• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.16 no.12
• /
• pp.47-56
• /
• 2018

Purpose - The potential use of cryptocurrencies in a retail environment proposes a rapid shift from the traditional financial system. Nakamoto(2008) defines Bitcoin as an open source alt-coin based on the blockchain technology. Luther(2016) insists that the new technology will be widely adopted for the digital payment processes. However, the use of Bitcoin is in the real world is still sparse. Despite the growing attention and purported benefits, it is doubtful whether the Bitcoin will be eagerly accepted by ordinary consumers in the mainstream market. To answer this question, this paper develops a causal model that has a dual path to explain the motivation to adopt Bitcoin. According to Glaser, Zimmermann, Haferkorn, Weber, and Siering(2014), Bitcoin is both an asset and a currency at the same time. In summary, the attitude towards Bitcoin may vary depending on whether the fin-tech product is viewed as an asset or as a currency. Based on the arguments, we propose that asset attitude and currency attitude will give influence to consumers' intention to adopt Bitcoin. Research design, data, and methodology - Quantitative data collection is conducted from a Bitcoin SIG(special interest group) working in an internet community. As a result, 192 respondents who know Bitcoin completed the survey. To analyze the causal relations in the research model, PLS-SEM(partial least squares structural equation modeling) method is used. Also, reliability and validity of measures are tested by performing Cronbach's alpha test, Fornell-Larcker test and confirmatory factor test. Results - Our test results show that every hypothesis is supported except the influence of perceived ease of use. In addition, we find that the relationships between constructs are different between the high innovative group and low innovative group. Conclusions - We provide evidence that asset attitude and currency attitude are key antecedents of Bitcoin adoption.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.14 no.8
• /
• pp.153-160
• /
• 2016

Purpose - The current distribution enterprises have realized the necessity for integrated and specialized images in their stores. From those reasons, visual merchandising has been considered as a powerful means towards brand value judgement as well as maximizing both brand and corporate identity. This research intends to study and discuss the current situations in Korean visual merchandising and its future concept setting. Based on the research findings, this paper tries to propose the basic concept for development strategies of visual merchandising in Korean distribution market. Although the studies on visual merchandising in Korean traditional markets have been continued, visual merchandisers have been distorted by display control centers in real situations. Therefore, this study tries to set both current and future concepts in visual merchandising for further discussions and a new complement formulation. Research design, data, and methodology - This study has investigated previous studies with the way of normative study by comparing, organizing concepts and relating terms on visual merchandising. In order to be an exact research, it seems to be more appropriate to analyze this study with a deductive analysis way rather than inductive as for getting the core of visual merchandising. Besides, this study changed the term 'visual merchandising' into 'VMD', and used it as an unified one. Results - Visual merchandising has an important key in retail planning. With focusing on organizing visual merchandising concepts, it should be adequate for domestic circumstances because there are various visual merchandising concepts with different perspectives. Thus, it is necessary to establish a concept including modern and Korean features through previous studies and data. Visual merchandising can be defined as followings. It enhances the value of shop images from visual aspects and conveys brand concepts effectively. Its task is to plan and manage products sales by combining three merchandising domains such as interior, display, and merchandising. Conclusions - There are some limitations on setting academic concepts in visual merchandising due to its features as to be taken in the field focused studies. More meaningful case studies should be performed as an area of future studies. Therefore, it is necessary to perform an effectiveness analysis on empirical visual merchandising state and present the course of development.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.19-27
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study was to determine whether public services in rural areas performed the functions of public interest value that benefited all residents of rural areas. Therefore, the results were derived through spatial distribution and population characteristics analysis at the level of basic living service facilities. As a result, the status of spatial distribution in the Favorable and Vulnerable areas of rural villages and the status of population distribution in the vulnerable areas was analyzed for retail, child care and medical facilities. In the case of retail facilities, it was found that more than 80.0% of the country's farming villages were distributed in the favorable areas that could be reached within 15 minutes. In the case of child care facilities, 91.5% of the total number of favorable areas could be reached within 15 minutes, and the distribution of child care facilities nationwide was deemed proper. In the case of medical facilities, 90.8% or more villages could be reached within 15 minutes of travel time as a lawmaker, and in the case of hospitals and emergency medical services, 92.7% of hospitals and 68.2% of emergency medical services were analyzed as favorable areas. Through these results, the government intends to establish objective spatial data in rural areas to provide basic information on policy directions and contribute to planning.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.12 no.7
• /
• pp.23-35
• /
• 2014

Purpose - This study aims to explore the effects of social responsibility activities and business ethics practices on corporate trust and loyalty in the context of a large retail distribution business. Research design, data, and methodology - The data collected was analyzed using PASW Statistics 18.0. In order to verify the demographic characteristics, frequency analysis was conducted on the data. Results - The results of the study were as follows. First, social responsibility activities had a significant effect on corporate trust. Second, both corporate social responsibility activities and business ethics practices had significant effects on loyalty. Third, corporate trust had a significant effect on loyalty. Fourth, corporate social responsibility activities and consumer protection activities had a partial mediation effect, while environmental protection activities and social contribution activities had complete mediation effects. Conclusions - This study clarified and explained the factors of corporate social responsibility activities and business ethics practices that customers value, and analyzed the influence of these factors on corporate trust and loyalty.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.1-25
• /
• 2008

