Purpose - This study investigates whether the inventory levels of Korean manufacturing firms increased or decreased from 2000 to 2019. We also explore the relationship between inventory levels and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach - We use panel data on KOSPI-listed firms in the manufacturing industry. We measure days in inventory as a proxy for inventory levels, and firm performance is measured by return on assets, return on sales, and EBITDA ratio. The panel data regression method is employed in our analysis. Findings - We find that days in inventory of Korean manufacturing firms significantly increased from 2000 to 2019, especially for raw materials and finished goods inventory. In addition, while days in inventory of large- and medium-sized firms were less than those of small-sized firms, the change in days in inventory of large- and medium-sized firms was positively significant over time. Moreover, the increase in days in inventory was more prevalent among industries related to foods, clothes, chemicals, and transportation. Finally, we show that the days in inventory are negatively related to firm performance. Research implications or Originality - While the Korean manufacturing industry has enormously grown over the last 20 years and managing inventory is critical in the manufacturing industry, our findings counter-intuitively show that the days in inventory of the Korean manufacturing industry had been gradually increased. We speculate that the increase in days in inventory is due to the Korean manufacturing firms' heavy reliance on global supply chains.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to verify the effects of attributes of personal media content and influencers on the cognitive and emotional trust of platform users. In addition, the structural relationships among cognitive trust, emotional trust, viewing commitment, and purchase intention were examined. Design/methodology/approach - For the empirical analysis of the study, a survey was conducted on 192 consumers who have recently experienced using personal media content. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and the Structure Equation Model (SEM) were hired in order to analyze the survey data. Findings - Findings of this study are 1) informativeness and expertise had a significant effect on cognitive and emotional trust. However, entertainment had no significant effect on both cognitive and emotional trust; 2) interactivity had a significant effect on emotional trust, but not on cognitive trust; 3) cognitive and emotional trust had a positive effect on the viewing commitment of the content; 4)content users' viewing commitment had a positive effect on their intention to purchase recommended products. Research implications or Originality - The theoretical and practical implications were discussed through the above empirical research results, and the limitations of the study and the direction of follow-up studies were presented.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine the option selection and optimal trading of informed traders in KOSPI 200 options market based on the PIN (probability of informed trading) model of Easley et al.(2002). Design/methodology/approach - This study uses TAQ (trade and quote) data provided by Korean Exchanges (KRX) which contains all the bids and trades recorded during the continuous auction trading hours for the KOSPI 200 options between May 2019 and September 2020. Findings - First, there was no difference in the PIN between call and put options in the 2019 data, but the PIN of put options was slightly higher in 2020. Second, regardless of the type of option, the PIN was higher for in-the-money (ITM) options, and the PIN of out-of-the-money (OTM) options was the same as or slightly higher than that of at-the-money (ATM) options. Third, we found that the PIN decreases as trading liquidity increases, and fourth, the PIN increased sharply as the expiration date approached, especially for OTM options, while ITM and ATM options showed relatively weak effects. Fifth, for foreign and institutional investors, the periodicity of orders was observed in milliseconds, especially for foreign investors, where the periodicity of orders was clear and frequent in OTM options. The results suggest that the purpose of option trading varies depending on the moneyness from the perspective of the informed trader.

Purpose - Since COVID-19, the government's expansion of liquidity to stimulate the economy has resulted in an increase in private debt and an increase in asset prices of such as real estate and stocks. The recent sharp rise of the US Federal fund rate and tapering by the Fed have led to a fast rise in domestic interest rates, putting a heavy burden on the Korean economy, where the level of household debt is very high. Excessive household debt might have negative effects on the economy, such as shrinking consumption, economic recession, and deepening economic inequality. Therefore, now more than ever, it is necessary to identify the causes of the increase in household debt. Design/methodology/approach - Main methodology is regression analysis. Dependent variable is household loans from depository institutions. Independent variables are consumer price index, unemployment rate, household loan interest rate, housing sales price index, and composite stock price index. The sample periods are from 2017 to May 2022, comprising 72 months of data. The comparative analysis period before and after COVID-19 is from January 2017 to December 2019 for the pre-COVID-19 period, and from Jan 2020 to December 2022 for the post-COVID-19 period. Findings - Looking at the results of the regression analysis for the entire period, it was found that increases in the consumer price index, unemployment rate, and household loan interest rates decrease household loans, while increases in the housing sales price index increase household loans. Research implications or Originality - Household loans of depository institutions are mainly made up of high-credit and high-income borrowers with good repayment ability, so the risk of the financial system is low. As household loans are closely linked to the real estate market, the risk of household loan defaults may increase if real estate prices fall sharply.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of CSR activities on innovation performance and to identify the mediating role of knowledge sharing and innovation behaviors between CSR activities and innovation performance. In addition, the purpose of this study is to verify the role of sequential mediating effect of knowledge sharing and innovation behavior between CSR activities and innovation performance. Design/methodology/approach - This study collected survey data from 293 organizational members working in Chinese companies. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability analysis, correlation analysis and process macro were used in order to analyze the data. Findings - First, this study verified that CSR activities had a significant positive effect on knowledge sharing, innovation behavior, and innovation performance. Second, it was found that knowledge sharing had a significant positive effect on innovation behavior and innovation performance. Third, it was verified that innovation behavior had a significant positive effect on innovation performance. Fourth, knowledge sharing and innovation behavior had a sequential mediating effect in the relationship between CSR activities and innovation performance. Research implications or Originality - With the uncertainty of the environment and the intensification of competition among companies, more and more companies begin to pay attention to innovation. Different from existing studies, this study focuses on CSR activities, identifies the role of CSR activities, explores ways to guide innovation performance, and verifies the sequential mediating role of knowledge sharing and innovation behavior. Through this measure, the importance of knowledge sharing and innovative behavior among organizational members is emphasized, solutions to strengthen innovation are explored, and theoretical and practical implications are provided for companies.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to identify the factors of shocking events in the career aspect experienced by Korean workers in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, and to find out whether these career shocks affect individual perceptions of the importance of subjective career success. Design/methodology/approach - In the survey of 146 respondents, the career shock events experienced in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic were largely divided into three categories; 'work change', 'employment anxiety', and 'life anxiety'. For the subjective career success, seven dimensions - 'financial security', 'financial achievement', 'entrepreneurship', 'positive relationship', 'positive impact', 'learning and development', 'work-life balance' - were used. Findings - As a result, there was no difference in the perception of subjective career success due to the experience of 'work change' during the Covid-19 period. However, the respondents who experienced 'employment anxiety' came to recognize that 'financial security' and 'financial achievement' were more increasing in terms of the degree of difference of importance. And respondents who experienced 'lifetime anxiety' perceived that the degree of difference of importance was increasing in the six dimensions except for 'social influence'. Particularly, the increase in the importance of 'work-life balance' and 'positive relationship' was found to be the greatest among the career success dimensions. Research implications or Originality - Finally, it was concluded that changes in the external environment such as Covid-19 pandemic influence as a career shock and affect the level of importance in subjective career success perception. Based on the results, the theoretical implication on current career study and some practical implications for organizational career management were suggested.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to find out how a company can do reasonable cost calculations in a simple way and establish profitability improvement strategies based on the results. Design/methodology/approach - In this study, a case that compounding company K applied TDABC was studied. A case study was conducted on the process of company K reviewing and applying TDABC and the process of implementing the cost calculation for each product by applying TDABC, and establishing a profitability improvement strategy for each product based on the results. Findings - Company K rearranged the production standard information of the compounding industry such as productivity and batch size of each product to apply TDABC. Cost calculation was performed for each product according to the revised production standard information. After the cost calculation for each product was carried out, Company K established a strategy to improve profitability of each product. The profitability improvement strategy was implemented in two ways: a cost reduction strategy and a product price increase strategy. As a result of the final strategy execution, the profitability of each product was improved. Research implications or Originality - This study found a reasonable costing standard in consideration of the specificity of the research target company, and applied it to cost calculation cost for each product. It contains the process of establishing production and sales strategies for each product based on the cost calculation results. It is expected that this case study will serve as a good reference material for establishing cost calculation and profitability improvement strategies in similar businesses.

Purpose - This study is the first field study about the insurance market in North Korea. By analysing the information and the data collected from the visit to North Korea, we introduced the most recent change on the insurance market in North Korea and analyzed the impact of the change of economic policy on the insurance market. This study may enhance the understanding the current situation and provide expectations on the future of the insurance market in North Korea. Design/methodology/approach - This study is based on the field study doen in 2018 to Pyeong Yang, the capital of North Korea, The most information was collected from the legal documents, news papers and academic reports. Findings - During his regime from the year of 2012, Kim Jong Eun, the Supreme Leader of North Korea, initiated the drastic change in economic renovation policy in North Korea by shifting the economic system from the commodity economy to the market economy. Due to the policy, the insurance market in North Korea became marginally privatized and the market of life insurance contracts is expected to be increased if North Korea may resolve the political conflicts between North Korea and the United States and its allies in Asia mainly due to its nuclear testing. Research implications or Originality - Until now, very few studies have been done regarding the financial market in North Korea, especially about the insurance market. Our study provides unique information on the insurance market in North Korea because all the information and its implications are based on the field study in 2018.

