• Journal of Korea Trade
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.20-32
• /
• 2022

Purpose - This paper intends to make theoretical analysis and empirical test on the factors influencing China's export to South Korea, and draw conclusions about China's export efficiency and trade potential. Based on the conclusions, the reasons for China's trade deficit with South Korea are found, and a solution is put forward for solving the problem of China's trade deficit with South Korea. Design/methodology - Based on the data of 2004-2017 years in China, this paper uses the stochastic frontier gravity model to analyze the influencing factors of China's export to South Korea, as well as the export efficiency of each province and the export potential that can be explored. Findings - First, in terms of the factors affecting China's export trade to South Korea, the GDP of the provinces and cities in China, the FDI of South Korea to the provinces and cities in China, the GDP of South Korea, the population and education level of provinces and cities in China can significantly promote the export scale of Chinese provinces and cities to South Korea. The distance between Chinese provincial capitals and the South Korean capital significantly hinders Chinese exports to South Korea; Second, in terms of export trade efficiency, the trade exchange rate of the economically developed cities along the eastern coast of China and several provinces that are close to South Korea is higher than that of the cities in the central and western regions; Third, economic globalization makes trade more convenient, the average export trade efficiency of China's exports to South Korea showed an upward trend. However, under the influence of the 2008 global financial crisis, the export trade efficiency declined from 2008 to 2009, indicating that the impact of the financial crisis on the trade efficiency cannot be ignored. Originality/value - This paper finds out the influencing factors of China's export to South Korea, analyzes the export efficiency of different provinces and cities, excavates the export potential, and puts forward some suggestions for the balanced development of China and South Korea trade in the next step.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.125-139
• /
• 2022

Purpose - This study examines how employees' perception of HR department expertise affect their satisfaction of education and training. Moreover, this study explores that the HR department's communication activities moderate the main effects between satisfaction of education and training opportunities. Design/methodology/approach - This study predicts the positive relationship between employees' perceptions of HR department expertise and their satisfaction of education and training. Furthermore, the HR department's communication activities will strengthen this positive relationship. To test these hypotheses, this study used the Human Capital Corporate Panel (HCCP) datasets, especially individual-level 2017 data. The final number of samples is 1,947 for the analyses. In addition, this study utilized a hierarchical regression model with SPSS program. Finding - The results analyzed with the hierarchical regression model showed that the perceptions of HR department expertise had a positive relationship with satisfaction of provided educational and training. In addition, the HR department's communication activities moderated the relationship between perception of HR department expertise and satisfaction of education and training opportunities. Research implications or Originality - This study suggests academic and practical implications for future research in the human resource development filed by clarifying the critical factors to increase employees' satisfaction and transferability of education and training.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.1-36
• /
• 2021

Purpose - This empirical study, aims to identify the determinants of adoption and acceptance of mobile payment as to understand why it is successful in some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa but failing in others. A comparative study of a successful mobile payment service and a purported failed one was done as to have some insights to the factors affecting acceptance of the technology. Design/methodology/approach - The strength of three notable theories: theory of diffusion of innovation (DOI), the extended unified theory of user acceptance of information technology (UTAUT2) and self-efficacy theory were use. The self-efficacy of government support inclusion as, a moderating variable in the form of infrastructure, securing transaction and price value revealed the relevance of government in the success of mobile payment service. By means of a field survey of 705 subjects in two separate regions of Africa (East and West), the data was collected and use to test the research model. Findings - The study result shows the importance of the moderating factor of government support to the success of mobile payment of any nation. The result also shows the importance of the perception of relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, social influence as already revealed by other studies. Research implications or Originality - Mobile payment success in some part of Sub-Saharan Africa is well known but also suggested to fail in some Sub-Saharan African countries. Buttressing the need for understanding of the factors affecting mobile payment acceptance. This article empirically examined the factors influencing the success of mobile payment, and we implicated that if the implementation of mobile payment is to be successful for mobile commerce in any nation, adoption, acceptance and use by its citizen is imperative.

• Journal of Korea Trade
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.65-86
• /
• 2023

Purpose - As globalization progresses, complexity also increases, and various factors that threaten port functions are emerging. Accordingly, the demand for port security to prevent the crisis and resilience that quickly recovers its original function after the crisis is also increasing in port operations. However, few studies have examined how to ensure the port security and how the resilience affects operation performance of port and sustainability performance as well. So the study aims to find out how port security affects port resilience and port operational performance, and consequently, this two factors affect socioeconomic and environmental sustainability performance respectively and synthetically. Design/methodology - Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was first performed to determine the validity of the factors of model and hypothesis test was performed using Structural Equation Model (SEM) to analyze the Port Performance Model, which show the perception logic among port security level, port resilience, operation performance, and sustainability performance. In order to empirically analyze this model, total 264 respondents from port security operators, shipping companies in South Korea were surveyed. Findings - As result of SEM, First, port security level positively affected the resilience (H1) and cargo operational performance (H2) but not in both of the sustainability performances (H3, H4). Second, resilience positively affected only cargo operational performance (H5) and socio-economic sustainability performance (H7). Last, cargo operation performance positively affects the both of sustainability performances (H8, H9). Originality/value - It was confirmed that port security could improve cargo operational performance through ensuring port resilience and eventually increase the socio-economic sustainability. Therefore the study implies that careful integration and management of port security, port resilience, and sustainability are required, along with compromise on sustainable development goals in the social, economic, and environmental area among all stakeholders.

