Purpose - Social media platforms have presented individuals with an opportunity to create and maintain their social relationship through the use of social media services. However, such social relationship has a negative influence on users' interest in social media. Design/methodology - Using structural equation modeling, this study seeks to examines the effects of different social media conflicts (individual and social conflicts) on users' psychological internal state, especially user apathetic behavior Findings - The findings confirm that, among social media conflicts, social-related conflict, especially social interaction overload has a negative effect on cognitive resonance, while individual conflict has the highest effect on cognitive dissonance. Also, cognitive dissonance has a much greater effect than cognitive resonance on user resistance, this means that users' negative perception of social media has a greater influence on their resistance. Lastly, user's resistance was found to have a positive influence on user's apathetic behavior. Originality/value - In other to capture social media Apathetic behavior, this study focus on social media conflict perspective, which includes social-related conflict and individual conflict, which are found to influence users' internal states towards social media and further induce social media behavior. This study is unique because it is among the first to explore social media apathetic behavior by focusing on the influence of both external social media conflict and internal state. Also, this study proposed that social related conflict has a higher negative influence on WeChat user than individual related conflict.

Purpose - Recent issues such as vessel enlargement, strengthening of environmental regulations, and port smartization are expected to increase costs and intensify competition in the port industry. In the new normal era, when external growth has reached its limit, the efficient operation of ports is becoming indispensable for achieving sustainable growth. This study aims to identify the determinants of inefficiency by examining the cost structure and efficiency of container terminals in Korea and furthermore propose the political implications to derive the maximization of efficiency. Design/methodology - This study estimates the cost function of container terminal operators and identifies the efficiency of container terminals using stochastic cost frontier (SCF) in the first stage. In the second step, the SCF results are compared with the data envelopment analysis (DEA). Last, this paper proposes efficiency determinants on container terminal operation to establish appropriate strategies. Out of the 29 container terminal operators in South Korea, 13 operators participated in the survey. The translog cost function was estimated utilizing a total of 116 observations collected over the 2007-2017 period. Findings - Empirical analysis shows that economies of scale exist in Korea's container ports, which provides a rationale for the government's policy to establish the global terminal operator by integrating small terminal operators to enhance competitiveness. In addition, as a result of the determinants analysis, container throughput, weight of direct employment costs, and labour cost share have positive effects on improving cost efficiency, while inefficiency increases as the length of quay increases. More specifically, cost efficiency improves as the proportion of direct employment costs to outsourcing service costs increases. Originality/value - This study contributes to analyzing the inefficiency factors of container terminals through efficiency analysis with respect to a cost function. In addition, this study proposes the practical and political implications, such as establishing a long-term manpower pool, the application of the hybrid liner terminal system, and the construction of a statistical data system, to improve the cost inefficiency of terminal operators.

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.

Purpose - This study's purpose is to analyze which factors are more important to strengthening the competitiveness of global innovative companies by firstly sampling global 40 enterprises, secondly investigating of study models empirically, thirdly finding out significant implications through research, and finally using this result to help improve global companies' competitive edges. Design/methodology - Developing three research models of hypothesis and using 5 variables such as technology innovation, knowledge management, human resource development, sustainable management, and corporate life, this study was empirically carried out by reliability and validity testing, correlation analysis of variables, and multiple regression analysis of three research models. Findings - Through proceeding empirical analysis study, we found out that technology innovation and sustainable management had a significant impact on strengthening competitiveness through the hypothesis test. Those two factors had positive results and a synergy effect through correlation analysis along with process change and human resource development, which are also important areas in global innovative companies. Originality/value - In line with the fourth industrial revolution era's acceleration and COVID-19's large impact on all industries, global companies are newly developing their business models to cope with external environment change. This study's results would be meaningful for global enterprises and domestic companies to improve their overall competitive edge by reinforcing their innovation strategy, preparing next growth engines, diversifying business portfolios, and setting business milestones.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the international competitiveness of digital service trade between Korea and China and to help enhance the competitive advantage of digital service trade between the two countries. Design/methodology - This paper designs and establishes a comprehensive evaluation system for the international competitiveness of the Korea-China digital service trade. By using the analytical methods of combining theory and demonstration through qualitative and quantitative analysis, this paper makes a concrete and complete theoretical deconstruction and empirical measurement of its international competitiveness from the two levels of overall competitiveness and departmental competitiveness. At the same time, the study also analyzes the competitive advantages and comparative disadvantages of the two countries. Findings - It is found that South Korea has a strong competitive advantage in the sector competitiveness of digital service trade, and the export structure is reasonable and balanced, but the deficit pattern affects the overall competitiveness. China has a strong competitive advantage in the overall competitiveness of the digital service trade. However, the structural imbalance in the export sector weakens the competitiveness of the sector. Both Korea and China have the space advantage and competitive potential to enhance international competitiveness in terms of development trends. Originality/value - This paper takes the lead in solving the pain point of the relative lack of similar research topics. It demonstrates the evolution process, development trends, and structural characteristics of the digital service trade. A new combination of competitive power research methods is innovated, and a comprehensive evaluation system is established. The above innovation points show the academic theoretical value and practical application value of this study.

Purpose - This paper empirically investigates the relationship between firm productivity and importing intermediate inputs in the Korean manufacturing sector. Design/methodology - This paper tests the two related hypotheses on the relationship between importing and productivity for a sample of Korean manufacturing firms. We test the self-selection hypothesis by comparing pre-entry levels of productivity between importers and non-importers. We test the learning-by-importing hypothesis by employing propensity score matching with differencein-differences approach. Findings - Future importers are more productive than future non-importers years before they start to import, which supports the self-selection hypothesis. In contrast, there is no strong evidence for learning-by-importing. Originality/value - This paper is the first study to explore the relationship between importing and firm-level productivity for Korean firms. The results have an important implication on trade policies to lower or raise trade barriers in imported inputs.

Purpose - Port is vital for international trade accounting for approximately 80% of world cargo transportation in the global trade sector. Air pollutants emitted owing to the related industry interfaces developed around the port spread throughout the dense population region can have harmful effects on the nearby residents. This study aims to analyze high-concentration diffusion pattern by air pollutants, considering the main management periods by air pollutants. Design/methodology - Employing the concentration criteria per main air pollutant, the analyses of concentration change patterns per air pollutant, wind characteristics that directly affected the air pollutant diffusion, distribution types per air pollutant, and high-concentration diffusion patterns by season according to time changes were conducted. Findings - The substances that caused harmful levels of air pollution in the hinterland living zone of the Busan New Port were PM_10, PM_2.5, and NO_2. Furthermore, the intensive management periods were as follows: For PM_10, 24-h (spring), 12:00-16:00 (summer), 12:00-16:00 (summer), 20:00-12:00 (fall), and 24:00-20:00 (winter), and for PM_2.5, 24-h (all four seasons), and for NO_2, 23:00-04:00 (spring), 23:00-08:00 (summer), and 20:00-08:00 (fall), and 23:00-04:00 (winter). Originality/value - Research finding indicates that regular monitoring and countermeasures to reduce air pollution for each air pollutant makes it possible to achieve effective air quality control in the port and hinterland living zones.