Ⅰ. Introduction Retailers in the 21st century are being told that future retailers are those who can execute seamless multi-channel access. The reason is that retailers should be where shoppers want them, when they want them anytime, anywhere and in multiple formats. Multi-channel access is considered one of the top 10 trends of all business in the next decade (Patricia T. Warrington, et al., 2007) And most firms use both direct and indirect channels in their markets. Given this trend, we need to evaluate a channel equity more systematically than before as this issue is expected to get more attention to consumers as well as to brand managers. Consumers are becoming very much confused concerning the choice of place where they shop for durable goods as there are at least 6-7 retail options. On the other hand, manufacturers have to deal with category killers, their dealers network, Internet shopping malls, and other avenue of distribution channels and they hope their retail channel behave like extensions of their own companies. They would like their products to be foremost in the retailer's mind-the first to be proposed and effectively communicated to potential customers. To enable this hope to come reality, they should know each channel's advantages and disadvantages from consumer perspectives. In addition, customer satisfaction is the key determinant of retail customer loyalty. However, there are only a few researches regarding the effects of shopping satisfaction and perceptions on consumers' channel choices and channels. The purpose of this study was to assess Korean consumers' channel choice and satisfaction towards channels they prefer to use in the case of electronic goods shopping. Korean electronic goods retail market is one of good example of multi-channel shopping environments. As the Korea retail market has been undergoing significant structural changes since it had opened to global retailers in 1996, new formats such as hypermarkets, Internet shopping malls and category killers have arrived for the last decade. Korean electronic goods shoppers have seven major channels : (1)category killers (2) hypermarket (3) manufacturer dealer shop (4) Internet shopping malls (5) department store (6) TV home-shopping (7) speciality shopping arcade. Korean retail sector has been modernized with amazing speed for the last decade. Overall summary of major retail channels is as follows: Hypermarket has been number 1 retailer type in sales volume from 2003 ; non-store retailing has been number 2 from 2007 ; department store is now number 3 ; small scale category killers are growing rapidly in the area of electronics and office products in particular. We try to evaluate each channel's equity using a consumer survey. The survey was done by telephone interview with 1000 housewife who lives nationwide. Sampling was done according to 2005 national census and average interview time was 10 to 15 minutes. Ⅱ. Research Summary We have found that seven major retail channels compete with each other within Korean consumers' minds in terms of price and service. Each channel seem to have its unique selling points. Department stores were perceived as the best electronic goods shopping destinations due to after service. Internet shopping malls were perceived as the convenient channel owing to price checking. Category killers and hypermarkets were more attractive in both price merits and location conveniences. On the other hand, manufacturers dealer networks were pulling customers mainly by location and after service. Category killers and hypermarkets were most beloved retail channel for Korean consumers. However category killers compete mainly with department stores and shopping arcades while hypermarkets tend to compete with Internet and TV home shopping channels. Regarding channel satisfaction, the top 3 channels were service-driven retailers: department stores (4.27); dealer shop (4.21); and Internet shopping malls (4.21). Speciality shopping arcade(3.98) were the least satisfied channels among Korean consumers. Ⅲ. Implications We try to identify the whole picture of multi-channel retail shopping environments and its implications in the context of Korean electronic goods. From manufacturers' perspectives, multi-channel may cause channel conflicts. Furthermore, inter-channel competition draws much more attention as hypermarkets and category killers have grown rapidly in recent years. At the same time, from consumers' perspectives, 'buy where' is becoming an important buying decision as it would decide the level of shopping satisfaction. We need to develop the concept of 'channel equity' to manage multi-channel distribution effectively. Firms should measure and monitor their prime channel equity in regular basis to maximize their channel potentials. Prototype channel equity positioning map has been developed as follows. We expect more studies to develop the concept of 'channel equity' in the future.

• Journal of Distribution Research
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.95-127
• /
• 2011

Developing our understanding of retail employee job satisfaction is important, especially given its impact in reducing employee turnover intentions and increasing employee job performance. While developing our understanding of job satisfaction is important, the vast majority of studies examine job satisfaction as a global or single-faceted construct. However, extant research provides evidence that to properly measure job satisfaction, multi-faceted scales are required (e.g. Churchill et al., 1974; Boles et al., 2007; Rutherford et al., 2009). Using the literature on multi-faceted job satisfaction, this study examines retail employees' satisfaction with supervision, job, company policy, promotion, pay, fellow workers, and customers. Specifically, emotional exhaustion, need for emotion, and personal traits (strong, independent, and warm) are examined as antecedents. This study finds that emotional exhaustion is negatively related to all seven facets of job satisfaction.