• Journal of Korea Trade
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 2023

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to study how flexibility and mutuality in determining trade terms impact logistics efficiency in the context of relational theory. Additionally, the effect of relational contracts on logistical efficiency relative to the value of the goods being traded is investigated. Design/methodology - According to the relational contract theory, we developed 17 factors utilizing a 7-point Likert scale to measure variables related to flexibility, mutuality, logistics efficiency, and the added value of goods. The survey occurred over four months, and was distributed directly, and via email, phone, and online Google surveys. A total of 403 surveys were collected out of 1,800 distributed, and 380 were analyzed. The principal respondents were import/export companies and members of the Korea International Trade Association and the Korea Small and Medium Business Export-Import Association. The collected data were analyzed using frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and correlation analysis using SPSS ver. 26.0 statistical software, and hypothesis test results were derived using Process Macro ver. 3.5. Findings - This study provides evidence that negotiation flexibility for trade terms affects the efficiency of the logistics process, and the mutuality of such arrangements is shown to be associated with the flexibility and efficiency of logistics processes. Additionally, it has been established that companies whose trade goods possess a low degree of added value may experience increased efficiency in logistics operations if they agree to trade terms that are both flexible and mutually beneficial with their counterparts. Originality/value - This study suggests that in an environment of rapidly shifting global logistics and unpredictable related costs, trade companies may be able to improve logistics efficiency by establishing flexible, mutually beneficial trade terms when entering into contracts. Furthermore, it is suggested that companies dealing in low-value-added products may improve the logistical performance of approaching trade from a perspective of relational contracts.

• Journal of Korea Trade
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.39-62
• /
• 2022

Purpose - Along with the growing awareness of environmental sustainability, international green entrepreneurship is expected to realize international sustainable development (ISD) by introducing ecological innovation results, using fewer resources consumption, and reducing negative environmental impacts. Building upon contingency theory and social network theory, this paper attempts to explore the role of home country-based networks (technology ties and business ties) as contingent factors that might impact the effectiveness of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in promoting ISD among green ventures. Design/methodology - Original data were collected from 127 green ventures in China based on the random sampling technique. These green ventures mainly focus on the lower use of energy or materials, lower CO2 emissions, and higher ecological benefits located in the Fujian province, which highlights green economic growth and economic cooperation with international markets. Moderated hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted to test our hypotheses concerning the main relationship between EO (innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking) and ISD as well as the moderating effects of home country-based networks (technology ties and business ties) on the main relationship. Findings - Empirical results indicate that: first, both innovativeness and proactiveness positively affect ISD; second, both technology ties and business ties at home might significantly strengthen the positive relationship between innovativeness (or proactiveness) and ISD. However, this study did not find significant moderating effects of technology ties or business ties at home on the relationship between risk-taking and ISD. Originality/value - Since previous literature often gives more focus on the host country context of social networks, this study shifts to a home country-based network context. Therefore, our research might enrich the international green entrepreneurship literature by empirically investigating the contingent value of home country-based networks in the relationship between EO and ISD in the context of an emerging economy such as China.

• Journal of Korea Trade
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.63-82
• /
• 2022

Purpose - Drawing on relational institutional theory, we explored how demographic similarity between board members of a firm and newly emerged political elites led to firms' increased financial resource acquisition such as leverage ratio and decreased export intensity amidst the Asian financial crisis. We also studied how a firm's leverage ratio and export intensity can further affect firm profitability and financial credit rating. Design/methodology - We revisited and explored a unique, unprecedented crisis that affected most Korean firms: the Asian financial crisis that coincided with a governmental shift from a conservative to a liberal party. We collected demographic information from 432 listed Korean firms' board members and 43 political elites of the Blue House from 1998-2000 to create a demographic similarity measurement. We collected firms' financial information, built panel data, and used ordinary least squares regression to test our theory. Findings - Our results showed that demographic similarity between a firm's directors and newly emerged politicians had a positive association with a firm's leverage ratio but a negative association with a firm's export intensity. A firm's leverage ratio had a negative relationship with firm performance measured by firm profitability and financial credit rating. A firm's export intensity showed a positive effect on firm performance. Originality/value - We highlighted that during an economic crisis that coincided with a governmental shift and change of leading political actors, firms exerted efforts to survey the environment and build new external stakeholder relationships to cope with the changing landscape. We proposed that in an emerging market like Korea where low levels of trust and favoritism are prevalent across society, one of the relational institutional strategies that firms can employ is the selection of directors with similar demographic characteristics to political elites based on factors including birthplace and school affiliations. We examined the efforts of firms to build political networks with newly empowered political elites during a financial crisis, and the consequences of establishing such networks. We highlighted that during a financial crisis, the demographic similarity between a firm's board members and newly emerged politicians can provide firms with access to financial resources but can also result in poor management and reduced effort to enhance its international competitiveness.

