• Title/Summary/Keyword: 사회 비용

Search Result 1,763, Processing Time 0.042 seconds

Determination of methamphetamine, 4-hydroxymethamphetamine, amphetamine and 4-hydroxyamphetamine in urine using dilute-and-shoot liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (시료 희석 주입 LC-MS/MS를 이용한 소변 중 메스암페타민, 4-하이드록시메스암페타민, 암페타민 및 4-하이드록시암페타민 동시 분석)

  • Heo, Bo-Reum;Kwon, NamHee;Kim, Jin Young
    • Analytical Science and Technology
    • /
    • v.31 no.4
    • /
    • pp.161-170
    • /
    • 2018
  • The epidemic of disorders associated with synthetic stimulants, such as methamphetamine (MA) and amphetamine (AP), is a health, social, legal, and financial problem. Owing to the high potential of their abuse and addiction, reliable analytical methods are required to detect and identify MA, AP, and their metabolites in biological samples. Thus, a dilute-and-shoot liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrophotometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for simultaneous determination of MA, 4-hydroxymethamphetamine (4HMA), AP, and 4-hydroxyamphetamine (4HA) in urine. Urine sample ($100{\mu}L$) was mixed with $50{\mu}L$ of mobile phase consisting of 0.4 % formic acid and methanol and $50{\mu}L$ of working internal-standard solution. Aliquots of $8{\mu}L$ diluted urine was injected into the LC-MS/MS system. For all analytes, chromatographic separation was performed using a C18 reversed-phase column with gradient elution and a total run time of 5 min. The identification and quantification were performed by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Linear least-squares regression was conducted to generate a calibration curve, with $1/x^2$ as the weighting factor. The linear ranges were 2.0-200, 1.0-800, and 10-2500 ng/mL for 4HA and 4HMA, AP, and MA, respectively. The inter- and intraday precisions were within 6.6 %, whereas the inter- and intraday accuracies ranged from -14.9 to 11.3 %. The low limits of quantification were 2.0 ng/mL (4HA and 4HMA), 1.0 ng/mL (AP), and 10 ng/mL (MA). The proposed method exhibited satisfactory selectivity, dilution integrity, matrix effect, and stability, which are required for validation. Moreover, the purification efficiency of high-speed centrifugation was clearly higher than 6-15 % for QC samples (n=5), which was higher than that of the membrane-filtration method. The applicability of the proposed method was tested by forensic analysis of urine samples from drug abusers.

Strategic Antitrust Policy Promoting Mergers to Enhance Domestic Competitiveness (기업결합규제(企業結合規制)와 국제경쟁력(國際競爭力))

  • Seong, So-mi
    • KDI Journal of Economic Policy
    • /
    • v.12 no.3
    • /
    • pp.153-172
    • /
    • 1990
  • The present paper investigates the potential value of strategic antitrust policy in an oligopolistic international market. The market is characterized by a non-cooperative Cournot-Nash equilibrium and by asymmetry in costs among firms in the world market. The model is useful for two reasons. First, it is important in the context of policy-making to examine the conditions under which it may be beneficial to relax antitrust law to enhance competitiveness. Second, the explicit derivation of the level of cost-saving required for a gain in total domestic surplus provides an empirical rule for excluding industries that do not satisfy the requirements for a socially beneficial antitrust exemption. Results of the analysis include a criterion that tells how the cost-saving and concentration effects of a merger offset each other. The criterion is derived from fairly general assumptions on demand functions and is simple enough to be applied as a part of the merger guidelines. Another interesting policy implication of our analysis is that promoting mergers would not be a beneficial strategy in a net importing industry where cost-saving opportunities are thin. Cost-saving domestic mergers are more likely to increase national welfare in exporting industries. The best candidate industries for application of strategic antitrust policy are those with the following characteristics: (i) a large potential for efficiency enhancement; (ii) high market concentration at the world but not the domestic level; (iii) a high ratio of exports to imports. Recently, many policymakers and economists in Korea have also come to believe that the appropriate antitrust policy in an era of increased foreign competition may actually be to encourage rather than to prohibit domestic mergers. The Industry Development Act of 1986 and the proposed bill for Mergers and Conversions in the Financial Industry of 1990 reflect this changing perspective on antitrust policy. Antitrust laws may burden domestic firms in the sense that they have a more constrained strategy set. Expenditures to avoid antitrust attacks could also increase costs for domestic firms. But there is no clear evidence that the impact of antitrust policy is significant enough to harm the competitiveness of domestic firms. As a matter of fact, it is necessary for domestic financial institutions to become large in scale in this era of globalization. However, the absence of empirical evidence for efficiency enhancement from mergers suggests caution in the relaxation of antitrust standards.

