• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.441-451
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• 2004

This study categorized the households into four by the comparison of wives' and husbands' earned income, such as one with higher wives' income than husbands' in dual-earner households, with higher wives' income than husbands' in household with unemployed husbands, with lower wives' income than husbands' in dual-earner households, and with lower wives' income than husbands' in household with unemployed wives. This study compared and analyzed the objective and subjective economic well-being, and overall satisfaction of life in those households. Major results are below. First, the amount of expenditures, saving, debt were low in one-earner household with employed husbands, but average propensity to expenditure was high in those households. The amount of saving was low in one-earner households with unemployed husbands, but the average propensity to expenditure and debt were high, resulting in the low status of economic well-being. The amount of saving and monetary assets were high, but average propensity to expenditure and debt were low in households in which wives had higher income than husbands, resulting in the high status of economic well-being. Second, husbands' satisfaction for the level of family income was not different among four groups of households. Wives's satisfaction for those was the lowest when wives' income was higher than husbands', but the highest in households with unemployed wives. Wives' and husbands' expectations for the future economic well-being of the households were negative in households with unemployed husbands. On the other hand, the level of satisfaction of wives and husbands for their life was not different among four groups of households. Finally, four groups of households were discriminated by age of husbands, number of children, debt, and wives' expectation for the future economic well-being.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.985-997
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• 2006

In this study, we grasped the life time structure according to working woman's income using '2004 life time research' of Korea National Statistical Office. Concrete results are shown as follows. First, inspecting the difference of individual characteristic according to income, young women who have higher education level and larger house area had acquired more income. Second, in case of the difference of life time according to income, there was no difference of individual support time, while there was statistically significant difference of working hours, household affairs, leisure time and moving hours. Third, inspecting the individual time of working, household affairs, bringing up and leisure according to income, there was statistically significant difference by age, education level, sense of time oppression, and fatigue cognition. This individual difference was revealed more strongly in medium to low-ranked group.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.44 no.8
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• pp.79-87
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to estimate the minimum monthly food cost for the low income population. The food consumption data of 9,311 individuals from the 2001 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey was used. The monthly food cost was calculated using the Consumer Food Price Database for the year 2001 provided by the Public Health Nutrition Laboratory, Seoul National University. The low income population (n = 1,310) was characterized as older age, lower income, smaller family size, lower education level, and lower energy intake as compared with the total population (n = 8,001). The estimated food cost showed that men in the low income population needed 15% more money for purchasing food to maintain the energy intake level at the average energy intake level of men in the total population. It was also estimated that women in the low income population needed 9% more money for purchasing food to maintain the energy intake level at the average energy intake level of women in the total population. There were differences in monthly food costs depending on the sex and age, and family size. The results of this study could be used as basic information to establish minimum food cost for the low income population in Korea.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.888-901
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in clothing selection criteria and store selection criteria between each consumer groups by the preference for fast fashion. The data was collected from a questionnaire conducted on 317 female adults. The results were as follows. First, the factor analysis used to identify clothing selection criteria involved the following four factors: fashion, quality/practicality, status symbol, and economics. The consumer group preferring fast-fashion regarded fashion and economics as important factors and the non-preferring group regarded status symbol factor more. Second, five factors(atmosphere, product service/salesperson, shopping convenience, promotion/facilities) of store selection criteria were constructed by factor analysis, The consumer group preferring fast-fashion regarded atmosphere and product as important factors and the non-preferring group considered service/salesperson and promotion/facilities factors more. Third, the consumers who were of low age, low education, low income and unmarried preferred fast fashion brand.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.367-380
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• 2007

This study investigates the perception of price and the propensity to conspicuous consumption in the purchase of clothing among college students and the relation between the perception of price and the propensity to conspicuous consumption. The data for this study were collected from 1,015 Korean college students. In order to analyze the data, statistical methods such as frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, factor analysis, ANOVA, scheffe-test, Pearson's correlation, and Cronbach's a were used with the SPSS statistical package program. The major study findings were as follows. 1. The perception of clothing price among college students was classified into five factors: high price-oriented, discount-oriented, high quality-price rate-oriented, low price-oriented, and effectiveness-oriented. 2. The propensity to conspicuous consumption of clothing among college students was classified into four factors: brand name conspicuousness, conspicuous pursuit of vogue, symbol of their social position, and imported goods conspicuousness. 3. High price-oriented and discount-oriented were different significantly according to sex, age, father's educational level, monthly income, monthly allowance amount. High quality-price rate-oriented and low price-oriented were different significantly according to sex, father's educational level, monthly income, monthly allowance amount. Effectiveness-oriented was different significantly according to sex, age. 4. Brand name conspicuousness, conspicuous pursuit of vogue and imported goods conspicuousness were different significantly according to sex, age, father's educational level, monthly income, monthly allowance amount. Symbol of their social position was different significantly according to sex, age, father's educational level, monthly income. 5. High price-oriented, discount-oriented and high quality-price rate-oriented have the highly positive correlation with four factor of propensity to conspicuous consumption of clothing. Low price-oriented has the negative correlation with four factor of propensity to conspicuous consumption of clothing. Effectiveness-oriented has the lowly positive correlation with four factor of propensity to conspicuous consumption of clothing.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.97-115
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to investigate the spatial pattern of retail services and the consumer behaviors. For the purpose we select Jeju Island as the study area, because it retains relatively little distorted retail service systems by it's locational isolation. The retail service systems comprise three types: large-scale modern marts, conventional markets, and periodic markets. This study attempts to examine the interrelationships between these three different types, of retail services, and to figure out the spatial characteristics of consumer behaviors for each of them. We performed questionnaire surveys for getting the data of consumer behaviors. We applied several statistical methods to analyze the survey data. Most of retail services are located in two urban centers, Jeju City and Seoguipo City. We found that the locations of retail services are determined strongly by population size. The selection of market type and the location to go for shopping are related strongly with the types of goods. However, there is a wide difference in the consumer behaviors according to the consumer's socio-economic characteristics. Young wives tend to go shopping to large-scale marts in Jeju City which is the higher level central place, while old wives go shopping to conventional markets and periodic markets. They also show different shopping behaviors according to the household income levels. Low income groups prefer to go conventional markets located near to their residence, middle income groups go to large-scale marts in Jeju, and high income group go out of the Jeju Island. However, the consumer behavior does not show big difference according to the size of family. There are also no difference in the selection for shopping location according to the consumer's resident locations.

