DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

The Key Historical Factors of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) for Economic Growth in the Republic of Korea

  • Eungoo KANG (Becamex School of Business, Eastern International University)
  • Received : 2023.10.15
  • Accepted : 2023.12.30
  • Published : 2023.12.31

Abstract

The primary objectives of this study is to examine and identify the historical factors that have significantly contributed to the growth/ expansion and prosperity of SMEs in the Republic of Korea and to evaluate and assess the impact of historical factors on the economic progress/ development, innovation, and job creation within SMEs in South Korea. To achieve the purpose of the current study, the present author has investigated the comprehensive literature investigation and figured out a total of four Key historical factors of SMEs for Economic Growth in the Republic of Korea, such as (1) Government Policies, (2) Technological Advancements, (3) Access to Finance, (4) International Trade. In conclusion, this study has undertaken a thorough investigation into the four critical historical factors that have significantly affected the development and achievements of SMEs in the Republic of Korea. By addressing a notable gap in current scholarly work, this study not only adds to the existing pool of knowledge but also provides valuable insights for various stakeholders. Practitioners/ professionals should proactively participate in government support initiatives/ programs and financial aid. SMEs can benefit from monetary incentives and donations/ grants intended to stimulate research and development, creativity, and international trade ventures.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by the research grant of the KODISA Scholarship Foundation in 2023.