  • PDF

A Study on Anaerobic Treatment and Energy Recovery Technology of Food Waste by Using Hybrid Anaerobic Reactor (Hybrid Anaerobic Reactor를 이용한 음식물쓰레기의 혐기성처리 및 에너지 회수에 관한 연구)

  • Yoon Young-Bong;Park Jin-Young;Ju Jin-Young;Kim Myung-Ho
    • Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
    • /
    • v.20 no.1 s.55
    • /
    • pp.64-75
    • /
    • 2005
  • The total production of food waste was about 11,398ton/day('03) in Korea. Also, food waste was treated by landfill, incineration, reuse and anaerobic digestion. The method of food waste treatment depended primarily on landfill. However, the method of landfill causing social problems was prevented to treat food waste in the first of January 2005.12) Thus, anaerobic digestion is an important method to treat food waste because of possibility of energy recovery as methane gas. In this study, the possibility of food waste treatment containing high organic material and low pH in the one stage anaerobic reactor to save cost and time and energy recovery using $CH_{4}$ gas by the hybrid anaerobic reactor (HAR) was measured. The HAR was designed by combing the merits of the anaerobic filter (AF) to minimize the microorganism shock when food waste of very low pH was injected and up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) to prevent from plugging and channeling phenomena by large suspended solids when semi solids were injected. Granule was packed in the section of HAR. The purpose of the BMP experiment was to measure the amount of methane generated when organic material was resolved under anaerobic conditions, to grasp bio resolution of organic material. Total accumulated methane production per VS amount was $0.471(m^{3}/\cal{kg}\;VS)$. So, the value was about $81.2\%$ of theoretical methane production which was $0.58(m^{3}/\cal{kg}\;VS)$ by elementary analysis and organic matter removal velocity (K) was $0.18(d^{-1})$. From these results, food waste was treated by anaerobic treatment. From this study, $CH_{4}$ generation from food waste (11,398 ton/day) could be estimated. By using an energy conversion factor of Braun's study, $5.97KWh/m^{3}\;CH4,\;60\%\;of\;CH_{4}$ gas generation, the amount of total energy producing food waste is to 6,727MWh/day. It could be confirmed that energy recovery using $CH_{4}$ gas was possible. Above these results, food waste containing organic matters of high concentration could be treated in HRT 30 days under an anaerobic condition, using the hybrid anaerobic reactor and reuse of $CH_{4}$ gas was possible.

Determinants of the Location and Relocation of Domestic Logistics Firms in Korea (focused on complementary commodity flow survey for 2006) (우리나라 국내 화주기업의 입지 및 재입지 선택 특성 분석 (2006년 물류현황보완조사를 중심으로))

  • Do, Hwa-Yong;Jang, Hoon;Kim, Chan-Sung;Won, Jai-Mu
    • Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
    • /
    • v.26 no.1
    • /
    • pp.37-49
    • /
    • 2008
  • In general, most of the firms do not settle down in one place for their pursuit of profit. There are many reasons for the relocation of the firms; procurement of raw material, market area, transportation cost and housing cost. The aspect of national policy, firm relocation has been systemically promoted for the purpose of logistics system efficiency. Nowadays balanced regional development has been issue. Another aspect, many countries have struggled for the preoccupancy of new place because of its production cost saving and curtailment of expenditure. The aim of this article is qualitative and quantitative analysis of relocation influence factors of domestic goods firms in Korea. This article dynamically analyzed the relocation influence factors for domestic goods firms in Korea. For the analysis this article made use of complementary survey (2006) out of the 3rd national logistics survey (2005). The complementary survey conducted pre-business district, business period, relocation reason, etc. This article dynamically analyzed from the three aspects; observation of average residence time in one business district, relocation factors, influence of market area. Analysis shows that relocation of firm is very high rate and the reasons of relocation play compositeness role. The results of determinants of location, firms approach the established market area closely and the firm's relocation is influenced by market area.

