Purpose - This paper aims at analyzing the functions and effectiveness of the cooperation agenda in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), focusing on the cases of Asian countries. This paper estimates the contribution of this agenda to the sustainable development in Asia by providing the 'side payment' of the economic integration that encourages foreign investment and change in global value chains (GVC). Design/methodology - This study analyzes the functions of the cooperation chapter in FTAs by applying the cooperative game theory and reviewing the structures of the related FTAs. Also, as an empirical study, the existing FTA provisions and related development assistant programs in Asia are reviewed in this paper, especially focusing on the FTAs signed by Korea. Findings - Our main findings can be summarized as follows: The drawback of the economic integration, which would be the imbalanced economic benefit, can be redressed by the cooperation chapter in FTAs functioning as a 'side payment'. Indeed, as the examples of Korean FTAs show, more foreign investment and the GVC expansion in Asian countries have been encouraged thanks to the implementation of the cooperation chapters. Originality/value - This paper attempts to find how a legally binding agreement would influence the cooperation agenda in Asia which has never been analyzed despite the increasing number of so-called 'cooperation' chapters in the FTAs.

Purpose - The growth in consumers' online shopping has even been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the purchase can be made from any countries online, the purpose is to examine the effect of the country of the online retailer (COOR) on consumers' perceived risk and purchase motivation, focusing on the retailer not on the brand. Design/methodology - Survey data from online shoppers are analized using the structural equation model. Findings - COOR, like COO of the brand manufacturer, positively affect consumer's purchase intension. First, the images and the perceived psychic distances of the COOR affects both perceived risk and purchase confidence. Secondly, this perceived risk and confidence they put on the transaction then affect the purchase intension of the consumer. Originality/value - We show that the quality of the signal comes not only from the manufacturer-branded product item itself with a certain COO, but also from the retailer who carries it.

Purpose - This study presents strategies to overcome the COVID-19-induced crisis in Korea's meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) industry. It aims to quantitatively identify the environmental factors affecting the industry and their degree of influence, and derive optimal countermeasures. Design/methodology - The study applied the SWOT-AHP-TOWS framework. An AHP analysis was first performed within the SWOT frame, and then a TOWS analysis was conducted using the results of the SWOT-AHP analysis. In the AHP analysis, the number of pairwise comparison questions was limited to four for each SWOT factor to increase the consistency of responses by reducing the burden on respondents. Findings - The plunge in demand (threats factor) has had an overwhelming impact on the MICE industry, more than any other environmental factor. To overcome the crisis, the ST alternative that takes advantage of dynamic pop culture to minimize the business damage caused by the plunge in demand was the top priority measure. Based on the results, this study presents suggestions for overcoming the crisis in the MICE industry. First, the industry should develop profitable business models to supplement scarce financial resources by exploiting Korea's success with quarantine management. Second, the government must provide emergency relief funds or bailout support to protect MICE facilities and employees. Originality/value - Unlike previous work on the MICE industry, this study utilized the SWOT-AHPTOWS framework to derive quick research results in an abnormal situation. This approach can be expanded to other countries with different industrial environments and situations. Additionally, when applying this method to MICE sub-sectors, countermeasures should be tailored to each field.

Purpose - International strategic alliance has been regarded as a strategic decision made by firms' managerial problems and ensure performance growth. From the perspective of the proactive behavior for changing strategies in a global market, this study aims to identify whether performance feedback influences firms' decisions to pursue strategic alliances. This study examines the effects of performance feedback on performance when firms use strategic alliances. Design/methodology - To analyze the impact of performance feedback on forming an international strategic alliance, this study adopt the concept of performance feedback to develop a research model and our hypotheses. Thus, this study used a two-stage least squares unbalanced panel data analysis with random effects. This study is based on 24,543 observations from Korean manufacturing firms from 2007 to 2016. Findings - The results show that firms pursue the formation of strategic alliances more actively, if their past financial and R&D performance are lower than their aspiration level, based on the result of performance feedback. An in split sample analysis for examining the effect of a firm's technology sophistication based on the OECD's classification, negative innovation performance discrepancy has positive effects on the probability of international alliance in high-tech and medium-high-tech industries. Financial performance also improves when a firm decides to form a strategic alliance based on the results of performance feedback. Originality/value - This research extends recent efforts to better understand the effect of performance feedback on firms' performance when they use strategic alliances. These findings suggest that the CEOs and managers of firms should consider the performance feedback perspective when deciding to pursue a strategic alliance to improve performance. In other words, the decision-makers in a firm must analyze and consider various complex variables inside and outside the firm and expand such subjects of examination to more complex and dynamic factors.

