• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.341-366
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• 2013

The term, Mittelstand, has no exact english translation for the definition, but, today, Mittelstand refers to small and medium-sized enterprises(SME), mostly family-owned firms in Germany. The Mittelstand is called the backbone of the German economy because it drove the economic miracle after World War II. During the global recession and the euro zone's debt crisis in recent years, in which european businesses have faced the near-collapse of competitiveness particularly in manufacturing, the German exports are booming and exceeded exports of China in 2012. Most importantly, the Germany economic performance has been widely attributed to the strength of the Mittelstand. Many of countries, even some leading public companies are seeking to emulate the success of the Mittelstand. Investors evaluate that many of Germany's investable "hidden champions" are Mittelstand companies. The purpose of this study is to present some of answers to the following questions: Firstly, what makes the German Mittelstand so successful? Secondly, what does the success of the German Mittelstand mean for the Korean SMEs in global competitiveness? Thirdly, what Korean government has to do improve the global competitiveness of the Korean SMEs? Some discussions in this study mention the managerial implications for Korean exporting SMEs particularly in manufacturing. Several factors that account for the success of the German Mittelstand are technological excellence and the tradition of family-owned management, concentration on niche market and globalization, and institutional supports. There are some of important lessons to be learned from the German Mittelstand. If the purposes of Korean SMEs want to remain in the sustainable competitive advantage and withstand unforeseen economic turbulences in the future, they must be able to meet the followings: 1) Technology that meets the global standard or exceeding it 2) Competitiveness in price in the global market 3) Active involvement in the globalization process, utilizing various entry modes Innovative products at globally competitive price are a crucial point for Korean exporting SMEs to achieve their competitive edge over others in the target markets abroad. It is time for Korean SMEs to cultivate a core competence in manufacturing in order to position Korea as a global manufacturing hub with SMEs leading.

• Journal of Service Research and Studies
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.113-130
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• 2023

This study is a single case study of the application of service design in a regional emergency medical centre of a senior general hospital, focusing on the experiences of patients and medical staff. It aims to measure and improve the experience of healthcare services using service design techniques and to verify their effectiveness. A qualitative case study centred on ethnography and design workshops was conducted to collect in-depth experience data from patients and medical staff. The study identified key experiential differences between patients and healthcare workers, with a particular focus on the challenges faced in emergency medical services. The qualitative data collected through patient and healthcare worker interviews and design thinking workshops were analysed and incorporated into the design in order to understand the complex dynamics of the regional emergency medical centre environment. The results of the study highlighted the need to improve communication, manage patient flow, and improve the environment in three main aspects of the current state of design reflecting the needs of patients and medical staff. By analysing the differences in the specific needs of the two groups of patients and medical staff, a design-led implementation process can be applied to improve the services of the regional emergency medical centre. This study highlights the role and importance of design in healthcare and provides an efficient way to bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical design implementation. This will contribute to creating a faster, more effective, and more satisfying healthcare experience. It is hoped that this will be a new opportunity to see service design as a key to a new innovation process for the satisfaction of both patients and medical staff.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.23-45
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• 2017