병원정보시스템 품질 항목에 대한 제안

  • Park, Chan-Seok;Go, Seok-Ha
    • Proceedings of the Korea Society of Information Technology Applications Conference
    • /
    • 2007.05a
    • /
    • pp.300-320
    • /
    • 2007
  • 정보기술의 발달과 함께 소프트웨어 제품은 모든 산업에 필수요소가 되었고, 품질과 평가에 대한 관심도 점차 증가되고 있다. 하지만 일부 산업에서는 소프트웨어 품질 평가에 대한 사용자들의 만병 통치적 기대, 품질 표준의 부족, 측정을 위한 양질의 데이터 부족, 소프트웨어 분석과 디자인에 대한 공학적 한계로 소프트웨어 품질 평가에 대해 많은 문제점이 지적되고 있다. 국내에서도 의료산업 관련 정보시스템의 오류 및 사용자들의 운영 미숙은 매년 많은 금액의 사회적 비용을 증가시켰고, 병원정보시스템의 품질에 대한 관심을 초래하였다. 특히, 산업적 특성이 강한 병원정보시스템은 성공적 구축을 위해 사용자 중심의 소프트웨어 디자인과 다양한 전문가들의 지식 통합이 필요하며, 정보시스템 품질 측정으로 연구자들과 개발자들의 시스템 설계 혼란을 감소시키는 방법론이 필요하다는 연구들이 등장하고 있다. 대부분의 병원정보시스템이 단편적인 업무처리 위주로 개발 운영되고 있고, 장기적 경영전략이나 임상연구를 위한 분석적 정보처리 기능들은 결여되어 있다. 또한 소프트웨어 재설계나 추가적 개발 에 활용될 수 있는 객관적 품질 기준이 부족하고, 사용자들의 요구사항에 대해 소프트웨어 설계에 있어서 효율적으로 반영되지 못하고 있다. 이에 본 연구는 최근 발표된 병원정보시스템 품질 평가에 대한 연구 경향을 종합하고, 품질 평가에 대 해 효율적으로 활용되고 있는 사용성(Usability)을 기준으로 병원산업의 특수성을 포함한 품질 평가 방법과 품질척도를 제안하고자 한다. 국제표준기구(ISO:International Standards Organization)에서는 품질 특성을 기능성, 신뢰성, 사용성, 효율성, 유지 보수성과 이식성의 특성을 제시하고 있다. 특히 Folmer & Bosch(2004)가 정리한 ISO9126에서는 품질의 특성을 배움의 용이성, 운영의 용이성, 이해성과 매력성으로 분류하였고, ISO9241-11는 효과성, 효율성과 만족성으로 분류하였다. 또한 Shackel(1991)은 배움의 용이성(배움과 시간, 기억력), 효과성(오류, 직무시간), 유연성과 마음가짐으로 분류하고 있다(Shackel, 1991). Nielsen(1997)은 배움의 용이성, 기억의 용이성, 오류, 효율성, 만족성으로 분류하고 있고(Nielsen, 1997), Shneiderman(1998)는 효과성(직무시간, 배움의 시간), 효율성(기억의 지속시간, 오류), 만족도를 품질의 특성으로 분류하였다. 이와 같은 소프트웨어의 품질은 소프트웨어 계획, 개발, 성장과 쇠퇴의 모든 과정에 적용되며, 환경적 변화에 따라 사용자들의 정보욕구를 적절하게 반영하여 만족도를 높이 는 것이라고 요약할 수 있다. 그러나 현재까지 소프트웨어 품질 평가에 대한 연구들 은 보편적인 평가 항목들을 대상으로 측정하여 일반적인 품질기준을 제시하고 있고, 유사한 측정 내용들이 중복되어 있다. 이러한 경향은 산업별 특수성이 강한 소프트웨어에 대해서는 정확한 품질측정이 어려웠고, 품질측정에 대한 신뢰성을 떨어뜨리는 계기가 되었다. 이러한 한계를 극복하고자 나타난 방법론이 최종사용자들의 요구사항을 얼마나 적절하게 시스템에 반영했는지에 대한 사용성(Usability) 측정이다. 사용성에 대한 정의는 사용자들이 실질적으로 일하는 장소에서 직접 사용자들의 시스템 운용실태를 파악하여 문제점을 개선하는 것으로 요약할 수 있다. ISO9124-11에서는 사용성을 "어떤 제품이 구체적인 사용자들에 의해 구체적인 목적을 달성하기 위한 구체적인 사용의 맥락에서 효율성, 효과성을 만족함으로 사용될 수 있는 정도"로 정의하고 있다. 지난 10년간 병원정보시스템 평가에 대한 문헌들을 고찰한 결과 품질 측정의 효과는 정보화에 대한 동기유발과 의료품질을 높이는 게기가 되었으며, 질병에 대한 예방효과도 높은 것으로 조사되었다. 그러나 평가에 대한 인식의 문제, 평가 방법의 신뢰성 부족, 평가 지침과 부분적 평가에 따른 인증의 어려움 평가 결과에 대한 확산과 단편적 연구의 한계 등으로 연구결과에 대한 신뢰도와 활용도는 낮은 것으로 조사되었고, HIS에 대한 연구 빈도와 범위 가 매우 미약하였다. 특히, 품질속성은 같은 용어이지만 연구자에 따라 전혀 다른 측정 내용을 제시하고 있어 효율적인 품질 지표를 제시하는데 많은 혼란을 초래하고 있다. 이러한 품질 평가의 경향은 시스템 설계 및 개발자들에게 필요한 사용자들의 구체적이고 독특한 욕구나 병원정보시스템 환경의 특수성 파악에 한계를 보였으며, 평가 범위도 부분적으로 이루어져 전사적 시스템 설계 및 개발에 중요한 자료를 제공하지 못하고 있다. 이러한 문제점과 한계를 극복하고자 ISO와 같은 품질 표준 속성과 컨텍스트(Context)를 중심으로 사용자에 의한 평가 척도의 설정은 구체적이고 실용적이며 신뢰성 있는 평가 방법이 될 것이다.

