breach of contract should be available for breach of the implied term to pay sums due within a reasonable time. Finally, In non-consumer insurance contracts, the insurer should be permitted to exclude or limit its liability for breach of the obligation to pay sums due within a reasonable time, unless such breach was deliberate or reckless, and such an insurer's right to contract out will be subject to satisfying the transparency requirements.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.133-146
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• 2008

This study investgates the factors influencing the levels of consumer satisfaction and life satisfaction of resident foreigners in Korea. The data were collected through a structured self-administered survey and 545 foreigners who lived in Korea for more than 3 months, with age over 20 participated as respondents. A research framework was formulated based on the resource constraint hypothesis and the study investigated the impact of information resource(human, media and internet information source) and consumer resource(monthly income, language ability and consumer proficiency) on the levels of consumer satisfaction and life satisfaction. The results from data analysis can be summarized as follows; First, analysis of consumer problems of resident foreigners in Korea indicated that resident foreigners recognize a burden for residence cost, food expense and education fee. Most of resident foreigners in Korea are found to use small local shops most often indicating they may experience adverse market environment due to resource constraint such as language or psychological barrier, and most of the respondents answered that the most often used payment method was cash. Furthermore, resident foreigners in Korea responded that lack of language service, lack of information provision, inability to use certain goods and services are the common cause of consumer dissatisfaction, as well as price and quality problems. Second, the level of consumer satisfaction (2.96 in 4.0) is higher than the level of life satisfaction (2.63 in 4.0). Third, the level of life satisfaction is significantly influenced by Korean language ability and the level of consumer satisfaction. The level of consumer satisfaction is by the media information source usage and consumer claim experience. Fourth, the level of consumer satisfaction is found to be the variable with the strongest causal relationship with the level of life satisfaction.

• Food Quality and Culture
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.82-88
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• 2009

This study developed learning content and web pages providing information on Health/Functional Food (HFF) for consumers who come across information indiscriminately from a variety of advertising media such as the Internet and TV. After coming to an understanding of the current situation through literature review and fact-finding, we collected information and commercials on HFF that are exposed to consumers. Focusing on advanced countries such as the U.S. and Japan, we examined the current status of consumer education programs, especially in terms of HFF industry. Further, we referred to the guidelines for consumer education provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and monitored the information from a web site that sells dietary supplementary products in the U.S. In addition, we surveyed consumer information on foods for special health use provided by the Japanese National Institute of Health & Nutrition, and investigated a DB of raw materials of function food (functionality/safety documents). Upon a literature review, the 13 functions of HFF were classified. As a result of conducting interviews with consumers, we developed content that was fit for consumers' perspectives. Through this research, we established a web page to enable people to search for information by function and then by raw material. After searching for information by raw materials, searching products by raw materials can be done in cooperation with E-marketplace. Subsequently developed content and education programs were offered on an HFF web page, which has been in operation since 2005. Therefore, it is expected that appropriate information on HFF will be available.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.139-157
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to derive implications for Korean home economics curriculum to emphasize consumer competency of adolescents by analyzing the content components of consumer competency presented in 'consumer life' area of middle school home economics curriculum of 3 states in the U.S. The analysis results and implications are summarized as follows: First, the U.S. home economics curriculum is composed of various contents, including credit management, savings/investment/ insurance, taxes, and financial situation, and financial decision-making, to improve adolescent's understanding of finance. In the next revision of Korean curriculum, for financial stability in prolonged life after retirement, it is would be necessary to include contents on basic financial knowledge and technology for financial information utilization so that students can establish financial plans for different life stages in consideration of various variables such as changes in economic environment, etc. Second, the U.S. home economics curriculum was developed to help students make better purchase decisions by applying economic concepts such as prices and interest rates, economic trends and the impact of demand and supply, purchase methods and contract conditions, etc. However, Korean home economics curriculum only focus on purchase plan and purchase decision-making process. It would be necessary to foster consumer transaction competency by introducing economic concepts suitable middle school level. Third, to emphasize "consumer civic competency", Ohio was focusing on "claim of consumer rights" and Wisconsin was focusing on the "acceptance of consumer responsibility." In order to enhance adolescent's consumer civic competency, it would be necessary for Korean curriculum to balance the claim of right and the acceptance of consumer responsibility in the following term, and to emphasize the contents on consumer policies, laws and consumer advocacy to create a consumer environment where consumer sovereignty is realized.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.92-113
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• 2000

Products liability refers to the liability of any or all parties along the chain of manufacture of any product for damage caused by that product. This includes the manufacturer of component parts (at the top of the chain), an assembling manufacturer, the wholesaler, and the retail store owner (at the bottom of the chain). Products containing inherent defects that cause harm to a consumer of the product, or someone to whom the product was loaned, given, etc., are the subjects of products liability suits. The goal of products liability system should be to maximize consumer welfare by efficiently providing just compensation for injuries incurred and deterring future injuries without unreasonably impeding the supply of the goods and services to consumers. Some advanced countries, apart from relying on products liability systems, also apply other policies and legislation directly aimed at the safety of the consumer. The application of general safety policies as well as products liability rules is not costless. An efficient system will not eliminate risk from society. An efficient system ... that maximises consumer welfare ... maximises the benefits while minimising the costs. Products liability claims can be based on negligence, strict liability, or breach of warranty of fitness depending on the jurisdiction where the claim is based. In view of international business and law circumstances, it should be stressed that international enterprises in Korea should consider how to cope with the situation of international transaction. International enterprises should have a correct perception about products liability which is to contribute the stabilization and improvement of the people's life and the sound develpement of the national economy. Products liability system creates incentives that influence behaviour and performance in ways that are desirable, such as more diligent monitoring to prevent defective products from reaching the market-place. At the same time, any liability system will impose burdens that are undesirable, such as greater costs imposed on business and consumers and reduced avaiability of consumer goods. The concern for society is to balance. The ideal situation is where the cost imposed on producers of goods and services pushes them to a desirable level of care but not so far that producers reach undesirable level of caution that may deprive consumers unnecessarily of the benefits from new and innovative products.