Purpose - This study aims to determine whether four characteristics of tourism content on YouTube (i.e., entertainment; credibility; diversity; and informativeness) influence tourists' destination choices. Design/methodology/approach - A total of 201 Koreans and Mongolians who use YouTube were surveyed in the research. Validity and reliability, correlation, and regression analyze were performed in SPSS 29.0. Findings - As a result of the study, it was found that the features of YouTube tourism content, such as entertainment, credibility, and diversity, have a positive effect on tourists' choice of destination. Also, it was found that there is no difference in the perception of tourism content features between Korean and Mongolian YouTube users and it is not statistically significant. Research implications or Originality - Tourists' YouTube content shows that YouTube features such as entertainment, variety, and trustworthiness, influencing tourists' travel destination choices. The limitations of this study and suggestions for future research were discussed.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to derive sub-group of Chinese residents to Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival through market segmentation and to identify their characteristics of each group. Design/methodology/approach - The survey was conducted with a total of 405 Chinese residents, and empirical analysis was conducted using SPSS program. Findings - As a result of the analysis, four factors were derived. Based on the factors, four sub-markets were derived by conducting cluster analysis for market segmentation. Market strategies for each sub-group were discussed based on significant differences between clusters according to demographic characteristics. Research implications or Originality - The results of this study contribute to find out potential target market of Chinese residents, and to provide data for better positing of Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to identify the influence relationship between positive psychological capital, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment of tourism guides, and to provide implications through empirical research to increase the capabilities of tourism guides that are a factor in the performance of planned travel products Design/methodology/approach - This study conducted an empirical survey using the google online questionnaire. It was directly surveyed, distributed, and collected from workers who were or were performing tourism guide duties in Asia and Europe, and 203 questionnaires were used for analysis. The empirical survey was conducted in a self-written manner through a simple random sampling method, and the statistical package was conducted with frequency analysis, factor analysis, multiple regression analysis, and correlation analysis using the spss 21.0 program. Findings - First, among the positive psychological capital factors, two factors, hope and optimism, have a significant positive (+) effect on job satisfaction. Second, among the positive psychological capital factors, two factors, self-efficacy and optimism, have a significant positive (+) effect on organizational commitment. Third, job satisfaction has a significant positive (+) effect on organizational commitment Research implications or Originality - The implications of this study are that the research results have had a positive (+) effect on the variables of positive psychological capital, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment of tourism guides, and have laid the foundation for academic research on research topics. In practice, it is expected to increase the positive psychological capital of tourism guides and have a significant impact on the organization's performance by actively supporting and supporting individuals related to the sustainable growth of travel products.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to formulate a plan to cope with tourists' rights which can occur in tourist attraction place and anywhere for tourist activities and to seek a plan for introducing a watchdog system for tourists' civil complaints. Design/methodology/approach - To perform this purpose, this article will discuss a research review of the scope of tourist activities in terms of space and place perspectives and compare them to the watchdog and ombudsman concepts. And the study analyses and look at the suggestion about Tourism complains center and the Tourism policy system of procedure function and role critically. Findings - The Watchdog system is a routine activity in which citizen monitoring activities are developed in the form of a system and share inconvenience and anxiety detected in time and space in the expanding range of entertainment, leisure, and sports tourism activities. The resulting accident rate can be reduced, the administrative and private businesses can be resolved, and the cost of handling can be solved. Research implications or Originality - The social contribution of Watchdog can be systematically expanded and resolved at various sites by securing public trust in the country threats in daily places preventing risks securing continuous safety management of related facilities and other industries

Purpose - Internet-based e-commerce is rapidly developing and applied, and e-commerce through Internet technology overcomes the time and space constraints of existing business exchanges and facilitates multinational transactions.At the same time, disputes over e-commerce are increasing.In order to solve these disputes, clear laws should be regulated and regulated. Design/methodology/approach - This paper first studies the development and trend of E-commerce, then studies the legal provisions of CISG, and then combines them to analyze and draw a conclusion. Findings - Since its enactment in 1980, the CISG has been one of the most influential international commercial laws to date, with 95 States parties. It is a very important international agreement and norm that helps maintain and facilitate the settlement of international trade disputes and coordination of international merchandise sales activities. However, CISG, which is most widely used in traditional trade, faces many challenges due to the nature of E-commerce, but after studying the development and trend of E-commerce and the legal provisions of E-commerce, we conclude that CISG can be applied to E-commerce. Research implications or Originality - All the international conventions are the fruit of the efforts of the people, CISG, as one of the most important unitary laws of international trade, can be said to be representative.The analysis of CISG's legal provisions should be combined with the current international e-commerce trade form, so that CISG can be reasonably applied to modern trade disputes.