The ROK military is making a great effort and investment in establishing network-centric warfare, a future battlefield concept, as a major step in the establishment of a basic plan for military innovation. In the military organization level, an advanced process is introduced to shorten the command control time of the military and the business process is improved to shorten the decision time. In the information system dimension, an efficient resource management is achieved by establishing an automated command control system and a resource management information system by using the battle management information system. However, despite these efforts, we must evaluate the present level of informatization in an objective manner and assess the current progress toward the future goal of the military by using objective indicators. In promoting informatization, we must systematically identify the correct areas of improvement and identify policy directions to supplement in the future. Therefore, by analyzing preliminary research, workshops, and expert discussions on the major informatization level evaluation models at home and abroad, this study develops an evaluation model and several indicators that systematically reflect the characteristics of military organizations. The developed informatization level evaluation model is verified by conducting a feasibility test for the troops of the operation class or higher. We expect that this model will be able to objectively diagnose the level of informatization of the ROK military by putting budget and resources into the right place at the right time and to rapidly improve the vulnerability of the information sector.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.1-20
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to identify the unique entrepreneurial behavioral attributes of social enterprises that are distinct from for-profit enterprises at the organizational level, derive a social entrepreneurship model that reflects the unique characteristics of social enterprises as strategic decision-making and organizational behavioral tendencies. In order to effectively achieve the purpose of this study, previous studies were reviewed, and qualitative studies were conducted using the grounded theory method based on this. In this study, social entrepreneurship was identified as five sub-factors through a series of analysis processes, and 'Social value orientation; Innovativeness; Pro-activeness; Risk taking; Cooperation orientation' was newly proposed. It also proposed a new social entrepreneurship framework that integrates and explains the multidimensional model of social entrepreneurship by reviewing and connecting the relationships between each sub-factor of the research model. The 'social entrepreneurship framework' classified the social entrepreneurship model into 'pro-social motivation', 'pro-social behavior', and 'entrepreneurial behavior' attributes and explained them by linking them with each sub-factor that constitutes social entrepreneurship. The most remarkable difference between this study and previous studies is that it identified and added 'Cooperation orientation' as a sub-factor constituting social entrepreneurship from the organizational-level behavioral point of view. Through this study, 'Cooperation orientation' was identified as a major behavioral tendency for social enterprises to materialize pro-social motivation, strengthen the economic foundation of business activities, and improve the efficiency of business operations. 'Cooperation orientation' is a major behavioral tendency that strengthens the legitimacy of business activities between pro-social motivation and profit-seeking of social enterprises, improves the performance of social value creation activities, and overcomes the difficulties of resource constraints through cooperation with the outside and improves operational efficiency. In addition, it was confirmed that 'Cooperation orientation' is a major behavioral tendency of social enterprises that is manifested simultaneously in social value-oriented activities and entrepreneurial activities pursuing profit. The 'Cooperation orientation' newly identified in the study supplements the previous research, increases the explanatory power of the theory of social entrepreneurship, and provides the basis for theoretical expansion to subsequent researchers.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.21-33
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• 2010

The ICT(information & communication technology) led to a dramatic change of floral distribution service, a phase of competition between wholesales and retail stores, and distribution channels in floral industry. It was expected that a role of the intermediaries in this industry would have reduced due to the improvement of transaction process by ICT. However, the ICT made to overcome a regional limit of the floral retail distribution service leading to an increase in sales and enlargement of the stores. And even it made possible to bring out another type of intermediaries such as private associations. This case study focuses on what kinds of efforts the floral wholesale distributors have made to enable a distribution process more smoothly between the wholesale distributors and retail stores through the information system, and what the failure factors in adopting the information system have been. This paper is also to examine how the wholesale distributors have changed themselves to gain dominant positions in distribution channels. As a result of the study, it was found that the intermediaries mostly failed in successfully achieving the distribution channel innovation through the information system because of several main reasons. FLOMARKET Inc. tried to innovate a distribution channel to obtain high quality goods through consolidating a wholesale distribution market in that segregated both floral joint market from free markets. after implementing the information system with consideration of the failure factors, FLOMARKET Inc. was able to minimize goods in stock and make a major purchase of various goods. In addition, it made a possible pre-ordering process and an exact calculation of purchasing goods so they could provide their products with market price in real time, which helped for the company to gain credits from their customers. Also, FLOMARKET Inc. established the information system which well suited to its business stage in order to deal with a rapidly changing distribution environment. It's so obvious that the transaction processing system of FLOMARKET Inc. definitely helped to share information among traders more seamlessly and smoothly in realtime, standardize goods, and make a transaction process clearer. Besides, the transaction information helped the wholesale distributors and retail stores to make more strategic decisions in their business because through the system they enabled to gather the marketing intelligence information more easily and convenient. If we understand that the floral distribution market is characterized by the low IT- based industry, it's worth to examine a case study proving that the information system actually increases the productivity of the transaction process in the floral industry.

• The Journal of Information Technology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.81-102
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• 1998

It is common description that modern society is In the era of limitless competition. In order to challenge the change of economy and its management at home and abroad, organization should be changed anew, and in this case, there accompanies conflict or trouble whether the subject of change wants it or not. Therefore, according to change, we should concern with settlement of small troubles as well as big ones, and by managing the conflict or trouble productively and originally, it should be utilized as new fatality and chance to develop something in organization. In the system organized by people, there exist various conflicts in accordance with the target and want of the system, therefore giving no freedom to each Individual member of the system, and this is an unavoidable tate in consideration of the modem society where the survival of mankind and human systems should be guaranteed. Therefore, it determines the coordinates of success of any of organizations to manage conflict or trouble well, and so, when decreasing or increasing conflicts so that the organization exerts its full influence, it is note worthy that conflict itself should be rationally and efficiently managed. In a view point of the theory of organization and its behavior, relating job satisfaction with the performance and validity of organization, the influence of individual conflict is so great on the rate of job transfer within an organization or nonattendance, even on the productivity of the organization. So, the manager to cope with conflict within an organization should devise following three plans to manage conflict for job satisfaction and conflict settlement. In conclusion, it is suggested that in order to manage conflict within an organization well, some plans to control conflict should be well utilized while giving more efforts to improving management of individual conflict, job satisfaction, validity of organization, productivity, etc and all the members of organization should remember that the Issue of conflict within an organization be recognized ad an opportunity of new development and a way to settle a trouble within an organization, and a direction of conflict management should be suggested so that new innovation ca be created.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.99-123
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• 2019