Purpose - Semiconductors are a significant export item for Korea that is expected to continue to contribute significantly to the Korean economy in the future. Thus, the semiconductor industry is a critical component in the 4th Industrial Revolution and is expected to continue growing as the non-face-to-face economy expands as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, this paper aims to empirically investigate how semiconductors are imported and exported in Korea from a global supply chain perspective by analysing import and export data at the micro-level. Design/methodology - This study conducts a multifaceted analysis of the global supply chain for semiconductors and related equipment in Korea by examining semiconductor imports and exports by semiconductor type, year, target country, mode of transportation, airport/port, and domestic region, using import/export micro-data. The visualisation, flow analysis, and Bayesian Network methodologies were used to compensate for the limitations of each method. Findings - Korea is a major exporter of semiconductor memory and has the world's highest competitiveness but is relatively weak in the field of system semiconductors. The trade deficit in 'semiconductor equipment and parts' is clearly growing. As a result, continued investment in 'system semiconductors' and 'semiconductor equipment and parts' technology development is necessary to boost exports and ensure a stable supply chain. Originality/value - Few papers on semiconductor trade in Korea have been published from the perspective of the global supply chain or value chain. This study contributes to the literature in this area by focusing on import and export data for the global supply chain of the Korean semiconductor industry using a variety of approaches. It is our hope that the insights gained from this study will aid in the advancement of SCM research.

Purpose - This study analyzes the effects that the response to the technical barriers to trade (TBT), which are used by various countries as means to restrict imports, exerts on exports at a time when protectionism is emerging in the face of a global economic downturn. TBT has been widely used in developed countries for the safety and protection of their people. Recently, the use of TBT as a tool of protectionism has increased considerably in developing countries as well. Therefore, this study analyzes the South Korean SMEs' response and export performance. Design/methodology - To analyze SMEs' response to TBT and their export performance, this study conducted empirical analysis through statistical analysis. To this end, the research established a theory based on previous research and designed its hypothesis and research model. To verify the hypothesis and research model, factor analysis addressing validity and reliability was performed using SPSS 25 and AMOS 26, and the structural equation model was analyzed. Findings - This study found the causal relationship between the independent variable, the mediating variable, and the dependent variable adopted against the theoretical background to have little or no effect, in contrast with previous studies. In a break from previous studies, all hypotheses were rejected for innovation strategic competencies, one of the sub-factors of the independent variable, which is believed to be a result of the lack of practical research related to TBT. Originality/value - Previous studies performed analysis using trade statistics or macro data. A number of such studies analyzed the relationship between technical regulation and trade volume. This study differs from previous studies in some respects, because it analyzed the export performance of companies by establishing a hypothesis and implementing a research model with the factors analyzed in previous studies. In addition, a new attempt has been made by classifying the TBT response factors into technology competencies, human resource competencies, and innovation strategic competencies, and utilizing technology innovation and the export support system as mediating effects.

Purpose - This study discusses the effects of human capital in the formation of GVC linkages. We also investigate GVC intensity between Korea and ASEAN. Design/methodology - To solve the doubling-counting problem in evaluating comparative advantage, RCA has been re-computed using domestic value-added (henceforth RCA_VA) at the country-sector level instead of value of trade. The impact of human capital on GVC intensity was empirically analyzed by establishing a panel data set with four industries (ISIC Rev. 4) in eight ASEAN countries from 2005 to 2015 from OECD-TiVA and WDI. Findings - The empirical results show that human capital has a negative effect on GVC intensity in the agriculture and manufacture industries, while it has a positive effect in the service and information industries. The results do not mean that low human capital is a barrier and inefficient to GVC linkages. Low Value-added activities may be more profitable to some emerging countries. These findings suggest that it is important to accurately identify the competitive elements to increase gains from trade under the GVC. Also, it shows that comparative advantages can be misled by an RCA index evaluated in trade volume under the GVC. Originality/value - This study highlights the importance of human capital as a factor for the efficient formation of Global Value Chain (GVC). This study has different from the literature in analyzing the role of human capital in formation of linkage of the GVC. And we clarify the changing patterns of trade by removing the double-counting problem under the GVC.