• Journal of Korea Trade
• /
• v.26 no.7
• /
• pp.59-76
• /
• 2022

Purpose - As ahigher-order ability, improvisational capability is often employed to help a firm cope with unexpected or unanticipated issues. In light of the severe global business challenges and turbulent environmental changes, this study aimed to explore whether home-based network ties could shape the influence of improvisational capability on international entrepreneurship, alongside investigating the boundary conditions of competitive turbulence in their moderating effects. Design/methodology - The sample for the international entrepreneurship sector was obtained from the Industry and Information Technology Department of Jiangsu. In September 2021, the questionnaires were sent to the targeted ventures and required the top managers to complete the survey by email or telephone. The final research sample comprised 113 international new ventures. To test the hypotheses, moderated hierarchical regression analysis was conducted. Findings - Our empirical results suggested that (1) unlike some previous literature, a positive effect of improvisational capability on the performance of international new ventures was not found; (2) home country-based networks (both political ties and business ties) are contingent factors that may partially stimulate the value creation of improvisational capability; and (3) in a highly competitive environment, the moderating role of business ties at home may become much stronger, however, the contingent role of political ties at home was not found. Originality/value - This study mainly concentrates on the two important types of home country-based networks, political and business ties at home, that may help international new ventures access strategic resources necessary for supporting the performance implications of improvisational capability. Thus, it extends the existing improvisational theory to encompass international entrepreneurship.

• Journal of Korea Trade
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.45-62
• /
• 2022

Purpose - Using unexpected changes in geopolitical tensions on the Korean peninsula as a quasi-natural experimental setting, we examine whether and how geopolitical risks travel across borders through firm-level imports and exports linkages. We also test whether the effects are driven by either imports or exports and assess whether firms can effectively hedge themselves against geopolitical risks. Design/methodology - We focus on a series of unanticipated geopolitical events taken place in Korea in 2018. Making use of the shocks to geopolitical climate, we identify five milestone events toward peace talks. We employ the event studies methodology. We examine heterogenous firm-level stock price reactions around key event dates depending on firms' exposure to geopolitical risks. As a measure of firms' exposure to geopolitical risks in Korea, we utilize a text-based measure of firm-level trade links. When a firm announces and discusses its purchase of inputs from Korea or sales of outputs to Korea in their annual disclosure filings, we define a firm to have a trade relationship with Korea and have exposure to Korean geopolitical risks. Similarly, we use a measure of a firm's hedging policies based on a firm's textual mention of the use of foreign exchange derivatives in their annual disclosure. Findings - We find that U.S. firms that have direct trade links to Korea gained significantly more value when the intensity of geopolitical risks drops compared to firms without such trade links to Korea. The effects are pronounced for firms purchasing inputs from or selling outputs to Korea. We find that the effectiveness of foreign exchange hedging against geopolitical risks is limited. Originality/value - We document the international transmission of geopolitical uncertainty through trade linkages. Export links as well as import links serve as important nexus of transmission of geopolitical risks across borders. Hedging strategies involving foreign-exchanges derivatives do not seem to insulate firms again geopolitical risks. With the recent movements of localization and reshuffling of the global value chain, our results suggest a significant impact of geopolitical risks in Korea on the construction of the global value chain.

• Journal of Korea Trade
• /
• v.26 no.7
• /
• pp.167-184
• /
• 2022

Purpose - This paper analyzes all possible issues that need to be considered in case disputes occur with regard to force majeure in international commercial contracts through the comparative study between English and Korean during COVID-19. Design/methodology - This paper belongs to the field of explanatory legal study, which aims to explain and test whether the choice of law is linked to the conditions that occur in the reality of judicial practice. The juridical approach involves studying and examining theories, concepts, legal doctrines, and legislation that are related to the problem. Findings - English law does not permit general economic impracticability to qualify as a valid force majeure event. If a party asserts that they were prevented from performing the contract, the courts will examine this strictly. Many commercial contracts in a broad range of sectors and industries are chosen by parties to be governed by English law. With COVID-19, there have been discussion of parties being released from performance as a result of force majeure. Meanwhile, under Korean law, a force majeure event should be unforeseeable and beyond a party's control. Since COVID-19 is a known event for future contracts, to avoid the risk that a similar situation in the future is deemed foreseeable and under a party's control, parties must ensure that such a risk is properly addressed in a contract. Therefore, it is necessary to have a new clause to cover a pandemic. Originality/value - In light of the ongoing unexpected and uncertain economic impacts COVID-19 is expected to bring to the world, it is anticipated that companies will experience an increased number of claims involving force majeure around the world, including English and Korea. As such, taking proactive steps to assess the applicable legal principles, including the concept of force majeure of contract, will help companies be prepared for the financial or legal implications of COVID-19. In this regard, it would be advisable for companies and businesses to take specific actions.