The software industry is a high value-added industry in the knowledge information age, and its importance is growing as it not only plays a key role in knowledge creation and utilization, but also secures global competitiveness. Among various SW available in today's business environment, Open Source Software(OSS) is rapidly expanding its activity area by not only leading software development, but also integrating with new information technology. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to empirically examine and analyze the effect of factors on the switching behavior to OSS. To accomplish the study's purpose, we suggest the research model based on "Push-Pull-Mooring" framework. This study empirically examines the two categories of antecedents for switching behavior toward OSS. The survey was conducted to employees at various firms that already switched OSS. A total of 268 responses were collected and analyzed by using the structural equational modeling. The results of this study are as follows; first, continuous maintenance cost, vender dependency, functional indifference, and SW resource inefficiency are significantly related to switch to OSS. Second, network-oriented support, testability and strategic flexibility are significantly related to switch to OSS. Finally, the results show that willingness to secures SW competitiveness has a moderating effect on the relationships between push factors and pull factor with exception of improved knowledge, and switch to OSS. The results of this study will contribute to fields related to OSS both theoretically and practically.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.1-31
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• 2017

Modern businesses are adopting new technologies to serve their markets better as well as to improve efficiency and productivity. The advertising industry has continuously experienced disruptions from the traditional channels (radio, television and print media) to new complex ones including internet, social media and mobile-based advertising. This case study focuses on proposing intelligent advertising business model in Seoul's metro network. Seoul has one of the world's busiest metro network and transports a huge number of travelers on a daily basis. The high number of travelers coupled with a well-planned metro network creates a platform where marketers can initiate engagement and interact with both customers and potential customers. In the current advertising model, advertising is on illuminated and framed posters in the stations and in-car, non-illuminated posters, and digital screens that show scheduled arrivals and departures of metros. Some stations have digital screens that show adverts but they do not have location capability. Most of the current advertising media have one key limitation: space. For posters whether illuminated or not, one space can host only one advert at a time. Empirical literatures show that there is room for improving this advertising model and eliminate the space limitation by replacing the poster adverts with digital advertising platform. This new model will not only be digital, but will also provide intelligent advertising platform that is driven by data. The digital platform will incorporate location sensing, e-commerce, and mobile platform to create new value to all stakeholders. Travel cards used in the metro will be registered and the card scanners will have a capability to capture traveler's data when travelers tap their cards. This data once analyzed will make it possible to identify different customer groups. Advertisers and marketers will then be able to target specific customer groups, customize adverts based on the targeted consumer group, and offer a wide variety of advertising formats. Format includes video, cinemagraphs, moving pictures, and animation. Different advert formats create different emotions in the customer's mind and the goal should be to use format or combination of formats that arouse the expected emotion and lead to an engagement. Combination of different formats will be more effective and this can only work in a digital platform. Adverts will be location based, ensuring that adverts will show more frequently when the metro is near the premises of an advertiser. The advertising platform will automatically detect the next station and screens inside the metro will prioritize adverts in the station where the metro will be stopping. In the mobile platform, customers who opt to receive notifications will receive them when they approach the business premises of advertiser. The mobile platform will have indoor navigation for the underground shopping malls that will allow customers to search for facilities within the mall, products they may want to buy as well as deals going on in the underground mall. To create an end-to-end solution, the mobile solution will have a capability to allow customers purchase products through their phones, get coupons for deals, and review products and shops where they have bought a product. The indoor navigation will host intelligent mobile-based advertisement and a recommendation system. The indoor navigation will have adverts such that when a customer is searching for information, the recommendation system shows adverts that are near the place traveler is searching or in the direction that the traveler is moving. These adverts will be linked to the e-commerce platform such that if a customer clicks on an advert, it leads them to the product description page. The whole system will have multi-language as well as text-to-speech capability such that both locals and tourists have no language barrier. The implications of implementing this model are varied including support for small and medium businesses operating in the underground malls, improved customer experience, new job opportunities, additional revenue to business model operator, and flexibility in advertising. The new value created will benefit all the stakeholders.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.1-15
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to propose a direction for designing and managing a smart park for realizing a smart green city and to present measures in the landscape field to foster related industries. The research process is as follows. First, the concept of a smart park was operationally defined through a literature review, and three principles to be considered in the process of creation and management were established. Second, in terms of the three principles, problems and implications for improvement were derived through an analysis of established cases of smart parks in new and pre-existing cities. Third, a pool of designs and management standards for each spatial component of a smart park was prepared through literature and case studies, and then further refined through brainstorming with experts in related fields. Fourth, measures were suggested to the government, local governments, and the landscape field to promote smart park creation and management. The main findings are as follows. First, the concept of a smart park is defined as "a park that contributes to securing the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of cities and local communities by supporting citizens' safe and pleasant use of parks and improving the management and operational efficiency by utilizing the digital, environment, and material technologies." Second, the three principles of smart parks are to improve the intrinsic value of parks, to improve the innovative functions of parks to solve urban problems, and to make the design, construction, and management process smart. Third, improvement implications were derived through the analysis of cases of smart parks creation in new and pre-existing cities. Fourth, the directions for smart park design and management were suggested in five aspects: green area, hydroponic facility area, road and plaza area, landscape facilities area, and park design method. Fifth, as for policy implications for revitalizing the construction and management of smart parks, the development of smart park policy business models by city growth stage, and park type, the promotion of pilot projects, the promotion of smart park projects in connection with the Korean New Deal policy, and smart park policies led by landscape experts were presented.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.17-35
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• 2015