  • PDF

A Study on the Effect of Perceived Usefulness Factors of Smart Farm on the Rural Entrepreneurial Intention (스마트팜의 지각된 유용성 요인이 농촌창업의도에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구)

  • Ahn, Mun Hyoung;Heo, Chul-Moo
    • Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
    • /
    • v.15 no.4
    • /
    • pp.161-173
    • /
    • 2020
  • As ICT convergence technology has spread and applied to various industrial fields and society in general, interest in rural entrepreneurship using smart farm as a means for solving many pending problems in agriculture is increasing. In this context, this study is to look at the influential factors in terms of perceived usefulness associated with the rural entrepreneurial intention using smart farm and suggest a proposal for spreading smart farms. The subjects were 296 general adults over 20 years old who were selected by simple random sampling method. The research method was exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis using IBM SPSS 22.0. The perceived usefulness of smart farm, which are availability, reliability and economic efficiency were selected as independent variables to analyze the influential factors on rural entrepreneurial intention using smart farm and the moderating effect of personal innovation was observed. As a result, reliability and economic efficiency have a positive(+) influence on rural entrepreneurial intention using smart farm. And personal innovation moderates the relationship between the availability, reliability of smart farm and rural entrepreneurial intention using smart farm. The results of this study have significance in that we devised and empirically revealed factors affecting rural entrepreneurship intentions from the perspective of perceived usefulness of smart farms, away from studies of general entrepreneurship intention factors such as internal personal characteristics and external environmental factors. The implications of the study are expected to be utilized at the seeking direction of policy for potential entrepreneur using smart farm, the training and consulting in actual field of smart farm.

Introduction and Application for Advanced Group Underwriting Skill (단체보험 언더라이팅 선진기법 도입방안)