• Fashion, Industry and Education
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.24-34
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• 2016

This research examined two decades of the U.S. used clothing exports to the world. All countries (209) were classified into four groups based on the level of economic development. Between 1996 and 2012, U.S. used clothing exports shifted away from low-income economies to high-income economies. For the first time, our research demonstrated that the majority of used clothing discarded by American consumers is exported to high-income economies instead of poorest nations of the world. Next, used clothing exports and imports by volume and value in seven high-income countries were analyzed. The high-income countries not only exported but also imported significant amount of used clothing, which indicates a growing demand for worn apparel in developed nations. The demand might be at least partially attributed to the popular vintage clothing trend and increasing consumer environmentalism. Implications regarding development and implementation of a new classification system of worn clothing and recommendations for future research are presented.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.99-117
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• 2012

This study aimed to measure consumer information competency, which indicates consumers' general ability to search and utilize information. The model of this study was constructed in order to identify how consumer information competency influences the efficiency and the effectiveness of external information search. The model was verified with related prior knowledge as a moderator variable in order to understand holistic consumer information search activity. The result of the study is as follows. First, the concept of consumer information competency was constructed with four sub-abilities: define, search, extract, and synthesis & use. The ability of define was the highest, as opposed to the ability of extract, which was the lowest. Second, consumer information competency was lower for women as well as for low family income. The sub-abilities of search and synthesis & use were lower for aging consumers. Third, consumer information competency has positive effects on information search efficiency and effectiveness. Moreover, the efficiency influences the effectiveness positively. Fourth, prior knowledge moderates the effect of consumer information competency to the efficiency. Only for consumers with high knowledge the efficiency has the effect of mediating between consumer information competency and the effectiveness.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.177-194
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• 1997

This study attempts to explore urban married women's needs for consumer information contents. In addition, the causality of the needs for consummer information contents and related variables is investigated. Major findings are the following: (1) Respondents' need for information on“the product selection”and “the use and management”of the washing maching or hair dryer is high, while the in need for the information on“the existing brands”is very low. (2) Among several relevent characteristics, respondents' product involvement is strongly related to the needs for consumer information contents. (3) The results of the analysis of casual model from washing maching showed that respondents' age, purchasing experience, perception of the price dispersion and quality difference, self confidence in the product evaluation affect on the need for consumer information contents directly. While respondents' income and education level show a indirect effect. (4) The results of the analysis of causal model from hair dryer showed that respondents' perception of the price dispersion, quality difference and product complexity affect on the need for consumer information contents directly. While respondents' age, purchasing experience, self-confidence in the product evaluation show a indirect effects.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.59-67
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• 2015

Purpose - The number of consumers adopting a lifestyle of health and sustainability has recently increased with the rise of trends in healthy living. The size of the organic agricultural product market has also increased given that these consumers prefer consuming environmentally friendly products that promote family health. However, awareness of organic agricultural products remains insufficient because of the characteristics of the Korean organic agriculture system, which only focuses on food safety inspection. The object of this research is to suggest a policy approach to increase understanding and to expand the purchasing of organic agricultural products by analyzing the influence of customer recognition of such products on their willingness to repurchase. Research design, data, and methodology - This study used binomial logistic regression analysis with the aim of explaining the effects of consumers' socio-demographic characteristics, their awareness of the equivalence arrangement for organic food and of the abolishment of low-pesticide agricultural product certification, and their viewing of negative broadcasts about organic agricultural products on their repurchase intention of such products. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 655 respondents who were in their 20s, lived either in Seoul or in its metropolitan area, and had purchased organic agricultural products. Result - From the results of the analysis, the majority of the respondents recognized organic agricultural products, but they found their prices to be expensive. The majority of the respondents were also aware of the certification system and the reliability of organic agricultural products. However, the results indicate that efforts need to be made to recover consumer trust as many respondents stated that their trust levels in these products were low. In general, those purchasing organic agricultural products were satisfied, but those answering "very satisfied" were not in the majority. Binomial logistic regression analysis results revealed that repurchase intention decreased as consumers viewed a greater number of negative broadcasts about these products. On the other hand, repurchase intention increased as they became more aware of the abolishment of low-pesticide certification. Repurchase intention also increased as income increased, as the number of family members decreased, and when a consumer was a member of a consumer organization. In addition, the older the consumers were who watched the TV programs, the smaller the number of family members that were aware of the abolishment of low-pesticide agricultural product certification and, the higher the income of the consumers aware of organic equivalence arrangement, the greater their repurchase intention. Conclusion - External stimuli, such as negative TV programs on organic agricultural products and the abolishment of the low-pesticide agricultural product certification, relevant social issues and systems, influence consumer repurchase intention. To that end, positive environmental and ecological broadcasting about organic agricultural products would contribute to an increase in purchasing. Additionally, this could be used for promotion and marketing plans as the results indicate that trust in organic agricultural products would cause a positive repurchasing effect.