Demand forecasting is the activity of estimating the quantity of a product or service that consumers will purchase for a certain period of time. Developing precise forecasting models are considered important since corporates can make strategic decisions on new markets based on future demand estimated by the models. Many studies have developed market growth curve models, such as Bass, Logistic, Gompertz models, which estimate future demand when a market is in its early stage. Among the models, Bass model, which explains the demand from two types of adopters, innovators and imitators, has been widely used in forecasting. Such models require sufficient demand observations to ensure qualified results. In the beginning of a new market, however, observations are not sufficient for the models to precisely estimate the market's future demand. For this reason, as an alternative, demands guessed from those of most adjacent markets are often used as references in such cases. Reference markets can be those whose products are developed with the same categorical technologies. A market's demand may be expected to have the similar pattern with that of a reference market in case the adoption pattern of a product in the market is determined mainly by the technology related to the product. However, such processes may not always ensure pleasing results because the similarity between markets depends on intuition and/or experience. There are two major drawbacks that human experts cannot effectively handle in this approach. One is the abundance of candidate reference markets to consider, and the other is the difficulty in calculating the similarity between markets. First, there can be too many markets to consider in selecting reference markets. Mostly, markets in the same category in an industrial hierarchy can be reference markets because they are usually based on the similar technologies. However, markets can be classified into different categories even if they are based on the same generic technologies. Therefore, markets in other categories also need to be considered as potential candidates. Next, even domain experts cannot consistently calculate the similarity between markets with their own qualitative standards. The inconsistency implies missing adjacent reference markets, which may lead to the imprecise estimation of future demand. Even though there are no missing reference markets, the new market's parameters can be hardly estimated from the reference markets without quantitative standards. For this reason, this study proposes a case-based expert system that helps experts overcome the drawbacks in discovering referential markets. First, this study proposes the use of Euclidean distance measure to calculate the similarity between markets. Based on their similarities, markets are grouped into clusters. Then, missing markets with the characteristics of the cluster are searched for. Potential candidate reference markets are extracted and recommended to users. After the iteration of these steps, definite reference markets are determined according to the user's selection among those candidates. Then, finally, the new market's parameters are estimated from the reference markets. For this procedure, two techniques are used in the model. One is clustering data mining technique, and the other content-based filtering of recommender systems. The proposed system implemented with those techniques can determine the most adjacent markets based on whether a user accepts candidate markets. Experiments were conducted to validate the usefulness of the system with five ICT experts involved. In the experiments, the experts were given the list of 16 ICT markets whose parameters to be estimated. For each of the markets, the experts estimated its parameters of growth curve models with intuition at first, and then with the system. The comparison of the experiments results show that the estimated parameters are closer when they use the system in comparison with the results when they guessed them without the system.