  • Kim, C.N.;Back, J.K.;Lee, S.H.;An, J.W.;Chung, S.W.;Lee, S.M.;Jang, J.H.
    • The Journal of the Korean life insurance medical association
    • /
    • v.22
    • /
    • pp.139-169
    • /
    • 2003
  • 국내 보험 산업은 경제발전에 따라 많은 성장을 이루어왔으나 단체보험은 보험 회사의 외부적 또는 내부적 환경으로 인해 활성화가 미흡한 상황이다. 개인보험시장의 포화, 해외시장에서 단체보험의 지속적인 성장, 사회보험 민영화 논의, 방카슈랑스와 보험시장의 개방 등 급격한 변화를 겪고 있는 보험영업환경을 고려한다면 향후 확대될 기업복지시장에서의 성공적 역할수행을 위해서는 단체보험 영업과 지원시스템의 보완이 시급한 과제라고 할 수 있다. 특히 언더라이팅 기법은 단체보험의 핵심역량이며 회사의 경쟁력 강화와 사차익 안정화를 위해서는 단체보험 인수기법의 선진화가 필수요건이다. 단체보험은 대수의 법칙, 수지상등의 원칙 등 보험의 기본원리라는 측면에서는 개인보험과 다른 점이 없지만 하나의 계약을 통해 집단의 피보험자에게 보장을 제공하기 때문에 가지게 되는 역선택 축소, 비용절감, 기업에 의한 1차선택 등 몇 가지 특성들은 인수기법에서의 차이를 필요로 한다. 하지만 국내의 단체보험 언더라이팅은 기본개념조차 제대로 정립되어 있지 못한 초기단계로 단체보험의 특성을 제대로 반영할 수 있는 위험평가를 위해서는 선진기법의 도입이 절실하다. 첫째, 자유보장한도(FREE COVER LIMIT)의 도입이다. 자유보장한도는 단체에 대한 위험과 피보험자 개인의 위험을 구분하는 기준으로 자유보장한도내의 피보험자에 대해서는 고지나 의적 검사를 요구하지 않고 개인별 언더라이팅을 하지 않으며 거절체나 표준하체이더라도 자유보장한도 금액까지는 나머지 정상 피보험자들과 동일한 보장을 제공하는 것을 말한다. 이는 피보험자별 위험을 중심으로 심사하고 있는 현재의 국내 단체보험 인수방법에서 발생되는 고객측 불만과 심사의 비효율성을 개선할 수 있는 방안이다. 둘째, 단체별 특성에 따른 보험요율 차등화이다 단체는 산업의 종류, 피보험자의 직무, 지역적 위치, 크기(피보험자수), 성별구성비 등 여러 가지 특성들을 가지고 있으며 이런 특성들은 보장급부에 따라 발생위험에 영향을 미칠 수 있다. 하지만 현재 나이와 성별에 따라서 피보험자별로 정해지는 요율체계만으로는 이런 위험들을 적절하게 반영하지 못하고 단체별 형평성에도 문제가 생긴다. 따라서 정확한 data 구축을 통해 단체 특성별로 어떤 보장에 어느 정도로 위험 발생에 영향을 미치는지를 분석하여 보험요율을 차등부과 할 수 있는 체계를 갖추어야 한다. 셋째, 경험을 활용한 보험료 산정기법이다. 이것은 개인보험과 구분되는 가장 큰 단체보험만의 특성이라 할 수 있는데 해당 단체의 과거 경험 data 즉 청구로 인한 지급금액을 토대로 당해 계약 보험료를 결정하는 방법이다. 이를 위해서는 과거 경험 data가 얼마나 신뢰할 수 있는 지의 정도(신뢰도)를 측정하는 것이 필요하다. 과학적이고 효율적인 단체보험 인수를 위해서 경험율의 활용은 반드시 이루어져야 할 선결과제이다. 넷째, 관련규정의 정비가 필요하다 단체보험의 특성을 갖기 위해서는 가입가능한 피보험자들의 자격규정(eligibility), 활동적근무 조건(actively at work)이 요구되어야 하며 참여비율(가입비율)과 보장수준의 구성방법에 대해서도 가이드라인 설정을 통해 역선택을 최소화 할 수 있는 제도적 보완이 마련되어야 한다. 이런 선진인수기법의 도입과 함께 단체보험 언더라이터의 필요역량을 개발하고 향상시키는 노력도 병행되어야만 종합금융화, 대형화가 진전되면서 대경쟁의 구도로 바뀌고 있는 국내 보험시장에서의 경쟁력 확보가 가능할 것이다.

  • PDF

Food and nutrient intake status of Korean elderly by degree of cognitive function (노인의 인지기능상태에 따른 식품과 영양소 섭취실태)

  • Kim, Hye-Young;Lee, Jung-Sug;Youn, Jong-Chul;Chang, Moon-Jeong
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
    • /
    • v.49 no.5
    • /
    • pp.313-322
    • /
    • 2016
  • Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the relationship among cognitive function, nutrition screening initiative (NSI) score, and food intake status. Methods: A total of 409 subjects aged over 60 years were recruited from the Yongin dementia prevention and control center. Mini Mental State Examination Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS) method was used to assess the cognitive function of the subjects. Information on health related behaviors and food intake was collected by face to face interview using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaires included the NSI DETERMINE checklist, food intake sheets by 24 hr recall method and by semi-quantified food frequency questionnaire. Results: Subjects were divided into low cognitive or normal groups according to the MMSE-DS result. The prevalence of low cognitive function in the subjects was 25.7%. The low cognitive group exercised less and had higher nutritional health risk than the normal group. The low cognitive group had lower consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acid and higher tendency of thiamin, riboflavin, and iron deficiency. The low cognitive group had less frequency of eating mackerel, pepper, tangerine, and watermelon and higher frequency of eating white rice and cookies than the normal group. Conclusion: The results of this study imply that the cognitive function of elderly is related to exercise behavior, nutritional health risk, and food and nutrient intake status.