References

  1. Abe, M., & Proksch, M. (2017). Supporting the participation of Asia-Pacific SMEs in global value chains. Journal of Korea Trade, 21(2), 86-106. 
  2. Bayard, C. (2020). South Korean Economy and the Free Trade Agreement with China. The Journal of East Asian Affairs, 89-122. 
  3. Binh, K. B., Jhang, H., Park, D., & Ryu, D. (2020). Capital markets for small and medium-sized enterprises and startups in Korea. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(12), 195-210.  https://doi.org/10.13106/JAFEB.2020.VOL7.NO12.195
  4. Chang, H. J., & Andreoni, A. (2020). Industrial policy in the 21st century. Development and Change, 51(2), 324-351. https://doi.org/10.1111/dech.12570
  5. Choi, J. U., Lee, C. Y., & Lee, J. H. (2022). Does government support make small and medium-sized enterprises reluctant to grow? Evidence from South Korea. Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, 1-25. 
  6. Choi, S. K., Han, S., & Kwak, K. T. (2021). Innovation capabilities and the performance of startups in Korea: the role of government support policies: Sustainability, 13(11), 6009. 
  7. Chung, B., Ryu, Y., & Ahn, S. (2023). The effect of government R&D subsidies on corporate R&D investment in South Korea: verification using meta-analysis. Asian Journal of Technology Innovation, 31(1), 72-93.  https://doi.org/10.1080/19761597.2021.2014341
  8. Cin, B. C., Kim, Y. J., & Vonortas, N. S. (2017). The impact of public R&D subsidy on small firm productivity: evidence from Korean SMEs. Small Business Economics, 48, 345-360.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-016-9786-x
  9. Crawford, J., Cui, Z. Y. A., & Kewley, D. (2023). Government finance, loans, and guarantees for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) (2000-2021): A systematic review. Journal of Small Business Management, 1-31. 
  10. Doh, S. (2020). Social entrepreneurship and regional economic development: The case of social enterprise in South Korea. Sustainability, 12(21), 8843. 
  11. Gherghina, S. C., Botezatu, M. A., Hosszu, A., & Simionescu, L. N. (2020). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): The engine of economic growth through investments and innovation. Sustainability, 12(1), 347. 
  12. Ghobakhlo, M., & Iranmanesh, M. (2021). Digital transformation success under Industry 4.0: A strategic guideline for manufacturing SMEs. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 32(8), 1533-1556.  https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-11-2020-0455
  13. Gutierrez, E., & Kliatskova, T. (2021). National Development Financial Institutions: Trends, Crisis Response Activities, and Lessons Learned. World Bank. 
  14. Haddad, M. I., Williams, I. A., Hammoud, M. S., & Dwyer, R. J. (2020). Strategies for implementing innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises. World journal of entrepreneurship, management and sustainable development, 16(1), 12-29. 
  15. Hwang, W. S., & Kim, H. S. (2021). Does the adoption of emerging technologies improve technical efficiency? Evidence from Korean manufacturing SMEs. Small Business Economics, 1-17. 
  16. Jung, J. (2020). The fourth industrial revolution, knowledge production, and higher education in South Korea. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 42(2), 134-156.  https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2019.1660047
  17. Kang, E. (2022). Qualitative Literature Approach: The Historical Driving Forces in the South Korean Economic Growth. Journal of Koreanology Reviews, 1 (1), 27-31 
  18. Kang, S., & Kim, C. (2023). How do strategic networks help SMEs upgrade in global value chains? A cross-national analysis. Cogent Business & Management, 10(1), 2202833. 
  19. Khan, U., Zhang, Y., & Salik, M. (2020). The financial performance of Korean manufacturing SMEs: Influence of human resources management. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(8), 599-611.  https://doi.org/10.13106/JAFEB.2020.VOL7.NO8.599
  20. Klingler-Vidra, R., & Pacheco Pardo, R. (2020). Legitimate social purpose and South Korea's support for entrepreneurial finance since the Asian financial crisis. New political economy, 25(3), 337-353.  https://doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2018.1563058
  21. Lee, S. Y. (2021). Sustainable supply chain management, digital-based supply chain integration, and firm performance: a cross-country empirical comparison between South Korea and Vietnam. Sustainability, 13(13), 7315. 
  22. Lim, G., Gomez, E. T., & Wong, C. Y. (2021). Evolving state-business relations in an age of globalization: An introduction. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 51(5), 697-712.  https://doi.org/10.1080/00472336.2021.1934720
  23. Majoni, T., Matunhu, J., & Chaderopa, B. (2016). SMEs policies and challenges: A comparative analysis of Zimbabwe and South Korea. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 6(6), 377-384. 
  24. Menon, S., & Shah, S. (2020). Are SMEs ready for industry 4.0 technologies: An exploratory study of i 4.0 technological impacts? In 2020 International Conference on Computation, Automation and Knowledge Management (ICCAKM) (pp. 203-208). IEEE. 
  25. Odriozola-Fernandez, I., Berbegal-Mirabent, J., & Merigo-Lindahl, J. M. (2019). Open innovation in small and medium enterprises: a bibliometric analysis. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 32(5), 533-557.  https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-12-2017-0491
  26. Park, C., McQuaid, R., Lee, J., Kim, S., & Lee, I. (2019). The impact of job retention on continuous growth of engineering and informational technology SMEs in South Korea. Sustainability, 11(18), 5005. 
  27. Park, H., Kwon, T. H., Jang, T. J., Yoo, J. Y., Lee, H. S., Moon, S. H., & Hahn, H. (2017). Role of information in SMEs supporting services on business performance in South Korea. Science, Technology and Society, 22(3), 440-454.  https://doi.org/10.1177/0971721817723383
  28. Park, S., Jeong, S., & Kim, E. (2020). Government Support for Human Resource Development and Internationalization of Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in South Korea. Human Resource Development in South Korea, 57-82. 
  29. Park, S., Lee, I. H., & Kim, J. E. (2020). Government support and small-and medium-sized enterprise (SME) performance: The moderating effects of diagnostic and support services. Asian Business & Management, 19, 213-238.  https://doi.org/10.1057/s41291-019-00061-7
  30. Quansah, E., Hartz, D. E., & Salipante, P. (2022). Adaptive practices in SMEs: leveraging dynamic capabilities for strategic adaptation. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 29(7), 1130-1148.  https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-07-2021-0269
  31. Rhee, M. U. N. S. U. N. G., & Stephens, A. R. (2020). Innovation-orientated technology assimilation strategy and Korean enhancing innovation capability, competitive advantage, and firm performance. International Journal of Innovation Management, 24(06), 2050081. 
  32. Roh, T., Lee, K., & Yang, J. Y. (2021). How do intellectual property rights and government support drive a firm's green innovation? The mediating role of open innovation. Journal of Cleaner Production, 317, 128422. 
  33. Shin, J., Mendoza, X., & Choi, C. (2021). Do internationalizing business group affiliates perform better after premarket reforms? Evidence from Korean SMEs. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 1-37. 
  34. Soh, H. S., Koh, Y., & Aridi, A. (Eds.). (2023). Innovative Korea: Leveraging Innovation and Technology for Development. World Bank Publications. 
  35. Su, F., Khan, Z., Kyu Lew, Y., IL Park, B., & Shafi Choksy, U. (2020). Internationalization of Chinese SMEs: The role of networks and global value chains. BRQ Business Research Quarterly, 23(2), 141-158.  https://doi.org/10.1177/2340944420916339
  36. Sung, C. Y., Kim, K. C., & In, S. (2020). Small and medium-sized enterprises policy in Korea from the 1960s to the 2000s and beyond. In Understanding the Development of Small Business Policy (pp. 67-80). Routledge. 
  37. Ufua, D. E., Olujobi, O. J., Ogbari, M. E., Dada, J. A., & Edafe, O. D. (2020). Operations of small and medium enterprises and the legal system in Nigeria. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 7(1), 1-7.  https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-0492-6
  38. Yi, H. T., Han, C. N., & Cha, Y. B. (2018). The effect of entrepreneurship of SMEs on corporate capabilities, dynamic capability, and technical performances in South Korea. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 5(4), 135-147.  https://doi.org/10.13106/JAFEB.2018.VOL5.NO4.135
  39. Zaidi, A. R., Qazi, N., Hassan, N., tu Zehra, F., Malokani, D. K. A. K., & Amjad, A. (2023). Innovative urban policies in the post-development era: insights from East Asia. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 7(2), 195-2