Design of Truck Escape Ramps (자동차 긴급 피난 차선의 계획 설계)

  • 구본충
    • Journal of the Korean Professional Engineers Association
    • /
    • v.28 no.4
    • /
    • pp.54-75
    • /
    • 1995
  • This synthesis has been prepared from a review of literature on Truck Escape Ramps technology and a survey of current practice by state department of transportation. Their locations have been determined usually from a combination of accident experience and en-gineering judgement, but new tools are emerging that can identify needs and sites without waiting for catastrophic accidents to happen. The Grade Severity Rating Systems holds promise in this regard. Design Procedures for truck excape ramps continue to evolve. Gravel arrester beds are clearly the preferred choice across the country Rounded aggregate, uniformly graded in the approximate size range of 13 to 18mm. Tech-nical publications typically have dassified TER types as paved gravity, sandpile, and ar-rester bed ramps. The design speed for vehicle entry into the ramp in critical to the deter-mination of ramp length. An escape ramp should be designed for a minimum entry speed of 130km/hr, a 145km/hr design being preferred. The ramps should be straight and their angle to the roadway align-ment should be as possible. The grade of truck escape ramps show the adjustment of ramp design to local topography, such as the tradeoff of ramp length against earthwork requirements. A width of 9 to 12m would more safety acommodate two or more outof con-trol vehicles. Reguarding comments on the most effective material, most respondents cited their own specification or referred to single graded, rounded pea gravel. The consensus essentially Is that single graded, well -rounded gravel is the most desirable material for use in arrester beds. The arrester beds should be constructed with a minimum aggregate depth of 30cm. Successful ramps have used depths between 30 and 90cm.

  • PDF

Policy Study on Korean Retail Micro Business (국제 비교를 통한 소매업 소상공인 현황과 정책적 시사점)

  • Suh, Yong Gu;Kim, Suk Kyung
    • Journal of Distribution Research
    • /
    • v.17 no.5
    • /
    • pp.39-57
    • /
    • 2012
  • The unabated influx of micro businesses has turned the Korean retailing market to a rat race, which causes severe financial distress for micro business owners due to heavy competition. The woes of these micro business owner's are exacerbated by the presence of large scale distributors such as Super Supermarket(SSM) and large discount stores. In summary, the Korean retail market is overburdened an uneconomically viable. Retailing has low barriers to entry which attracts unskilled labor or those with little capital. These start-ups have low opportunity costs since they would make low wages elsewhere in the economy. Thus, these owners are content with relatively low returns on their investment. These 'subsistence ventures' are maintained for economical viability rather than economic growth. These 'subsistence ventures' intensifies competition among small-scale businesses. The presence of large retail corporations also aggravates the situation. The recent stagnation of the economy has worsened the retail market in Korea. The overwhelming competition solidifies the coarse structural system and the prolonged economic sluggishness has increased the risk of insolvency for micro business owners. As the economy continues to stagnate, the imminent risk in retailing market will rise up to surface threatening economic stability. More systematic inflows and outflows of retailers are required in order to redress this structural problem. It has been empirically shown that the self-employment rate is high in Korea compared to other OECD countries. To draw the comparison of self-employment rate by industry, Korea shows high rates among transportation, whole sale, retail, education, lodging, and restaurants. In the case of the transportation and education service sectors, this high rate can be explained by the idiosyncratic nature of Korean culture. In the transportation sector, political policies favor private cap service and private freight carriers. In the education service sector, Koreans put particular emphasis on education that leads to many private institutions that outnumber other OECD countries. For these singular reasons, Korea maintains high micro business, self-employed rates particularly in retailing. A comparable nation is Japan, with its similar social, economic, cultural environment among OECD countries. Unlike Korea, Japan has much lower rates of micro business which continues to decrease. Also Korean retailers are much more destitute than Japanese. The fundamental problem of Korean retailing is the involuntary exit of these 'subsistence ventures,' micro businesses with low margins, in which a small drop in demand can lead to financial difficulties for the owner. This problem will be exacerbated when Korean babyboomers retire and join the micro business ventures. The first priority in order to cope with the severity of oversupply in retailing is to provide better opportunities for the potential self-employers. There should be viable alternatives to subsistent ventures. Strengthening the retirement program, scrutiny of exit process, reconfiguration of policy funds are the recommendations.

  • PDF